Centrifugal Tutorial

Centrifugal Pump

A centrifugal pump is one of the simplest pieces of equipment. Its purpose is to convert
energy of an electric motor or engine into velocity or kinetic energy and then into pressure
of a fluid that is being pumped. The energy changes occur into two main parts of the pump,
the impeller and the volute. The impeller is the rotating part that converts driver energy into
the kinetic energy. The volute is the stationary part that converts the kinetic energy into
pressure.

Centrifugal Force

Liquid enters the pump suction and then the eye of the impeller. When the impeller rotates,
it spins the liquid sitting in the cavities between the vanes outward and imparts centrifugal
acceleration. As the liquid leaves the eye of the impeller a low pressure area is created at the
eye allowing more liquid to enter the pump inlet.

Centrifugal Pumps are classified into three general categories:

CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

RADIAL FLOW MIXED FLOW AXIAL FLOW

Radial Flow - a centrifugal pump in which the pressure is developed wholly by centrifugal
force.

Mixed Flow - a centrifugal pump in which the pressure is developed partly by centrifugal
force and partly by the lift of the vanes of the impeller on the liquid.

Axial Flow - a centrifugal pump in which the pressure is developed by the propelling or lifting
action of the vanes of the impeller on the liquid.

Positive Displacement Pumps are classified into two general categories and then subdivided
into four/five categories each:

POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS

SINGLE ROTOR MULTIPLE ROTOR

VANE
GEAR
PISTON
LOBE
FLEXIBLE MEMBER
CIRCUMFERENTIAL PISTON
SINGLE SCREW
MULTIPLE SCREW
PROGRESSING CAVITY

• SINGLE ROTOR

o VANE - The vane(s) may be blades, buckets, rollers or slippers which

cooperate with a dam to draw fluid into and out of the pump chamber.

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 o PISTON - Fluid is drawn in and out of the pump chamber by a piston(s)
reciprocating within a cylinder(s) and operating port valves.

o FLEXIBLE MEMBER - Pumping and sealing depends on the elasticity of a

flexible member(s) which may be a tube, vane or a liner.

o SINGLE SCREW - Fluid is carried between rotor screw threads as they mesh
with internal threads on the stator.

o Progressing Cavity - Fluid is carried between a rotor and flexible stator.

• MULTIPLE ROTOR

o GEAR - Fluid is carried between gear teeth and is expelled by the meshing of
the gears which cooperate to provide continuous sealing between the pump
inlet and outlet.

o LOBE - Fluid is carried between rotor lobes which cooperate to provide

continuous sealing between the pump inlet and outlet.

o CIRCUMFERENTIAL PISTON - Fluid is carried in spaces between piston

surfaces not requiring contacts between rotor surfaces.

o MULTIPLE SCREW - Fluid is carried between rotor screw threads as they mesh.

Seal Tutorial
This tutorial promotes a discussion of the many problems that occur in sealing devices used
to control leakage from pump glands.

Packing Glands

Seal Types

Installation

Troubleshoot

Reciprocating Pumps

There are two general types of reciprocating pumps. The piston pump and the diaphragm pump.

These types of pump operate by using a reciprocating piston or diaphragm. The liquid enters a
pumping chamber via an inlet valve and is pushed out via a outlet valve by the action of the piston or
diaphragm.

Reciprocating pumps are generally very efficient and are suitable for very high heads at low flows.

This type of pump is self priming as it can draw liquid from a level below the suction flange even if the
suction pipe is not evacuated.

The pump delivers reliable discharge flows and is often used for metering duties delivering accurate
quantities of fluid.

The reciprocating pump is not tolerant to solid particles (See notes below on air operated diaphragm
pumps) and delivers a highly pulsed flow. If a smooth flow is required then the discharge flow system
has to include additional features such as accumulators to provide even flows.

Reciprocating pumps designed for delivering high pressures must include methods for releasing
excessive fluid pressures. The pumps should include for built in relief valves or relief valves should be
included in the fluid circuit which cannot be isolated from the pump. This feature is not required for

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 safety for the air operated diaphragm valve.

Piston Pumps /Plunger pumps

A piston pump can be based on a single piston or, more likely, multiple parallel pistons. The pistons
are reciprocated using cams or crankshafts. The stroke is generally adjustable. This type of pump can
deliver heads of up to 1000 bar. The largest sizes of piston pumps can deliver flows of 40m3 /hr. In
practice these pumps are more likely to be used for metering low flow rate fluids at more modest
pressures in laboratories and chemical process plants. Piston pumps are not generally suitable for
transferring toxic or explosive media.

Note: This description does not refer to the rotary piston pump as described in on the page on Rotary
Positive Displacement Pumps...Rotary Positive Displacement Pums

Diaphragm Pumps

There are two types of diaphragm pumps. The hydraulically operated diaphragm metering pumps and
the air actuated type.
Hydraulically operated diaphragm pump

The hydraulically operated diaphragm metering pump is used for similar duties as the piston pump. It
has some significant advantages compared to the piston pump in that the design does not require
glands or piston seals The diaphragm in the hydraulically operated diaphragm pump shown below is
actuated using a plunger pump arrangement. This provides full support of the diaphragm allowing

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 high pressure operation. The pump can include for duplex diaphragms with the interface being
monitored for failure of the diaphragm in contact with the fluid. This type of pump can be used for
pumping toxic and explosive fluids. The pump can deliver heads of up to 700 bar and transfer flows of
up 20 m 3 /hr. These pumps require continuous monotoring as the diaphram is under high fatigue
loading and the inlet and outlet valves are subject to erosion and blocking. Under a high quality
maintenance regime these pumps are very reliable.

Air Operated Pump

The air operated pump is generally a low cost work horse pump used for transferring any type of
liquid including sludge. The inlet and outlet valves are often low cost easily replaced flap or ball
valves. The pump is comprises two circular chambers each split by a large elastomeric diaphagm. The
two diaphragm centres are mechanically coupled together with a shaft. An interlocked valve admits
air pressure to one side of one of the chambers and exhaust the air from the opposite side of the
other chamber. This causes both diaphagms to move. One diaphragm pushing fluid out through a non
return valve. The other diaphragm drawing fluid in through a non return valve. On completion of a full
stroke the valve reverses the air supply and exhaust directions causing the diaphragms to move back.
The diaphragm which was pushing fluid out of the pump now sucks fluid and the diaphragm admitting
fluid now pushes fluid out. The system is therefore double acting.

The pump capacity is limited by the air pressure available (generally 7 bar) and the design of the
diaphragm. An elastomeric diaphragm has a limited life and will only operate for a few million cycles.
A flow rate of about 40 m3 /hr is a reasonable maximum achievable flow with a larger pump.

For any air operated diaphragam pump the higher the flow the lower the discharge head possible.

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Difference Between Reciprocating & Centrifugal Pump

Ever since Kelly Taylor understood what writing was about, she's enjoyed the process of
it. Taylor has a high school diploma and she took college courses along with obtaining
two technical certificates. She has experience writing about gardening, spirituality, travel,
science, and history through Demand Studios and other publishing platforms.
By Kelly Taylor , eHow Contributor

Pump
Reciprocating and centrifugal pumps serve different purposes and operate with separate functions. Centrifugal pumps transport huge amounts of liquid
at a time, but the level at which the centrifugal pump operates is reduced as pressure rises. Reciprocating pumps push liquid out through a check valve,
but the amount of liquid that is released is limited. Due to the differences in how they operate, they are ideally suited for dissimilar functions.

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Reciprocating Pumps
o Reciprocating pumps operate by moving a plunger back and forth through a cylinder. The plunger provides pulses of pressure as
it moves. Reciprocating pumps can be single action or double action (pump provides pressure as the piston advances and as it retracts).

Reciprocating Uses
o Reciprocating pumps are ideal for providing short bursts of high pressure. Examples include bicycle pumps and well pumps.

Centrifugal Pumps
o Centrifugal pumps operate by rotating a central impeller. Intake fluid is provided at the center of the impeller and the spinning
acceleration sends it out of the sides of the impeller to provide pressure.

Centrifugal Uses
o Centrifugal pumps are ideally suited for constant lower pressures, such as that found in pool filters.

Pump Comparison
o For pneumatic tools, a centrifugal pump is better suited due to the constant pressure it can provide. For filling a pressurized
container, the higher peak pressures of a reciprocating pump is preferred.

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