Abstract: A centrifugal pump having a casing with a medially disposed partition for defining therein a flow chamber on one side of the partition and a pumping chamber on the other side thereof, said flow chamber having a side inlet for fluid to be pumped and said pumping chamber having an outlet for pumped fluid. The partition has a generally disposed central opening therethrough to provide communication between the flow chamber and the pumping chamber and said flow chamber forms a fluid flow path from the side inlet to the opening in said partition of generally curvilinear shape which is spaced from and about the axial line of the pump. A driven shaft is rotatably mounted in the axial line of the pump.