What Is an Axial Flow Pump? An axial flow pump is a type of dynamic pump that moves fluid parallel to the pump shaft--hence the name “axial." Unlike a centrifugal pump, which throws fluid outward using radial acceleration, the axial flow pump's impeller blades push fluid in a straight path along the shaft's axis. Because of this motion, the pump delivers very high flow rates at low heads (low pressure), making it ideal for transferring large quantities of water or similar fluids over short vertical distances.