Which pump type develops pressure primarily by centrifugal force?

• A. Positive Displacement Pump
• B. Centrifugal Pump
• C. Diaphragm Pump
• D. Gear Pump

Answer: (B)

Pressure is created in this type of pump by turning mechanical energy into fluid pressure through the impeller’s centrifugal action. As the impeller spins, fluid is drawn into the eye and flung outward toward the volute or diffuser, which converts the increased velocity into a rise in pressure head. This dynamic, rotodynamic mechanism means the pump develops pressure primarily from centrifugal force.

Positive displacement pumps, by contrast, move a fixed volume with each cycle and generate pressure by trapping and displacing fluid rather than by accelerating it with an impeller. A diaphragm pump uses a flexible membrane driven back and forth to push fluid, and a gear pump relies on meshing gears to carry fluid around and out. Both rely on volume displacement rather than centrifugal energy.

So, the pump type that develops pressure mainly through centrifugal force is the centrifugal pump.