ChE354 Pumps
ChE354 Pumps
ChE354 Pumps
Goals
Describe how centrifugal and positive-displacement
pumps operate and common applications.
Calculate system head requirements.
Determine head, pump efficiency, and pump.
horsepower from a typical centrifugal pump curve.
Define net positive suction head (NPSH) and
understand how it relates to cavitation.
Compute NPSH required by a pump.
Determine an appropriate pump (impeller diameter,
efficiency, etc.) for a given required head.
Describe how to modify system to operate on the
appropriate pump curve.
Background
Fluid Moving Equipment
Fluids are moved through flow systems using pumps, fans,
blowers, and compressors. Such devices increase the
mechanical energy of the fluid. The additional energy can
be used to increase
Velocity (flow rate)
Pressure
Elevation
Background
Pump, fan, blower, and compressor are terms
that do not have precise meaning. Generally
pumps move liquids while fans, blowers and
compressors add energy to gasses.
Pumps and fans do not appreciably affect the
density of the fluids that they move and thus
incompressible flow theory is applicable.
Centrifugal Pumps
Most common type of pumping machinery. There are many
types, sizes, and designs from various manufacturers who
also publish operating characteristics of each pump in the
form of performance (pump) curves. The device pictured on
the cover page is a centrifugal pump.
Pump curves describe head delivered, pump efficiency, and
net positive suction head (NPSH) for a properly operating
specific model pump.
Centrifugal pumps are generally used where high flow rates
and moderate head increases are required.
Impeller
Positive Displacement Pumps
To move fluids positive displacement pumps admit a
fixed volume of liquid from the inlet into a chamber
and eject it into the discharge.
Positive displacement pumps are used when higher
head increases are required. Generally they do not
increase velocity.
Pump Specification
Recall Mechanical Energy Balance
( )
2
4
2
2 2
V
K
D
L
f
p
z g
V
W
i
(
+ +
A
+ A +
A
=
o
kg
m N -
( )
c
i
c c
g
V
K
D
L
f
p
g
z g
g
V
W
2
4
2
2 2
(
+ +
A
+
A
+
A
=
o
m
f
lb
lb f t -
Both equations describe work that must be supplied to system
Pump Head
What happens if the MEB is multiplied through by g (g
c
/g)?
( )
(
+ +
A
+ A +
A
=
2
4
2
1
2 2
V
K
D
L
f
p
z g
V
g g
W
i
o
What are the units (SI)?
2
2
m
s
kg
m N -
2
2
2
3
m
s
s kg
m kg
-
-
= m =
W/g has units of length and is known as the pump head
^
Example
Tank A
2
Tank B
1
3
Why do we choose point 2 rather than 3 for MEB?
What kind of valve to uses to control flow rate?
Example
Tank A
2
Tank B
1
3
g
V
K
D
L
f
g
p
z H
i
2
4 1
2
(
+ + +
A
+ A =
\
|
+ =
g
V
H
2
2
min
|
Head vs. Flow Rate
|
|
.
|
\
|
+ =
g
V
H H
2
2
min
|
g
p g
z H
c
A
+ A =
min
g
V
K
D
L
f
i
2
4 1
2
(
+ +
Quadratic
In V or q
System Response
What happens when flow control valve is closed?
Resistance (f) increases
Flow rate decreases
Need more head to recover flow rate
Tank A
2
Tank B
1
3
System Response
Valve Open
Constant
Head Response
Constant
Flow Response
Valve Closed
Pump Curves
Pump manufacturers supply performance
curves for each of their pumps. These are
normally referred to as pump curves. These
curve are generally developed using water as
the reference fluid.
The following can be read directly from a pump
curve:
Head vs. flow rate information for any fluid
Pump efficiency for any fluid
Pump horsepower for system operating with water
Pump Performance Curves
Developed
Head
Impeller
Diameter
Efficiency
Flow Rate
NPSH
Horsepower
http://capsicum.me.utexas.edu/ChE354/resources.html
Power Input
For fluids other than water:
q
W
m P
=
|
.
|
\
|
-
-
-
-
|
|
.
|
\
|
-
|
|
.
|
\
|
-
|
.
|
\
|
-
|
|
.
|
\
|
-
=
min
s
hp s
lb f t
f t
lb
gal
f t
min
gal
q
lb
lb f t
g
g
H
hp P
f
m
m
f
c
60 550
48 . 7
1
) (
3
3
q
m
Power Input
Easier Way
fluid
water
fluid
water
fluid
Gr Sp
P
P
. . = =
|
.
|
\
|
+
=
1
2
1
2
4
m
V
opt
=
3
] [
] [
] [
ft lb
s lb m
s ft V
m
m
opt
=
=
=
Remember
Maximize pump efficiency
Power input (hp) should be minimized if
possible
Selected impeller diameter should not be
largest or smallest for given pump. If your
needs change switching impellers is an
economical solution
NPSH required by the pump must be less
than NPSHA
Variable Speed Pumps
Advantage: Lower operating cost
Disadvantage: Higher capital cost
System head requirement
(no valve)
Pump curve
for D
i
H (ft)
q (gpm)
q* (desired)
q produced by pump
with no flow control
RPM
1
RPM
2
Affinity Laws
In some instances complete sets of pump curves
are not available. In this instance the pump
affinity laws allow the performance of a new
pump to be determined from that of a similar
model. This can be useful when modifying the
operating parameters of an existing pump.
Affinity Laws
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
1
2
1 2
D
D
q q
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
1
2
1 2
RPM
RPM
q q
2
1
2
1 2
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
D
D
H H
2
1
2
1 2
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
RPM
RPM
H H
3
1
2
1 2
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
D
D
hp hp
3
1
2
1 2
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
RPM
RPM
hp hp
5 1
2
1
1
2
1
1
|
|
.
|
\
|
=
D
D
q
q