Construction Difference between compressor and Pump

[usamasabir]

I am a recent graduate in mechanical engineering as far as the bookish knowledge is concerned i know what pump is and what is compressor, their thermodynamics etc but since i haven't seen any compressor or Pump rotor i wonder what would be the construction difference between impeller/rotor of compressor and pump?

Can a compressor especially centrifugal be used as pump?

 

[CaracasEC]

Hi,
No. Pump is for liquids while compressor is for gas.

 

[usamasabir]

@CaracasEC....sir i know about this, i wonder since centrifugal compressor doesn't physically compress the gas it increases the pressure because of the volute casing and all that and centrifugal pumps does the same.
i am supposing that pump impeller would be much more thicker than the compressor one. i mean if i show some one an impeller can he make the decision just by looking at it that it belong to whom.

 

[CaracasEC]

Hi usamasabir,
It is the impeller that generate the head of any compressor or pump not the volute casing.

 

[usamasabir]

@CaracasEC thanks sir my mistake.

 

[Pumpsonly]

Just go to the web sites of some pump makers and compressor makers and you will see the difference or similarity of pump impellers and compressors. Low presure/head compressors are normally called blowers and operate at low speed.