[h=What is a Centrifugal Pump?]3[/h] Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of pump. A centrifugal pump uses one or more impellers. The impeller attaches to and rotates with the shaft providing the energy that moves liquid through the pump and pressurizes the liquid to move it through the piping system.
Centrifugal pumps are usually quick to install, require less maintenance than other alternatives, and the most standard centrifugal pumps are easy to repair. Centrifugal pumps are usually the best choice for lower viscosity (thin) liquids and high flow rates. They are used in many residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal applications. Multi-stage centrifugal pumps have more than one impeller, and are used for applications that require higher pressure or head.
Centrifugal pumps generally work within the following ranges:

  • Flow rate ranges between 5 and 200,000 gpm
  • Total head (pressure) ranges between 10 and 7,500 ft
  • Horsepower ranges between 0.125 and 5,000 hp

Centrifugal pumps are offered in a wide range of material options, ranging from various plastics and cast iron or stamped stainless steel for lighter duties - to bronzes, stainless steels, exotic alloys, and specialty plastics for more corrosive, abrasive, hygienic, or other difficult applications.
Piping connections on centrifugal pumps are available with standard pipe threads on smaller sizes, and flanges on larger sizes. Specialty connections are available from some pump manufacturers for particular applications. The normal drivers supplied with centrifugal pumps are A.C. induction motors, but some pump manufacturers offer pumps with D.C. drives or adaptable to other power transmission devices such as engines and gear boxes.
[h=How does a Centrifugal Pump work?]3[/h] A centrifugal pump works by directing the liquid in the system into the suction port of the centrifugal pump and from there into the inlet of the impeller. The rotating impeller moves the liquid along the spinning vanes, which increases the velocity energy of the liquid. The liquid leaves the impeller vanes and then moves into the pump volute or diffuser casing, where the high velocity of the fluid is converted into high pressure through a diffusion process. The fluid is then guided into the discharge port of the centrifugal pump and from there out into the system, or on to the next stage in the case of a multi-stage centrifugal pump.
[h=What types of Centrifugal Pumps are available?]3[/h] There are dozens of types of centrifugal pumps, including: ANSI process pumps, API process pumps, radial pumps, axial flow pumps, booster pumps, canned motor pumps, chopper pumps, circulator pumps, drum pumps, end suction pumps, fire pumps, grinder pumps, horizontal split case pumps, jet pumps, magnetic drive pumps, multistage pumps, regenerative turbine pumps, slurry pumps, self-priming pumps, submersible pumps, trash pumps, vertical sump pumps, vertical turbine pumps, and well pumps.