What is a suction accumulator or priming tank used for?

What is a suction accumulator or priming tank used for?

• A. To regulate diesel fuel flow.
• B. To store discharge water for testing.
• C. To provide prime and assist suction supply, especially on long suction runs or dry priming scenarios.
• D. To equalize pressure in the discharge header.

Answer: (C)

A suction accumulator or priming tank is there to make sure the pump can start and stay ready to develop suction, especially when the suction line is long or priming is difficult. It holds a small reserve of water (and sometimes air) that feeds into the pump suction when the pump starts, pushing water into the suction line and displacing air so the pump has a continuous water column to draw from. This helps prevent losing prime on long suction runs and is particularly useful in dry-priming situations where the suction line isn’t already filled with water. By providing this early prime, it reduces priming time and the risk of the pump running without being able to develop discharge pressure.

A suction accumulator or priming tank is there to make sure the pump can start and stay ready to develop suction, especially when the suction line is long or priming is difficult. It holds a small reserve of water (and sometimes air) that feeds into the pump suction when the pump starts, pushing water into the suction line and displacing air so the pump has a continuous water column to draw from. This helps prevent losing prime on long suction runs and is particularly useful in dry-priming situations where the suction line isn’t already filled with water. By providing this early prime, it reduces priming time and the risk of the pump running without being able to develop discharge pressure.