If a high pressure pump is an important piece of equipment at your facility, you need to be well informed about its functioning. Unfortunately, there is some misinformation out there about high pressure pumps.

The following are six things you shouldn't assume about high pressure pumps. 

The pressure switch increases pressure

Despite its name, the pressure switch on a high pressure pump actually doesn't increase the pressure during pump operation. The pressure switch is actually used to control the range of pressure levels at which the pump will operate. 

You can always increase the efficiency of a high pressure pump with a variable speed drive

If the efficiency of a mechanical system involving a high pressure pump needs to be increased, it's important to realize that simply adding a variable speed drive will not necessarily lead to optimum efficiency. There are numerous factors that need to be taken into account to increase efficiency. 

A variable speed drive has to fit into the whole system properly to increase efficiency. Variable speed drives should only be added if variable operation is a requirement of the setup and if the system in question offers instrumentation that measures variables such as power, pressure, temperature, and flow. 

The price of purchasing and installing a high pressure pump is the most significant cost

In the long run, operational costs are always more significant than initial purchase and installation costs. This means that you should focus on the operational costs of individual high pressure pump models to choose the most cost-effective option. 

High pressure pumps should always be replaced with the same type of pump when they wear out

If a high pressure pump stops working and needs to be replaced, it's always good to reevaluate the equipment being used before assuming that the high pressure pump should be replaced with the same model.

In some situations, it may be better to make some system adjustments that will increase efficiency by choosing a different high pressure pump model. 

A higher horsepower pump always produces significantly more pressure

The horsepower of a high pressure pump model is not the only factor that influences how much pressure a pump produces. In fact, altering the flow demand of a pump is typically more effective at increasing pressure than replacing a pump with a higher horsepower model. 

The high pressure pump you're using at your facility is oversized

There is a common misconception out there that high pressure pumps at most facilities are oversized. However, it's important to consider any uncertainties regarding the future pressure requirements and flow of a system before deciding that a high pressure pump is oversized due to conditions at one particular moment. 

Contact a supplier to learn more about high pressure pumps.