Water Treatment Plant Operator Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Test Prep

Centrifugal pumps are designed to move fluids by converting rotational kinetic energy to hydrodynamic energy. This operational mechanism relies on the inertia of the fluid being drawn into the pump and then being propelled outward by the rotational movement of the impeller. As the impeller spins, it creates a low-pressure area that allows the fluid to be drawn in, and the centrifugal force then pushes the fluid through the discharge outlet.

This principle makes centrifugal pumps particularly effective for applications requiring continuous flow and is often used in various water treatment processes. The ability to handle large volumes of liquid efficiently distinguishes centrifugal pumps from other types, such as positive displacement pumps, which operate by trapping a fixed amount of fluid and displacing it into the discharge with a mechanical action.

The other options include diaphragm pumps, which use a flexible diaphragm to create a pumping action, and gear pumps, which utilize intermeshing gears to move fluid. Both have different mechanisms of operation that do not leverage the principle of inertia and circular motion in the way that centrifugal pumps do.