A method of pumping a fluid in a centrifugal pump, the centrifugal pump comprising a housing having:
- a) a basket compartment;
- and b) a volute casing, wherein the basket compartment and the volute casing are in fluid communication, wherein the housing comprises a housing top side, a housing bottom side opposite the housing top side, an inlet defining a first longitudinal axis for drawing a fluid into the basket compartment along the first longitudinal axis, an outlet defining a second longitudinal axis for removing the fluid from the volute casing along the second longitudinal axis the outlet located at the housing top side, and a transitional opening defining a third longitudinal axis between the basket compartment and the volute casing to maintain fluid communication between the basket compartment and the volute casing, wherein the volute casing has a tear-drop shaped inner wall defined by a circular region and a converging apex, wherein the outlet is at the converging apex, and is aligned with the inlet so that the first longitudinal axis crosses the second longitudinal axis;
- c) an impeller housed inside the volute casing, the impeller defining a center, and a central axis about which the impeller rotates, the impeller comprising a plurality of vanes arranged in a spiraling pattern towards the center of the impeller;
- d) a diffuser housed inside the volute casing and surrounding the impeller, the diffuser having a circular face plate defining a diffuser perimeter edge and a central hole, the diffuser comprising a plurality of diffuser blades, each diffuser blade comprising a curved face extending from a perimeter end attached to the circular face plate at the perimeter edge to a centripetal end radially inward from the perimeter edge and closer to the central hole than the perimeter end;
- and e, a blocker on a first side of the inner wall positioned approximately at a junction where the circular body merges into the converging apex on a side of the converging apex away from the outlet, the method of pumping comprising:
- a) drawing a fluid into the basket compartment of the housing along the first longitudinal axis defined by the inlet, then through the transitional opening into the volute casing;
- b) progressively increasing the pressure of the fluid by rotating the fluid with the impeller, and passing the fluid through the diffuser, then into the volute, wherein a volume occupied by the fluid progressively increases from the impeller to the diffuser to the volute;
- and c) discharging the fluid through the outlet defining the second longitudinal axis perpendicular to and aligned with the first longitudinal axis.