A centrifugal pump is a rotating machine comprised of six main parts that work together to keep the

pump operating properly. They include an impeller, a pump casing, bearings, a bearing frame, a shaft,
and a mechanical seal. The operating principle of the pump is to convert mechanical energy to pressure.

A system curve, as shown in Figure 2, is a graphical representation of the pump head that is required to
move fluid through a piping system at various flow rates. The system curve helps quantify the resistance
in a system due to friction and elevation change over the range of flows.