Impeller channel pumps – find manufacturers and suppliers

The channel impeller pump - a versatile all-rounder

The channel impeller pump, often also called centrifugal pump, is a flow pump and therefore not self-priming. The characteristics of this pump essentially depend on the driving motor, the type of material to be conveyed and the shape of the channel wheel. These pumps are a simple and robust pump technology that can be used in a wide variety of applications. They are manufactured as submersible pumps or as pumps for dry installation.

Design of the channel impeller pumps

In principle, the pump consists of a housing with a drive shaft and the channel impeller. On one side of the housing there is the suction opening, on the other the outlet opening. The channel wheel driven by the shaft transports the pumped medium from the suction to the outlet opening. The drive shaft is usually driven by an electric motor. The drive shaft must be sealed against the housing. This can be done by a stuffing box, a radial shaft seal, a mechanical seal or a magnetic coupling.
The submersible pumps are lowered directly into the pump sump. A sensor system monitors the pump. Since both the motor and the pump itself are immersed in the pumped medium, all live parts must be insulated accordingly.

The advantages of this pump technology

These pumps are a mature technology that has been in use for a long time but is constantly being further developed. Materials with high resistance to corrosion and abrasion have been developed especially for the waste water industry. The pump housings are usually made of grey cast iron, hard cast iron or stainless steel.
Due to their simple design, these pumps are relatively low-maintenance, reliable and durable.
Depending on the design, they are suitable for pumping a wide variety of fluids, which may also contain impurities.

Use of channel impeller pumps depending on the type of channel impeller

The shape of the channel impeller is decisive for which media can be pumped with the pumps. It also has a great influence on the efficiency of the pumps. Popular shapes of the channel wheel are:

• vortex impeller
• single bladed wheel
• open single bladed wheel
• multi-channel impeller
• Channel wheel with cutting device

The more open the channel wheel is, the better it can convey mixtures of liquid, gas, sand or other small solid particles, such as faeces. However, this also reduces the efficiency of the pumps. The size of the pumpable solid particles is indicated as the ball size. This refers to the diameter of the largest ball that this pump can barely pump. It is usually up to 50 mm. Information on this can be found in the manufacturer's pump description.

This pump technology is frequently used for pumping:

• sewage
• dirty water
• mixed water
• Raw, digested or activated sludge
• heating sludge
• rainwater
• Industrial waste water
• landfill wastewater
• Water for irrigation of fields
• sewage treated with faeces