Design Factors Affecting Pump Efficiency

Gerhard Ludwig, Stephan Meschkat, Bernd Stoffel

Chair of Turbomachinery and Fluid Power, Darmstadt University of Technology

MagdalenenstraBe 4, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany
E-mail: ludwig@tfa.maschinenbau.tu-darmstadt.de

Introduction

The investigations presented as follows were carried out in the frame of an EU

funded SAVE project headed "Study on Improving the Energy Efficiency of
Pumps ". One aim of this study was to quantify the effects of several design
factors affecting pump efficiency of single-stage centrifugal pumps. The
theoretical investigations that were carried out at the chair of Turbomachinery and
Fluid Power at Darmstadt University of Technology where mainly focused on the
influence of surface roughness, the aspect of smoothing several parts of pumps
and the internal leakage flows corresponding to the sized gap clearances. The
specific speeds of the considered pumps covered the range from ns = 10 min- t up
to ns = 100 min- 1 which represents the typical field of application of standard
centrifugal pumps. The theoretical estimations were obtained by the aid of a
special (non CFD) software tool, which was developed within the scope of a
former research project named "Attainable Efficiencies of Volute Casing Pumps"
sponsored by the Research Fund of the German Pump Manufacturer Association
(VDMA).

Theoretical Investigations

Loss-Causing Components of a Centrifugal Pump

To determine the friction losses for the parts shown in fig. 1 respectively the
leakage flow rates through the sealing gaps the program uses differential equations
as well as simplified mathematically loss approaches. All calculations are carried
out on the base of a hydraulic design process considering common industrial
design standards in respect to the geometrical settings.

F. Parasiliti et al. (eds.), Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Systems

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003
 533

Volute
Considered Losses

Diffusor
• hydraulic losses:
Inner surfaces
of impeller friction losses
Sealing gaps deceleration losses
Outer surfaces wake losses
of impeller -===---fYf--W]",- mixing losses (Volute)

- volumetric losses (gap flow)

• mechanical losses
Fig. 1. Loss-causing components of a centrifugal pump

All the following figures which demonstrate the influence of the parameters
surface roughness as well as gap clearance show efficiency values 17 respectively
differences of efficiency values ,117 in per cent points and are plotted versus the
value of specific speed ns as defined in fig. 2 (where n is the speed of rotation, Q
the rate of flow and H the pump head).
Fig. 2 exemplarily shows the dependence of the overall efficiency 17 on the rate
of flow respectively pump size at constant speed of rotation (n = 1450 min-i). It
can be stated that an increase of the rate of flow leads to higher values of the
overall pump efficiency, which is the effect of an increasing Reynolds number Re.
The figure also shows that the efficiency values for very low specific speeds are
definitely smaller than for higher ones, which is due to the well known geometric
as well as hydraulic attributes of such types of pumps.

90
n
1%1 8S Specific speed:
80

,." Flow (m'lIl]

-a .. ,e
8S
..... 0·36 I
w1II-C"72
... O-HJO
50" --0 -360 n"US-II11i1J = 51.64· n,
...... 0 -720
55 '<' 0 II' 1800

so
I. 15 20 30 40 so 60 10 eo QO 100 ns
(min")

~
In the following:
,------------,

~ (A ~
i n = 1450min- 1 i
:

LfL,:,__~_~~1~J
I

~\
!~I ~

~
i/
"'-

Fig. 2. The influence of rate of flow

534

In respect to a better comparability all results of the investigations shown in the

following diagrams were generated for operating conditions characterised by a
flow rate Q of 180 m3/h and a speed of rotation n = 1450 min't.

Partial Losses within a Centrifugal Pump

mechanical losses
volumetric losses

/
80
eneclMl power
75
--mod,,"_
70 /

80 Volnl

551----------------.. .
'0 '5 20 30 40 SO 80 70 80 80 100
,......
nl
)
Q -
14SO~
!SIJ""/A ,

Fig. 3. Partial losses within a centrifugal pump

Depending on the value of specific speed which directly corresponds to the

shape of the impeller different influences on the losses caused by several pump
components can be mentioned (cp. fig. 3). For pumps with lower specific speeds
volumetric losses as well as losses due to disk friction at the back and front shroud
of the impeller are very significant. This also applies to the losses within in the
volute casing. For higher specific speeds the influence of blade friction losses
within the impeller dominates and mainly determines the level of the overall
efficiency 1].

Influence of Different Values of Surface Roughness

Fig. 4. demonstrates the general influence of different values of surface

roughness. It is remarkable that the gain of efficiency due to smoothing the inner
surfaces of a centrifugal pump is estimated more than 5 per cent points compared
to pumps showing top quality sand-east-rough surfaces (surface roughness
ks '" 0.024 mm). Compared to pumps showing a very low surface quality (e.g. due
to low quality of manufacturing, corrosion or incrustation which can result in a
value for the surface roughness up. to ks = 0.4 mm) a theoretical efficiency
improvement of even more than 20 per cent points could be estimated for pumps
of very low specific speed (ns = 10 min-I).
 535

95..--------------------,
"
(%) 90

85

eo Surface roughness ks

..... all smooth

75
...... 0.024 mm
70 ...... 0.1 mm
65 ...... 0.2 mm
-+- 0.4 mm
60

55
50'---------------------1
10 15 20 30 40 50 60 70 eo 90100 Os
Imln"1
Fig. 4. The influence of surface roughness

The Influence of Smoothing Several Parts of Pumps

Since smoothing a whole pump is a very cost intensive manufacturing process

(especially for small and medium sized pumps produced by a normal sand cast
method) the influence of smoothing only several parts of the pump (i.e. volute,
casing, outer surface of impeller, inner surface of impeller) was investigated
theoretically by the aid of the described software.
The result of this parameter study shows, that also in case of partial smoothing
the maximum efficiency improvement is to be expected for pumps with low
specific speeds and can reach values of roughly 6.5 per cent points (e.q. in case of
smoothing the outer surfaces of a radial impeller showing a origin surface
roughness ks = 0.2 mm). With respect to an overall surface treatment of the
impeller the investigations showed also, that a smoothing of the inner surfaces is
primarily favourable for pumps with higher specific speeds (n s > 30 min-I), where
the hydraulic losses were mainly quantified by the flow velocity within the
impeller.

The Influence of Only Partly Smoothing the Outer Surface of the

Impeller
Due to the fact that especially for radial pump impellers (n s < 30 min-I)
smoothing the outer surfaces of the impeller front and back shroud (by turning) is
a very efficient and less costly procedure to reduce the losses, i.e. improvement of
pump efficiency, the effect of smoothing the impeller front and back shroud only
partly was also investigated by an appropriate theoretical parameter study.
536

As a result of this study it could be estimated, that smoothing only 40 % of the

outer surface of the back and front shroud (starting the turning process at the
impeller outlet diameter D 2) an efficiency improvement of roughly 5.5 per cent
points still can be estimated. This value decreases to 3.5 per cent points in the case
of smoothing only 20 % of the outer surface of the back and front shroud. Due to
this fact there is no need to smooth the impeller at smaller diameters where turning
gets more difficult because of the more complicated impeller contour. Fig. 5
summarises the theoretical estimation results obtained by the several parameter
studies.

~
Ii whole pump: ... < 18.5%

0
:I J\
whole impeller volute: ... < 5% casinQ: ... < 4.5%
~ ~

!l
outer surface inner surface: ... < 5%

~ ~ ~
20% 40% 100%
of outer surface: ... < 3.5°;' of outer surface: ... < 5.50/< of outer surface: ... < 6.5°;'

Fig. 5. Maximum improvement of efficiency for several smoothing steps (estimated by

theoretical calculations for a medium size pump, with BEP at 180 m3/h)

The labelled efficiency values roughly quantify the maximum gain of

efficiency (in per cent points) that can be expected by smoothing the wetted
surfaces of a centrifugal pump showing a surface roughness equal to a ks value of
0.2mm.

Influence of Different Gap Clearances on the Internal Leakage Flow

Volumetric losses are mainly caused by the existence of a suction-sided sealing

gap which serves as a throttle in order to reduce the secondary flow from the
impeller out- to inlet as well as a an additional pressure-sided sealing gap which
 537

usually belongs to the axial thrust balancing system of a single-stage centrifugal

pump. This internal leakage flows strongly depend on the clearance of the sealing
gaps. Fig. 6 shows the change in efficiency due to a variation of the gap clearance
(the change in efficiency refers to a smooth gap with a radial gap clearance of
0.6mm).

...--- -----...
--..

--
-OSmon

., ....... 07nY1'1
-O.8mm

---
·2

,3

...
'0 20 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Fig. 6. The influence of secondary flow through the sealing gaps

The above diagrammed estimation results smooth

demonstrate that a reduction of gap
clearance for instance from 0.6 mm to ~
0.3 mm can improve the pump efficiency
about 3 per cent points. A possible additional
~
treatment to reduce the internal leakage
flows is to furnish one or both gap surfaces Fig. 7. Different types of sealing gaps
with circumferential notches (cp. fig. 7).
The theoretically carried out parameter study showed, that notching gaps of the
type usually used in standard centrifugal pumps (cylindrical gaps with a relatively
short gap length), only leads to a slight improvement of the pump efficiency.

Accompanying Experimental Investigations

In order to evaluate the efficiency values estimated by the computer program

additional experimental investigations, funded by the German Federation of
Industrial Cooperative Research Associations (AiF), were carried out at two
centrifugal pumps one with a specific speed of ns = 12 min'\ and another with a
specific speed of ns = 20 min'] These special test pumps, designed according to
usual industrial standards were equipped with very narrow sealing gaps (radial gap
clearance equal to 0.1 mm) as well as hydraulic smooth surfaces. For these
optimised pumps the value of the inner efficiency 17i was measured at a special
high precision test rig and compared to the theoretical values obtained by the
computer program. The comparison of both values (for pump operation at the
point of best efficiency) results in a very good agreement.
538

Conclusions

The presented results show, that for single-stage standard centrifugal pumps
within a range of specific speed ns = 10 min- 1 up to ns = 100 minor (corresponding
to values from 520 minot up to 5200 minor in US-Units), the highest potential for
an efficiency improvement can generally be found in the region of low specific
speeds. All efforts aimed at an improvement of the surface quality of several parts
of the pump which are in contact with the flow cause a gain of efficiency. With
regard to the manufacturing costs which result from such additional surface
treatments the smoothing ofthe outer front and back shroud of the impeller can be
proposed as a cost-efficient procedure to improve the efficiency (cp. fig. 8).
Furthermore it could be shown that it is recommendable to reduce the clearance of
the sealing gaps to the smallest possible value in order to increase the volumetric
efficiency.
Example:
-
@
Pumps showing a
low surface quality '+
f;(l
(ks = 0,2 mm) i ~
Q = 180 m3/h
=
n 1450 min· 1
30 60 100
Smoothing Improvement of efficiency 1] in per cent points
Whole pump 7
Volute 5 1,5 0,5 0,2
Casing 4.5 1,5 0,5 0.4
Impeller inner surface 15 25 35 5
Impeller outer surface 6.5 2 1
Reducing gap clearance : 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3
_ _ _ _---J Low
Effort of production

Fig. 8. Effort of manufacturing versus the theoretically estimated gain of efficiency

It should also to be mentioned, that the conditions of the surfaces as well as the
sealing gaps within a centrifugal pump normally depend on the time of operation,
which means that there is a strong necessity to check these parameters at
reasonable intervals during the life time of a pump.