Profile of Vertical Turbine Pumps
Vertical turbine pumps are specially designed to move water from an underground well or reservoir. Water enters the pump through a bell-shaped part called the suction bell. From there it moves into the first stage impeller, which raises the water's velocity. Vertical turbine pumps are typically used in applications where a flooded suction cannot be maintained. These include applications with underground water sources or below-ground tanks with an above-ground pump room.
Vertical Turbine Pumps include 4 major components
- driver
- discharge head
- column assembly
- bowl assembly
Vertical turbine pumps can operate under suction lift and are available with electric or diesel drivers. They are also available in sizes to cover applications over a wide range flow and pressures. The Vertical Turbine design is typically more expensive to manufacture and install. Because of the way the pump components are positioned, these pumps can also be difficult to service.
Common applications for vertical turbine fire pumps include installations using an underground tank, a water well or deep-water source, a reservoir pit that is below grade, or a natural water source such as lake water, sea water or any brackish water.
Vertical Turbine pumps typically have the discharge head at ground-level, and other parts are below ground-level. The strainer and inlet are typically submerged in the fluid to be pumped. Per the NFPA 20 guidelines, the inlet is located 12” above the bottom of the fluid storage.
Profile of Vertical In-Line Fire Pumps
Vertical in-Line centrifugal pumps are single-stage centrifugal pumps. They are designed for vertical installation with suction and discharge in-line, to provide a smooth flow of liquid through the system. This design aligns the driver, shaft and impeller with gravitational force, so the pumps experience minimal vibration. Vertical In-line pumps serve a wide range of applications, including commercial, municipal and residential high-rise buildings, large industrial premises and storage warehouses, offshore and remote facilities, airports and power stations. Because of their small footprint, they are excellent for industrial applications where space is limited.
Benefits
- compact size
- easy service and maintenance
- reliability
- cost-effective to purchase, install and maintain
Limitations
- Performance range - sizes available up to 1500 US GPM only
- Driver type - available with electric drive only
Armstrong Vertical In-Line (VIL) fire pumps are ideal for applications where space is at a premium. The vertical in-line design saves up to 60% on floor space, compared to equivalent horizontal split-case installations.
VIL designs also reduce pump costs compared to horizontal split-case and end-suction designs at equivalent duties, eliminating on-site inertia bases, off-set piping, and motor-pump alignments
Superior mechanical features includer standard packing, permanently greased motor bearings, and seal recirculation lines reduce maintenance downtime by up to 20% compared to standard fire pump products
Vertical Turbine Fire Pumps are only one type of Fire Pump, find out about the others here.
Check out these other types of Fire Pumps:
