What is a Pump Rate?

A pump is any mechanical device that aids the flow of liquid or air from one place to another. These tools are used in a variety of products, ranging from airliners to cars to the faucets in many homes. The pump rate usually is the precise mechanical setting that determines how much liquid will pass through the machine. These rates are important for different reasons in pumps such as fuel pumps, water pumps and heat pumps.

Pump rates have no standardization and differ greatly from industry to industry. A pump rate measures the liquid or air that is flowing. In some cases, a pump rate can be adjusted to increase or decrease the flow of liquid or air through the pump. In other applications, the pump rate is used simply as a measurement.

A fuel pump flow rate is one of the most commonly utilized types of flow measurement. This function is crucial to the operation of engines in automobiles, planes, diesel trains and other vehicles, and it is heavily monitored by mechanics and engineers. The pump rate can be controlled but is highly sensitive, because supplying too much or too little fuel to the engine can result in poor performance. Precise adjustments to the pump rate can increase an engine's horsepower.

A water pump rate typically is not easily adjustable and customizable to the situation but generally is used more for measurement purposes. By using a simple equation involving water volume needed per day and the minutes a pump takes, professionals can gauge a pump's rate in terms of gallons or liters per minute. Depending on the water usage, large or smaller pumps can be installed to draw water from a well or a city's water supply.

A heat pump rate also measures an output, but it measures the flow of air and not liquid. This rate normally is used by energy companies in order to provide customers with an accurate bill. A heat pump takes the air from outdoors and converts it to warm air. By monitoring the amount of energy used to convert this air, companies normally bill based on kilowatt hours used per month.