What does the term "head" refer to when applied to a pump?

The term "head" in the context of pumps refers to the difference between the discharge pressure and suction pressure. In hydraulic terms, "head" is a measure of the energy imparted to the fluid and is usually represented in units of height, such as meters or feet. It reflects how high the pump can raise the water or liquid against gravity in a system.

When considering the overall performance of a pump, the head indicates the pressure that is developed by the pump due to its operation. Proper understanding of head is essential for determining how well a pump will perform in a given application, especially when dealing with systems that have various elevation levels. The significance of head encompasses not just the operational abilities of pumps but also impacts the selection process during the design and implementation of pumping systems.