System use of multiple Centrifugal pumps

A usual centrifugal pump has an associatively low number of moving parts and can be simply adapted to a variety of prime movers. Such prime movers involve AC and DC electric motors, steam turbines, diesel engines, and air motors. The Centrifugal pumps are usually small in size and can generally be built for an associatively low cost. Additionally, centrifugal pumps give a high volumetric flow rate with an associatively low pressure.

In order to raise the volumetric flow rate in a system or to reimburse for large flow resistances, the centrifugal pumps are most frequently used in parallel or in series. The figure shown below depicts two similar centrifugal pumps operating at similar speed in parallel.

Figure: Pump characteristic curve for two identical Centrifugal Pumps used in parallel