Centrifugal pumps are one of the most common types of pumps used in a variety of industries including oil refineries, power plants, and municipalities; but how do they work? We’re glad you asked. After reading the following guide, you’ll understand how centrifugal pumps work; read on to learn more.

First, What Are Centrifugal Pumps?

Some experts debate about when the first centrifugal pump was invented. Most arguments say the Frenchman, Denis Papin, invented the first straight-vane centrifugal pump in the late 1600s. John Appold of Great Britain invented the first curved-vane centrifugal pump in 1851. Centrifugal pumps are primarily for transporting liquids with rotational energy (more on that next). You should note that centrifugal pumps perform best with low-viscosity fluids.

How They Work

The foundation of a centrifugal pump is its impeller. As the fluid enters the pump, the fluid will pass through the eye of the impeller and exit through the impeller’s vanes. With the aid of the rotating impeller, the fluid will discharge from the pump’s casing at a controlled pressure. The pressure is controlled by both the electric motor and kinetic energy. You should note that most centrifugal pumps come with one of two casing designs: volute and diffuser. Both designs provide release of the fluid at a consistent pressure, but they do so differently. The main factor to note is that a volute casing has an offset impeller which produces a curved cone that pushes the fluid toward the outlet. Alternatively, a diffuser casing has motionless vanes around the impeller which is an easier design to manipulate for specific applications.

As you can see, understanding how centrifugal pumps work is surprisingly simple. In essence, you have a fluid input and the impeller pushes the fluid through as the output. What’s not as simple is repairing these pumps. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re going to waste a lot of time and potentially damage the pump.

If you’re searching for a reputable industrial pump supply company, you’ve come to the right place. Moley Magnetics is a premier supplier for industrial pumps, but we don’t stop there. Our team consists of industry experts who also know how to perform a number of repairs to get your pump back up and running in no time. If you’d like to request pricing or have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today.