Centrifugal

As a centrifugal pump supplier in Colorado, Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain states since 1958, Centennial Equipment can provide expertise for your industrial centrifugal pump and commercial centrifugal pump needs. We work with a selection of the top manufacturers to provide solutions tailored for your requirements.

Your Centrifugal Pump Experts

Our engineers can evaluate your specific pumping requirements and help you meet unique centrifugal pump challenges with cost effective solutions. We will partner with you to select or maintain rugged, energy efficient, and dependable industrial centrifugal pumps that meet your operational needs.

We carry many different centrifugal pump models that can be designed to fit nearly any application, each from a leading centrifugal pump company. Browse our centrifugal pump products below. Many can be easily purchased online. Use the filters on the left to easily narrow your selection.

 

What Is a Centrifugal Pump?

A centrifugal pump is a hydraulic machine that converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy by the use of centrifugal force acting on the fluid. Centrifugal pumps are designed to move fluid by transferring rotational energy from one or more driven rotors (impellers) by an increase in pressure. The rotational energy typically comes from an engine or electric motor. Fluid enters the rapidly rotating impeller along its axis and is cast out by centrifugal force along its circumference through the impeller's vane tips.

How a Centrifugal Pump Works

A centrifugal pump consists of one or more impellers attached to a rotary pump shaft. These impellers conduct fluid through the pumping system and piping. The pump directs fluid into suction ports to the inlet of impellers, which then move the pumped liquids along spinning vanes while increasing fluid velocity.

When the charged fluid leaves the impeller vanes, it is conducted to a pump volute where high fluid velocity is converted to high fluid pressure. The liquid is then conducted to a discharge port (or to the next stage of a multi-stage pump system).

What Is a Centrifugal Pump Used for?

Centrifugal pumps are best suited for low pressure, high capacity, pumping applications. Compared to positive displacement pumps, centrifugal pumps are generally used for pumping lower viscosity liquids and higher flows. Centrifugal pumps are the most popular and commonly used type of pumps for the transfer of fluids from low level to high level, and a centrifugal water pump is often specified for municipal water applications.

Since they use rotation instead of suction to move fluid, a centrifugal pump must be primed with the pumped fluid before it will move fluid. Therefore, they are not well suited for intermittent applications.

Centrifugal pumps are often used for:

  • oil refineries and power plants
  • municipal water applications that move the general water supply from the pressure main
  • boiler feed
  • wastewater management
  • flood protection
  • drainage
  • irrigation
  • booster service into homes
  • fire protection sprinkler systems
  • hot water circulation
  • drainage
  • air conditioning
  • chemicals
  • petroleum
  • pharmaceuticals
  • food and beverage production
  • transport of solids and slurries

Benefits of Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps are much more energy efficient relative to other pumping technologies. Because of the cost of running a centrifugal pump and the initial purchase price, industrial centrifugal pumps have a significant advantage over other pump styles. Their efficiency reduces costs both short term and over the lifespan of each unit. The high-efficiency operation of a centrifugal water pump also reduces the strain on energy systems.

Kinds of Centrifugal Pumps

There are a few ways to classify the various kinds of centrifugal pumps, but two of the main variables are pump case style and pump shaft orientation.

Radial or Axial Split Case Centrifugal Pump

A radial centrifugal pump is designed to permit an outward motion of the liquid channeled through it, so the pumped liquid is pressurized and exited through downstream piping. An axial centrifugal pump generates fluid motion via a lifting effect of the impeller vanes.

Vertical or Horizontal Centrifugal Pump Shaft Orientation

A vertical centrifugal pump is often used in limited spaces, such as sump collection applications. The shaft is in a vertical orientation, and the pump is usually placed in the sump.

For a horizontal centrifugal pump, the shaft is positioned horizontally, as the name implies. A horizontal centrifugal pump is much more common because they are easy to maintain.

Choosing the best centrifugal pump for your application will help to optimize performance, while poor selection leads to wasted energy and increased cost. Our team can develop durable, cost-effective centrifugal pump solutions for your unique requirements in Colorado, Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain states.