ChE 135 - Process Engineering Laboratory Formal Report

Generating Operating Curves For Various Pump Operation

Jenina Margareth A. Castro 1
1 University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City

Abstract. Operating curves of pumps can be generated using head an volumetric flow rate. A plot of operating
curve at a rate of 2000 rpm for 2 separate centrifugal pumps and two centrifugal pumps in series are made.
Based from the R2 value of pump 1 and pump 2, which is 0.98 and 0.9933, respectively, pump 2 functions
better that pump 1. When the pumps are connected in series R2 = 0.9988, which implies that the data can
satisfy the mechanical energy balance.
Keywords: centrifugal pump; series pump; pump performance curves

1. Introduction
Where α ≈ 1 for turbulent flow while α ≈ 0.5 for
In every chemical process, transportation of laminar flow.
fluids is an important element where fluid flows In the analysis of the performance of pump it is
from higher pressure to lower pressure. However, important to know the relationship of the total
additional energy must be applied in order to drive discharge head (TDH) with pressure, density,
the fluid from lower to higher pressure, like when velocity, elevation and friction loss, which is given
the fluid comes from low area to an elevated area. by Equation 2.
Fluid motive devices like pumps and compressors
provide the energy applied to the system. ∆𝑃 𝑔 ∆𝑣 2 𝑔 Equation 2
Fluids may refer to liquids, gases or combination + + ∆𝑧 + ∑ 𝐹 = 𝑇𝐷𝐻
𝜌 𝑔𝑐 2𝛼𝑔𝑐 𝑔𝑐
of both. Pumps are generally used when liquids are
involved. Pumps have two types; first type is called Further simplification can still be done since it
positive-displacement pumps where there is specific can be assumed that there is a neglible friction loss
amount of liquid to be delivered and centrifugal and no elevation. There equation 2 becomes ;
pump, which depends on the discharge pressure or
added energy. ∆𝑃 𝑔 ∆𝑣 2 Equation 3
In a chemical process, the highest amount of + = 𝑇𝐷𝐻
energy consumed comes from the energy supplies to 𝜌 𝑔𝑐 2𝛼𝑔𝑐
the fluid motive device. Thus it is important to
choose an appropriate pump design for energy Since the pump directs flow by increasing the
conservation. (Foust, Wenzel, Clump, Maus, & pressure, the total discharge head (TDH) can be
Andersen, 1980) calculated using Equation 4.
The amount of energy supplied can be calculated
using mechanical energy balance. It is assumed that 𝑇𝐷𝐻 = 𝐻𝐷 − 𝐻𝑆 Equation 4

the fluid flow is steady state, incompressible flow

with no phase change and no chemical reactions but Figure 1 presents an example of pump
with constant temperature. Based from the performance curv of two pumps and series
assumptions mentioned the mechanical balance connection of two pumps. It can be seen that the
becomes equation1 . quadratic trend for series is downward.

∆𝑃 ∆𝑣 2 𝑔 𝑊𝑠 Equation 1
+ + ∆𝑧 + ∑ 𝐹 =
𝜌 2𝛼𝑔𝑐 𝑔𝑐 𝑚
 ChE 135 – (Castro, J.M.A.) – Generation of Pump Curves

Table 1: Configuration of valves per operation.

Valves
Operation
A B C D
Pump 1 O X O X
Pump 2 X O X X
Series O X X O

2.1.2. Data Gathering

In data gathering, the valves were adjusted
Figure 1: Series Configuration of Pump Test Rig. according to the type of pump operation performed.
The configurations for each pump operations are
given at table 1. All necessary pressure and height
Generally, at least two pumps are used in readings are recorded.
processes in order to reach the required volumetric
flow rate. These pumps can be connected in series
or in parallel. If pumps are connected in series, the 3. Results and Discussion
head is added, which allows to meet the high head
The layout of the pipe of the pump test rig was
with low flow system requirements. It occurs since
given in Figure. Figure 2 presents the path of the
the pressure of the fluid increases as it passes
flow of the water during the experiment.
through each pump.
A pump test rig containing two identical
centrifugal pump is used in the experiment. The
change in height h of the stilling (m) can be related
to the capactiy Q (m3/s) by :

8 Equation 4
𝑄= √2𝑔𝐶𝑒 (ℎ + 0.0085)5/2
15

Where g is the acceleration due to gravity and Ce=

0.5765.
The experiment aims to create a plot of head (m)
versus total capacity Q (m3/s) of two centrifugal
pumps using pump test rig with rate of 2000 rpm for
different configurations : 1.) Single pump 1, 2.)
Figure 2: Pipe Layout of Pump Test Rig.
single pump 2, 3.) pump 1 and pump 2 in series.

2. Materials and Methodology

2.1.1 Experimental Set-up
A pump test rig containing two centrifugal
pumps are used. Initially, it was made sure that the
valves are properly closed during the preparation of
the pump test rig.
For the pump 1 operation, the valves of the
apparatus are adjusted, where the rate was gradually
increased from 0 to 2000 rpm, by rotating the
discharged valve counterclockwise. As a result of
the adjustment the the suction head and discharge
head changes.
Figure 3: Series Configuration of Pump Test Rig.

There are 5 different valves found in the pump

test rig. These five (5) valves are present in order to
control the flow of the fluid and to also direct the
 ChE 135 – (Castro, J.M.A.) – Generation of Pump Curves

liquid to its desired path. Valve B is controls the

amount of the water that the pump test rig will
release. As for valves A, C, D and A1, it is used in
order to allow the fluid flow in the desired
configuration. The configuration for series flow is
given at Figure 3.
Pump performance curve is generated by
plotting the total discharged head H (m) versus flow
rate Q (m3/s).
Equation 3 is a quadratic equation. Upon
plotting the datapoints for pump 1, R2 = 0.98 while
pump 2 is 0.9933. These obtained values of R2 is
supported by the mechanical energy balance. Figure 5: Series Configuration of Pump Test Rig.

It was assumed that the suction head of pump 2

is zero since it is not working. However, since the 4. Conclusions and Recommendations
value of fit obtained is R2 = 0.9933, the assumption
was valid. Based from the R2 values of pump 1 and pump
2, which is 0.98 and 0.9933, respectively, it can be
concluded that pump 2 functions better than pump
1. Moreover, the quadratic fit of the two pumps is
almost 1, thus it adheres to the mechanical energy
balance.
It can be concluded that the mechanical balance
hold true to the centrifugal pumps of the pump test
rigs. Moreover, there is an average of 51.89% error
between the actual values and theoretical values,
which may imply that there are leaks somewhere in
the pipelines.
The pump curves follows the trend of as flow
rate decreases the pump head also decreases.
Lastly, two pumps connected in series could
Figure 4: Series Configuration of Pump Test Rig.
provide a high head value with low flow rate than
The values of total pump head of pump 1 and two pumps used separately.
pump 2 at a capacity of 50 L/min is 5.6 m and 5.4 For further studies, parallel configuration could
m, respectively. It can be noticed that there is a 0.2 be considered in the experiment. Moreover, pump 2
m difference, which is minimal only, thus it can be could be repaired so that a more accurate study
assumed that pump 1 and pump 2 are nearly could be conducted and lastly, check the pipelines
identical. for leakage.
In theory, when two pumps are connected in
series, the plot will shift upwards. Since the total 5. References
head is the sum of the total heads of the two pumps.
Using Figure 4 as basis, it can be noticed that the Foust, A. S., Wenzel, L. A., Clump, C. W.,
pump performance curve shifted upward, which is Maus, L., & Andersen, L.(1980). Principles
expected to happen. of unit operations (2nd ed.). New York:
The theoretical values of the pump head for Wiley.
series is calculated by adding the pump head values
Ballun, J. (n.d.). How To Operate Centrifugal
of each of the pumps, which is then compared to the
actual values from the experiment. It is presented in Pumps In Series Or Parallel. Retrieved
Figure 5. It can be noticed that the actual values January 20, 2018, from
higher than the theoretical values. A possible https://blog.craneengineering.net/operating-
indication that there might be a leak somewhere in centrifugal-pumps-in-series-or-parallel
the pipe that gives off different results depending on
the configuration.
Appendix 1: Raw Data
Pump 1
Q (L/min) Suction Head (m) Discharge Head (m) H (m) Q (m3/s)
50 0.4 6 5.6 0.000833333
100 0.7 5 4.3 0.001666667
120 1.1 4.1 3 0.002
140 1.4 3.8 2.4 0.002333333
160 1.7 3.5 1.8 0.002666667
Pump 2
Q (L/min) Suction Head (m) Discharge Head (m) H (m) Q (m3/s)
50 0.4 5.8 5.4 0.000833333
100 0.7 5 4.3 0.001666667
120 1.1 4 2.9 0.002
140 1.4 3 1.6 0.002333333
160 1.7 2 0.3 0.002666667
Series
Suction Head
Q (L/m) Discharge Head (m) H (m) Actual Q (m3/s) Theoretical Error
(m)
50 0.5 13 12.5 0.000833 11 0.1363636
100 0.7 11.2 10.5 0.001666 8.6 0.2209302
120 1 9.8 8.8 0.002 5.9 0.4915254
140 1.4 8 6.6 0.002333 4 0.65
160 1.6 6 4.4 0.002666 2.1 1.0952380

Appendix 1: Sample Calculations

Pump 1
Q = 50 L/min = 0.0008333 m3/s
Suction Head = 0.4 m
Discharge Head = 6

H = 6 – 0.4 = 5.6 m

Pump 2
Q = 50 L/min = 0.0008333 m3/s
Suction Head = 0.4 m
Discharge Head = 5.8 m

H = 6 – 0.4 = 5.4 m

Series
Q = 50 L/min = 0.0008333 m3/s
Suction Head = 0.5 m
Discharge Head = 13 m

Actual H = 13 – 0.5 = 12.5 m

Theoretical = Pump 1 + Pump 2 = 5.6 + 5.4 = 11 m
ChE 135 – (Castro, J.M.A.) – Generation of Pump Curves