On a gear pump, do the teeth go into or come out of mesh at the inlet?

In a gear pump, the operation primarily involves the meshing of gears to facilitate the transfer of fluid. At the inlet of the pump, the gears are designed so that the teeth are coming out of mesh. This mechanism allows space to be created in the pump chamber, which helps in forming a vacuum effect that draws fluid from the reservoir into the pump.

When the gears rotate, they engage and disengage at the inlet. As they come out of mesh, it creates an area of decreased pressure that effectively pulls the fluid into the pump. This action is crucial for ensuring that there is a continuous flow of fluid being directed towards the discharge side of the pump. Understanding this process is essential for grasping how the gear pump operates efficiently in hydraulic systems, as the inlet function is what enables the gear pump to prime and maintain proper fluid flow.