Centrifugal pumps are most commonly used in construction.

It has self priming characteristics. It is simple in operation and maintenance and strongly built against rough service.

It is compact, portable and easy to handle. The maximum recommended suction lift of these pumps is upto 6.6m.

The major components of a centrifugal pump are: Impeller, casing,suction pipe, delivery pipe, delivery valve and prime mover.

Working:

In this, by the action of centrifugal force, the liquid entering at the peripheral hub is flowing out radially. The liquid led into the centre of the impeller is picked up by the vanes rotating at high velocity and passes into the casing where most of the velocity head is converted into pressure head before it is discharged.

This impeller imparts to water passing through the pump, a velocity sufficiently great to cause it to flow from the pump even against atmospheric pressure. Thus the water reaches and leaves the impeller continuously and the water is raised to a certain height at a constant rate.

Classification:

According to the number of impellers provided, the centrifugal pumps are classified as:

single stage centrifugal pumps or multi-stage. In single stage pumps only one impeller is fitted while in multi stage pumps two or more impellers are fitted on the shaft either in series and parallel.

Diagram: