What is a Centrifugal Pump and How Does it Work?

Industrial Pumps are common elements within countless vehicles, industrial machines, and buildings, serving to transport fluids from one area to another through the conversion of energy. Pumps come in a number of types to accommodate varying needs, and each will often differ in the way in which they direct fluids and convert power. The centrifugal pump is a common type found in numerous applications, and it is capable of transforming mechanical energy into hydraulic energy through the use of a centrifugal force. Flowing in a radial outward direction, fluids flowing through a centrifugal pump are given the energy necessary to travel upward between levels. To help you better understand the functionality of the centrifugal pump, we will discuss its design and applications in more detail.

In order to transform energy and direct fluids, a typical pump will comprise a number of parts that work together. For a centrifugal pump, the main parts that make up the standard assembly include a shaft, impeller, casing, suction pipe, and delivery pipe. The shaft is an element situated in the center of the pump assembly, and it is coupled with the prime mover for the means of receiving power. Meanwhile, it is also attached to the rotating impeller and a ball bearing. The impeller itself features a series of vanes that are curved backward, and it rotates within the pump while being mounted to the electric motor shaft.

To maintain fluids within the impeller, a watertight casing serves as an enclosure. Through its specific design, any water that is discharged at the pump outlet has its kinetic energy transformed into pressure energy prior to entering the delivery pipe. From there, the fluids then move through a delivery valve with two ends, one being connected to the outlet and another at the intended delivery point. The final main part of the centrifugal pump is the suction pipe, that of which has one end connected to the pump inlet and another placed within a sump. To prevent any foreign particles or substances from entering the pump and causing issues, the suction pipe is provided with a strainer at its end.

In order to move fluids through the pump, the assembly relies on the principle of forced vortex flow. To begin, a mass of fluids is rotated using an external torque, resulting in a rise in pressure head of the rotating liquid. Rises in pressure head are typically proportional to the liquid velocity, meaning that the rise in pressure head is the greatest at the impeller outlet so that the liquid will discharge with a high pressure head. Through this standard method of operations, a centrifugal pump is able to direct fluids upward through the assembly and to where it needs to be for a particular process or application.

Due to their similar construction, centrifugal and reciprocating pumps are commonly compared to one another. Despite this, centrifugal pumps are much more simple in design, yet they weigh more at a given discharge when compared to the reciprocating pump. While a reciprocating pump is efficient and requires little floor space, centrifugal pumps are known for their lower wear and tear, continuous operation, low maintenance, and large discharge.

With their various design attributes and capabilities, centrifugal pumps are a fairly flexible option that can benefit a number of applications. Typically, centrifugal pumps commonly find use in residential water supply systems, fire protection systems, sewage disposal, chemical manufacturing, oil and gas operations, and much more. If you find yourself in need of various centrifugal pump parts to help you carry out your operations with ease, look no further than Stacked Industrials.

Stacked Industrials is a premier purchasing platform owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, and we are your sourcing solution for all your various operational needs. We invite you to explore our unrivaled database containing over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find parts that have been sourced from leading global manufacturers that we trust. With our online RFQ service, you may request quotes on items of interest, and a dedicated account manager will reach out to you within 15 minutes to provide a customized quote for your comparisons. Give our team members a call or email today and see how we can serve as your strategic sourcing partner for all your operational needs.