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A dredge pump design is similar to other centrifugal pump designs. The core of the pump consists of an impeller, casing, and volute. Just as important to the pump is the motor. In addition, some pumps have agitators around the opening, side cutters, and jetting rings to help break up and disturbed the material for feeding the pump.

The impeller is mounted inside the pump casing and is attached to the drive motor via gearbox and shaft. The frontal portion of the pump casing is sealed using a suction cover, called the volute that connects directly to the dredge’s suction pipe. As the motor powers the impeller, the impeller spins. Because of specially designed ridges on the impeller, it creates a vacuum suction that draws in the materials and solids. Next, these solids are pushed through the opening to the volute and out the discharge. The separation between the impeller and volute opening limits the size of the solids. Finally, the dredge pump’s discharge is positioned near the top of the dredge pump and is connected to a separate discharge line. This discharge opening identifies the size of the pump.

To generate the power for lifting heavy rocks, sand, and other solids requires a powerful motor and a well-designed pump. Thus, more powerful motors with higher horsepower or kilowatts rotate the impeller faster and force more material higher and farther through the pipelines, allowing for higher heads.  Likewise, this same principle occurs for larger-sized pumps designed to feed more material through at a time.