Sprinkler Pumps
Sprinkler pumps are most typically used for irrigation purposes; most are for
use on the lawn of a home or business area. These pumps are connected via an underground system of irrigation pipes
to a series of sprinkler heads which come out of the lawn.
How Do Sprinkler Pumps Work
Almost all sprinkler pumps are centrifugal pumps. These types of pumps function via an
impeller, which is a rotating blade in a shaft. The rotating blade pushes the water out against the shaft, making
it flow faster and thus at high pressure. Some pumps may even have a series of impellers, one after the other, to
allow even higher water pressures to be generated.
Features To Look For In Sprinkler Pumps
Pressure and flow are key to obtaining the best type of sprinkler pumps needed. However, many people are unaware that pressure and flow are
inversely related, so the lower the flow, the higher the pressure and vice versa. In most cases, both pressure
and flow are listed on the pump's specifications, but it is important to be aware that these are the maximal
pressures and maximal flows. So a pump operating at maximal pressure will be unable to function anywhere near
its maximal flow, and vice versa. If both high pressures and high flows are needed, it is important to look for
a pump whose specifications significantly exceed both the desired maximal pressure and the desired maximal
flow.
In selecting sprinkler pumps, the total desired flow rate is important and depends on how many sprinkler heads
will be operational simultaneously. To calculate the total flow rate needed, simply multiply the desired flow
rate by the number of sprinkler heads. Pump flow rates are usually expressed in gallons per minute. However,
there are two different ways of expressing pressure. One is in feet of head and the other is in pounds per
square inch (PSI).
If the right pump for your needs seems to fall between two different specifications of pump, it
is helpful to know that a pump can be made with a custom impeller size. However, this will take longer than buying
one off the shelf, although is not very much more expensive.
Efficiency of the sprinkler pumps is also an important factor because it is a reflection of the
energy costs required to run the pump. A more efficient pump will have cheaper running costs. In the long term, it
is therefore best to pick the pump with the highest efficiency. It is important to choose a pump which has an
efficiency of higher than 55%, because 55% is a standard assumed efficiency in cases where the actual pump
efficiency is unknown. It is also important to note that as a pump gets older, its efficiency will slowly
decrease.
Sprinkler pumps are very useful for irrigation purposes. However, there is no
'one size fits all' approach. Instead, the correct pump for the desired irrigation system will depend on factors
such as how many sprinkler heads there are, the desired flow rate, the desired pressure, and running costs.
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