What kind of materials would commonly involve the use of positive displacement pumps?

Positive displacement pumps are specifically designed to move fluids by trapping a fixed amount of liquid and forcing it into the discharge pipe, making them particularly effective for handling high-viscosity materials. These pumps work by mechanically displacing the fluid, which allows them to generate the necessary pressure to move thick or viscous substances, such as slurries, oils, and certain chemical mixtures.

Their design enables them to maintain a consistent flow rate even when dealing with resistance caused by the heightened viscosity of the fluid, which is a significant advantage over centrifugal pumps that may struggle with such materials. Positive displacement pumps are often used in applications such as food processing, chemical manufacturing, and oil extraction, where moving high-viscosity materials efficiently is crucial for production processes.