An impeller (or impellar) is a rotor inside a tube or conduit used to increase the pressure and flow of a fluid.
Impellers in pumps
An impeller is a rotating component of a centrifugal pump, usually made of iron, steel, bronze, brass, aluminum or plastic, which transfers energy from the motor that drives the pump to the fluid being pumped by accelerating the fluid outwards from the center of rotation. The velocity achieved by the impeller transfers into pressure when the outward movement of the fluid is confined by the pump casing. Impellers are usually short cylinders with an open inlet (called an eye) to accept incoming fluid, vanes to push the fluid radially, and a splined, keyed or threaded bore to accept a drive-shaft.
The impeller made out of cast material in many cases may be called rotor, also. It is cheaper to cast the radial impeller right in the support it is fitted on, which is put in motion by the gearbox from an electric engine or by steam driven turbine. The rotor usually names both the spindle and the impeller when they are mounted by bolts, in the Romanian language.
Impellers in water jets
Some impellers are similar to small propellers but without the large blades. Among other uses, they are used in water jets to power high speed boats.
Since impellers have no large blades to turn, they can spin at much higher speeds than propellers. The water forced through the impeller is channelled by the housing, creating a water jet that propels the vessel forward. The housing is normally tapered into a nozzle to increase the speed of the water, which also creates a Venturi effect in which low pressure behind the impeller pulls more water towards the blades, tending to increase the speed.
To work efficiently, there must be a close fit between the impeller and the housing. The housing is normally fitted with a replaceable wear ring which tends to wear as sand or other particles are thrown against the housing side by the impeller.
Vessels using impellers are normally steered by changing the direction of the water jet.
Compare to propeller and jet aircraft engines.
Impellers in washing machines
Some constructions of top loading washing machines use impellers to agitate the laundry during washing.