Posts by Houston Dynamic
Equipment Series – Steam Turbines
The next installment of our Equipment Series focuses on steam turbines. A steam turbine is a type of generator that extracts energy from pressurized steam and applies it for mechanical work with the use of a rotating output shaft. It is often used as the drive in electrical generators. In fact, most of the electricity…
Read MoreEquipment Series – Centrifuges
The next installment of our Equipment Series focuses on centrifuges. Centrifuges are equipment that separate suspended solids from liquids using centrifugal (or circular) forces generated by a spinning internal mechanism. They use the principle of sedimentation to cause denser substances to move outward in a radial direction. At the same time, the spinning causes less…
Read MoreEquipment Series – Gear Boxes
In our Equipment Series, we’ve been giving an introduction to the various types of equipment that we repair at HDS, every day. Next up: gear boxes. Simply put, a gear box mechanically transfers energy from one device to another while changing torque and speed. Gear boxes are often used with transmissions in motors for pumps,…
Read MoreEquipment Series – Fans and Blowers
Continuing our Equipment Series, we turn to fans and blowers. These pieces of equipment provide air for ventilation and industrial process requirements. They often use a rotating shaft to transmit energy in order to move the air. Fans and blowers are designed to generate pressure to move air or gas against resistance such as ducts,…
Read MoreEquipment Series: Rotary Valves
The following part of our Equipment Series centers on rotary valves. A rotary valve is a valve that uses rotation to allow passage and regulate the flow of liquid or gas through the attached outlets. The simplest example of a rotary valve is the common stopcock. Rotary valves are used to accomplish many different things,…
Read MoreEquipment Series: Compressors
In the second installment of our Equipment Series, we will be focusing on compressors. In a nut shell, compressors are devices that increase gas pressure by reducing its volume. They are similar to pumps because they are designed to use increased pressure to move media. However, compressors are generally associated with moving gaseous media, while…
Read MoreEquipment Series: Turbines
In the upcoming posts in our Equipment Series, we will be sharing information about the various types of machinery we work on at HDS, other than pumps. For a primer on the various pump types, visit our Blog. After pumps, one of the most common types of equipment brought in to HDS for repair are…
Read MoreMain Pump Types – Rotary
Continuing with our series on the main types of pumps, next in line is the second type of positive displacement pumps, which are rotary pumps. Both types of positive displacement pumps, reciprocating pumps and rotary, can be further divided into categories of commercial applications, and it is important to know what they are as well…
Read MoreMain Pump Types – Reciprocating, Diaphragm
In the next installment of our “equipment series”, we will discuss diaphragm pumps. A reciprocating pump uses positive displacment to move reciprocating (back and forth) parts through the use of a piston, diaphragm, and at times a plunger. While a piston uses an up and down motion, as seen in car engines, the diaphragm pump…
Read MoreMain Pump Types – Reciprocating Piston
In continuing with our series, Pumps 101, we are going to focus this entry on reciprocating piston pumps. Many pumps fall into the positive displacement arena, and they can generally be divided into two categories: reciprocating and rotary. Reciprocating pumps operate with the use of plungers, diaphragms, or pistons. Rotary pumps tend to use rotating…
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