What You Need to Know About Submersible Pumps

What is a Submersible Pump?

As the name suggests, a submersible pump is designed to work with the entire assembly, consisting of pump and motor, fully submerged in the liquid or medium to be processed. This type of pump has a hermetically sealed motor which is close-coupled to the pump body. The water-tight enclosure around the motor is usually filled with oil to protect it from damage by preventing the entry of any liquid which may cause a short circuit.

When a pump is submerged there is positive fluid pressure at the inlet of the pump. This condition can create greater efficiency due to less energy required to move the fluid through the liquid path of the pump

A submersible pump operates by pushing, as opposed to drawing, liquid during the pumping process. This is extremely efficient because the pump uses the head of liquid in which it is submerged to operate and no energy is spent in drawing the liquid into the pump. A positive effect from the pump being submerged is that the motor is cooled by the liquid around it, preventing overheating.

Many submersible pumps in the oil and gas industry operate according to the Electric Submersible Pumping (ESP) principle. This is a cost-effective method of lifting large volumes of fluids from deep wells. The motors used in an ESP system are designed to operate under high temperatures and pressures. They require special electricity cables and can be expensive to run.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Submersible Pumps

The submersible pump offers several major advantages over other types of pumps:

Priming: They don’t have to be primed. They are self-priming because they operate below the surface of the fluid being pumped.

Cavitation: Because they are fully submerged, submersible pumps are not prone to cavitation. This can be a problem with centrifugal pumps and other types of positive displacement pumps.

Efficiency: When a pump is submerged there is positive fluid pressure at the inlet of the pump. This condition can increase efficiency due to less energy required to move fluid through the liquid path of the pump.

Noise: Being submerged, these pumps are very quiet in most applications.

There are also some disadvantages to contend with:

Accessibility: Submersible pumps are often not easily accessible for routine inspection or maintenance, especially in deep well applications. This makes it difficult to perform preventative maintenance and in many applications pumps are left to run until they break down and need to be replaced.

Corrosion: Prolonged exposure to a liquid of any sort will lead to corrosion. Submersible pumps are often used to handle liquids that are corrosive and abrasive. Seals are especially prone to corrosion, which leads to leaks and damage to the motor. To counteract corrosion these pumps need to be made of corrosion-resistant material, which can make them more expensive than other types of pumps of the same capacity.

Wherever possible, submersible pumps should be inspected as often as possible. In this way, any necessary repairs can be carried out to prolong the life of the pump.

Submersible Pump Applications

Submersible pumps are generally very reliable and able to operate well in harsh conditions. They are made with robust iron castings and protected against corrosion with coated epoxy.

These are some of the main applications for these pumps:

Wastewater: Submersible pumps are widely used in the grit and wastewater industry. They are often used in pump and lift stations because they are compact and are less costly to install than other pumps.

Sewage treatment: This application requires submersible pumps, such as grinder pumps, that can transport solid material without obstruction from pump inlet to discharge. These pumps often reduce sewage material to particles for easier handling and downstream treatment.

Sump pumping: Submersible pumps are often used to remove water that has accumulated in a low-lying area or pit where water can collect. An example is removing tailings ponds from mining operations or removing water from the basement of a building due to flooding.

Dredging: These pumps are used by port authorities to dredge a harbor. They have to be specially designed to handle liquids with high solid content.

Wells: Water wells and boreholes employ these pumps to lift water to the surface. The oil and gas industry uses ESP submersible pumps extensively to lift oil to the surface from deep wells.

Mining: Mines use ESP submersible pumps that are designed differently from those used in the oil and gas industry. They have to contend with severe conditions because mine water is highly acidic and carries suspended solids.

Oil and Gas: Many submersible pumps in the oil and gas industry operate according to the Electric Submersible Pumping (ESP) principle. This is a cost-effective method of lifting large volumes of fluids from deep wells. The motors used in an ESP system are designed to operate under high temperatures and pressures. They require special electricity cables and can be expensive to run.

Self-Priming Pumps

With a self-priming unit, the pump and power unit are not submerged. The suction hose goes into the slurry and the unit acts like a super-sized wet dry vacuum. Can be trailer mounted for added mobility.

Why EDDY Pumps Are Better – Highlights

This video shows how EDDY Pump transports high slurry and abrasive materials. Featured dredge pump equipment includes the Remote Operated Subdredge, Diver OperatedPump and a Excavator Attachment Dredge Pump.