Pumps 101

All you need to know, and possibly even more, about winery pumps.

At long last, the first episode is out.  Deciding where to start the podcast was tough. But after thinking about it I realized that one of the few pieces of equipment that is in every winery is a pump. And so I’m starting there, with Pumps 101.  My goal with this episode is to: give you an idea of how a pump works, what the different pumps are that are common in the wine industry, why you might want one versus the another, how you chose the right sized pump for you and what infrastructure you need in the winery to run your pumps. 

But first, a little bit of history.

Brief history of pumps 

Ancient Times

• 1000 BCE: The earliest known pump, a screw drive pump, was invented by the Egyptians. This pump was likely used to lift water from the Nile River for irrigation purposes. It is the oldest recorded positive displacement pump.
• 230 BCE (roughly): The screw drive pump was introduced to the Greeks and was described by Archimedes (the Archimedes’ screw). This pump was also used to lift water for irrigation, utilizing a corkscrew shape to move water upwards. 

Screw drive pumps are still used in winemaking, and in other industries, today. In the winery we often use screw drive pumps for moving must and grapes. 

Early Modern Period

• 1580: The first vacuum pump was invented.
• 1650: The piston vacuum pump was developed 
• 1738:  “Tipping point” event: the building of the Ural hydraulic machinery plant with the first instance of automated pumps
• 1840: first direct-acting steam pump invented

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