In a reciprocating pump, if the piston acts on the liquid in only one end of the cylinder, the pump is called a

In a reciprocating pump, if the piston acts on the liquid in only one end of the cylinder, the pump is called a

• A. Double action
• B. Single action
• C. Partial action
• D. Dual action

Answer: (B)

In a reciprocating pump, the way the piston interacts with the liquid determines how many strokes actually discharge fluid. If the piston drives liquid on only one end of the cylinder, fluid is discharged on one stroke while the return stroke does not push liquid out. This setup is known as a single-acting pump. The other end of the piston is used for suction or is sealed, so no discharge occurs during that part of the cycle. If both ends pumped and discharged on each stroke, it would be a double-acting pump, delivering liquid on both strokes. The terms partial action and dual action aren’t the standard way this is described, so the established name for this configuration is single-acting.

In a reciprocating pump, the way the piston interacts with the liquid determines how many strokes actually discharge fluid. If the piston drives liquid on only one end of the cylinder, fluid is discharged on one stroke while the return stroke does not push liquid out. This setup is known as a single-acting pump. The other end of the piston is used for suction or is sealed, so no discharge occurs during that part of the cycle. If both ends pumped and discharged on each stroke, it would be a double-acting pump, delivering liquid on both strokes. The terms partial action and dual action aren’t the standard way this is described, so the established name for this configuration is single-acting.