Use centrifugal pump as air pump?

[Shane Lautner]

I need to deliver air up to 5 meters high. I am thinking of using pump since I can find easily (no buying anything). Is it possible to deliver air using hydraulic centrifugal pump ?

 

[Bystander]

5 meters high

Given that a centrifugal pump can be regarded as a crude supercharger impeller,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocharger
probably not.

 

[cjl]

What do you mean by "deliver air to 5 meters high"? What are the actual requirements for flow rate and pressure? What is your application?

 

[Jobrag]

Generally centrifugal pumps won't pump air, that's why I've spent a significant portion of my life priming the b£&&ers.

 

[Baluncore]

A centrifugal water pump will have a specified self priming height. That is the height it will lift water when the pump contains air only.
Water pumps have shaft seals that require lubrication and cooling by water. That may be a problem pumping air.
You may need a greater RPM than the bearings are rated to get significant air pressure.

I need to deliver air up to 5 meters high.

Does that mean you want an output air pressure equivalent to a 5m head of water ?

 

[Averagesupernova]

The OP has some very vague questions. Is it possible for a centrifugal pump to move air? Kinda depends on where you draw the line between air pump and fan I suppose. There are some fairly large fans that can move a fair amount of air that closely resemble centrifugal liquid pumps.

 

[russ_watters]

Many large air compressors are centrifugal, so depending on language barrier issues, we may be talking about a water pump or an air pump/compressor.