What Is A Centrifugal Pump? How Does A Centrifugal Pump Work?

 

A pump is a device that is used to transfer many different types of incompressible fluids. Pumps are utilised for various uses across different industries and centrifugal pumps are one such type of pump.

 

A centrifugal pump is a hydraulically operated mechanical device that is made to transport fluids. It does this by converting the rotational kinetic energy to hydrodynamic energy of the flow of a fluid. The primary function of a centrifugal pump is to move fluids by increasing pressure.

 

In this blog, we are breaking down what exactly centrifugal pumps are and how they work.

 

Centrifugal pumps are some of the most commonly used industrial pumps today. This is mostly because of the ability to make use of them for many different uses and in many different industries, their ease of operation, ease of maintenance as well as a wide range of capacity.

 

Furthermore, centrifugal pumps are industrial pumps, which is why their design is simple but highly efficient. Industrial pumps are also used in industries that demand strict hygiene standards and centrifugal pumps are equipped to deal with that as well. They can be cleaned and sanitised easily and thoroughly due to their uncomplicated design. Also, centrifugal pumps are usually preferred or used for thin or low viscosity fluids.

 

Centrifugal pumps also boast a long life and longevity of use due to their durable design. They can be used for so many uses because they are resilient and can also resist corrosive chemicals and abrasive fluids. This allows their scope of use to widen.

 

These pumps are used in many different industries. Some of them include chemical, textile, automobile, ceramic, paper, food processing, etc. Some uses of the pump include drainage, irrigation, sewage, agriculture, and petrochemical pumping.

 

Now that we have detailed know-how about centrifugal pumps let us get to know more about the working principle and parts of the pump.

 

Components of a Centrifugal Pump

The centrifugal pump is made of a large number of different parts and components. Here let us understand the components that play a part in the main function of the pump:

 

Impeller

The impeller is a key component of the centrifugal pump and lies at the heart of the pump. An impeller is similar to a fan, it is made with a series of vanes. The vanes can come in different types and shapes. The impellers are rotors that are used to increase the velocity of the fluid.

 

There are three basic types of impellers

-        Open

-        Semi-Open

-        Closed

 

The blades of the impeller also come in different types, mainly: forward-curved, backward-curved, and radial.

 

Casing

This part of the pump is what receives the fluid after being processed by the impeller. The casing is shaped like a curved funnel. The area of the funnel rises as it reaches the discharge end. By decreasing the fluid's speed while raising pressure, the casing converts the high-velocity fluid into a high-pressure fluid.

 

Shaft/Rotor

The impeller is attached to a shaft. It is a mechanical component that allows the torque from the motor to be transferred to the impeller. This causes it to rotate and revolve.

 

Shaft Sealing

Centrifugal pumps are equipped with a mechanical seal which aids in stopping any potential leakage of the fluid being pumped.

 

Working Principle

The centrifugal pump, if explained simply, gives motion to a fluid by converting mechanical energy into energy for the moving fluid.

 

At the heart of the device lies the impeller, which creates the centrifugal force necessary for the pump to function. The impeller or impellers (if there are more than one) are attached to the pump shaft which rotates and causes the impellers to rotate as well.

 

The fluid is fed into the pump which is then directed into the suction port. From there the fluid is directed into the impeller chamber through the eye of the impeller. The fluid enters axially through the eye of the impeller while it rotates at a high speed.

The kinetic energy of the moving blades and impeller and its momentum is transferred into the fluid. This is done as the rotation of the impellers forces the fluid to move radially outwards. This movement increases the velocity and energy of the liquid/fluid. As the liquid keeps moving outwards, a vacuum is created at the eye of the impeller which forces fluid to keep being drawn into the pump.

 

The continuous increase in velocity and kinetic energy forces the fluid out of the impeller chamber and into the pump volute or diffuser casing. In this part of the pump, the high-velocity fluid is converted into a high-pressure liquid. The casing's cross-sectional area succeeds in slowing down the fluid and then converting from velocity to pressure.

 

In the end, this pressurized liquid is discharged from the pump.

 

The higher the velocity of the liquid is, the higher is the energy transferred to the liquid. The velocity can is proportional to the size and speed of impellers. This means that a bigger and faster impeller will produce a higher velocity liquid.

 

Overall, the pump converts part of the energy into kinetic energy for fluid motion and part of the energy into potential energy to raise the liquid against gravity.

 

Furthermore, centrifugal pumps are generally of 2 types: dynamic pumps and positive displacement pumps.

-        Dynamic pumps operate at a high speed for a high flow rate. They can process a higher flow rate in comparison to the size of the pump. This makes them less efficient though.

-        Positive displacement pumps are able to process a fixed volume of fluid. This is why in comparison to dynamic pumps, they have higher efficiency.

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Now that we possess all the necessary details and information about centrifugal pumps and know-how they function, it will be easier to make an informed decision before considering using one.

Sujal Engineering is a leading manufacturer of industrial pumps, including centrifugal pumps, we provide the best range of centrifugal pumps in the market.

To learn more about our products, please visit our website: https://www.sujalpumps.com/