Performance test bed of sliding vane pump was designed, characteristic test was conducted on Sub50-15/40 sliding vane pump under 4 kinds of rotational speeds, 10 differential pressure. The test results were analyzed. The relationship between the flow, the effective power, efficiency and differential pressure were described as well as the impact on various parameters when the safety valve opened. The polynomial fitting for its performance curve was done based on the experimental data, the performance curve formulae were obtained. The fitting curves tally well with the experimental results, it is of practical value for technicians designing and using sliding vane pump, matching with other types of pumps or improving the economic efficiency of pump operation.