Experimental Vibroacoustic Research of a Gear Pump Made of different Materials

External gear pumps are extensively used in various applications due to a great number of their advantages, a significant disadvantage of this pump type being a high noise level. The origin of this noise is mechanical and hydraulic. Replacing gear pump rotor material affects mechanical noise which constitutes around 20% of total noise. Previous studies proved positive vibration effect from the “metal-polymer” rotor packaging. Another study revealed a positive acoustic effect of using polymeric rotors. We have studied a gear micropump with alternate rotors of a polymer composite material (PCM): PEEK, PPSGF40, POM-C, and PA6. Various operating modes have been tested which were formed by the drive shaft speed and pump output pressure combination. Vibroacoustic performances values of the pump unit with gears made of different PCM were measured during this study, the results were demonstrated noise reduction, as well as a relatively low vibration level in the pump body. Regardless the noise level, rotors of PPSGF40 and PEEK a slightly higher than rotors from PA and POM the most effective were proven to be PPSGF40 and PEEK as they possess high performance physical properties. Therefore, PPS or PEEK are advantageous in manufacturing polymer rotors to reduce pump noise.