A metering pump is used to add small but accurate volumes of a liquid to other fluid streams or vessels. Metering pumps are also called dosing pumps and proportioning pumps. A metering pump must be able to deliver liquid with an accuracy of greater than 3% across a wide range of discharge pressures.
What applications use metering pumps?
Maintaining a constant flow rate regardless of differential pressure or fluid viscosity.
Delivering a variable flow to maintain a system parameter (for example, pH).
Injecting a discrete dose (typically required in batch processing).
Metering is required in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, water and waste treatment, food and beverage production, power generation, chemical processing, petrochemicals and oil and gas extraction. Liquids can be anything from fragrances and pigments in the production of toiletries or food or acids and alkaline solutions for chemical processes and water treatment.
What type of pumps are used for metering?
With applications delivering low viscosity liquids at high flow rates (>1 m3/h) and low delivery pressures it is possible to use a centrifugal pump to achieve a controllable flow. This can be the most cost-effective solution. However, in other situations, accurate metering necessitates the use of a positive displacement pump. This class of pump moves a fluid by repeatedly enclosing a fixed volume, with the aid of seals or valves, moving it mechanically through the system. The pumping action is cyclic and by controlling the motor’s speed or stroke length, a specific delivery rate or accurate single dose is possible.