Use of Pumps in Maintenance of a Modern Lifestyle (Essay Sample)

Use of Pumps in Maintenance of a Modern Lifestyle
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Use of Pumps in Maintenance of a Modern Lifestyle
Pumps are devices used to move fluids by mechanical action. Pumps mostly rely on the physics principle of difference in pressures between two different media or destinations. The basis of classification of pumps is on the method they use to move the fluids between the media. They are, therefore, classified as direct lift pumps, displacement pumps or gravity pumps. Pumps work on a rotary or reciprocating mechanism, consuming energy in order to generate mechanical work. They use different sources of energy, including electric energy, wind, solar energy and kinetic energy generated from moving water (Short & Oldach, 2002). They come in varying sizes designed to suit the intended purposes. Pumps are very important in the day-to-day living, and this essay is an attempt to explain their role in enabling a modern lifestyle.
Pumps maintain a modern lifestyle by enabling the movement of water from a common catchment area throughout a large geographical area. Imagine a situation where people were to come from different areas of a big location, heading to a common water point. First, there would be congestion, time wastage, and failure to ensure co-existence due to fighting for control of the water source. In short, the water source would be unreliable to the population. Pumps save people this hullabaloo by ensuring that the water reaches all locations equally and reliably, at all times. This also enables other water-related utilities, such as movement of sewage and irrigation. They can use different sources of energy, including solar and wind energy (Short & Oldach, 2002). Water is very essential, not only for maintenance of a modern lifestyle, but also for the maintenance of a basic lifestyle.
Pumps enable modern transport services to exist. Most of the automobile machines that used today in the world rely on pumps for movement. Their tires have to be full of air to ensure locomotion. This is essentially the work of a pump. If the pumps were unavailable, it would be a big challenge to ensure good transport services as most of the wheels of automobiles would be made of wood or metal. As much as it might work that way, wood is very fragile when it comes to supporting heavy loads. On the other hand, metal is perfect for supporting heavy loads, as well as moving for long distances, but it will spoil the roads. This would lead to a high cost of construction and maintenance of the vehicles as well as the roads. The combination of rubber tires and the metal rims make it perfect for automobiles to move smoothly and proficiently. They also allow good maintenance of the roads while supporting heavy loads at the same time (Mock & Vollm, 1997). In this way, people are able to enjoy modern technological automobiles.
Air conditioning is another application that relies on the use of pumps. As much as many people might look at air conditioning as something luxurious, it is very important in realizing productivity. Human beings work best under favorable environment. This includes favorable temperature and humidity. An alteration of these two to the unfavorable extreme alters the productivity of people. They start becoming restless and anxious. A process called free cooling can provide air conditioning. In this process, pumps are utilized to circulate a coolant from a cold source. The source now serves as a heat sink for the energy removed from the cooled space. Coolants in these systems are usually water or a glycol mix. Free cooling systems provide high efficiencies in air conditioning, though occasionally there is a combination of free cooling system and seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) so tha...