Self Priming Pumps/Lift Stations

The term self-priming pump describes a centrifugal pump that uses only it’s rotating assembly to reach a fully-primed pumping condition.A centrifugal pump is any pump that uses centrifugal force to create a pressure differential in a fluid, thus resulting in pumping action. Air is the main enemy of a standard (non-self-priming) centrifugal pump. When the standard centrifugal pump encounters air, it can become air-bound. It`s much harder to pump air than to pump water, so when the air `binds` the pump, the pump can no longer force the water out. When this air-binding happens, the pump is stuck. It won`t operate until the air can be removed in some way. A self-priming centrifugal pump overcomes the problem of air binding by mixing air with water to create a fluid with pumping properties much like those of regular water. The pump then gets rid of the air and moves water only, just like a standard centrifugal pump.