All CFD pumps are which type of pump?

• A. Centrifugal pump
• B. Positive displacement pump
• C. Rotary vane pump
• D. Piston pump

Answer: (A)

In CFD pump modeling, the typical representation is a centrifugal pump because it provides a smooth head versus flow behavior that fits well with how CFD solvers handle momentum equations. A centrifugal pump adds energy to the fluid primarily through the impeller’s rotation, giving a predictable, continuous increase in fluid head that decreases as flow rises. This makes it straightforward to use pump curves or simple boundary conditions in simulations.

Positive displacement pumps (piston, rotary vane) deliver a nearly fixed volume per cycle and can create large pressure spikes or pulsations, which complicate steady or time-accurate CFD analyses and require more detailed modeling of internal valve and compression effects. Therefore, they are not the default choice for generic CFD network simulations. Consequently, the standard assumption in CFD contexts is that pumps behave like centrifugal pumps.