A ____ should never be started with the discharge valve closed

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Multiple Choice

A ____ should never be started with the discharge valve closed

Explanation:
Starting a pump against a closed discharge creates a deadhead condition. A piston pump moves a fixed volume of fluid with each stroke, and with the discharge path blocked there’s nowhere for that fluid to go. The pressure in the discharge line rises rapidly until relief valves open or components fail, which can stretch, damage seals, or overload the drive. Because the piston mechanism delivers a precise, incompressible amount of fluid per cycle, the pressure spike is immediate and potentially severe. Other pumps may be more forgiving in different ways, but the risk of dangerous overpressure when starting with the discharge closed is most pronounced for a piston pump.

Starting a pump against a closed discharge creates a deadhead condition. A piston pump moves a fixed volume of fluid with each stroke, and with the discharge path blocked there’s nowhere for that fluid to go. The pressure in the discharge line rises rapidly until relief valves open or components fail, which can stretch, damage seals, or overload the drive. Because the piston mechanism delivers a precise, incompressible amount of fluid per cycle, the pressure spike is immediate and potentially severe. Other pumps may be more forgiving in different ways, but the risk of dangerous overpressure when starting with the discharge closed is most pronounced for a piston pump.

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