m J o h n s t o n pump Company

Closed vs. Semi-open Impeller Design

Why are there two types of centrifugal impellers used in vertical pumps?
What are the advantages and the
limitations of each type?
What types should I be using?
These are the types of questions often asked, and
we will try to give some insight into the best applications for each impeller design. This will then help
you make a decision as to the type of impeller you
should be employing on a particular application.

What happens when an impeller is set too close to a

bowl in each of the different designs?
In the semi-open design, dragging will wear metal
from the vanes, and the impeller will never be able to
produce the original capacity at the design head. If
we think of the impeller vanes in terms of performance, then the head in terms of diameter, we need
to understand that the thickness of the vane, which
sets the setting between shroud and bowl, is what
develops capacity. The length of the vane is what
develops pressure or head. Thus, a larger diameter
impeller with the same vane angle will produce additional pressure and the reason for selecting a 12"
pump over a 10" pump on a given higher head application.

Once the vanes have been machined off by friction

The enclosed impeller has two shrouds (sides) with the bowl, they are never able to produce the
whereas a semi-open impeller has only the top original capacity. Another consideration is that the
shroud. The lower side of the semi-open impeller is shaft is subject to the thrust developed by the pump.
dependent upon setting the vanes of the impeller as This value varies directly to the change in total dyclose to the bowl as possible without allowing the namic head and the thrust may be great enough to
impeller to drag. Thus, with the impeller set just above stretch the shaft. On deeper setting applications,
the drag point, a minimum amount of fluid is allowed because of the longer shafting length involved, this
to by-pass between the high pressure side and the value becomes quite pronounced and care must be
lower pressure on the inlet side. From this it is easy taken in a setting to make certain that the pump is
to understand that to obtain the design head per set high enough so that the additional shaft length
stage, it is necessary to have this setting within the caused by thrust will not drag the impellers. Needlimitations set up by manufacturer for this type of less to say, on deeper setting equipment this makes
equipment. This is easy enough to do on a single it rather difficult to determine the exact setting to utistage and even a two-stage pump, but as additional lize. This is because theoretical information is used
stages are added, it becomes more and more diffi- for the shaft stretch and the initial setting is detercult to hold all of the impellers to the exact clearance mined by measuring the shaft at the adjusting nut.
Any system head change will alter the thrust because
to obtain optimum performance.
of the performance change; thus, the impeller could
On the other hand, an enclosed impeller with its bot- drag.
tom shroud has the thickness of this shroud lost to
the fluid passage. The distance between the two On the attached design, if the dragging of the botshrouds is always maintained as it is set by the vanes' tom shroud does occur, it will not affect the perforthickness. No matter how many stages are em- mance of the pump once it is corrected. m
this drag effect will greatly increase the power
ployed, as long as the impellers are clearing the
bowls, the performance will be maintained. This is requirements and may even cause the starter's overbecause of the side seal effect of the impeller ring. loads to kick out. Thus, one needs to use extreme
This means that the clearance between wear ring care in making this setting. There is a forgiveness
and impeller is constant even when the adjustment factor connected with the attached design. On deeper
in setting distance from the bowl to the impeller is set units, it is even possible to utilize an ammeter to
determine the exact point and condition when the
varied.
impeller is free. There would be a decided drop off
Thus, it can easily be seen that for most multistage in power usage at this point over the power used
pumps, the enclosed design impeller is probably the when the impeller is set too low and dragging on the
bowl. Generally the efficiency, head, capacity and
one to select.

VTPa.6