Centrifugal pumps are one of the most commonly utilized pumps in manufacturing. Due to their reliable design, centrifugal pumps are utilized in moving significant volumes of fluid – making them perfect for irrigation and wastewater treatment. However, given their versatility, these pumps are useful in a wide variety of applications. There are various types of pump designs, including volute-, canned-, and screw-type pumps. They offer ease of maintenance and high-efficiency operation and can be customized to meet specific industrial needs.
6 Industrial Applications of Centrifugal Pumps
Chemical Industry: Centrifugal pumps are commonly used in chemical plants to move fluids from one tank – or one process – to another. The equipment can also pump chemicals from one place to another, such as from a storage tank to a reactor. In addition to liquids and chemicals, centrifugal pumps can move corrosive fluids, such as acids and alkalis that can damage other types of pumps. These pumps are also safe for pumping dangerous and flammable fluids, such as oil and gasoline; and viscous fluids, such as sludge or pulp.
Irrigation Industry: Centrifugal pumps can handle many diverse liquids, including water, chemicals, and even sludge and sewage, making them indispensable to farmers. The pumps are often used in agricultural applications, such as transferring water from lakes to fields, powering tractors and combines, and spraying pesticides and fertilizers on crops. When used for irrigation, they move water from lower elevations to higher ones – and are often used in conjunction with submersible pumps to ensure that the entire irrigation system functions properly.
Water Treatment Industry: Centrifugal pumps are widely used to circulate water within the plant as well as provide high-pressure jetting for cleaning pipes and other surfaces. The pumps can provide the necessary pressure to push water efficiently and at high flow rates, even if filters are providing resistance. In addition to easily moving large volumes of water, centrifugal pumps are perfect for disinfecting and desalinating water, useful for municipal plants to treat wastewater before discharging bodies of water.
Oil Refining Industry: Two types of pumps are commonly used in oil refineries – process pumps to handle highly viscous oils and liquids with solids content and utility pumps for general-purpose light and heavy oils. Centrifugal pumps are also used in oilfields to transfer crude oil and in offshore oil and gas production platforms to transfer liquids between process units.
Paper Industry: Paper mills represent a common industrial application for these types of pumps, as they move paper stock through the pulping process. The pump helps to separate the solid pulp fibers from the liquid as it moves the pulp through the system. Centrifugal pumps also move wastewater through the system for proper treatment and discharge.
Food Processing Industry: Centrifugal pumps are utilized in food processing plants for many applications. They
transfer liquids from one tank to another, recirculate liquids, and cool liquids during processing. They offer many advantages over other machinery due to their simple and reliable design and their ability to pump significant volumes of liquid at high pressures. Centrifugal pumps can be readily customized to meet the specific needs of any food processing application, making them very versatile.
At Zwirner Equipment, we carry a wide inventory of high quality, reconditioned centrifugal pumps, but we can also help you to acquire a new model from nearly any manufacturer across the country. Both our new and used pumps arrive standard with a brand new electric motor carrying a minimum 1-year warranty. Browse our selection – then call our team of experts to discuss your needs in more detail. We are here to help.
