Vacuum-assisted wellpoint pump
A pump with a separate vacuum unit that holds prime on a suction line carrying air as well as water. Used on wellpoint and sump systems where the line is never fully flooded.
Features
- A conventional self-priming pump loses prime when the suction line draws air; a vacuum-assisted unit keeps working on an air-water mixture, which is exactly what a wellpoint array produces.
- The vacuum pump runs continuously or on demand, so it is a second machine to service and a second thing to fail.
- Wellpoint systems are specified as a whole — spacing, header main size, and the pump — and the pump alone cannot be selected sensibly.
- Continuous running for weeks or months is normal, so service intervals and consumable holdings matter more than purchase price.
- Air handling capacity in m³/h is a separate specification from water flow and is what distinguishes these units.
- Discharge water from a wellpoint system usually needs settlement before it goes anywhere, and that is part of the installation.
Specifications
| Figure | Typical range | Unit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum water flow | 60 - 300 | m³/h | Sizes the header main and outfall. |
| Air handling capacity | 50 - 250 | m³/h | The figure that separates these from ordinary pumps. |
| Maximum vacuum | −600 to −850 | mbar | Determines achievable drawdown depth. |
| Continuous duty rating | 24 h | These units run for weeks without stopping. | |
| Suction / discharge size | 100 / 150 / 200 | mm | Fixes the header main design. |