What is the difference?
It happens often that our customers are not clear about the difference between reversible pumps and unidirectional pumps. This is a legitimate doubt due to the fact that, in the industry, there is no shared nomenclature because each company follows its own classification.
At Vivoil, for example, we have chosen the terms “reversible” and “unidirectional,” but other manufacturers use “bidirectional” or “bisense” to refer to what, for us, is a pump that rotates both clockwise and counterclockwise.
In this article we try to provide clarity to help you choose the right hydraulic component for you.
Reversible pumps rotate in both directions
Reversible pumps are so called because they can rotate-once installed-both clockwise and counterclockwise, without having to make any modifications. As shown in the drawing below:
Because of this very special feature, they are usually used for special applications.
Unidirectional pumps rotate either to the right or to the left
Vivoil unidirectional pumps can only rotate in one direction: clockwise or counterclockwise. However, depending on your needs, you can change their direction of rotation and turn a pump that was born to turn only clockwise into one that turns only counterclockwise and vice versa, easily, because you do not need to add any components.
On the introductory pages of our unidirectional pump catalogs you can find directions on how to operate:
Or, you can follow the steps in the article on how to change the direction of rotation of Vivoil pumps.
This type of pump is best suited for those who need to stock in the warehouse and may need to adjust the direction of the pump if necessary.
Not sure which version to choose for your project? Contact us for help!