What is a centrifugal pump?

A centrifugal pump is a mechanical device designed to move a fluid by

means of the transfer of rotational energy from one or more driven
rotors, called impellers. Fluid enters the rapidly rotating impeller along
its axis and is cast out by centrifugal force along its circumference
through the impeller’s vane tips. The action of the impeller increases
the fluid’s velocity and pressure and also directs it towards the pump
outlet. The pump casing is specially designed to constrict the fluid
from the pump inlet, direct it into the impeller and then slow and
control the fluid before discharge.

How does a centrifugal pump work?

The impeller is the key component of a centrifugal pump. It consists
of a series of curved vanes. These are normally sandwiched between
two discs (an enclosed impeller). For fluids with entrained solids, an
open or semi-open impeller (backed by a single disc) is preferred
(Figure 1).

Fluid enters the impeller at its axis (the ‘eye’) and exits along the
circumference between the vanes. The impeller, on the opposite side
to the eye, is connected through a drive shaft to a motor and rotated
at high speed (typically 500-5000rpm). The rotational motion of the
impeller accelerates the fluid out through the impeller vanes into the
pump casing.
There are two basic designs of pump casing: volute and diffuser. The
purpose in both designs is to translate the fluid flow into a controlled
discharge at pressure.

In a volute casing, the impeller is offset, effectively creating a curved

funnel with an increasing cross-sectional area towards the pump
outlet. This design causes the fluid pressure to increase towards the
outlet (Figure 2).

The same basic principle applies to diffuser designs. In this case, the
fluid pressure increases as fluid is expelled between a set of stationary
vanes surrounding the impeller (Figure 3). Diffuser designs can be
tailored for specific applications and can therefore be more
efficient. Volute cases are better suited to applications involving
entrained solids or high viscosity fluids when it is advantageous to
avoid the added constrictions of diffuser vanes. The asymmetry of the
volute design can result in greater wear on the impeller and drive
shaft.
What are the main features of a centrifugal pump?
There are two main families of pumps: centrifugal and positive
displacement pumps. In comparison to the latter, centrifugal pumps
are usually specified for higher flows and for pumping lower viscosity
liquids, down to 0.1 cP. In some chemical plants, 90% of the pumps
in use will be centrifugal pumps. However, there are a number of
applications for which positive displacement pumps are preferred.

What are the limitations of a centrifugal pump?

The efficient operation of a centrifugal pump relies on the constant,
high speed rotation of its impeller. With high viscosity feeds,
centrifugal pumps become increasingly inefficient: there is greater
resistance and a higher pressure is needed to maintain a specific flow
rate. In general, centrifugal pumps are therefore suited to low
pressure, high capacity, pumping applications of liquids with viscosities
between 0.1 and 200 cP.

Slurries such as mud, or high viscosity oils can cause excessive wear
and overheating leading to damage and premature failures. Positive
displacement pumps often operate at considerably lower speeds and
are less prone to these problems.

Any pumped medium that is sensitive to shearing (the separation of

emulsions, slurries or biological liquids) can also be damaged by the
high speed of a centrifugal pump’s impeller. In such cases, the lower
speed of a positive displacement pump is preferred.

A further limitation is that, unlike a positive displacement pump, a

centrifugal pump cannot provide suction when dry: it must initially be
primed with the pumped fluid. Centrifugal pumps are therefore not
suited to any application where the supply is
intermittent. Additionally, if the feed pressure is variable, a centrifugal
pump produces a variable flow; a positive displacement pump is
insensitive to changing pressures and will provide a constant
output. So, in applications where accurate dosing is required, a
positive displacement pump is preferred.

Displacement Pumps:
Displacement pumps force the water to move by displacement (bet you couldn’t have guessed!)
This means pumps such as piston pumps, diaphragm pumps, roller-tubes, and rotary pumps. The
old fashioned hand-pumps, the ones you operate by moving a long lever handle up and down, are
piston displacement pumps. So are those grasshopper-like oil well pumps. Displacement pumps
are used for moving very thick liquids, creating very precise flow volumes, or creating very high
pressures. In addition to oil wells they are also used for fertilizer injectors, spray pumps, air
compressors, and hydraulic systems for machinery. With the exception of fertilizer injectors
(used for mixing fertilizer into irrigation water) you will not see them typically used for
irrigation systems, so we’ll move along to centrifugal pumps.

Centrifugal Pumps:
Almost all irrigation pumps fall into this category. A centrifugal pump uses an “impeller” to
spin the water rapidly inside a “casing”, “chamber”, or “housing” (any of those terms may be
used.) This spinning action moves the water through the pump by means of centrifugal
force. Remember those fair rides (“the Twister”) where you had your girlfriend sit next to you at
the start and then as it spun you both around she slowly wound up in your lap? Fun right? That
was centrifugal force that moved her to where you wanted her! Centrifugal pumps move water
in the same way, by spinning it very fast, which causes it to slide out to and off of the end of the
impeller where the shape of the casing directs it to the pump outlet.
Centrifugal pumps may be “multi-stage”, which means they have more than one impeller and
casing, and the water is passed from one impeller to another with an increase in pressure
occurring each time. Each impeller/casing combination is referred to as a “stage”.

Most centrifugal pumps must have a “wet inlet”, that is, there must be water in both the intake
(inlet) pipe and the casing when the pump is started. They can’t easily suck water up into the
intake pipe if it is full of air. Most centrifugal pumps must be “primed” before the first use. To
prime a pump you simply fill the intake pipe with water and then quickly turn on the
pump. Most centrifugal pumps are designed to trap water in the intake once they have been
primed the first time, thus they “maintain their prime” between uses. Some centrifugal pumps
are “self-priming” which means they are designed to get started without needing to be
primed. Portable pumps for temporary use tend to be self-priming.

There are several types of centrifugal pumps. Here are the types you are most likely to
encounter:

End-Suction Centrifugal Pumps

“End-Suction Centrifugal pumps” are the most common type of centrifugal pump. Typically the
pump is “close-coupled” to an electric motor, that is, the pump is connected directly onto
motor’s drive shaft and the pump case is bolted to the motor so that it is a single unit. The water
typically enters the pump casing through a “suction inlet “centered on one side of the pump, and
exits at the top of the pump casing. Almost all portable pumps are end-suction centrifugal type
pumps. End-suction centrifugal pumps generally need to be primed the first time they are used
(including many so-called “self-priming” models) after that most will not require priming. If the
pump needs to be primed each time it is turned on this almost always means there is a tiny leak
in the intake pipe.

End-Suction Centrifugal Pump

End-Suction Centrifugal pumps are designed to push water, not pull it. They are great for use as
irrigation booster pumps. They are very good for pumping water from any source where the
pump is installed level with, or below, the water level. But any time they need to draw the
water up from a water source below the pump they perform much less efficiently. Therefore end-
suction centrifugal pumps are not the best choice for pumping water from a water source that is
more than a few feet lower than the pump. When sucking water up into the pump they must be
installed as close to the water surface level as possible, which is often inconvenient, especially
for locations where the water level may go up and down, like some lakes, rivers, creeks and
ponds. Each pump is different, so check with the manufacturer to determine the maximum
height the pump can be installed above the water surface. If you can’t ask the manufacturer you
can use a maximum of 4 feet above the water surface as a general guideline. The higher the
pump is above the water surface, the less efficient that pump is going to be. Here’s a stick in
your head little saying to help you remember: end-suctions suck at sucking!

Submersible Pumps
Submersible pumps are typically centrifugal type pumps that are installed completely
underwater, often including the motor. (Not all submerged pumps are centrifugal types, but the
term “submersible pump” is almost always a reference to a submersible centrifugal pump.) A
centrifugal submersible pump consists of a water-proofed electric motor and a pump combined
in a single unit. Typically a larger size submersible pump and motor will be shaped like a long
narrow cylinder so that it can fit down inside of a water well. Smaller size submersibles are
often designed to sit on the bottom of a sump, pond, or tank and are often used as fountain
pumps or sump pumps. Although most larger submersible pumps are designed to be installed in
a well, many can also be placed in a lake or stream provided the water is deep enough. Some
(not most, so check the instructions!) may be installed sideways in shallower water. A common
submersible pump installation method for lakes and rivers is to mount the submersible pump
underwater in a “sleeve” made of well casing pipe that is attached underwater to the side of a
pier piling or a post. Some are attached to the bottom of a float or floating dock.

Submersible pumps don’t need to be primed since they are already under water. They also tend
to be more energy efficient because they only push the water, they don’t need to suck water into
them. Most submersible pumps must be installed in a special sleeve if they are not installed in a
well (with large diameter wells they sometimes need a sleeve even when installed in a well.) The
sleeve forces water coming into the pump to flow over the surface of the pump motor to keep the
motor cool. Without a sleeve the pump may over-heat. Because the power cord runs down to the
pump through the water it is very important that it be protected from accidental damage. You
wouldn’t want a boat tangled up in the cord or a snapping turtle or alligator to bite through it!

Many submersible pumps are “multi-stage” pumps. This means they are actually several smaller
centrifugal pumps stacked on top of each other to create higher flow, more water pressure, or a
combination of both.
 Submersible Pump

Above: A Submersible Pump in a Well or Sleeve.

Turbine Pumps
A turbine pump is a centrifugal type pump mounted underwater and attached by a drive-shaft to
a motor mounted above the water. Turbine pumps are comparable to submersible pumps in
energy efficiency. They are used primarily for larger pump applications where the size of the
motor would be difficult to fit in a submersible structure (ie; it wouldn’t fit in a well!) Often
turbine pumps consist of multiple stages, each stage is essentially another pump stacked on top
of the one below. It works like a train with multiple engines hitched together pulling it, each
stage would be an engine. Turbine pumps are typically the type of pumps you see on farms or
municipal water district wells. When you see a huge motor mounted on its end and a pipe
coming out sideways below the motor, that is most likely the motor for a turbine pump located
down below it in the well or a underground tank. A typical landscape use for a turbine pump
would be in a large park or golf course where water is coming from lakes. The turbine pump is
mounted in a large concrete vault with a pipe connecting the vault to the lake. The water flows
by gravity from the lake through the pipe and into the vault. From there a turbine pump sends
the water under pressure through pipes to the irrigation system. Two or three different sized
turbine pumps are often placed side-by-side to handle different flow combinations.
 Turbine Pump

Jet Pumps
Main Parts of a Centrifugal Pump
Main Parts of a Centrifugal Pump

Each centrifugal pump is made of

hundreds of parts. There are a few components that virtually every centrifugal pump has in
common. These components can be subdivided into the wet endand the mechanical end.
The wet end of the pump includes those parts that determine the hydraulic performance
of pump. The two primary wet ends are the impeller and casing. In some cases the first
radial bearing can be water lubricated. In this case also bearing can belongs to wet ends.
The mechanical end includes those parts that support the impeller within the casing. The
mechanical end of the pump includes the pump shaft, sealing, bearings and shaft sleeve.
These components are designed to perform specific tasks:

 Impeller. Impeller is a rotor used to

increase the kinetic energy of the flow.
 Casing (Volute). The casing contains the liquid and acts as a pressure containment
vessel that directs the flow of liquid in and out of the centrifugal pump. The voluteis
a curved funnel that increases in area as it approaches the discharge port.
 The volute of a centrifugal pump is the casing that receives the fluid being pumped
by the impeller, slowing down the fluid’s rate of flow. Therefore, according
to Bernoulli’s principle, the volute converts kinetic energy into pressure by reducing
speed while increasing pressure. Some centrifugal pumps contain diffusers. A diffuser
is a set of stationary vanes that surround the impeller. The diffuser directs the flow,
allows a more gradual expansion and therefore increases the efficiency of the
centrifugal pump.
 Shaft (Rotor). The impeller is mounted on a shaft. Shaft is a mechanical component
for transmitting torque from the motor to the impeller.
 Shaft sealing. Centrifugal pumps are provided with packing rings or mechanical seal
which helps prevent the leakage of the pumped liquid.
 Bearings. Bearings constrain relative motion of the shaft (rotor) and reduce friction
between the rotating shaft and the stator. There are at least 5 common types of
bearing, each of which operates on different principles:
 Plain bearing
 Rolling-element bearing
 Jewel bearing
 Fluid bearing
 Magnetic bearing
Types of Impellers in Centrifugal Pumps

Impeller design is the most significant factor for determining

performance of a centrifugal pump. A properly designed impeller optimizes
flow while minimizing turbulence and maximizing efficiency.
The impeller of a centrifugal pump can be of three basic types:
 Open impeller. Open impellers have the vanes free on both sides. Open impellers
are structurally weak. They are typically used in small-diameter, inexpensive pumps
and pumps handling suspended solids.
 Semi-open impeller. The vanes are free on one side and enclosed on the other. The
shroud adds mechanical strength. They also offer higher efficiencies than open
 impellers. They can be used in medium-diameter pumps and with liquids containing
small amounts of suspended solids. Because of minimization of recirculation and
other losses, it is very important that a small clearance exists between the impeller
vanes and the casing.
 Closed impeller. The vanes are located between the two discs, all in a single casting.
They are used in large pumps with high efficiencies and low required Net Positive
Suction Head. The centrifugal pumps with closed impeller are the most widely used
pumps handling clear liquids. They rely on close-clearance wear rings on the impeller
and on the pump casing. The closed impeller is a more complicated and expensive
design not only because of the impeller, but the additional wear rings are needed.
The impeller blades can be:

 Backward-curved blade design (prefered design due to negative slope of

performance curve)
 Radial blade design
 Forward-curved blade design (due to positive slope conditions this design can
cause pump surge)
Impellers can be either:

 Single-suction. A single-suction impeller allows liquid to enter the center of the

blades from only one direction.
 Double-suction. A double-suction impeller allows liquid to enter the center of the
impeller blades from both sides simultaneously. This reduces forces exerted on the
shaft.
 The output pressure slightly changes according
to the design used. The blades may be open or closed. Also the diffuser may be fitted with
fixed vanes to help guide the flow toward the exit. The energy transferred to the liquid
corresponds to the velocity at the edge of the impeller. The faster the impeller revolves or
the bigger the impeller is, the higher will the velocity head be.
In general, centrifugal pumps can be classified based on the manner in which fluid flows
through the pump. It is not classification based on the impeller alone, but it is based on the
design of pump casing and the impeller. The three types of flow through a centrifugal
pump are:
 radial flow
 mixed flow (part radial, part axial)
 axial flow (propeller type)