Positive Vs.

Non Positive Pumping

STUDENT MANUAL

A common challenge in studying hydraulics is being

able to keep the differences between positive and
non-positive displacement systems straight. The
concepts that students sometimes get stuck on or
find confusing originate from taking a system that
they know, such as the water pump that circulates
coolant through the engine block in an automobile,
and then using it as a model for understanding how
the hydraulic pump helps to lift the boom of a wheel
loader.

Key Concept: There are similarities

and important differences between
positive & non-positive displacement
systems. It’s very important to be aware
of which type of system you are dealing with! Figure 1.  It’s important to keep the differences between
positive and non-positive pumping systems clear.

Non-Positive Displacement Pumping

A pump that is used to circulate coolant around an Non-positive Displacement Pump
engine block, or a centrifugal pump that is used in an
industrial plant to move fluid from one holding tank A non-positive displacement pump’s output
to another, is usually a non-positive displacement flow rate changes in response to restriction
pump. This type of pump allows for slippage to take (pressure) on the outlet.
place inside the pump whenever the system pressure
starts to increase.

Restriction

Pressure Colour Key

High Pressure

Pump running at Pump running against Low Pressure

high efficiency a strong restriction Atmospheric
Partial-vacuum
Figure 2.  Adding pressure on the pump outlet by putting in a restriction causes this non-positive displacement pump to slip.
Note that the slipping pump is no longer putting out flow, and the fluid inside the volute is getting very hot.

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Positive and Non-Positive Displacement Pumping

In such a system, the rate of flow from the pump, (gallons per minute), changes as the
restriction on the pump outlet is changed. In other words, if the pressure at the pump
outlet is decreased, the flow rate will increase, and
vice versa. This slippage is desirable in most simple
transfer or circulation pump systems as it can help to
limit the system pressures from rising to extreme and
dangerous levels, and it helps to limit the amount of
horsepower that is required by the prime mover
(motor or engine).

Non-positive systems have their own problems relat-

ed to fluid viscosity, system pressure and tempera-
ture, but they are somewhat different from a positive
Figure 3. The Mission Magnum is a common centrifugal displacement pump.
pump

Key Concept: A non-positive displacement pump

can slip, making it a good choice for any application
that does not put high pressure on the pump’s
outlet.

Positive Displacement Pumping

Positive Displacement Pump
A positive displacement pump will
always put out a consistent amount
of flow, regardless of the pressure
against it.
A positive displacement pump is very tightly sealed on the
inside. This means that there is almost no slippage across
the pumping elements (gears, vanes or pistons) as the sys-
tem pressure rises. This design is advantageous where the
rate of flow must be kept very consistent under a very wide
range of system pressure changes.

The most popular application for positive displacement pumps is in the design of mo-
tion control hydraulic systems. Motion control hydraulics is the design of a system used
to perform work such as moving a hydraulic cylinder or turning a hydraulic motor.

If you designed a lift where a hydraulic cylinder is

Figure 4. This gear pump is tightly sealed; fluid has no-
where to go but to the outlet, regardless of the pressure
against it.
extended by flow from a non-positive displacement
pump, the performance would be disappointing.
The lift would have a wide range of speeds deter-
mined by the amount of weight to be lifted. Different
weights to be lifted by the cylinder would cause vari-
ations in pump outlet pressure and therefore differ-
ent rates of slippage inside the pump. There would
not be an easy way to keep the cylinder extending at
a steady speed under widely varying loads. The op-
erator might be given a control to change the speed
of the pump, but the changes required in order to
control the system motion accurately would be very

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 Positive and Non-Positive Displacement Pumping

great. In addition, the pump slippage would cause a serious heating problem at high
pressures.

System has no load System has heavy load

10 PSI 10 PSI 753 PSI 753 PSI

Non-Positive Non-Positive
Positive Displacement Displacement Positive Displacement Displacement
Pump Pump Pump Pump

Figure 6. There are two systems, shown under two different load conditions. We don’t see much difference when there is no
load on the cylinder, but once we introduce a large load, the non-positive pump starts to slip & can’t keep up.

If you consider a backhoe/excavator as it starts to dig

through loose soil at the surface and then perhaps
down into dense clay and then back towards the sur-
face with a full load of material in the bucket, the ad-
vantage of a positive displacement pump becomes
evident. In this motion control scenario, the pump
will displace the same flow rate whether the digging
pressure is very low (lose soil) or when it is very high
(dense clay), and thus the operator will have easy
and consistent control of the machine motion.

Other system designs with positive displacement Figure 5. Breaking through different layers of earth
pumps include a typical pressure washer, or a system causes rapid pressure changes in the hydraulic system.
designed to pump treatment fluids down into an oil This is a great job for a positive displacement pump!
or gas well when it is being serviced. These are not
motion control systems, nor are they are simple, Key Concept: A positive
low-pressure, fluid transfer systems. In these systems displacement pump is suitable
the design objective is to be able to keep pumping a for high pressure applications,
very steady volume/rate of fluid (without pump including hydraulic systems.
slippage) under consistently high pressure conditions.
Slippage at the pump
To Well
would make the flow rate
difficult to control. The
slippage would also create
excessive heat inside the
pump.

From Supply

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Pump Inlet Conditions

Breather / Filler Cap
Let’s take a moment to think about the oil in the
reservoir (a.k.a. the tank) of a motion control hydrau-
lic system, and how it gets delivered into the pump.
Most reservoirs are vented to the atmosphere by a
breather in the filler cap (not an ideal solution be-
cause of the possibility of contamination) or through
a breather filter (a better solution).

For every foot (12”) of petroleum-based hydraulic oil

in the tank above the pump’s inlet, the oil provides
a head of approximately 0.4 PSI (Pounds per Square
Inch). This means that if the pump is three feet (36”)
Figure 7. This reservoir is vented to atmosphere. below the surface of the oil, its inlet will be pressur-
ized at approximately 1.2 PSI. This arrangement is called a flooded inlet and it is quite
desirable for overall pump health as the pump does not have to struggle to get a fresh
charge of oil.

Steady
Output

1.2 PSI
3 Feet
Hydraulic
Pump

weight PSI at

Figure 8. A flooded inlet. This is a happy pump.

3.0 Feet X 0.4 foot of head =
1.2 pump inlet

If the pump is located three feet (36”) above the fluid level, then the pump must create a
partial vacuum (suction or negative pressure) to the equivalent of -1.2 PSI just to get the
atmospheric pressure of 14.7 PSIA. This pressure acts on the surface of the oil inside the
vented reservoir and pushes the oil into the vacuum void at the pump inlet.

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 Positive and Non-Positive Displacement Pumping

No Output
-1.2 PSI Vacuum
weight PSI at
-3.0 Feet X 0.4 foot of head = -1.2 pump inlet

Hydraulic
Pump 3 Feet

Figure 9. This pump has a starved inlet. It is not able to put out flow, and it is in danger of damage of cavitation.

While -1.2 PSI is not serious, it is difficult to achieve except under ideal conditions. Once
you take pipe friction, elbows, and the strainer in the reservoir into account it is easy to
get up to -2 or -3 PSI if the oil is cold or the strainer is partially plugged. A pump inlet
distance of twenty inches (20”) above the fluid level is the maximum recommended for
most pumps and designs.

It is popular to measure a partial vacuum in inches of mercury (in. Hg). Many pumps be-
gin to cavitate at 5 in. Hg which is approximately 12.2 PSIA or -2.5 PSIG (that is, 2.5 PSI be-
low atmospheric pressure). Some pumps begin to cavitate at 1 in. Hg or less, especially if
the operating location is a few thousand feet above sea level (less atmospheric pressure).

Key Concept: Systems must be designed to flood

the pump’s inlet with fluid. Near vacuum pressure at
the inlet should be avoided.

Avoiding Cavitation Erosion

Damage
Inlet
Cavitation occurs where a restriction in the inlet
line, a very long inlet line, or the high viscosity of
the fluid, is enough to cause a noticeable pressure
drop. Cavitation is also very noisy. This can occur in
both positive and non-positive displacement pumps.
Non-positive displacement pumps are also said to be Closed
cavitating when the pump is over speeding (slip-
ping).
Figure 10. Cavitation damage

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To help prevent the risk of erosion damage (pitting) inside the pump due to cavitation,
some motion control hydraulic systems (especially mobile systems,) use a pressurized
reservoir with one to two pounds per square inch (1 – 2 PSI) of air pressure added to the
empty space above the fluid in the reservoir.

Steady Output
2 PSI

Main Pump

Charge
Pump

Figure 11. Using a charge pump causes a flooded inlet condition, even though the main pump is high above the tank.

A special charge pump, whose only job is to take oil from the reservoir and feed it to the
inlet of the main pump, is another way to avoid cavitation.

These are both deliberate design solutions. For most operators of hydraulic systems, cav-
itation damage occurs due to fluid that is too cold and thick, a partially plugged strainer
or a closed inlet valve.

No one likes to clean the inlet strainer. It is often installed in such a way that it is hard to
remove without emptying the reservoir and opening the clean-out hatch. Because of
this, many systems miss their optimal strainer service interval, resulting in pump dam-
age.

One of the best ways to detect the need for strainer

Figure 12. A vacuum gauge placed at the pump inlet
cleaning is by installing a vacuum gauge on the inlet
port of the pump. Most well designed systems will
indicate a maximum of 1 or 2 in. Hg of vacuum under
normal conditions. When the strainer starts to plug
up with contaminants, the gauge needle will start to
climb. When the gauge reaches approximately 4 in
Hg. (check your pump catalogue specs for maximum
inlet vacuum) it is time to clean the strainer. This is
an inexpensive solution when the cost of a vacuum
gauge is compared to the cost of a new pump.

Key Concept: Keeping up on regular maintenance

will prolong pump life by avoiding cavitation.

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Erosion Damage Due To Cavitation

?
All hydraulic fluid has up to 10% entrained air and gas by
What is cavitation damage?
volume. At this percentage, it cannot be seen. The gas
What does it look like & why does
bubbles are microscopic and are at atmospheric pressure
it occur?
when in the reservoir. However, when too much vacuum is
created at the pump’s inlet, all of the microscopic bubbles gather together and form
much bigger bubbles and gas pockets.

A motion control hydraulic pump, unlike a water

pump, is a positive displacement pump. In other
words there is very little slippage across the pump-
ing elements from outlet back to inlet. It has to be
this way to create positive motion with fluidics. The
point is that with no slippage, any gas bubbles car-
ried across to the outlet from the inlet are instantly
exposed to the working pressure of the hydraulic
system. This high pressure causes the bubbles to split
up and implode. The bubbles that implode against
pump surfaces tear out molecules of metal and leave Figure 13. This is a bronze porting plate that was dam-
a heavily eroded (pitted) surface. aged by cavitation.

This erosion damage also occurs in non-positive displacement pumps but it is often
more subtle, or it takes longer to become a problem that relates to system failure.

Key Concept: Keeping up on regular maintenance

will prolong pump life by avoiding cavitation.

Aeration Air is sucked in

While we are talking about the pump’s inlet, let’s also

address the issue of aeration. Aeration occurs when
there is a leaky inlet line fitting. If the pump can
suck in air through a leaky inlet fitting, the air will be
pumped through to the outlet side. While not always
quite as damaging as cavitation, the liquid pumping
rate of the system will be decreased with the addition
of air, and the system pressure will fluctuate wildly. If
this occurs in a motion control system, the cylinder or
motor motion will become spongy. Figure 14. Aeration damage is similar to cavitation
damage, but is caused by introducing air to the system.

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Positive and Non-Positive Displacement Pumping

? If you hear a motion control

hydraulic pump making an
unusual gurgling noise, what do
you do? What is the test for a leaky
inlet line fitting?
Apply some hydraulic oil to the sus-
pect fitting. This creates a temporary
seal and blocks the passage of air in
through the fitting. If the pump noise changes or the noise goes
away, you have found the leaky fitting and can now arrange to
make repairs.

Key Concept: Preventing aeration keeps your

hydraulic system running smoothly.

Pump Zones
Let us now return to non-positive displacement
Total pumps for a moment. They are useful for looking at
Dynamic some basic pumping concepts that are fairly univer-
Head
sal.

It is useful to divide the plumbing around a pump

Discharge into zones for easy discussion. The area before the
Suction Head
Head pump is the suction head. The pressure in this zone
is referred to as net positive suction head, or NPSH.

The area downstream of the pump outlet is the dis-

charge head.

Figure 15. Suction, Discharge & Total Dynamic Head. The difference between these two zones can be
called the total differential head, or the total dy-
namic head (TDH).

Net Positive Suction Head

This refers to the pressure against the
pump’s inlet. Is the inlet flooded so
that fluid is pressured into the pump?
If yes, then that pump has a Net Posi-
tive Suction Head.
Net Positive Suction Head
Good system design will always try to promote NPSH
against a pump inlet, whether it is a positive or non-pos-
itive displacement pump. Good NPSH improves pump
efficiency and prolongs pump life, because:

Without sufficient NPSH:

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• The pump will suffer permanent damage from cavitation

• The pump will be unable to output its maximum flow consistently
• The pump will not be able to produce enough discharge head to accomplish it’s job.

The test as to whether you have provided NPSH for a pump is to check the pressure of
the inlet line while the pump is running. Is there positive pressure in the line, or is the
pump creating a partial vacuum because there is not enough fluid readily available to
supply it? Always support pumps, whether positive or non-positive displacement, by
supplying lots of NPSH.

Key Concept: The relationship between NPSH,

discharge head & Total Dynamic Head is consistent.
If you want to increase the TDH, you’ll need to
increase NPSH, or decrease the discharge head.

Let’s look at an example of the relationship between NPSH, suction head & TDH; install-
ing & adjusting a fountain.

To Fountain
113 GPM

2 PSI

From Pump Outlet

Figure 16. This fountain has an okay splash, but nothing to write home about.

This pump is 5 feet below the reservoir’s water level, which for this system, leads to 2
PSI NPSH. The discharge head (the pipe off the top of the fish) is short enough that the
pump is able to produce a pleasant splash.

But that’s not really enough to impress anyone! Let’s make the pipe higher, so that the
fountain can be seen from farther away. In doing this, we are increasing the discharge
head.

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Positive and Non-Positive Displacement Pumping

To Fountain
0 GPM

0 GPM

From Pump Outlet

Figure 17. The TDH is less than the discharge head... this doesn’t look right.

Oops. All that we’ve done is increase the discharge head, but now our non-positive
displacement pump is slipping 100%, and starting to heat. The splash is gone; water isn’t
even making it to the top of the pump.

? How can we keep this higher discharge head, but make

the fountain work?

Let’s revisit the relationship between NPSH, discharge head & TDH. We had stated that to
increase the TDH, we’ll need to decrease the discharge head, or increase the NPSH. Since
we don’t want to change the discharge head, that leaves us with increasing NPSH by
relocating the pump to see more pressure against the inlet.

To Fountain

237 GPM

11 PSI

From Pump Outlet

Figure 18. Mission accomplished! The discharge head is high enough to be seen, and the pump is able to keep up with a nice
splash.

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