PERFORMANCE TESTS OF AN AIRLIFT PUMP EQUIPPED WITH A PERFORATED RUBBER DIAPHRAGM MIXER

The paper presents an analysis of the tests of an airlift pump that has pumped water Qw or a mixture of water with sand Qw + Qs. The research included a determination of performance and efficiency characteristics for an airlift pump with internal diameter of the discharge pipeline d = 0.04 m equipped with a PM 50 air mixer with perforated rubber diaphragm. The tests were carried out for three lifting heights of water and a mixture of water and sand H: 0.40, 0.80, 1.20 m, with a fixed length of the discharge pipeline submergence h = 0.80 m. It was found that water flow rate Qw and the mixture of water Qw with sand Qs flow rate increased with the growth of the airflow rate Qp, reaching maximum and then decreasing. Whereas with the rise of lifting height of water or the mixture of water with sand H, the water Qw and the mixture of water Qw with sand Qs flow rate decreased. It has been shown that the airflow rate in this type of installation during the discharge of the water cannot be less than 5,0 m3 · h–1 and should not exceed 16,0 m3 · h–1. When the mixture of water with sand is discharged, airflow also cannot be less than 9.80 m3 · h–1 and should not exceed 17.0 m3 · h–1. The airlift pump efficiency η decreased with a rise of mixture of water with sand lifting height.