Centrifugal Pumps Introduction

2 Practical Centrifugal Pumps
Screw pumps can also be traced to the ore mines of Spain. These early units were all
driven by either man or animal power.
Figure 1.2
Model of a piston pump made by Ctesbius
Figure 1.3
Archimedes’ screw pump
The mining operations of the Middle Ages led to the development of the suction
(piston) pump, types of which are described by Georgius Agricola in De re metallica
(1556). Force pumps, utilizing a piston-and-cylinder combination, were used in Greece to
raise water from wells (Figure 1.4).
Introduction 3
Adopting a similar principle, air pumps operated spectacular musical devices in Greek
temples and amphitheaters, such as the water organ.
Air forced
out
Piston with valve
Cylinder Vacuum
Inlet valve open
Water
Figure 1.4
Reciprocating hand pump in suction stroke
1.1 Applications
Times have changed, but pumps still operate on the same fundamental principle – expend
energy to raise, transport, or compress liquids. Over time, the application of pumps in the
agricultural domain has expanded to cover other domains as well. The following are a
few main domains that use pumps extensively:
• Water supply: To supply water to inhabited areas.
• Drainage: To control the level of water in a protected area.
• Sewage: To collect and treat sewage.
• Irrigation: To make dry lands agriculturally productive.
• Chemical industry: To transport fluids to and from various sites in the
chemical plant.
• Petroleum industry: Used in every phase of petroleum production, transport-
ation, and refinery.
• Pharmaceutical and medical field: To transfer of chemicals in drug manufac-
ture; pump fluids in and out of the body.
• Steel mills: To transport cooling water.
• Construction: Bypass pumping, well-point dewatering, remediation, and general
site pumping applications.
• Mining: Heavy-duty construction, wash water, dust control fines and tailings
pumping, site dewatering, groundwater control, and water runoff.
Pumps are also used for diverse applications like in transfer of potatoes, to peel the
skin of hazelnuts in chocolate manufacture, and to cut metal sheets in areas that are
too hazardous to allow cutting by a gas flame torch. The artificial heart is also a
mechanical pump. The smallest pump ever made is no bigger than the tip of a finger.
It moves between 10 and 30 nl of liquid in one cycle (10- to 30-thousandths of a drop
of water). It was not found to have any practical use so maybe it was created just for
the records!
1.2 Pump types

Pumps can be classified on various bases. For example, a typical classification of rotating
shaft (kinetic) pumps is given in Appendix.
Pumps based on their principle of operation are primarily classified into:
• Positive displacement pumps (reciprocating, rotary pumps)
• Roto-dynamic pumps (centrifugal pumps)
• Others.
1.2.1 Positive displacement pumps

Positive displacement pumps, which lift a given volume for each cycle of operation, can
be divided into two main classes, reciprocating and rotary.
Reciprocating pumps include piston, plunger, and diaphragm types. The rotary pumps
include gear, lobe, screw, vane, regenerative (peripheral), and progressive cavity pumps.
1.2.2 Roto-dynamic pumps

Roto-dynamic pumps raise the pressure of the liquid by first imparting velocity energy to
it and then converting this to pressure energy. These are also called centrifugal pumps.
Centrifugal pumps include radial, axial, and mixed flow units.
A radial flow pump is commonly referred to as a straight centrifugal pump; the most
common type is the volute pump. Fluid enters the pump through the eye of impeller,
which rotates at high speed. The fluid is accelerated radially outward from the pump
casing. A partial vacuum is created that continuously draws more fluid into the pump if
properly primed.
In the axial flow centrifugal pumps, the rotor is a propeller. Fluid flows parallel to the
axis of the shaft. The mixed flow, the direction of liquid from the impeller acts as an
in-between that of the radial and axial flow pumps.
1.2.3 Other types

The other types include electromagnetic pumps, jet pumps, gas lift pumps, and hydraulic
ram pumps.
1.3 Reciprocating pumps

Reciprocating pumps are positive displacement pumps and are based on the principle of
the 2000-year-old pump made by the Greek inventor, Ctesibius.
1.3.1 Plunger pumps

Plunger pumps comprise of a cylinder with a reciprocating plunger in it (Figure 1.5). The
head of the cylinder houses the suction and the discharge valves.
In the suction stroke, as the plunger retracts, the suction valve opens causing suction of
the liquid within the cylinder.
In the forward stroke, the plunger then pushes the liquid out into the discharge header.
The pressure built in the cylinder is marginally over the pressure in the discharge.
The gland packings help to contain the pressurized fluid within the cylinder. The
plungers are operated using the slider-crank mechanism. Usually, two or three cylinders
are placed alongside and their plungers reciprocate from the same crankshaft. These are
called as duplex or triplex plunger pumps.
Introduction 5
Figure 1.5
Plunger pump
1.3.2 Diaphragm pumps

Diaphragm pumps are inherently plunger pumps. The plunger, however, pressurizes the
hydraulic oil and this pressurized oil is used to flex the diaphragm and cause the pumping
of the process liquid.
Diaphragm pumps are primarily used when the liquids to be pumped are hazardous or
toxic. Thus, these pumps are often provided with diaphragm rupture indicators.
Diaphragm pumps that are designed to pump hazardous fluids usually have a double
diaphragm which is separated by a thin film of water (for example, see Figure 1.6).
A pressure sensor senses the pressure of this water. In a normal condition, the pressure on
the process and oil sides of the diaphragms is always the same and the pressure between
the diaphragms is zero.
Figure 1.6
Double diaphragm pumps (Lewa pumps)
However, no sooner does one of them ruptures than the pressure sensor records a
maximum of process discharge pressure. The rising of this pressure is an indicator of the
diaphragm rupture (Figure 1.7).
Even with the rupture of just one diaphragm, the process liquid does not come into
contact with the atmosphere.
Figure 1.7
Diaphragm pump
1.4 Rotary pumps

1.4.1 Gear pump
Gear pumps are of two types:
1. External gear pump
2. Internal gear pump.
External gear pump

In external gear pumps, two identical gears rotate against each other. The motor provides
the drive for one gear. This gear in turn drives the other gear. A separate shaft supports
each gear, which contains bearings on both of its sides (Figure 1.8).
As the gears come out of the mesh, they create expanding volume on the inlet side of
the pump. Liquid flows into the cavity and is trapped by the gear teeth while they rotate.
Liquid travels around the interior of the casing in the pockets between the teeth and the
casing. The fine side clearances between the gear and the casing allow recirculation of the
liquid between the gears.
Figure 1.8
External gear pump
Introduction 7
Finally, the meshing of the gears forces liquid through the outlet port under pressure.
As the gears are supported on both sides, the noise levels of these pumps are lower and
are typically used for high-pressure applications such as the hydraulic applications.
Internal gear pump

Internal gear pumps have only two moving parts (Figure 1.9). They can operate in either
direction, which allows for maximum utility with a variety of application requirements.
Figure 1.9
Internal gear pump
In these pumps, liquid enters the suction port between the large exterior gears, rotor,
and the smaller interior gear teeth, idler. The arrows indicate the direction of the pump
and the liquid.
Liquid travels through the pump between the teeth of the ‘gear-within-a-gear’ principle.
The crescent shape divides the liquid and acts as a seal between the suction and the
discharge ports.
The pump head is now nearly flooded as it forces the liquid out of the discharge port.
Rotor and idler teeth mesh completely to form a seal equidistant from the discharge and
suction ports. This seal forces the liquid out of the discharge port.
The internal gear pumps are capable of handling liquid from very low to very high
viscosities. In addition to superior high-viscosity handling capabilities, internal gear
pumps offer a smooth, nonpulsating flow. Internal gear pumps are self-priming and can
run dry.
1.4.2 Lobe pump

The operation of the lobe pumps is similar to the operation of the external gear pumps
(Figure 1.10). Here, each of the lobes is driven by external timing gears. As a result, the
lobes do not make contact.
Pump shaft support bearings are located in the gearbox, and since the bearings are not
within the pumped liquid, pressure is limited by the location of the bearing and shaft
deflection.
As the lobes come out of mesh, they create expanding volume on the inlet side of the
pump. The liquid then flows into the cavity and is trapped by the lobes as they rotate.
The liquid travels around the interior of the casing in the pockets between the lobes and
the casing and it does not pass between the lobes.
Finally, the meshing of the lobes forces the liquid through the outlet port under
pressure. Lobe pumps are frequently used in food applications because they can handle
solids without damaging the product. The particle size pumped can be much larger in lobe
pumps than in any other of the PD types.

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2 Practical Centrifugal Pumps

Piston with valve

Inlet valve open

1.2 Pump types

1.2.1 Positive displacement pumps

1.2.2 Roto-dynamic pumps

1.2.3 Other types

1.3 Reciprocating pumps

1.3.1 Plunger pumps

1.3.2 Diaphragm pumps

1.4 Rotary pumps

External gear pump

Internal gear pump

1.4.2 Lobe pump

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