Interesting Facts about the Evolution of Pressure Pumps
You might not be aware of it, but almost every aspect of our modern lives depends on pumps. Just think about it. Without pumps there won’t be any way to bring water so conveniently into our homes. Pumps also keep materials moving through various industrial processes, whether it’s oil or food production. And today, with the frequent dry spells, the pressure pump has especially gained in importance as an alternative water source, therefore the Australian market is full of them.
Without a doubt, the pressure pump is one of the most versatile tools ever invented. There are all sorts of pressure pumps for sale for various purposes such as watering the garden, setting up your own irrigation system, and can even be useful around your household for filling up kitchen taps, washing machines, toilets and showers when the water pressure is either too low or non-existent. It’s safe to say, that modern society heavily depends on pressure pumps. But how did they came to be?
The Latest Pump Trends
Pressure pumps, as the most advanced form of the pumping mechanism, have risen in popularity as their capabilities became introduced to many industrial processes. This increased competition means that the average Australian can also afford to choose from the many pressure pumps for sale. This trend has largely affected the manufacturing of pumps. For instance, the increased environmental awareness has resulted in pumps without shaft seals. And regarding pump packaging, asbestos is outlawed in many countries throughout the world.
But most importantly, pump manufacturers have put more attention into using proper materials. Today, the pumps used to move sea-water are made of highly alloyed super-austentic and super-duplex steel, instead of the gunmetal and aluminium bronze which we’re susceptible to damage after a period of use. On the other hand, ceramics and silicone/tungsten carbide have drastically reduced the wear rates of domestic pressure pumps. It seems like the pump industry is moving only forwards.
The Beginnings
The history of pumps is rather murky, and it has nothing to do with the fact that in the past people didn’t care how clean their drinking water was. Actually, the beginnings of the pump are hard to trace. Some credit the Egyptians as the first people that invented the process of raising water. Around 2000 BC, the Egyptians drove water out of wells by using a tool called a shadoof which actually consisted out of a rod and a bucket suspended at the end of it.
However, many historians argue that the shadoof should not qualify as a pump. However, the official invention of the pump is credited to Greek mathematician and physicist, Archimedes. He invented an apparatus called the Archimedean screw which lifted water through the inside of a primitive type of pump, and was turned by hand. The water this apparatus raised was used for irrigation of agricultural fields.
It was in 1580 that the sliding vane pump was first introduced. This later resulted in the invention of the modern pump’s predecessor, the Piston vacuum pump, in 1650. The tipping point happened in 1738 when the first hydraulic machinery plant was built. The Ural plant was the first instance of automated pump machinery put into industrial use. And in a few more years, Thomas Simpson established the first pump business in London, bringing the pump closer to the average population which resulted in its wide spread today.
