The Advantages and Disadvantages of Four Types of Water Pumps

COMMON WATER PUMPS USED IN WATER WELLS

There are many different types of water pumps that are used in water wells around the world. This post describes the 4 most common types of water well pumps (submersible, lift, jet, and suction) and provides advantages and disadvantages of each.

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SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS

Submersible pumps are installed in most residential water wells in the United States and economically developed nations. The pump/motor assembly is lowered into residential water wells and pumps water through piping to the surface or just below the frost line. This water is usually routed through piping to a pressure tank for use in the home. The motor in the submersible pump is usually powered by electricity from the grid.

Advantages of Submersible Pumps

• Many different submersible pump manufacturers offer various models and sizes to fit your pumping needs.
• The motors in most submersible pump assemblies are powered by electricity from the grid. 
• Some submersible pump owners have their pumps hooked up to a solar system for reliability and independence from the grid. 

Disadvantages of Submersible Pumps

• Although typically reliable, submersible pump/motor assemblies result in a single point of failure. If your submersible pump assembly breaks, your family does not have their water supply.
• Submersible pumps utilize seals. These seals can become corroded over time. When the seal becomes corroded, water seeps into the submersible motor which typically shuts the motor off until the pump is repaired.
• The pump seal makes the submersible pump a bit difficult to get into for repairs.
• Submersible pumps rely on electricity. It is not uncommon for the grid to go down during major weather events and other natural disasters. When your family loses power, they also lose their water. This is the primary reason why many of our customers install a Simple Pump hand pump for their well alongside their submersible pump as a backup.

LIFT PUMPS

Lift pumps, also commonly called sucker-rod pumps, are usually manually operated well pumps.

These pumps work by lifting water from a cylinder located below the static water level of the well. The cylinder contains a piston and a check valve. A handle located at the surface is mechanically connected to the piston through a set of rods. As the handle is lifted up and down, the piston pumps the water through a series of pipes to the pump head at the surface.

Lift pumps are commonly used as a reliable backup to submersible pumps in many wells across the United States and other economically developed nations. This pump design is also used as a primary water source for villages in developing nations and homesteaders.

Advantages of Lift Pumps for Wells

• Lift pumps have few moving parts and are very reliable.
• Lift pumps can be installed in shallow and deep wells next to the submersible pump.
• Since the piston is located deep in the well, most lift pumps can pump water from static water levels several hundred feet below the surface.

Due to its computer machined craftsmanship and lightweight fiberglass rods, the Simple Pump can pump from deeper than any other lift pump on the market – 325 feet.

• Lift pumps do not require power from the grid. Unlike submersible pumps, the hand-operated lift pump will provide water to your family when the power goes out.
• Some lift pumps can pump into your home's pressure tank.

The Simple Pump deep well pump is one of the few lift pumps that can pump into your home's pressure tank to give you full use of your fixtures and appliances. This gives you the confidence that your family will always have their most important resource – water.

Disadvantages of Lift Pumps

• Most lift pumps are manually operated, which requires a person to physically work to supply the water. This is ideal for emergency situations or if the water demand is low. However, this type of pump can be impractical for sustained periods of time or when the demand for water is high.
• Depending on the cylinder size and the depth of the lift pump cylinder, manual pumping can be challenging.
• Lift pumps that utilize plastic parts can only pump water from a limited static water level before the plastic breaks because of the weight of the water and the pump parts. If you are relying on a hand pump in emergency situations, you are probably better off paying a little extra for a pump with stainless steel materials instead of plastic materials.

JET PUMPS

Jet pumps utilize the venturi effect to pump water from the well.

A small centrifugal pump is located outside the well. Some of the water from the centrifugal pump is recirculated to a venturi nozzle in the pump suction line. The recirculated water flowing through the nozzle creates a vacuum in the suction line which draws the water out of the well.

Advantages of Jet Pumps

• Jet pumps are powered by electricity from the grid.
• Jet pumps are a low-priced solution for pumping water from shallow depths and are commonly used in shallow wells.

Disadvantages of Jet Pumps

• Due to their design, jet pumps are usually limited to pumping from depths no greater than 130 feet.
• The pump casing and associated piping need to be primed prior to use.

SUCTION PUMPS (FOR SHALLOW WELLS)

Similar to a jet pump, the pumping action for suction pumps takes place at the surface and not in the well.

Suction pumps usually look like hand-operated lift pumps as they have a handle that is lifted up and down to pump water. But unlike a lift pump, the piston is located just below the handle. This piston creates a vacuum that sucks water from the well to the pump head. These pumps are only used for shallow wells.

Advantages of Suction Pumps for your Well

• Suction pumps have few moving parts and some models are very reliable.
• Suction pumps are competitively priced.
• Similar to lift pumps, suction pumps do not require electricity to supply water to your home.

Disadvantages of Suction Pumps for your Well

• There is a wide variety of suction pumps on the market. The majority of the suction pumps perform poorly due to their materials and construction. Likewise, these models are not built to last more than a couple of years (sometimes less). Special care should be taken when choosing a suction pump.
• Because the suction creates a vacuum, suction pumps are limited to pumping from depths no greater than 29 feet (at sea level). Most are limited to about 20-22 feet. This maximum depth decreases even further as you go up in elevation due to decreased air pressure. As such, this pump design is only an option for very shallow wells.

Simple Pump's shallow well suction pump is designed to pump from a static water level of 25 feet or less.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this provides some useful information about the different types of pumps for your water well. The easiest pumping solutions are electric pumps that utilize motors instead of manually pumping to get your water. However, having a hand pump as a backup to your electric pump is a great option for the few times a year when you lose power due to a storm or power grid problem.

Water Pumps: Water pumps, specifically submersible water pumps, are designed to effectively circulate water without large particles or contaminants. These pumps are highly versatile and can be employed in various applications, including drainage systems, pools, utilities, and more. With their efficient operation, they provide an effective solution for transferring water from one location to another.

Whether it’s emptying a flooded area or circulating water in a pool, submersible water pumps offer a reliable and efficient choice for handling water-related tasks.

Borehole Pumps: Borehole pumps are specialized to extract water from deep underground sources. These pumps are specifically engineered to operate in boreholes, which are narrow, deep wells drilled into the Earth’s surface.

These pumps come equipped with the powerful motors and hydraulic systems, which allow them to effectively draw water from deepr levels, and deliver it to the surface. This technology is crucial for various applications, including agriculture, industrial processes, and more.

Oil Filled Pumps: Commonly found in the agriculture sector, oil filled pumps are primarily used for lifting and delivering the water from wells. These submersible pumps are equipped with motors that are cooled by the surrounding oil.

The inclusion of oil in these pumps is essential for cooling the motors, preventing overheating. Additionally, the oil-filled design enables their operation in colder environments, as the oil does not freeze easily.

Stainless Steel Submersible Pumps: Stainless steel submersible pumps are highly durable and corrosion-resistant devices designed for submerged applications. Since they are made from stainless steel, they offer not only enhanced aesthetics but also better functionality compared to cast iron pumps.

The stainless steel construction grants them high resistance to corrosion, particularly against acidic substances. This makes stainless steel pumps highly suitable for applications where exposure to corrosive liquids is common.

Submersible Utility Pumps: These pumps work efficiently for a wide range of applications. They are built to work underwater, allowing for effective pumping of water, fluids, or even solids. With their compact and portable design, submersible utility pumps are commonly used for tasks such as draining flooded areas, emptying pools or hot tubs, removing standing water, and transferring liquids between containers.

Submersible utility pumps are commonly utilized in residential construction sites and emergency situations where rapid water extraction is required. Offering convenience and reliability, these pumps play a vital role in maintaining a dry and safe environment.

Booster Pumps: True to their purpose, booster pumps play a vital role in overcoming low water flow or pressure and increasing max flow rate in systems and industrial facilities. They are adept at transferring water from natural sources or storage tanks for both domestic and commercial applications.

A home that does not receive appropriate pressure reading from the city water supply will require a pump to boost the low pressure of the water flow. To bring water to the top floors of a hotel, for example, the use of a huge commercial booster pump is required.

High-temperature Submersible Pump: High-temperature submersible pumps, as their name suggests, handle liquids or fluids at elevated temperatures. These pumps specifically operate in environments where the liquid being pumped exceeds the temperature limits of standard submersible pumps.

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Submersible Irrigation Pump: Submersible Irrigation pumps are the types of pumps that are most commonly used in the agriculture sector, often in ponds. Many choose these high gpm pumps to ensure reliable delivery of water to crops or fields. Their high max flow rate can seamlessly lift water from significant depths under the ground.

Bladder Pumps: Bladder pumps provide an effective solution in situations where low flow rates and high-integrity samples are required, and peristaltic pumping is not feasible. These systems utilize a submersible stainless steel pump combined with a controller/compressor on the well surface. By applying controlled air pressure, bladder pumps direct water samples to the surface.

Grinder Pumps: Grinder pumps are specifically designed to handle raw sewage and solid waste materials efficiently. These pumps incorporate cutting blades to break down solids before pumping the waste. Functioning similarly to a household garbage disposal, grinder pumps grind solid waste and tough materials into a fine slurry, which is then transferred into the sewer system at a high gpm max flow rate.

Deep Well Pumps: As the name suggests itself, deep pumps are designed to attract water from deep underground sources such as wells or boreholes. These pumps work by submerging in the water, which allows them to push water to the surface for various applications. Engineers choose these units for a wide range of activities, including performing municipal applications.

Dry Pit Pumps: Dry pit submersible pumps are a type of industrial submersible water pumps initially developed for applications where the pump unit operates while submerged in liquid. However, their versatility has led to their utilization in dry well stations as well, where the wet well and the dry pump chamber are distinct and separate entities.

Submersible Sewage Pumps: The primary use of industrial submersible sewage pumps is to control wastewater. These pumps transport water and sewage from a septic tank or treatment facility to a secondary destination, such as another treatment system or drain field. These pumps play a crucial role in wastewater management and are essential in ensuring the proper flow and disposal of sewage.

Sump Pumps: Next on the list, Sump Pumps prevent flooding and water accumulation in basements or crawl spaces. The primary function of these pumps is to mitigate the risk of water damage caused by excess groundwater, heavy rain, or other sources of water accumulation. Thus, their most common use is in basements and areas where there are higher chances of floods.

Dewatering pumps: Dewatering pumps are used to get rid of water from places that are flooded and don’t have a proper drainage system. They are commonly used in ponds, agricultural fields and construction sites to remove standing water and prevent damage.

These pumps are designed to submerge underwater and pump out the excess water, directing it to drainage pits or tanks for removal from the site. Dewatering pumps are essential in keeping areas dry and preventing water-related issues in various industries.

Multistage Submersible Pump: A multistage submersible pump is a versatile solution designed to handle both water and slurry applications. With its specialized design, it can efficiently pump and circulate a mixture of liquids and solids.

Whether you need to move water or handle challenging slurry substances, this pump provides reliable performance and durability, making it suitable for various industrial and agricultural applications. Its multi-stage configuration ensures high pressure and efficient pumping capabilities, which makes it an ideal choice for demanding environments.

While selecting an industrial submersible pump, there are several factors you should take into account. These factors play a crucial role in ensuring that the pump you choose is the right fit for your specific needs. 

Here are some important considerations:

Continuous duty or Intermittent Duty: First thing first, find out what you need. Is it continuous duty versus intermittent duty? Continuous duty motors run non-stop without impacting the motor’s life as it’s designed to work that way. On the flip side, intermittent-duty-rated motors are designed to work for a short time and require to be cooled down to ambient temperature. 

When it comes to dewatering applications or industrial processes that involve extended operation periods, it is advisable to select an industrial submersible water pump equipped with a continuous-duty motor with a reasonable GPM capacity. To work on the small sump applications or tank fill applications, it is often sufficient to opt for a less expensive pump equipped with an intermittent-duty motor. 

Pump Capacity: Determine the required flow rate and head (vertical lift) that the pump needs to handle. The flow rate refers to the liquid volume, which needs to be moved within a given timeframe, generally measured in gallons (gallons per minute, or GPM). Decide on a max flow rate considering multiple factors such as the volume of liquid to be pumped per minute and the transport distance required.

Pump Type: Consider the type of industrial submersible water pump that suits your application. There are various types available, including dewatering pumps, submersible sewage pumps, and well pumps, each designed for specific purposes.

Selecting the right pump type ensures efficient and reliable operation, minimizing the risk of clogging or damage, and maximizing the pump’s lifespan.

Type of Fluid / Level ofSolids Handling : If the pumped liquid contains solid particles, consider the pump’s ability to handle solids. Look for features like vortex impellers or grinder systems, or agitator based designs, and hard impeller material depending on the nature and size of the solids present. Clean water is particle-free and hence you can use standard pumps made of cast iron.

These features mitigate the risk of clogging, reduce maintenance needs, and optimize the overall performance and longevity of the pump in applications where solids are present.

Submersible Depth: When selecting a submersible pump, it is crucial to determine the maximum submersion depth that the pump will be subjected to. This depth refers to how far below the liquid surface the pump will be placed. It is important to choose a pump that is suitable for the intended depth and has the necessary sealing mechanisms to prevent water ingress.

Submersible pumps are designed to operate underwater, but they have specific depth limitations. It is essential to check the manufacturer’s specifications to ensure that the selected pump is rated for the intended submersion depth.

Pump Power: Power plays a crucial role in pump selection, as different pumps provide varying levels of pressure and GPM to handle fluids with different viscosities or transport them over longer distances. 

Some pumps are specifically designed to handle thicker or more viscous fluids, requiring higher pressure to move them effectively. Additionally, pumps with greater power capabilities are often preferred when the fluid needs to be transported over extended distances. 

Reliability and Maintenance: Lastly, you should also consider the pump’s reliability, reputation of the manufacturer, and availability of spare parts to ship. Look for pumps that are easy to maintain and service, as regular maintenance is essential for optimal performance and longevity.

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