Pump Primer

The following article was authored by Jacques Chaurette, President Fluide Design, Inc.
(www.fluidedesign.com) All rights reserved.
- CENTRIFUGAL PUMP SPECIFIC SPEED PRIMER -
There is a multitude of pump designs that are available for any given task. Pump designers
have needed a way to compare the efficiency of their designs across a large range of pump
model and types. Pump users also would like to know what efficiency can be expected from a
particular pump design. For that purpose pump have been tested and compared using a
number or criteria called the specific speed (NS) which helps to do these comparisons. The
efficiency of pumps with the same specific speed can be compared providing the user or the
designer a starting point for comparison or as a benchmark for improving the design and
increase the efficiency. Equation [1] gives the value for the pump specific speed, H is the pump
total head, N the speed of the impeller and Q the flow rate.
[1]
Figure 1 Specific speed values for the different pump designs

(source: the Hydraulic Institute Standards book, see www.pumps.org)
Pumps are traditionally divided into 3 types, radial flow (see Figure 2), mixed flow (see Figure
3) and axial flow (see Figure 4). There is a continuous change from the radial flow impeller,
which develops pressure principally from the action of centrifugal force, to the axial flow
impeller, which develops most of its head by the propelling or lifting action of the vanes on the
liquid.
Figure 2 Radial flow pump cross-section, Figure 3 Mixed flow pump cross- Figure 4 Axial flow pump cross-section,
(source: Hydraulic Institute section, (source: Hydraulic Institute (source: Hydraulic Institute
www.pumps.org). www.pumps.org). www.pumps.org).
Many pump types have been tested and their efficiency measured and plotted in Figure 5.
Notice that larger pumps are inherently more efficient. Efficiency drops rapidly at specific
speeds of 1000 or less.
Figure 5 Efficiency values for pump with different specific speeds

(source: The Pump Handbook published by McGraw Hill).
Let’s take an example, we have selected a Goulds pump Model 3175 which will provide us with
a head of 97 feet at a flow rate of 500 USgpm, what is the specific speed? The efficiency of this
pump according to the Goulds performance curve (see Figure 6) is 71.5%.
The chart in Figure 5 predicts that the efficiency should be 78% for a specific speed of 1266,
this is a fair difference, perhaps Goulds would suggest another pump as an alternative.
[2]
Figure 6 Goulds characteristic curves for a model 3175 3X6-12

pump at 1770 rpm (from the Goulds pump catalogue).
SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED
Suction specific speed is a number that is dimensionally similar to the pump specific speed and
is used as a guide to prevent cavitation.
[3]
Instead of using the total head of the pump H, the N.P.S.H.A (Net Positive Suction Head
available) is used. Also if the pump is a double suction pump then the flow value to be used is
one half the total pump output.
From the previous article on cavitation, the N.P.S.H.A at the pump suction is:
[4]
where HA and Hva are in feet of fluid. Equation [4] requires that the piping (DHF1-S) friction loss
and equipment friction loss (DHEQ1-S) be calculated. The meaning of some of the variables in
equation [4] are shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7 Meaning of the variables used for calculating the N.P.S.H.A.
We can avoid doing the calculations for equation [4] by measuring the N.P.S.H.. The value for
the N.P.S.H.A can be deduced by taking a pressure measurement at the pump inlet and using
equation [5]
[5]
The meaning of some of the variables in equation [5] are shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8 Location of variables for measuring N.P.S.H.A.
We may be considering an increase in the pump’s speed to increase the flow rate. If so, be
aware that an increase in speed will also require an increase in N.P.S.H. required. The suction
specific speed value give us an indication of what the impeller speed limitation will be for a
given N.P.S.H.A. The Hydraulic Institute recommends that the suction specific speed be limited
to 8500 to avoid cavitation.
In the previous example the N.P.S.H.A of the pump was determined to be 15 feet absolute.
Therefore the suction specific speed will be 5130.
[6]
This is well below 8500. We can easily calculate the new suction specific speed if we were to
change the impeller speed.
Symbols
Imperial system Metric system
Variable nomenclature
(FPS units) (SI units)
g acceleration due to m/s2 (meter/second
ft/s2 (feet/second squared)
gravity: 32.17 ft/s2 squared)
NS specific speed non-dimensional non-dimensional
S suction specific speed non-dimensional non-dimensional
H head ft (feet) m (meter)
N.P.S.H. Net Positive Suction
Head
DHEQ equipment head
ft (feet) m (meter)
difference
DHF friction head difference ft (feet) m (meter)
p pressure psi (pound per square inch) kPa (kiloPascal)
SG specific gravity; ratio of
the fluid density to the
non-dimensional
density of water at
standard conditions
Q flow rate USgpm (US gallon per
Cubic meters per hour
minute)
N impeller speed rpm
v velocity ft/s (feet/second) m/s (meter/second)
z vertical position ft (feet) m (meter)
To learn more about this topic, email your comments to jchaurette@fluidedesign.com.
The following article was authored by Jacques Chaurette, President Fluide Design, Inc.
(www.fluidedesign.com) All rights reserved.

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The following article was authored by Jacques Chaurette, President Fluide Design, Inc.

(www.fluidedesign.com) All rights reserved.

- CENTRIFUGAL PUMP SPECIFIC SPEED PRIMER -

Figure 1 Specific speed values for the different pump designs

Figure 5 Efficiency values for pump with different specific speeds

Figure 6 Goulds characteristic curves for a model 3175 3X6-12

SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED

Figure 7 Meaning of the variables used for calculating the N.P.S.H.A.

To learn more about this topic, email your comments to jchaurette@fluidedesign.com.

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