Pumping station: operating principle and device

Every year, the number of residents of megacities and large cities is increasing, which are beginning to reflect on the acquisition and arrangement of their own suburban housing. Some people decide to buy a house in the village, others build buildings with their own hands, well, and order third-party log houses and frame houses from construction companies that perform and final installation in the prepared area. There are many ways of realizing this idea. The reasons for the "movement" from the cities are different: it may be the desire to provide their relatives with environmentally friendly food; To get away from city noise and fuss; Have your own house, and not an apartment in an unclear who owns the concrete building. However, on this path, a person is forced to resolve issues that residents of apartments have not even heard of. For example, what is a pumping station. The principle of its work will have to be understood.

The basis of life

Everyone knows that it is impossible to survive without water. It is not surprising that, when building a country house, the owner first of all thinks about the source. It is most simple to get a pipe line from the nearby central water pipe to the site and into the premises. However, not everyone has such an opportunity. Very often the only source available is a well or well on the site. But if in the summer, squinting from the morning sun, you can walk barefoot on the dew with pleasure and bring a few buckets to the house, then in the autumn and winter such a prospect is unlikely to please anyone. Fortunately, what seemed incredible just a dozen years ago is now available to everyone. These are pumping stations of water supply. The principle of their operation allows us to organize a local water supply system in a single private farm.

Step to autonomy

To provide the house with water, a household pumping station is designed. The principle of its operation is based on the balance of two pressures - water and air, which we will discuss in more detail later. In order for this device to work, several conditions must be met:

- Presence of a well, well or other source on the site. In this case, the distance from it to the station installation site should be minimal, otherwise it is necessary to complicate the wiring layout using intermediate tanks. In other words, the closer the source to the house, the better. In this case, we mean a classic household pumping station, the principle of operation of which does not allow creating pressure at long distances. Usually, the length of the route is up to 20 m. If this condition is not met, then a booster pump station is necessary. The principle of its work is to increase the pressure to acceptable values. In fact, this additional intermediate link is a repeater.

- Availability of electricity needed to power the motor, pump water pump. Autonomous power sources, if they are used, should be of sufficient power. So, the simplest vibrating pump will require at least 300 W for its operation, and the electric power of centrifugal models is thousands of watts.

- Correctly completed installation of the water supply system. The fewer turns of the track and the diameters, the better. Also, when laying the pipe, it is necessary to take into account the depth of soil freezing in the given region.

A close solution to far-reaching problems

Earlier we already mentioned that if the distance between the end user and the source of water is large, a booster pump station is necessary. The principle of its work allows us to overcome the limitations of classical systems, greatly expanding their capabilities. It is activated almost simultaneously with the main pump, increasing the pressure of the water passing through the pipes to the required value. Alternatively, an intermediate tank with a float switch can be used. There are many options for solving the problem of supplying water to the house from a remote source, each of which has only its inherent characteristics. However, their description is beyond the scope of this paper.

How to bring water into the house?

For the organization of an autonomous water supply system of a country house in the absence of a centralized line, a household pumping station is designed. The principle of its operation can be schematically represented as:

- An electric pump pumps water from a source into a special container;

- when the latter is filled to a certain volume, the pressure of the water in the tank increases and, as a consequence, the control mechanical relay RD5 trips to the upper limit, which disconnects the pump motor;

- by opening the tap or any other point of draw-off, the owner gets the opportunity to use water in the same way as in the city - with the desired pressure in the system (even washing machines and dishwashers work, water comes from the tank at that time);

- with a decrease in the amount of water, the pressure in the system drops, which registers the RD5, and upon reaching the lower value set by the owner, the pump is restarted. The cycle is repeated.

All this is realized by the home pumping station. The principle of its operation, as you can see, is incredibly simple. In compliance with the installation and operation rules, the life of this system can reach 10 years.

Layout

So, the pumping station. The principle of its operation we considered earlier in a schematic version. Now let's turn to the details.

Any such system necessarily includes the following constituent elements:

- An electric pump for pumping water from a source and creating an initial pressure;

- check valve, mounted on the pipeline and prevents water from flowing out of the tank through the pump when the latter is disconnected;

- five-way connection with connected manometer and pressure switch;

- accumulator;

- a system of domestic pipe wiring with valves and other shut-off valves (for example, electromagnetic valves for washing machines).

It is in this order that the pumping station is assembled. The principle of operation is no less simple. To perform its configuration and subsequent maintenance, it is not necessary to resort to the help of service centers - it is enough just to study the main points.

How to pump water?

The pump station can be factory executed, when all its elements are mounted as part of a single unit, as well as assembled manually - with a spaced layout. Usually the first ones stand in the windows of the respective stores. The capacity of the tank in them rarely exceeds 50 liters (as a rule, everything is limited to 25 liters). Water can be pulled, creating a vacuum in the pipe (hence the restriction on the height of the rise), and you can push up. To solve the first task, the assembled factory pump stations are intended: just install the device next to the well, extend the hose or pipe to the liquid and provide further wiring with power.

The second option is more technological, in which a special submersible pump is flooded in the water column. It is sealed and can work in such conditions for years (with the exception of vibratory ones). From it stretches the line to the rest of the components that are installed on the surface. Such a pump pushes the water up the pipe, which is more efficient and gives the opportunity to overcome the limitation in depth.

A reservoir that creates a head

No less interesting is the principle of operation of the pump accumulator. This is one of the key elements of the system. Characterized by the volume, the material of the internal "pear", the method of installation and the quality of production.

Inside the metal "barrel" is a container of rubber, resembling a pear (although there are a few other designs). It is in it that the pump pumps water. Between their walls there is an air layer with excess pressure (from 1 to 1.5 Atm). When filling the "pear" it increases in volume. The air contracts and begins to exert pressure on the walls. It is thanks to him that the pressure is created. As the water supply is used, the "pear" is compressed and the pressure drops. The specified capacity of the accumulator only indirectly allows to estimate the working capacity. For example, depending on the setting, 100 liters of "barrel" allows you to store up to 50 liters of water.

Managing the operation of the system

The work of the pumping station takes place in a fully automatic mode. From the person it is required to mount all elements correctly, to perform the initial setting and to power supply. In the future, if adjustment is necessary, only the presence of sufficient air in the vessel and the correctness of the set limits of the pressure switch must be checked.

Overcoming obstacles

The pump used in classical stations can lift liquid from a depth of not more than 8 m (theoretical limit of 9 - 10 m). That is, if the distance to the mirror of water is greater, you will either have to mount the system in a special pit-pit, going deep into the ground, or using a different type of pump. Alternatively, an ejector pumping station may be used. The principle of its operation differs from the classical one, which allows to overcome the limitation on the depth of the rise and pump water from almost 45 m. In addition, the distance to the source can be up to 40 m. In such installations, a special device is used - the ejector, which is physically located at the inlet of the water intake pipe . In simpler models, an additional pipe through which water arrives from the main system located on the surface extends to it. Before starting it is filled manually (although there are exceptions), and when working comes from the main line. Also, solutions with one pipe are possible, but this is only an external difference. Installation of ejector pumping stations requires the installation of additional check valves and the completion of pipe wiring. The main disadvantage is the high cost.