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Multistage Pumps: What They Are & What They're Used For

Author: Muriel

Aug. 11, 2025

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Multistage Pumps: What They Are & What They're Used For

The relative simplicity of design has made centrifugal pumps the most commonly available and widely used pump type in the market. Based on the number of impellers, centrifugal pumps can be classified into two categories - single-stage and multistage.

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Single-stage pumps have a single impeller. Hence the discharge pressure is a function of the size of the impeller. So, such pumps are a better-suited solution in higher flow, lower pressure installations.

Multistage pumps are capable of providing a flexible range of flow and head and a relatively higher degree of energy efficiency, which makes them an excellent choice for many applications.

What is a Multistage Pump?

A multistage pump is a pump in which the fluid flows through two or more impellers fitted in series. Hence, such a pump will have multiple liquid chambers or stages connected in series. Each stage consists of an impeller, a combination of a diffuser, and return guide vanes, all housed within the same stage casing.

These impellers are installed in series and rotate on a single shaft driven by a power source (usually a motor). The design of multistage pumps allows the fluid to flow through the chambers only in a linear fashion.

How Do Multistage Pumps Work?

After priming the pump, the fluid enters the pump inlet at suction line pressure into the first chamber. The fluid then passes through various impellers sequentially from left to right (or vice versa, depending on the design of the pump). Finally, the fluid leaves at some elevated pressure. Each impeller feeds into the next impeller, and at every stage, the pressure increases further.

The more the number of stages or impellers in a pump, the higher is the final discharge pressure. Although the fluid pressure increases with every stage, the flow range always remains constant for a given RPM.

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Types of Multistage Pumps

Multistage pumps are available in many types, as listed below, but the most commonly used ones are vertical and horizontal pumps.

  • Horizontal multistage centrifugal pump (above ground)
  • Vertical multistage centrifugal pump (above ground)
  • Submersible/sump pump types
  • Side channel pump
  • Horizontal split case pump
  • Vertical turbine pump
  • Sanitary multistage pump

Benefits of Using Multistage Pumps

  • Since multistage centrifugal pumps have multiple impellers, it is capable of increasing the water pressure in a series (i.e., from one stage to the next), thus delivering higher pressures than a similarly sized single impeller pump.
  • The head per stage is less, allowing for relatively smaller-sized impellers with tight tolerances, thus reducing leakage loss.
  • Multistage pumps also help reduce floor space. Additionally, due to smaller impeller diameters and tighter clearances, these pumps also require less motor horsepower resulting in higher performance and efficiency.
  • For pumps of the same discharge pressure output, an increase in the number of stages lowers noise levels than a single-stage pump.

Disadvantages of Multistage Pumps

  • Compared to a single-stage pump, the design of multistage pumps is complex and consists of more number of moving components. As a result, the repair and maintenance of these pumps are relatively expensive and demand a higher degree of technical proficiency.
  • Also, tighter tolerances do not permit any solids in the fluid flow, which is why multistage pumps are generally used for transporting water or other low viscosity fluids.
  • Due to multiple stages in such pumps, there is an increased sensitivity of the pump rotor to external or natural vibrations.

Multistage Pump Applications

A multistage pump finds applications across a varied range of industry verticals requiring the movement of fluids. For example, High-rise buildings require higher pressure to deliver water to their overhead tanks. Multistage pumps are widely used for such applications. They are also often used to either boost the water system’s pressure or continuously circulate water in the system.

Other key applications include:

  • High-pressure cleaning
  • Irrigation
  • Reverse osmosis (RO)
  • Fuel delivery
  • Oil and gas production
  • Mining
  • Boiler feeder pumps in power plants
  • Pressurizing water to help with firefighting
  • Pressurizing water to make snow for use in sports and resorts

Need assistance in selecting a multistage pump for your fluid transportation requirements? Let our expert engineers assist you. As the oldest and largest pump distributor in the Northeast, Hayes has the broadest line of pump products from over 20 different manufacturers.

Need Help With a Multistage Pump Application?

The Differences Between Horizontal and Vertical Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps are found in many industrial applications. They provide excellent operational efficiency and versatility when it comes to pressures and liquid flows. Inline centrifugal pumps will come in to distinct configurations: horizontal and vertical.
 
What are the differences between the two inline styles of centrifugal pumps? And, which one is right for your process application? These are questions we are here to answer.
 
Basic Design Differences
The first and most obvious difference is the orientation of the shaft. A horizontal centrifugal pump will have its shaft placed horizontally, typically between the bearings or overhung. Meanwhile, a vertical centrifugal pump has a shaft that is oriented vertically. The design of the shaft is radial split and overhang.
 
Deciding which pump to use in your operation may come down to several factors. Among them are the overall convenience of running and maintaining the pump, installation space and functionality. With this in mind, we’ll now look at some pros and cons for each pump design.
 
Horizontal Centrifugal Pumps – Pros and Cons
On the positive side, horizontal centrifugal pumps are easier to install and maintain with internal parts that are simple to access. You can choose the proper shaft design to provide the desired pumping pressure. Low suction applications will be best with an overhang shaft while you’ll want an in-bearing shaft for high suction pressure. Horizontal centrifugal pumps can easily be coupled securely with external accessories such as turbines, electric motors or fuel-powered engines. Lastly, the low headroom of a horizontal pump makes it great for indoor applications where vertical space is often tight.
 
On the downside, a horizontal centrifugal pump will take up a larger footprint if floor space is a concern in your plant. In general, the working temperature and pressure are lower in horizontal pumps when compared to vertical alternatives. You would also not want to use a horizontal centrifugal pump for an application that require more NPSH (net positive suction head) than the NPSH that the particular pump can provide. It will have limited capacity in that sense.
 
Horizontal Applications

  • High Temperature
  • Spraying Systems
  • Water Circulation
  • Liquid Transfer
  • General Purpose

 
Vertical Centrifugal Pumps – Pros and Cons
When you have a restricted surface area and need a pump that takes up a much smaller footprint, vertical centrifugal pumps will definitely take up less floor space. They are well-suited for liquids with high temperatures and pressures, and the NPSH can be altered to handle a wider range of applications.
 
You will need a lot of headroom for a vertical pump, which makes them more difficult to install and maintain. Most will also require a pit and barrel (especially for larger multi-stage pumps). Vertical centrifugal pumps can only be coupled with electric motors, as well. Some operating challenges happen at high-suction pressures because the overhang shaft design makes it difficult to balance the axial thrust. Likewise, liquids with high concentrations of dissolved gases are tough to handle and can cause mechanical seals to fail.
 
Vertical Applications

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