The true genius of Centrifugal Pumps

If the famous Swiss mathematician (not to mention logician, physicist, engineer, and astronomer) Leonhard Euler took the time to dissect a particular machine-based device, you can bet good money that its importance to civilisation was ironclad. This is definitely the case for centrifugal pumps, as their importance is just as crucial to science and engineering today as it was 300 years ago. In fact, centrifugal pumps can transport more liquid than any other pump. You don’t need to understand the raw mechanics of how such a device functions to glean the importance that such a pump has, especially for the petroleum industry. 

Broadly speaking, centrifugal pumps are well known for their application in petrochemical pumping, petroleum water, and sewage sectors; furthermore, using a centrifugal fan is often employed to emulate a vacuum cleaner. On the other hand, a function that a centrifugal pump has is the conversion of potential energy. This conversion is achieved by converting water pressure into rotational energy via petroleum water.

Besides the petroleum industry, centrifugal pumps have become useful in the mining sector. However, a centrifugal pump is not a magic-bullet solution; additional steps must be followed in order to avoid mechanical failures. For example, froth is created to separate bitumen or rich minerals from sand or clay; however, froth has air that will sometimes block traditional pumps, causing a loss of prime. To prevent such issues, the mining sector has evolved their approach over the years to deal with this issue.

In the paper and pulp industry, the impeller is drilled with holes, allowing air to escape towards the rear and a dedicated expeller discharges air towards the suction tank.

Additionally, an impeller often contains small vanes (called ‘secondary vanes’ or ‘split vanes’). Several of these pumps may create a recirculation of the pressurised froth from the discharge created by the pump. It is then sucked back to burst the bubbles.

Clearly, the true genius of these advances — while subtle and logical in their progression – is that we get to reap the benefits of modern centrifugal pumps thanks to the gradual developments by scientists and engineers over three centuries.

One of our best selling products in this sector is the DAB Self-priming centrifugal water pump with excellent suction capacity even when there are air bubbles. Particularly suitable for water supply in domestic installations smallscale agriculture gardening or wherever self-priming operation is necessary.

If you’re looking to buy centrifugal pumps, browse our whole selection of products at Anglian Pumping today.

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