PUMP Impeller

By
Er. Laxman Singh Sankhla
B.E.Mech., Chartered Engineer
Jodhpur, India
Mail ID: laxman9992001@yahoo.co.in

Pump Impeller
Impellers are circular devices with curved blades that stir the fluid in a
centrifugal pump. Impellers fit tightly on the shaft and are usually pressed on
or off. Although there are several ways an impeller can be held in place on
the shaft, the most common method is with a key and keyway.
An impeller is the most critical part of a centrifugal pump because its size,
shape and speed determine pump capacity.
There are three different types of impellers:
1. Open impellers are blades mounted on a shaft with just enough backing or
"shroud" to maintain the rigidity of the blades,

FIGURE 2.4

OPEN IMPELLER

2. Semi-open impeller have a shroud completely covering one side of the

blades,

FIGURE 2.5

SEMI-OPEN IMPELLER

3. Closed Impellers have shrouds covering both sides of the blades with a
central hole (eye) on either one or both sides to allow fluid to enter the impeller.

FIGURE 2.6

CLOSED IMPELLER

Single suction impellers (Figure 2.7) allow fluid to enter only one side of the
impeller, A problem with such an impeller is that an imbalancing thrust can be
generated in the direction of suction. This can be a serious problem in high
volume or high discharge pressure pumps and is often resolved with a doublesuction impeller.
Double-suction impellers (Figure 2.8) allow fluid to enter both sides o the
impeller, and the thrust generated on one side of the impeller is countered by the
thrust generated on the other side.

FIGURE 2.7
SINGLE-SUCTION IMPELLER

FIGURE 2.8
DOUBLE-SUCTION IMPELLER