TRIBOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF A GEROTOR PUMP WITH A PROTOTYPE PLASTIC CASING

<ns3:p>Gear pump casings, gerotor pumps included, are typically made of aluminium alloys, especially in systems operating under medium and high working medium pressures, while in the case of low working medium pressure, plastic casings can be used. Material selection for the pump casing involves deciding between higher mechanical strength with increased casing weight and lower weight with reduced mechanical strength. The pump’s operating temperature is also an important factor. The paper compares two gerotor pump casing types,focusing on the assessment of the their tribological performance. The author conducted volumetric efficiency tests to assess the feasibility of using plastic, taking into account both the pressure generated in the working medium and working medium viscosity influenced by the operating temperature.</ns3:p>