Centrifugal and Positive Displacement Pump Fundamentals
In Centrifugal and Positive Displacement Pump Fundamentals, you'll learn ...
- Types of centrifugal pumps, including radial flow, axial flow, mixed flow and multi-stage
- Major components of centrifugal pumps, including the volute, impeller, wearing rings, lantern rings, stuffing boxes and mechanical seals
- Types of PD pumps, including reciprocating, gear, screw, lobe, sliding vane and diaphragm
- How cavitation can destroy a pump and how to prevent it
Overview
Pumps can be divided into two major categories - kinetic and positive displacement. Kinetic pumps can be further subdivided into centrifugal pumps (the vast majority of kinetic pumps) and special effects pumps.
The operating principle of centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps are quite different. Centrifugal pumps operate by imparting velocity energy to the fluid, which is converted to pressure energy upon exiting the pump casing. A positive displacement pump moves a fixed volume of fluid within the pump casing by applying a force to moveable boundaries containing the fluid volume.
Before attempting to select a pump for a particular application, it is important to understand the types of pumps available and how they operate. This course covers the fundamentals of centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, including the major components of a pump, the operating principle and the different types of pumps available within each category.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the operating principle and identify the major components of a centrifugal pump.
- Classify centrifugal pumps by impeller type and flow type, including radial flow and axial flow.
- Describe the fundamentals of multistage centrifugal pumps.
- Identify centrifugal-pump sealing components, including wearing rings, stuffing boxes, and lantern rings.
- Explain NPSH and the causes and mitigation of cavitation.
- Interpret centrifugal-pump characteristic curves and explain pump protection and priming.
- Describe the operating principle of a positive-displacement pump.
- Identify reciprocating-pump types and applications.
- Differentiate among rotary-pump types and applications.
- Explain positive-displacement-pump flow and pressure characteristics and pump-protection requirements.
Certificate of Completion
You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 15 questions. PDH credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.
| This course is applicable to professional engineers in: | ||
| Alabama (P.E.) | Alaska (P.E.) | Arkansas (P.E.) |
| Delaware (P.E.) | District of Columbia (P.E.) | Florida (P.E. Area of Practice) |
| Georgia (P.E.) | Idaho (P.E.) | Illinois (P.E.) |
| Illinois (S.E.) | Indiana (P.E.) | Iowa (P.E.) |
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| Maine (P.E.) | Maryland (P.E.) | Michigan (P.E.) |
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| Montana (P.E.) | Nebraska (P.E.) | Nevada (P.E.) |
| New Hampshire (P.E.) | New Jersey (P.E.) | New Mexico (P.E.) |
| New York (P.E.) | North Carolina (P.E.) | North Dakota (P.E.) |
| Ohio (P.E. Self-Paced) | Oklahoma (P.E.) | Oregon (P.E.) |
| Pennsylvania (P.E.) | South Carolina (P.E.) | South Dakota (P.E.) |
| Tennessee (P.E.) | Texas (P.E.) | Utah (P.E.) |
| Vermont (P.E.) | Virginia (P.E.) | West Virginia (P.E.) |
| Wisconsin (P.E.) | Wyoming (P.E.) | |



