The airlift pump presents, among others, the advantage of involving no moving part. However, for certain combinations of the geometrical parameters and airflow rate, they may become unstable. In this case, the flow at the riser outlet pulsates strongly, which cannot be accepted for may applications. All experimental data existing in the literature refer to high submergence ratios, i.e., higher than about 0.5. Under these operating conditions, the structure of the two-phase flow in the riser tube is supposed to be a typical two-phase flow pattern in a vertical tube, mostly of the type of slug flow. A typical peak efficiency factor of an airlift pump, operating at submergence ratios higher than 0.5, is about 0.5. This is the main reason why this pumping device is extensively investigated at higher submergence ratios. It should be noted here that the slug flow pattern in the riser tube occurs only for the high submergence ratios and low air flow rates. For short riser tubes, high air flow rates and low submergence ratios, the flow pattern in the riser tube shows a quasi-periodic burst-like behavior.

Applications

Applications of airlift pumps have been developed in the recent several decades and it has included:

Pump Curves

F. A. Zenz proposed a way to estimate the characteristics of the airlift pump from

  1. pipe cross-sectional area
  2. lift height,
  3. submergence
  4. pumping rate
  5. density of lifted fluid
  6. gas density
  7. liquid density
  8. gas flow rate .

First of all, ordinate of the following graph is calculated. Then corresponding value of abscissa is found from the graph and finally, the gas flow rate can be calculated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following two graphs were obtained from the proposal by Zenz. The tendency in the first graph is similar to the pump curve available elsewhere. But exactly speaking, required flow rate for high pumping rate by Zenz is 1.5 to 2 times. The second graph shows the airflow required for the same submergence ratio but the submergence is different. When submergence is bigger, more air flow is needed for the same amount of pumping rate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in Geyser Pump.

This page introduces a basic technology background of the Geyser Pump, the Geyser Ejection Pump and the Geyser Hybrid Pump, which are revolutionizing the pump industries.

For more detailed information, please click the following link.

We will meet you there soon.

Thank you.

Principle

Among other devices for pumping liquids against a large head, that known as the airlift Pump is worth of notice. Invented probably by Carl Loescher about 1797, the system fell into comparative desuetude for many years, and has only recently been revived and improved. In view of its increasing use, and of its adaptability to many difficult cases of pumping, it is worth while considering the system. Briefly, the method consists in sinking an open vertical pipe with its lower end submerged in the liquid to be raised, and having its upper end arranged to discharge into a reservoir at the required height. Air from a compressor is then forced through a smaller air pipe into the submerged opening of the lift pipe or rising main. The air bubbles, rising through the water in the lift tube, so reduce the specific gravity of the mixture, and therefore the weight of the column, that the excess pressure at the base of the column, due to the external water pressure, becomes sufficiently great to force the mixture above the supply level and out of the top of the pipe. This excess pressure increases with the depth of submersion of the pipe, and the latter must therefore be regulated to suit the height to which water is to be lifted. [Gibson, A.H., "Hydraulics and its Applications", London (1961)]