centrifugal pump is a hydraulic machine that moves fluids by converting rotational energy into

kinetic energy. It has several components, including:

• Impeller: A rotating component that transfers energy to the fluid and increases its velocity

• Casing: The pump's mainframe that supports the impeller and contains the pumped fluid

• Suction and discharge ports: The ports for fluid to enter and exit the pump

• Shaft: The shaft that the impeller rotates on

• Bearings: The bearings that support the shaft

• Seal: The seal for the pump

Here's how a centrifugal pump works:

1. An external torque rotates the liquid mass, which increases the liquid's pressure head

2. The impeller rotates, creating a suction lift at its eye

3. The impeller vanes give kinetic energy to the fluid

4. The fluid travels through a volute, where the kinetic energy is converted into pressure

Centrifugal pumps are used in many applications, including:

• Water supply for residential areas

• Fire protection systems

• Sewage/slurry disposal

• Food and beverage manufacturing

• Chemical manufacturing

• Oil and gas industrial operations

Centrifugal pump classification :-

Open Impellers Semi-Open Impellers Closed Impellers

Vanes are open on both sides Have a back wall covering Handle Vanes are covered on all sides
Handle suspended solids well few amounts of solids Operate at Handle clean liquids only
Operate at a higher NPSH medium NPSH Operate at low NPHS

Types of Pump Casings in Centrifugal Pumps

A centrifugal pump has three types of casing, which are detailed below:

• Volute casing

• Vortex casing

• Casing with guide blades

Volute casing

It’s a spiral kind with a progressive rise in flow area. The velocity of flow reduces as the area of flow
increases. The pressure of water flowing through the casing increases as the velocity of the water
decreases. The most frequent form of the casing is volute casing. The most popular form of the
centrifugal pump is the volute casing pump. The volute-shaped pump casing, which is typical of
single-stage centrifugal pumps, is a distinguishing feature.

Vortex casing

The term “vortex casing” refers to a casing with a circular chamber between the casing and the
impeller. Vortex casing improves pump efficiency by minimizing the production of eddies to a large
amount.
Schematic comparison between pump volute casing and vortex casing (Reference: slideplayer.com)

Casing with Guided Blades

The impeller is encircled by a set of guide blades in the casing with guided blades. The guiding blades
are attached to a ring known as a diffuser. The guiding vanes are designed in such a way that the
water exiting the impeller enters the guides without being shocked.
Casing with Guided Blades (Reference: myexamnotes.com)

The area of the guiding vanes expands, which serves to reduce the liquid’s velocity while increasing
its pressure. Water travels through the surrounding casing after passing through the guiding vanes.
The casing remains concentric with the impeller in the vast majority of cases.

Multistaging in a centrifugal pump is the process of using multiple impellers in series to increase the
pressure of a liquid as it passes through the pump:

Multistage centrifugal pump

How it works Liquid enters the pump at low pressure, passes through multiple impellers, and exits
at high pressure

Components Multiple chambers (stages) lined up, each containing an impeller, diffuser, and
return guide vanes

Pressure Pressure increases with each stage, but the flow rate stays the same

Discharge The more stages the pump has, the higher the final discharge pressure
pressure
Uses Used for high pressure applications

Advantages Compact, lightweight construction, lower operating costs, and smaller installed
footprint

Disadvantages Pumps with many stages may be more sensitive to external vibrations

The stages of a multistage pump do not need to be arranged in tandem. There are also two main
types of multistage pumps, horizontal and vertical, depending on the shaft's position.

Here are some methods for priming a centrifugal pump:

• Use a suction supply above the pump: Slowly open the suction isolation valve, then open
the air vents on the suction and discharge piping until fluid flows out. Close the air vents and
discharge the isolation valve.

• Fill the pump with liquid prior to startup: Loosen the air vent on the top of the pump casing
and allow water to escape briefly. Close the vent.

• Use a foot valve and an outside source of liquid: Open the suction valve, and keep the
discharge valve closed, while the vent is open. Open the valve in the outside supply line and
let outside source water fill the pump until only liquid escapes from the vent.

• Use a vacuum pump to remove air: Use a vacuum pump to remove air from the pump.

• Use a jet pump to suck water into the pump suction: Use a jet pump to suck water into the
pump suction.

• Install an air separator to separate liquid and air: Install an air separator to separate liquid
and air.

Centrifugal pumps cannot pump air or vapors

Here are some concepts related to centrifugal pumps:

• Manometric head: The head against which a centrifugal pump works.

• Manometric efficiency: The ratio of the manometric head to the head imparted by the
impeller.

• Mechanical efficiency: The ratio of the power delivered by the impeller to the liquid to the
power input to the shaft.

• Overall efficiency: The ratio of the power output of the pump to the power input to the
pump or shaft.

• NPSH: A pump parameter that can be determined experimentally by measurements on the

suction-side system.
 • Cavitation: A phenomenon that occurs when the pressure falls below the vapor pressure of
the flowing liquid, resulting in pitting action on metallic surfaces.

The overall efficiency of a centrifugal pump is the product of its manometric efficiency and
mechanical efficiency.

Submersible Pump and Jet Pump: Construction, Working Principle, and Applications

• Submersible Pump:

o Construction: A submersible pump is designed to be submerged in the fluid being

pumped. It typically includes a motor and pump assembly sealed in a waterproof
casing.

o Working Principle: The pump is driven by an electric motor that is submerged in the
fluid, transferring energy to the impeller, which then moves the fluid to the surface.

o Applications: Used in wells, sewage systems, deep water extraction, and drainage
applications.

• Jet Pump:

o Construction: A jet pump uses a jet of high-speed fluid to create suction and move
liquid through the pump.

o Working Principle: The high-pressure jet creates a vacuum that draws fluid into the
pump and discharges it at a higher pressure.

o Applications: Commonly used for shallow wells, garden irrigation, and pressure
boosting.

Reciprocating Pump

6.7 Construction, Working Principle, and Applications of Single and Double Acting Reciprocating
Pumps

• Single Acting Reciprocating Pump:

o Construction: It consists of a piston moving in a cylinder. The piston only displaces

liquid during one stroke (usually the outward stroke).
 o Working Principle: Liquid is drawn into the cylinder during the suction stroke and
discharged during the delivery stroke.

o Applications: Used for low flow and high-pressure systems like in laboratories and
small-scale pumping.

• Double Acting Reciprocating Pump:

o Construction: Similar to a single acting pump, but it discharges liquid on both the
forward and backward strokes of the piston.

o Working Principle: It draws fluid during both the forward and return strokes,
providing continuous flow.

o Applications: Used for high-flow, high-pressure systems, such as in hydraulic presses,

and water supply systems.

6.8 Concept of Slip, Negative Slip, Cavitation, and Separation

• Slip: The difference between the theoretical flow and actual flow in a reciprocating pump.
It’s caused by leakage past the piston.

• Negative Slip: Occurs when the actual flow is greater than the theoretical flow due to factors
such as backflow or excess suction pressure.

• Cavitation: Similar to centrifugal pumps, cavitation occurs when vapor bubbles form due to
low pressure and collapse when pressure increases, causing damage.

• Separation: It occurs when the fluid in the pump fails to follow the path due to high velocity
or turbulence, leading to loss of efficiency.

6.9 Use of Air Vessel

An air vessel is used in reciprocating pumps to smooth out pulsations and reduce the effect of
acceleration head. It helps in:

• Reducing pressure fluctuations.

• Storing energy for use during suction strokes.

• Improving the efficiency of the pump.

6.10 Indicator Diagram with Effect of Acceleration Head & Frictional Head

An indicator diagram is a plot that shows the pressure against the stroke of the piston for a
reciprocating pump.

An indicator diagram of a reciprocating pump shows the relationship between the pressure head at
suction and delivery versus the stroke length. The area of the plot is proportional to the pump's work
output.
 • Acceleration Head: The pressure developed due to the acceleration and deceleration of the
fluid. It’s represented as an additional head in the indicator diagram, particularly during the
starting and stopping of the pump.

• Frictional Head: This represents the energy lost due to friction in the pump and pipeline and
is shown as a loss in the indicator diagram.

These diagrams help analyze the performance and efficiency of reciprocating pumps by accounting
for the varying pressures throughout the stroke.