These pumps are known for their ability to move large volumes of fluid quickly and efficiently, making them ideal for use in a variety of industries. In this comprehensive guide, we will cover the different types of centrifugal pumps, their applications, and how they work.
Centrifugal pumps are used in various industries, including oil and gas, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and water treatment. These pumps can be used to move liquids of different viscosities and can handle different flow rates. They are also versatile and can handle a wide range of fluid temperatures and pressures.
In this article, we will discuss the different types of centrifugal pumps, their applications, and how they work. We will also cover the advantages and disadvantages of centrifugal pumps, as well as maintenance and troubleshooting tips.
A centrifugal pump is a type of mechanical device that is used to move fluids by the conversion of rotational kinetic energy to the hydrodynamic energy of the fluid flow. The fluid enters the pump impeller along or near to the rotating axis and is accelerated by the impeller, flowing radially outward into a diffuser or volute chamber, where the kinetic energy is converted into pressure energy.
There are four types of centrifugal pumps: single-stage, multistage, axial-flow, and mixed-flow.
Single-stage centrifugal pumps have a single impeller that rotates within a casing. They are used to pump low-viscosity fluids, such as water and thin oils, and are ideal for applications where low to moderate flow rates are required.
Multistage centrifugal pumps have multiple impellers mounted on the same shaft and operate in series. They are used to pump high-pressure fluids, such as boiler feedwater, and can be used in applications where high flow rates are required.
Axial-flow centrifugal pumps have a propeller-like impeller that operates like a boat propeller, drawing the fluid into the center of the impeller and expelling it outwards. They are used to pump high-flow, low-pressure fluids, such as water and sewage.
Mixed-flow centrifugal pumps have impellers that combine the features of both radial and axial-flow pumps. They are used to pump high-flow, high-pressure fluids, such as oil and gas.
Centrifugal pumps are used in a wide range of industries and applications, including:
Centrifugal pumps are used in agriculture for irrigation and crop spraying. They can move water from a well or a reservoir to the irrigation system, ensuring that crops receive the proper amount of water. Centrifugal pumps are also used to spray fertilizers and pesticides on crops, which can help improve crop yields.
Centrifugal pumps are used in the chemical and petrochemical industries for the transfer of chemicals, acids, and corrosive liquids. They are often made of materials that can withstand harsh chemical environments and are used in processes such as chemical mixing, pumping, and refining.
Centrifugal pumps are used in the food and beverage industry to pump fluids such as fruit juice, milk, and beer. They are often used to transfer fluids from one process to another, such as moving milk from the cow to the processing plant or transferring beer from the fermentation tank to the bottling line.
Centrifugal pumps are used in water treatment and wastewater treatment plants to move water and sewage. They can also be used to pump water from a well or a reservoir to a water treatment plant, ensuring that the water is safe to drink.
Centrifugal pumps are used in the oil and gas industry to pump crude oil, natural gas, and other fluids. They are often used in pipelines, refineries, and drilling rigs and can handle fluids with high viscosities and pressures.
Centrifugal pumps are used in the pharmaceutical industry to pump fluids such as chemicals, solvents, and pharmaceutical products. They are often used in the production of medications and can handle delicate fluids that require precise handling.
Centrifugal pumps work by converting rotational energy into hydrodynamic energy. The pump impeller is mounted on a shaft that rotates, causing the fluid to enter the impeller and be accelerated outward by centrifugal force. The fluid then flows into a diffuser or volute chamber, where the kinetic energy is converted into pressure energy.
The impeller is the rotating part of the centrifugal pump that accelerates the fluid. It is typically made of metal, plastic, or composite materials and can have various numbers of blades.
The casing is the stationary part of the pump that contains the impeller. It is typically made of metal and can have various shapes, such as volute or diffuser.
The suction and discharge are the two ports of the pump. The suction port is where the fluid enters the pump, and the discharge port is where the fluid exits the pump.
Centrifugal pumps have several advantages, including:
High flow rates
Ability to handle a wide range of fluid temperatures and pressures
Low maintenance
Easy to install and operate
Inability to handle fluids with high viscosities
Not suitable for high-pressure applications
Require a continuous supply of fluid to function properly
To ensure that a centrifugal pump operates properly, it is essential to perform regular maintenance. This includes checking the pump for leaks, inspecting the impeller and casing for wear and damage, and ensuring that the motor is functioning correctly.
If a centrifugal pump is not working correctly, there are several troubleshooting steps that can be taken. These include checking the suction and discharge valves, inspecting the impeller and casing for damage, and checking the motor for proper operation.
Proper maintenance and troubleshooting are essential for ensuring that centrifugal pumps operate effectively and efficiently. Regular maintenance checks and prompt troubleshooting can help prevent pump failures and minimize downtime, which is crucial in many industrial processes.
Whether you need a centrifugal pump for agricultural irrigation, chemical processing, food and beverage production, or any other application, understanding the various types and their unique features and limitations is important for selecting the right pump for your needs.
Choosing the most suitable centrifugal pump for an industrial plant is not easy. To help you in your choice, we offer you our complete guide for choosing pumps.
The main elements to be considered in order to guide you in choosing the one that fits you are first of all:
In a guide for choosing the one that fits your need, we must also consider the complete economic aspects relating to the investment for the plant.
Gathering all this information will make the choice easier. You will be capable of choosing the type of pumps that best suit each application, with the perfect impeller and with the right motor power.
Among the various types available, centrifugal ones are undoubtedly the most versatile, and they can boast a complete and wide range of applicability.
As in a complete guide, we want to talk about the different types of centrifugal pumps on the market and show you that they share the main constituent elements:
However, it is possible to distinguish among the different types of pumps according to the number of impellers. In our complete guide we can summarize in:
Then, depending on the position of the shaft, it is possible to distinguish between different types:
The latter are particularly suitable in case of space problems.
A further, fundamental classification to consider when choosing among different types of pumps leads us to distinguish:
The main criterion for choosing between these two different models is given by the suction height. If the complete depth of the liquid is greater than 7 meters, surface pumps will not be suitable for moving it, and you will have to use a submersible one.
To increase the suction capacity, we want to guide you in choosing multistage pumps for liquids, i.e. with two or more impellers instead of just one.
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The single-stage one is designed for large volumes of liquids, but it performs best when operating at its nominal capacity or just below. In different conditions it becomes less effective and is more exposed to wear, because of forcing the rotation speed to compensate for the lower pressure.
Let’s see below what are the complete characteristics of multistage pumps for liquids, which make them preferable to single-stage ones.
The features that differentiate multistage liquid pumps from single-stage ones can be identified in four areas:
In terms of performance, multistage liquid pumps can be arranged in series or in parallel and they offer just a two-in-one service. When operating in the volume position (parallel), they equal the performance of single-stage ones. In the pressure position (series), they operate up to 70% of their rated capacity more efficiently (with a lower motor speed) than a single-stage pump.
The most peculiar characteristic of multistage liquid pumps is certainly the duration. Thanks to their greater efficiency, they are more resistant to wear than single-stage, especially if often used for low capacity and high pressure applications.
Regarding the complexity of operation, a single-stage pump is simpler than a multistage one, because the operator of the latter has to decide whether to place the pump in parallel or in series. However, the training required to learn how to carry out this step effectively is minimal.
Finally, about costs, the initial additional investment for liquids is amply offset by lower operating costs and above all by longer life than single-stage ones.
Multistage pumps are used in applications that require a higher head. In fact, they guarantee greater process reliability, high efficiency and lower operating costs than the single-stage pumping system.
In our complete guide we find the main applications of multistage liquid pumps in the following industrial sectors:
In our complete guide for choosing pumps, we want to talk about submersible ones. They are centrifugal pumps that can be positioned directly into the fluid. They become essential when the liquid is deeper than 7 meters.
They have sealed motors and casings and offer the advantage of never having to be primed. In fact, unlike surface pumps, they do not need to suck fluid through a pumping line. The liquid enters through an opening in the lower part of the device, then the centrifugal force of a motorized impeller pushes it into the collector duct, from where it is conveyed into the discharge pipe and then out of the pump.
If used on a single site, high quality submersible pumps such as those in the Pemopumps range can be left permanently at the application site. They are extremely resistant and they are not subject to damage caused by humidity.
Repairs or replacements can be more complex, because they can be constantly immersed in liquids or sludge, even tens of meters underground and sealed within piping systems. However, subjecting them to regular routine checks which are defined together with the manufacturer, allows us to guarantee them a life expectancy of up to 30 years.
They have features designed to operate completely immersed in liquids and / or sludge, and a hermetically sealed motor coupled to the body.
Usually, the watertight casing around the engine is filled with oil, to protect it from damage by preventing the entry of any liquid that could cause a short circuit.
When the element is submerged, the fluid exerts positive pressure at its inlet. From this pressure depends the greater efficiency of submersible pumps, which require less energy to move the fluid.
In fact, they work by “pushing” the fluid, rather than pumping it. The prevalence of the liquid is used for the operation, without using additional energy to suck it into the pump.
The overheating of its motor is averted by the cooling action caused by the liquid or mud in which it is immersed.
Here are some of their main characteristics, which can make them really advantageous.
Given their location, in addition to important features, they also face some challenges.
It is possible to overcome these challenges by relying on competent and highly experienced manufacturing companies, such as Perissinotto S.p.a.
They are generally very reliable, and suitable to operate even in extreme conditions.
Here are the main applications in which they can be used:
The surface pumps are located outside the fluid they have to move and extract it thanks to a suction pipe. They are designed to pump liquids or slurry up to 7 meters deep. Over this depth the risk of cavitation increases and submersible pumps are the solution.
They can be of different sizes and types: from those intended for use also in the domestic context (for washing machines, dishwashers, toilets) to industrial ones.
Thanks to an electric motor, they create a suction by rotating one or more impellers at high speed, depending on whether they are single-stage or multistage pumps.
Unlike submersible pumps, depending on the position of the shaft, they can be horizontal or vertical. The latter are particularly suitable on limited surfaces.
Therefore the elements that influence the choice:
Let us see their main features.
To have the certainty of making the choice that best suits your needs, it is good to turn to producers who can guarantee quality and competence. Perissinotto S.p.A. is definitely one of them.
Active since , our company has built and delivered over 40,000 industrial pumps all over the world and it is able to adapt all the models of the PEMOPUMPS range to the needs of any customer.
They are suitable for different applications:
Lifting pumps are submersible pumps inserted in a lifting system (or station).
This type of plant is necessary when fluids (especially waste water) have to be discharged because they cannot flow naturally. For example if the collection basin is in an elevated position with respect to the draft point).
The main building blocks of a lifting station are
Operation is simple: when the fluids reach a certain level inside the retention tank, they come into action and push the water to the desired discharge point.
The priming and control system is adjusted according to the flow of water arriving in the tank and its volume. In this way the lifting pumps never work in vain.
Their features must take into account several factors:
The particle size indicates in millimeters the maximum size of particles and impurities that can pass through them without clogging them.
The wastewater can be:
The flow is expressed in liters per minute (l/mn) or in cubic meters per hour (m3/h). It is the main feature of any pump, and is closely related to the total manometric height (ATM), which is expressed in meters. Their ATM must allow the flow so as to arrive intact at the outlet.
On the other hand, the lifting height of the water, determines the size and shape of the retention tank. If the height is limited, it will be possible to use a column tank, while if the lift is large, it will be necessary to install a tank.
Lifting pumps are mainly used for the collection and lifting of clear, rain and waste water.
They are also suitable for use in the oil and gas industry, to bring fuels from deep wells to the surface.
For more information, please visit horizontal multistage centrifugal pump.