what's the difference between a pump and a compressor? don't both of them do the same kind of a job?? one does it for gases or air where as the other does it for liquids... apart from this what else is the difference between the two?
thanks and regards
Well, a compressor compresses a gas and a pump moves a liquid. Compressors are often used in refrigeration applications where gas is transformed into a liquid and vice-versa, so the main task for the compressor is not to move the gas but to compress it.
Maybe this answers your question...
The main difference lies in the "compressibility" in the volume of liquid and gas. Liquid is considered "incompressible" (volume remains constant) when subjected to compressive forces, while gas is "compressible" (volume decreases when subjected to compressive force). The word "pumping" connotes "moving" a fluid (usually a liquid) from place to place without any perceptible change in its temperature but with an increase in the discharge pressure. Compressors, on the other hand, aside from moving the fluid, also reduces the volume of the compressible fluid (a gas), with a resulting increase in temperature and pressure of the fluid at the compressor discharge. For purely "moving" gases without compression, "blowers" are used instead of compressors. However, there is always a degree of compression however small that occurs for blowers since there is a pressure reading at the blower discharge (measured in inches-Water).
You are very much right, when you inflate a car tyre machine is called compressor, but when u do same for bicycle tyre it is called pump. even it is compressor also.
what's the difference between a pump and a compressor?
*Pump is a device which is used to increase the pressure of incompressible fluids (liquid fluids)
*Compressor is a device which is used to increase the pressure of compressible fluids(gaseous fluids)
A pump is a mechanical device which moves/displaces compressible or incompressible fluids (water, air) but a compressor is a device which uses a pump to store or deliver compressible fluid (air), to store large amount of gas in a small volume
A pump is a device used for pumping or moving a volume of fluid from its inlet port to its outlet port. Examples are Cycle pump, Foot pump, hand pump etc.
A compressor as its name implies, is a device which is used to compress a fluid. For this the device draws in the fluid through its inlet port and pushes it into an integrated reservoir having a controlled outflow mechanism. In other words, a compressor is something more than a pump as it invariably has an integrated reservoir with a regulating mechanism for providing fluid outflow at the required pressure level. Examples are Air compressors used in Car Wash shops, Spray Painting shops, Tyre Shops etc.