What is a disadvantage of using spur gears in an external gear pump?

Spur gears are primarily designed for efficiency and can operate well at a range of speeds. However, one of the limitations of spur gears in certain applications, including external gear pumps, is that they are predominantly more effective and reliable at lower operational speeds. At higher speeds, the interaction between the gear teeth can lead to increased stress and potential failure modes due to the dynamic forces involved.

Additionally, higher speeds can introduce issues such as cavitation or noise generation, which may not be ideal in all scenarios. The design of spur gears does not inherently lend itself to high-speed applications without careful consideration of these factors. Therefore, while spur gears can technically function at higher speeds, they do not typically provide optimal performance in external gear pumps when increasing the operational speed is desired. This makes their suitability limited primarily to lower speed applications, accommodating more stable and reliable operation under those conditions.