An improved method was developed to obtain the complete characteristic of centrifugal pump. The conversion formula of complete characteristics is established based on the normal performance curve. An example was presented to illuminate the new method, and the complete characteristic curves of 14SA-10 centrifugal pump were obtained by the new method. The hydraulic transient of the centrifugal pump failure and start-up was simulated by method of characteristics (MOC), which quote the complete characteristics data. The results show that the inversion method is available to obtain the complete pump characteristic curves provided the normal performance curve. For hydraulic transient simulation, more accurate numerical result can be obtained, if the new model is adopted to convert the experimental normal performance curve to complete characteristics curve of centrifugal pump.