Popular Science Class l Why is the Brushless DC Water Pump Strictly Prohibited From Dry-running?

The dry-running of the brushless DC water pump means there is no water in the pump chamber, or there is an excessive amount of air in the pump chamber when the water pump is running. That is, the water pump runs without water or with poor water flow. When the water pump is working, the water plays an important role in lubrication and cooling, so dry-running is absolutely not allowed. Let's explore the reasons why the brushless DC water pump is strictly prohibited from dry-running, and the factors that may cause this phenomenon. At the same time, we will also discuss what measures can be taken to prevent the water pump from dry-running.

Do not run without water
Why is the brushless DC water pump strictly prohibited from dry-running?
The brushless DC water pump may cause the following problems when dry-running:

Damage to the water pump motor: the rotor of the water pump motor rotates at high speed when dry-running, but there is no water cooling, which will cause the motor to overheat, thereby damaging the motor insulation and bearings, and shortening the lifespan of the motor.

Cause the pump to be stuck: the pump body will generate heat when dry-running. Without the liquid cooling, those narrow gaps are easy to be bitten through due to the long-term thermal expansion and contraction, resulting in the pump being stuck and unable to work normally.

Increase the power consumption: the motor will work without load when dry-running, and the power conversion efficiency will be low, which will cause energy waste and increase power consumption.

Affect the sealing performance of the water pump: dry-running may cause excessive frictional heat at the seal of the water pump, which will affect the sealing performance and cause leakage from the pump body.

Cause harm to other equipment: dry-running may lead to overpressure of the pipeline, and even cause other equipment failures, which will have a chain reaction on the system.
Therefore, in order to protect the normal operation of the pump and prolong its service lifetime, it is strictly forbidden to have the brushless DC water pump from dry-running.

Possible Reasons for Dry-running
1. No water supply: Brushless DC water pumps are prone to dry-running when there is no water or insufficient water. For example, the inlet of the water pump is not connected to the water supply or the water supply is suddenly interrupted.
2. Blockage or leakage: If the inlet of the water pump is blocked or leakage occurred, the pump cannot absorb water normally, which may cause dry-running.
3. Failure of the control system: If the control system of the water pump fails, the operation status of the water pump cannot be monitored correctly, which may cause the water pump to continue to run without water and dry-running.
4. Power problem: Unstable power supply or power failure may cause the water pump to fail to operate normally, resulting in dry-running.
5. Improper installation: Improper installation of the water pump or improper connection of the pipes causes the water pump to fail to pump water normally.

Pump Installation Diagram
1. In the tank(submersible)
2. Outside the tank, and lower than the water level
3. Higher than the water level
water tank water pump

How to Prevent the Water Pump from Dry-running?
1. The pump inlet must be connected to a pipeline with water source, and being lower than the water source to ensure that water can enter the pump smoothly.
2. Use a suitable pump controller, such as a pressure switch, flow switch or smart controller, to monitor the running status of the pump and avoid dry-running.
3. Choose a water pump with dry-running protection, so that when the water pump runs without water, it will automatically stop working to avoid damage.
4. Regularly maintain the water pump, check the running state of the motor, the sealing and the pipeline connection, to ensure that the water pump is running in the best condition.

Dry-running Protection of the Water Pump

When the brushless DC water pump lacks water during running, it may face the risk of burning out. However, the water pump equipped with dry-running protection can realize short-term dry-running when the internal environment is wet, and effectively avoiding the occurrence of burn-in.

All the brushless DC water pumps produced by TOPSFLO are equipped with dry-running protection (either standard or customized). The role of this function should not be underestimated. The electronic control system of the water pump can realize the intelligent monitoring of the current and speed, and accurately triggers the corresponding protection measures according to the set threshold. When the current and speed are lower than the predetermined threshold, the system immediately starts the dry-running protection, so as to ensure that the water pump is not damaged or malfunctioned.

The dry-running protection can monitor the running status of the water pump in real time, accurately identify possible abnormal situations, and respond quickly. Once the system finds that the pump current or speed deviates from the predetermined range, it will immediately take corresponding measures to reduce the pump speed, stop the pump operation or issue an alarm to avoid damage or accidents caused by dry-running.

--Dry-running Protection
--Over-Current Protection
--Polarity Protection
--Over-voltage protection
--Blocked-Protection
--Constant Power Output

The excellence of the dry-running protection of TOPSFLO pumps lies not only in the excellent innovation in technology, but also in focusing on providing users with efficient and reliable solutions to ensure the continuous and stable operation of the pump system. Bringing an excellent experience to users in terms of industrial processes and domestic water supply. If you would like to know about the dry-running protection of a specific model of TOPSFLO water pump, please feel free to contact us.