Piston Pumps

What is a Piston Pump

A piston pump is a class of positive displacement pump where the high-pressure seal reciprocates with the piston.

Piston pumps use a piston (also called a plunger) for moving liquids.

The plunger is driven into the cylinder by a wheel or revolving shaft where it displaces a volume of fluid. When the plunger is withdrawn it draws in a replacement volume of fluid and the process is repeated.

Applications of Piston Pumps

Piston pumps can be used to move liquids or compressed gases and can also pump viscous media and media containing solid particles.

Piston pumps are used for water and oil hydraulics, industrial processing equipment, high pressure cleaning and the pumping of liquids.

The positive displacement pump provides an approximate constant flow at fixed speed, despite changes in the counter pressure.

Positive displacement pumps all pulsate, meaning that their volume flow within a cycle is not constant. The variation in flow and speed leads to pressure fluctuations due to resistance in the pipe system and in valves.