HYDROPHORE

Hydrophore is one the coolest ways through which we can pump the water without actually using the pump.

Hydrophore uses air pressure supply to lift up the water up to a certain height depending upon the air pressure.

It is mainly used onboard ship to pump the fresh water to the accommodation area and galley and other places where freshwater is used.As we have already discussed how the sea water is converted to freshwater by using FRESHWATER GENERATOR. If u haven't read that pls refer my blog(link given in right side archive)

WHY?

We need Hydrophore because freshwater is not always being used in accommodation & galley area and also on the bridge apart from the use for jacket water cooling so if we use centrifugal pump for freshwater then we will have to start and stop the pump whenever we need freshwater for domestic use which is not possible and even we don't stop the pump then due to churning effect of water CAVITATION may arise in the centrifugal pump which is the worst for the pump efficiency so in order to avoid all the above problems we need Hydrophore System.

HOW?

As we can see from the above from the above diagram how the Hydrophore System works. 

Now I will try to explain the working

A tank is needed which is made from the material which can hold the pressure inside it without being fractured. 

The tank contains 70% water and around 30% pressurized air whose pressure is around 4.5-5.5 bar. 

Pressurized air is supplied by control air supply and fresh water is supplied from the fresh water tank via use of centrifugal pump which are in parallel in case one stops working then other we can use. 

Due to the pressurized air above the water! the water experiences a force due to which it travels upwards to the area where we need it. 

Now as soon as the water level comes down

the air inside tank expands and the pressure drops then pressure switch gets activated and it starts the pump when it senses the pressure of air around 4 bar and the moment it reaches 5.5 bar pump is stopped automatically. This is known as cut in and cut off process.

In other words air pressure inside the tank is to be maintained between 4.5-5.5 bar.

ABOUT SOME MOUNTINGS

(i) Relief valve: it releases the air pressure in case the pressure inside tank increases due to malfunction of pressurized air supply. 

(ii) Non return valve: So that the water does not return to the freshwater tank due to pressurized air and the back pressure of pump. 

Starting of Hydrophore 

First of all open vent valve and let the air gets exchange then start the pump manually & fill the tank upto 70% with water then close vent valve and open the air pressure supply and wait till the pressure inside tank reaches upto 5 bar then close the supply line and then handover the system to automatic. 

You will get supply of fresh water the moment u open the tap connected to line of hydrophore system. 

I hope I have included everything about HYDROPHORE but if u think I have missed something Pls let me know in the comment section below... 

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