External Gear Pump Overview

External gear pumps are a popular pumping principle

and are often used as lubrication pumps in machine
tools, in fluid power transfer units, and as oil pumps in
engines.
External gear pumps can come in single or double
(two sets of gears) pump configurations with spur
(shown), helical, and herringbone gears. Helical and
herringbone gears typically offer a smoother flow
than spur gears, although all gear types are relatively smooth. Large-capacity
external gear pumps typically use helical or herringbone gears. Small external
gear pumps usually operate at 1750 or 3450 rpm and larger models operate at
speeds up to 640 rpm. External gear pumps have close tolerances and shaft
support on both sides of the gears. This allows them to run to pressures beyond
3,000 PSI / 200 BAR, making them well suited for use in hydraulics. With four
bearings in the liquid and tight tolerances, they are not well suited to handling
abrasive or extreme high temperature applications.
Tighter internal clearances provide for a more reliable measure of liquid passing
through a pump and for greater flow control. Because of this, external gear
pumps are popular for precise transfer and metering applications involving
polymers, fuels, and chemical additives.

How External
Gear Pumps
Work
External gear pumps are similar
in pumping action to internal
gear pumps in that two gears
come into and out of mesh to produce flow. However, the external gear pump
uses two identical gears rotating against each other -- one gear is driven by a
motor and it in turn drives the other gear. Each gear is supported by a shaft with
bearings on both sides of the gear.
1. As the gears come out of mesh, they create expanding volume on the inlet
side of the pump. Liquid flows into the cavity and is trapped by the gear teeth as
they rotate.
2. Liquid travels around the interior of the casing in the pockets between the
teeth and the casing -- it does not pass between the gears.
3. Finally, the meshing of the gears forces liquid through the outlet port under
pressure.
Because the gears are supported on both sides, external gear pumps are quiet-
running and are routinely used for high-pressure applications such as hydraulic
applications. With no overhung bearing loads, the rotor shaft can't deflect and
cause premature wear.

Advantages
High speed
High pressure
No overhung bearing loads
Relatively quiet operation
Design accommodates wide
variety of materials
Disadvantages
Four bushings in liquid area
No solids allowed
Fixed End Clearances

Applications
Common external gear pump applications include, but are not limited to:
Various fuel oils and lube oils
Chemical additive and polymer metering
Chemical mixing and blending (double pump)
Industrial and mobile hydraulic applications (log splitters, lifts, etc.)
Acids and caustic (stainless steel or composite construction)
Low volume transfer or application

Materials Of Construction / Configuration
Options
As the following list indicates, rotary pumps can be
constructed in a wide variety of materials. By
precisely matching the materials of construction
with the liquid, superior life cycle performance will
result.
External gear pumps in particular can be
engineered to handle even the most aggressive
corrosive liquids. While external gear pumps are
commonly found in cast iron, newer materials are
allowing these pumps to handle liquids such as sulfuric acid, sodium
hypochlorite, ferric chloride, sodium hydroxide, and hundreds of other corrosive
liquids.
Externals (head, casing, bracket) - Iron, ductile iron, steel, stainless steel,
high alloys, composites (PPS, ETFE)
Internals (shafts) - Steel, stainless steel, high alloys, alumina ceramic
Internals (gears) - Steel, stainless steel, PTFE, composite (PPS)
Bushing - Carbon, bronze, silicon carbide, needle bearings
Shaft Seal - Packing, lip seal, component mechanical seal, magnetically-
driven pump

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How to Maintain Gear Pumps
By Chris Hoke, eHow Contributor



A composite external gear
pump performs well in
corrosive liquid applications.

Gear pumps use positive displacement to force water through the pump.
A gear pump is a positive displacement pump that uses two meshing gears to pump
both low and high viscosity liquids. The two gears draw liquid into the enclosed
housing through the inlet, trap the liquid between the gear teeth and then propel the
liquid through the outlet. Gear pumps may require occasional maintenance for optimal
performance, the frequency of which is best based on past performance. Maintenance
on most gear pumps can be accomplished without removing the driving component
and plumbing.

Instructions
1
Remove the gear pump casing screws with the Phillips screwdriver. The screw
configuration may vary based on the manufacturer and may require the use of a flat-
bladed screwdriver or hexagonal wrench to remove the screws. Consult your pump
manual for the correct tool.
2
Remove the pump casing. Gear pumps that have not seen regular maintenance for an
extended length of time may not open easily by hand. In these cases, insert the edge of a
flat-bladed screwdriver into the seam in the case's housing and gently apply pressure
until the casing comes apart.
3

Check for wear on the tips of the gear teeth. A new gear pump has a clearance of between
0.005 inch and 0.007 inch between the gear teeth and the gear chamber wall, just
enough to insert a piece of thin wrapping paper. More clearance than that indicates wear
due to scrubbing against the gear chamber wall, which can occur when the pump heats
up and the metal gears expand outward, or can be the result of bearing wear.
4
Examine all of the bearings for signs of wear. Severely worn bearings are egg-shaped and
allow the gears to move around within the gear chamber. If bearings are worn, they
should be replaced using a bearing puller, which is a device that uses a collet to remove
bearings from inside of the bearing bore. New bearings should then be greased and
replaced. Alternately, the entire bearing assembly can be replaced on some models of
gear pumps.
5
Inspect the pin that holds the gears onto their shafts. This pin prevents the gears from
coming loose, and if they are sheared off they will cause the pump to stop working
completely. The pin can be sheared off if a foreign object enters the pump and jams the
gears or if a bearing becomes worn enough to stop rotation within the pump. If the pin is
damaged or sheared off, replace the pin and thoroughly clean the inside of the gear
chamber.
6
Examine the pump cover for bulges. Extreme pressure inside the pump, as well as a
powerful blow to the drive shaft that enters the pump, can cause bulges in the pump
cover, which allow liquid to bypass the pumping process (called slippage). If bulges are
found, the damaged pump cover should be replaced by removing the screws that hold it
in place and installing a new pump cover.
7
Check the pump for signs of general wear caused by improper use. If the gear pump has
been used to pump an abrasive liquid, the shaft may have visible scouring marks.
Likewise, if the gear pump has been used to pump certain chemicals not compatible with
the metals that make up the components of the pump, the gears and shafts will bear
etching and deterioration may be present. Thoroughly rinse the inside of the gear
chamber, removing the chemicals and abrasive fluids. In severe cases where the gear
pump has been used to pump chemicals and abrasives for an extended period, the pump
components may not be salvageable and will require replacing.


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