How Does a Hydraulic Piston Pump Work? - Panagon Systems
Jul. 21, 2025
How Does a Hydraulic Piston Pump(th,es,it) Work? - Panagon Systems
How Does a Hydraulic Piston Pump Work?
Hydraulic piston pumps move fluids throughout professional equipment and industrial machinery. They’re known for their high efficiency and are commonly used in high-pressure applications.
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There are also two major types of hydraulic piston pumps: axial and radial; both can have fixed or variable displacement; fixed displacement means that the pump is delivering the same amount of liquid or gas each time, while variable means that the amount of gas or liquid delivered may be different each time. Although both are considered piston pumps, each one operates differently.
Let’s look at how each type of hydraulic piston pump works.
How Axial Piston Pumps Work
An axial piston pump features four major components: a shaft, swashplate or bent axis, cylinder block, and valve plate. The cylinder block houses the piston pumps, which are laid out cyclically around the drive shaft’s axis (thus why it is named an axial piston pump).
The pistons in the cylinder block pump up and down as the drive shaft rotates. The piston’s stroke will vary depending on how it is angled in the swashplate or bent axis. As the pistons move in one direction, they are connected to a suction line, and when they move in the opposite direction, they connect to a discharge channel, allowing a continuous flow of fluid.
How Radial Piston Pumps Work
The design of a radial piston pump is significantly different from an axial pump. The radial piston pump consists of a cylinder block, rotating camshaft, and pistons. The pistons are arranged around the cylinder block in a radial pattern and diverge from the camshaft like rays. The rotation of the cam causes the pistons to change from suction to discharge and vice versa.
Choosing Between an Axial & Radial Piston Pump
In general, choosing a hydraulic pump requires an application evaluation. You’ll need to know pressure requirements, desired flow rate, speed, horsepower, and the type of fluid the pump will be dispersing.
Radial piston pumps can usually handle all fluids, including mineral oil and water-glycol hydraulic fluid, while axial piston pumps are preferred for extremely high-pressure applications.
Remanufactured Pumps Versus OEM Pumps
Although piston pumps are highly efficient and reliable, contamination, over-pressurization, and inlet blockages can cause the pump to fail. If and when this happens, you’ll need to replace your pump as soon as possible.
When choosing a replacement pump, you’ll have to choose between a direct OEM replacement and a remanufactured pump. Unfortunately, direct OEM replacement pumps and services can be a significant investment. Additionally, if you have outdated equipment, you may not be able to find the pump parts needed to restore your equipment.
So, you need to ask yourself a few questions:
- How long are you willing to wait to receive your pump?
- Is your pump discontinued?
- What is your budget?
If you’re looking for a quick and relatively inexpensive solution, a remanufactured pump is your best choice. However, if time and money aren’t an issue, a direct OEM replacement will most likely be the best option if the manufacturer hasn’t discontinued the pump.
Find Replacement Hydraulic Piston Pumps Today
Do you need help finding the right piston pump? Turn to Panagon Systems. Founded over 25 years ago, we’re an industry-leading manufacturer of aftermarket hydraulic piston pumps and motors. We specialize in manufacturing pumps from brands like Vickers/Eaton, Rexroth, and Caterpillar, and we also carry a wide range of replacement pump parts. All pumps and motors are manufactured in-house in the United States, guaranteed to meet OEM specifications, and are backed by an 18-month warranty.
Contact us today to learn more about our replacement pump options or to request a quote.
Piston pump - Wikipedia
A piston pump is a type of positive displacement pump where the high-pressure seal reciprocates with the piston.[1] Piston pumps can be used to move liquids or compress gases. They can operate over a wide range of pressures. High pressure operation can be achieved without adversely affecting flow rate. Piston pumps can also deal with viscous media and media containing solid particles.[2] This pump type functions through a piston cup, oscillation mechanism where down-strokes cause pressure differentials, filling of pump chambers, where up-stroke forces the pump fluid out for use. Piston pumps are often used in scenarios requiring high, consistent pressure and in water irrigation or delivery systems.[3]
Types
[edit]The two main types of piston pump are the lift pump and the force pump.[4] Both types may be operated either by hand or by an engine.
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Lift pump
[edit]In a lift pump, the upstroke of the piston draws water, through a valve, into the lower part of the cylinder. On the downstroke, water passes through valves set in the piston into the upper part of the cylinder. On the next upstroke, water is discharged from the upper part of the cylinder via a spout. This type of pump is limited by the height of water that can be supported by air pressure against a vacuum.
Force pump
[edit]In a force pump, the upstroke of the piston draws water, through an inlet valve, into the cylinder. On the downstroke, the water is discharged, through an outlet valve, into the outlet pipe.
Piston pumps may be classified as either single-acting and single-effect (the fluid is pumped by a single face of the piston, and the active stroke is in only one direction) or double-acting and double-effect (the fluid is pumped by both faces of the piston, and the strokes in both directions are active).
- An animation of a single-acting piston force pump.
- An animation of a double-acting piston force pump with accumulators on both the inlet and outlet.
Calculation of delivery rate
[edit]The calculation of a piston pump's theoretical delivery rate is relatively simple.
Single-acting pumps
[edit]In a single acting pump, only one side of the piston is in contact with the fluid. As a result of this, only one stroke is a delivery stroke. The theoretical delivery rate can be calculated by using the following equation:[5]
Q = h × d 2 × π 4 × n {\displaystyle Q=h\times {\frac {d^{2}\times \pi }{4}}\times n}
Where Q is the delivery rate, d is the diameter of the piston, h is the stroke, and n is the rpm. If the pump has multiple cylinders, Q is multiplied by the number of cylinders.
Double-acting pumps
[edit]In a double acting pump, both sides of the piston are in contact with the fluid. As a result of this, both strokes are delivery strokes. An approximation of the delivery rate is given by the following equation:[5]
Q = h × d 2 × π 4 × 2 n {\displaystyle Q=h\times {\frac {d^{2}\times \pi }{4}}\times 2n}
However, this equation fails to take into consideration the volume taken up by the piston rod. The true delivery rate can be calculated accordingly:
Q = n h × ( 2 d 2 × π 4 − d 1 2 × π 4 ) = n h × π 4 ( 2 d 2 − d 1 2 ) {\displaystyle Q=nh\times \left(2{\frac {d^{2}\times \pi }{4}}-{\frac {d_{1}^{2}\times \pi }{4}}\right)=nh\times {\frac {\pi }{4}}\left(2d^{2}-d_{1}^{2}\right)}
d1 is equal to the diameter of the piston rod.
Fluctuation in delivery rate
[edit]The piston in a plunger and piston pump does not move at a constant velocity and as a result of this the pressure and delivery fluctuate over the duration of the stroke. The following diagram shows the relation between the angle of the crankshaft and the delivery rate of a single-acting and double-acting pump. The line shows the average delivery rate of the pump. These fluctuations in pressure and delivery can cause undesired effects such as water hammer and thus are generally mitigated by the installation of an air-filled accumulator. The delivery can be further smoothed out by the use of multiple cylinders that are offset from one another.
As a result, the actual delivery rate is often smaller and can be found by the following equation:
Q s = Q × λ {\displaystyle Q_{s}=Q\times \lambda }
Qs is the actual delivery rate, Q is the theoretical rate, and λ is the loss coefficient.
Others
[edit]- Axial piston pump
- Radial piston pump
See also
[edit]- Plunger pump
- Diaphragm pump
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