Sump Cleaner Performance Factors – Part 2 Pumping Rate

Jan 29, 2018
How is pumping rate measured?  Pumping rate is measured in gallons per minute or GPM.  GPM measures the number of gallons of fluid that can flow through a particular item (like a hose) in one minute.  We use GPM to measure a sump cleaner’s fluid pumping rate.  The speed with which a fluid will travel from the high to the low side of the pressure zone is determined by

  • the diameter of the hose
  • the viscosity of the fluid
  • the distance from intake to exit port
  • the ability of the suction system to maintain vacuum at a constant level

This means heavy sludge requires higher vacuum, larger suction lines, and wherever possible, short-couple conditions to reduce frictional drag as the sludge moves from the machine’s sump to the tank. For instance, small straws are fine for soft drinks, but larger ones are better for thick milk shakes. Soft drinks are fairly easy to drink through a straw, while thick shakes call for harder sucking. The gpm rate of fluid flow measures how fast liquid will travel, but the measure of suction lift (inches of Hg) will determine the sump cleaner’s ability to pick up metal chips and sludge.

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CECOR Team