A circulator pump moves water or a water-glycol mix continuously around a closed loop. Because the loop is closed, the pump only has to overcome friction in the pipework rather than lift liquid against gravity, which is why circulators are compact and efficient compared with open-system pumps.
We supply circulator pumps for commercial and industrial systems, including plant room heating circuits, chilled water, process and machine cooling, heat recovery and solar thermal. Ranges from Ebara and Lowara are below, and we can source other makes where a system needs them. Call 01332 913500 for help choosing.
A circulator pump, also called a circulation pump or circulating pump, is a centrifugal pump designed for closed-loop duty. It carries heated or chilled water from a boiler, heat pump, chiller or process heat source out through the circuit and back again. With the flow and return legs balancing each other, the pump only works against pipework resistance, so it needs far less power than a pump doing supply or transfer duty.
For a wider look at heating and cooling pump selection, see our HVAC pump guide.
Wet rotor circulators run with the rotor inside the pumped liquid, which cools and lubricates the bearings. With no mechanical seal there is very little to maintain, and they run quietly. They are the standard choice for heating and light commercial circuits. The Ebara Ego and Lowara Ecocirc ranges are wet rotor designs.
Dry rotor circulators separate the motor from the liquid with a mechanical seal. They handle the larger flows and heads found on bigger commercial and industrial circuits, and the motor can be serviced or swapped without draining the system.
Solar circulators are rated for the higher temperatures and glycol mixes found in solar thermal circuits. The Lowara Ecocirc D5 Solar is built for this duty.
When a circulator fails on a commercial or process circuit, the priority is getting a like-for-like or better replacement in quickly. Send us the nameplate details or a photo of the existing pump and we will match it, including cross-referencing to current ErP-compliant models where the original is no longer made. If the pump is worth saving, our pump repair and refurbishment service can assess it.
We supply circulation pumps from Ebara and Lowara, and can source other makes when needed. Give us the system details on 01332 913500 and we will help you choose.
If your questions have not been answered here, get in touch with our team for more information.
A circulator pump is a centrifugal pump that moves liquid around a closed loop, most often hot or chilled water in heating, cooling and process systems. Because it only overcomes pipework friction rather than lifting liquid, it is compact and efficient compared with pumps used for supply or transfer.
A circulator is a type of centrifugal pump built for closed-loop duty. A standard centrifugal pump is designed for open systems, where it must also lift liquid or move it from one place to another. If you are moving water around a loop, you need a circulator; if you are moving it from a tank to somewhere else, you need a centrifugal or transfer pump.
Yes. Closed cooling loops on machinery, lasers, compressors and test equipment are a common circulator duty. Tell us the fluid, including any glycol concentration, the heat load and the circuit resistance, and we will recommend a suitable model.
Cast iron suits sealed heating and cooling circuits. Open systems carrying fresh, oxygenated water, such as hot water secondary return, need bronze or stainless steel to avoid corrosion.
Yes. Send us the nameplate details or a photo of the existing pump and we will find a direct replacement or a current ErP-compliant equivalent. Call 01332 913500 or email sales@tfpumps.com.
