In the centrifugal pump the movement of the fluid is realized by centrifugal forces that are caused by the rotation of the impeller in the volute casing.

Centrifugal pumps are typically applied for pulse free, continuous or intermittent operation, but they are not suitable for dosing or metering applications. An advantage is furthermore the relatively simple construction that avoids high maintenance costs.

With increasing fluid viscosity the efficiency is decreasing. Therefore the application is practically limited to fluids with a kinematic viscosity up to 100 .. 150 mm²/s. For higher viscosities positive displacement pumps are preferred.

Also see:
Positive Displacement Pump

Viscosity
Newtonian Fluid
Curve Corrections for Different Fluids