Axial Flow Pump

In an axial flow pump, pressure is developed by flow of liquid over blades of airfoil section.
It consists of a propeller-type of impeller running in a casing. As the name suggests, in Axial
flow pumps the fluid enters and exits along the same direction parallel to the rotating shaft.
The advantage of an axial flow pump is its compact construction as well as its ability to run
at extremely high speeds. The flow area is the same at inlet and outlet and operates at
much lower pressures and higher flow rates.

Here we briefly discuss the general features, performance and utilization in Bangladesh of a
an axial flow pump

General Features:

Axial Flow Pumps or Propeller Pumps allow fluid to enter the impeller axially. They discharge
fluid nearly axially, pumping the liquid in a direction that is parallel to the pump shaft. An
axial flow pump is also called a propeller pump because the impeller works much like the
propeller of a boat. The propeller is driven by a motor that is either sealed directly in the
pump body or by a drive shaft that enters the pump tube from the side.

Fig: A vertical axial flow pump Fig: A horizontal axis Axial Flow Pump

Axial flow pumps use the propelling action of the impeller vanes on the liquid to develop
pressure. Axial flow pumps can be adjusted by changing the pitch of the blades on the
propeller. This makes them useful for either high-flow/low-pressure applications or low-
flow/high-pressure applications.
Construction:

An axial flow essentially consists of a propeller in a pipe. The propeller can be driven directly
by a sealed motor in the pipe or mounted to the pipe from the outside or by a right-angle
drive shaft that pierces the pipe.

Below a basic construction of a axial flow pump is shown

No Description
1 Coupling Key
2 Thrust Bearing Retainer
3 Thrust Bearing Retainer O-ring
4 Outboard Bearing
5 Spacer
6 Shaft
7 Bearing Housing
8 Filler Plug
9 Inboard Bearing
10 Laby Seal Inboard
11 Stuffing Box Cover O-ring
12 Mechanical Seal
13 Elbow
14 Impeller Key
15 Impeller
16 Impeller Lockplate
17 Impeller Screw
18 Stuffing Box Cover
19 Drip Pan
20 Sensor Plugs
21 Laby Seal Outboard
 Fig: Axial Flow Pump (Courtesy of Goulds Pump)

Performance:

Axial Flow Pump is the opposite of a Kaplan turbine. So they behave similarly and their
characteristics curves are almost similar. Some characteristics curves are given below –

Fig: Performance curve of an axial flow pump

As seen from the curves the efficiency increases with increase of percent design flow and
the head decreases. For a typical axial flow pump, the head and brake horsepower both
increase drastically near shutoff as shown in Figure.

Uses:

Axial flow pumps are frequently used in industrial settings as circulation pumps that work in
conjunction with sewage digesters or evaporators. Axial flow pumps are also used in heat
recovery systems, nuclear reactor water circulation, and high volume mixing applications.
Axial flow pumps can also be used as a liquid pump for ballast control in marine
applications.

Axial flow pumps use the propeller action to draw water into the pump by suction. An axial
flow pump can be designed as a suction pump that draws water in through one end and
discharges it out the top of the pump. However, axial flow pumps are not typically used for
suction lift applications.

Axial flow pumps used for pumping clear water or storm water may also be submersible. A
submersible pump that uses an axial flow design is common in irrigation and drainage
applications. Axial flow pumps may also be used as a sump pump in some industrial
applications to circulate slurries or wastewater or to drain storm water from sump pits or
waste storage lagoons. Axial flow pumps are typically used in high flow rate, low lift
applications. A mixed flow pump similar to a turbine pump may be used as a well pump
provided the well is not too deep.

Utilization in Bangladesh:

The main advantage of an Axial Flow Pump is that it can easily be adjusted to run at peak
efficiency at low-flow/high-pressure and high-flow/low-pressure by changing the pitch on
the propeller (some models only). These pumps have the smallest of the dimensions among
many of the conventional pumps and are more suited for low heads and higher discharges.
Considering this features it can be utilized in Bangladesh at various sectors like –

Chemical - evaporator and crystallizer circulation

Mining and Minerals - phosphate, soda ash, potash and sodium chloride processing

Petrochemical - polypropylene reactors, xylene

Pulp & Paper - black liquor evaporator, chlorine dioxide generators

Municipal - sewage digesters

General - Raw water pumping, flood control, marine ballast transfer