Diesel engines are powerful and reliable, but they wouldn’t work without a small device called a fuel pump. This simple device moves fuel from the tank into the engine, promoting combustion that allows cars to carry families and trucks to haul large loads.
There are different kinds of pumps used in diesel engines, varying in flow and pressure. These include inline pumps, distributor pumps, and continuous pumps.TypesThere are many types of diesel fuel pumps to choose from. The type you choose will depend on your needs and what types of vehicles you will be using the pump with. Some are designed specifically for diesel while others can be used to pump gasoline, kerosene and oil. You will also want to consider the flow rate that the pump can handle.Mechanical lift pumps have a fixed fuel pressure and volume, often controlled by a camshaft lobe. They are commonly found on older diesel engines. Fuel injection pusher pumps are more modern and can create very high fuel pressure up to 30,000 psi and regulate the timing and volume of sprayed fuel. This helps improve engine efficiency and lower emissions.Manual pumps require the user to operate them manually by turning a crank or handle. They are usually the cheapest option but require more physical effort to use. This type of pump is usually best for smaller applications.FunctionDiesel pumps regulate how much fuel gets to the engine. Without them, the car might receive too little or too much of it, causing the engine to malfunction. They also pressurize the fuel, making it easy for injectors to pulse it into the cylinders.In order to make a diesel engine work, the fuel must be compressed into extremely high pressure. The resulting extreme heat ignites the mixture of air and fuel. The diesel pump is responsible for providing the compressed air necessary to do this.Many people mistakenly believe that a car’s fuel pump indicates what grade of diesel or gasoline it is dispensing. However, this is not true, and the pump’s nozzle color does not indicate what type of fuel is being pumped. In fact, the fuel nozzle can be green, black, red or yellow, depending on the car manufacturer and even on repairs that have been made to the pump over time.EfficiencyA diesel pump’s efficiency can vary, depending on its age and maintenance, the depth of water it pulls from a well or how fast it is pumped. Its power output can also change as its condition deteriorates, resulting in less work done per time.Pump owners use different fuel mixtures, which can affect their emissions. The pumps sampled in this study had a wide range of lifespan and size and were used by farmers with different levels of knowledge about pump maintenance. Thus, they provided a bottom-up approach for estimating fuel-based emission factors (EFs) of particulate (PM2.5 and BC) and gaseous (CO2 and CO) pollutants.An electric pump motor offers much better efficiency than a diesel-powered one, and requires less maintenance. Additionally, it uses less energy, and is more cost-effective if coupled with a PV system, which can generate electricity during peak sunlight hours to run the pump. These are important considerations for irrigators to consider when evaluating options for pump replacements.MaintenanceThe diesel pump is a very important part of the overall diesel engine system. It is designed to be much stronger than gasoline pumps, as it needs to withstand the extreme pressure of the compressed air and high temperatures that are generated in the engine.Diesel pumps can be electric or manual. Manual diesel fuel transfer pumps are used in agriculture, construction and on a domestic level by plumbers and home heating oil suppliers who need to transfer fuel from a tank or truck into a storage container. Electric diesel pumps are found at petrol stations and in agricultural vehicles.It is important to read the pump labels, as it is illegal to dispense fuel that is not clearly labeled. It is also important to keep the fuel tank filled as far as possible, as the pump can overheat if it runs dry. It is also a good idea to change the fuel filter on a regular basis.
