Which pump applies kinetic energy to manipulate pressure and flow?

• A. Centrifugal (Kinetic) Pump
• B. Positive Displacement Pump
• C. Gear Pump
• D. Rotary Pump

Answer: (A)

This item tests how pumps use different forms of energy to move fluid. A centrifugal pump relies on kinetic energy: its impeller spins and throws fluid outward, increasing its velocity. When that fast fluid moves into the diffuser and casing, the velocity is converted into pressure, producing both a pressure rise and the desired flow.

Other pump types, like positive displacement designs, move a fixed volume of fluid by trapping and pushing it through the discharge. They generate pressure primarily by displacing volume rather than by accelerating the fluid, so they don’t depend on converting velocity into pressure in the same way. Gear pumps and similar rotary displacement pumps follow this pattern.

So, the centrifugal pump is the one that best uses kinetic energy to manipulate pressure and flow.