Pulsation Dampener Selection

Rules of thumb for pulsation dampening on pumps:

1. Your pump supplier will gladly recommend one to go with the pump he wants to sell you.
2. You actually only need it if you need it.This is not normally determined by flow or pressure as much as it is determined by process needs to even out the flow or mechanical stresses on the associated piping etc. from the pulsations. Figure this out & you have your answer.

The reciprocating pumps, by virtue of their inherent design, results in pressure pulsation in the discharge flow.

The pulsation dampeners at the diascharge is essential to suppress the pressure pulsations, for maitaining a steady state accuracy for flow in case of dosing applications as well as to avoid damage to the discharge piping and instruments due to vibration induced by pressure pulsation.

The sizing is dictated by the permissible residual pulsation dictated by codes and is generally designed/selected and supplied by the pump supplier, in case of order.

Usually, a small air vessel /or off-the shelf bladder type accumulator (precharged type, in case of high pressure) is supplied by the pump supplier that is mounted in the discharge piping just downstream of pump discharge.

Hope this helps.

King cow Protector

You need the pressure vessel for delivery systems that may be subjected to restriction on the discharge so you don't break the pump in the event of a dead head.

If there is no restriction or high head on the discharge the dampener won't do a thing and you'll still have a pulsed discharge flow.