ME 310: Fluid Mechanics Laboratory Centrifugal Pump Investigation

Pressure contours on a centrifugal pump impeller.

Ref: NASA Glenn Research Center, Dr. Rodrick V. Chima, http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/5810/rvc/swift.htm

2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois All Rights Reserved

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

I. Objective
The objective of this laboratory is to explore the operating characteristics of a simple centrifugal pump. Tests will be conducted using an experimental apparatus which will allow for various parametric variations in a closedloop pump/pipe system. Data acquisition will be by means of a computer-controlled interface. Data will be reduced and presented is a form typically used to analyze pump characteristics. Results will be discussed in a laboratory report.

II. Background
Pumps are used to transport liquids, gases and slurries are an integral part of our everyday lives. Homes, appliances, businesses, factories, schools, and vehicles all depend upon pumps to move fluids for process heat transfer, indoor air comfort heating and cooling, domestic water supply, and industrial processes. Gasoline and natural gas are pumped hundreds of miles though underground pipelines to distribution terminals and processing plants, including one in Champaign, Illinois. Nationwide, there are approximately 95,000 miles of refined products pipelines. Refined products pipelines are found in almost every state in the U.S., and vary in diameter from small 8 to pipes 42 inches or larger.

Figure 1. Major refined petroleum products pipelines in the 48 state US region Crude oil is pumped across the tundra of Alaska via the 800-mile-long Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), one of the largest pipeline systems in the world. It stretches from Prudhoe Bay on Alaskas North Slope, through rugged and beautiful terrain to Valdez, the northernmost ice-free port in North America. Since pipeline startup in 1977, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, the operator of TAPS, has transported over 15 billion barrels of oil.

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

Figure 2. Photograph of a portion of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System and map of pipeline Pumps are used to transport sanitary sewage to treatment plants, and to transport the effluent to creeks, rivers, lakes, or the sea. Specialized pumps are used to pump concrete in building construction when access for a truck is limited. It has been estimated that industrial pumping systems account for nearly 25% of industrial electrical energy demand in the United States. profitability of businesses. The pump is the oldest fluid-energy transfer device known, with at least two designs dating to 250-1000 BCE: the undershot-bucket waterwheels used in Asia and Africa, an example of which is shown in Figure 3; and the Archimedes screw pump, shown in Figure 4, which is still being used today to transport solid-liquid mixtures such as concrete slurry. Machines that move fluids are categorized by the type of fluid, (e.g. liquid or gas) and the amount of pressure rise caused in the fluid. A machine that moves a liquid is typically called a pump, while other machines that move gases have different names, depending upon the approximate pressure increase produced. A fan causes a pressure rise on the order of a few inches of water (small pressure rise); a blower increases pressure in the range of 1 atmosphere of pressure (moderate pressure rise); and a compressor increases pressure much higher, up to many atmospheres (large pressure rise). This laboratory will focus only on pumps. Providing pump users with strategic, broad-based energy management and performance optimization solutions will reduce electricity consumption and also can improve the bottom-line

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

Figure 3. Example of an early undershot waterwheel. Flowing stream water is used to turn a large wheel, providing power for a mechanical operation.

Figure 4. Archimedes screw pump. Rotation of screw traps liquid and raises it from a river to a canal Pumps are categorized in two basic types: positive-displacement and rotary-dynamic (or dynamic). Positivedisplacement pumps (PDP) drive fluid flow by changing the volume of a chamber through which the fluid passes. The chamber increases and decreases in volume by application of external power. Fluid is drawn into the chamber as the volume increases, and is forced out the discharge port as the volume is reduced. Examples include piston pumps, gear pumps, and mammalian hearts. In the case of the piston pump, fluid is drawn into the chamber (or cylinder) as the piston is moved to the bottom of its stroke, maximizing the cylinder volume. When the piston begins to move to the top of the stroke, minimizing the cylinder volume, fluid flows out of the discharge port. A series of valves causes the flow to move in the desired direction. In a mammalian heart, the chamber increases in 3

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

size, drawing blood in through a vein; the chamber is then contracted due to muscle action, causing blood to flow out through an artery. A check valve (one-way valve) prevents flow from going backwards through the inlet port. Because of their design, PDPs provide a pulsating flow due to the inlet, trapping, and outlet processes (in animals, known as a pulse). If the discharge of a PDP is blocked, very high pressure can result, which may damage the pump or attached pipe network. Common applications of PDPs are engine oil circulation in automotive engines, metering of medicine in syringe pumps, and gasoline filling station dispensers.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 5. Three examples of positive displacement pumps: (a) manual water well pump; (b) double rotary gear pump; (c) mammal heart Dynamic pumps move fluid by imparting a momentum increase to the fluid via a set of rotating blades or vanes, typically of a specialized design. Unlike the positive displacement pump, there is not a closed or trapped volume. Fluid continuously moves into the pump body, around the blades, and out through the discharge port. As a result, the flow is steady, rather than pulsating like the PDP. Dynamic pumps also tend to produce a higher flow rate. However, they are not very effective with high viscosity fluids, and also require the inlet chamber to be primed, that is filled with liquid, in order to start the pumping action, whereas PDPs are self-priming. For this laboratory, we will confine our study to rotary dynamic centrifugal pumps, or simply centrifugal pumps. As seen in the Figure 6, a centrifugal pump consists of an outer casing, an impeller (which rotates), and an expanding area scroll. Fluid is drawn toward the center of rotation of the impeller (1), and is accelerated by the movement of the vanes on the impeller as it moves tangentially outward. The fluid velocity and pressure increase while in the impeller. As the flow diffuses (decelerates) in the expansion zone, a further increase in pressure results at the discharge point (2). The most common design of impeller blades is backward facing, as shown; however other special designs include radial and forward facing. Fixed vanes may also be used to help steer the flow toward the exit, resulting in improved flow and/or pressure increase.

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

Figure 6. Schematic of centrifugal pump A. Basic Output Parameters The pressure rise across a pump is often referred to as the head and is given the symbol h. The units of head are feet or inches of water in the English system and mm or m in the SI system. The net head, H, is an important parameter in characterizing pump performance. It represents the maximum discharge pressure (or pressure rise above the inlet pressure) for a pump at a particular flow rate. The easiest way to visualize this is to imagine the discharge pipe from the pump being connected to a very long, vertical pipe. The head is literally the height of the column of water that the pump would support. One can also think of it as the height, h, in a manometer. We will assume steady state flow, and use the Bernoulli equation to determine the head rise between the inlet and outlet of the pump, points 1 and 2 in Figure 6. If losses due to viscous work and heat transfer are ignored, the change in head H is shown as

(1)

where p is pressure, is fluid density, V is fluid velocity, g is the gravitational constant, z is the elevation, hs is the pump head supplied and hf the losses. We can simplify this equation for our pump further by assuming the change in height z is very small. Many pumps are set up so that the inlet and outlet velocities are the same (same pipe area) or very. In this lab, the inlet and outlet pipe diameters are not the same; therefore we will account the contribution to the total head from the velocity change. With the elevation change neglected the head is

(2)

In equation (2), the pressure term is called the static head and the velocity term is called the dynamic head. A change in elevation or z is called the elevation head.

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

The power required by a pump is another important parameter, especially in light of the desire to operate a pump at its most efficient point, which is the condition at which the minimum power is supplied to effect the needed change in flow or pressure to the fluid. The power delivered to the fluid Pw can be expressed as:

(3)
where Q is the volumetric flow rate of fluid through the pump. This term is often called the water horsepower or hydraulic power, implying that it is the measure of power imparted into the fluid stream. While sometimes given the term horsepower, it does not automatically mean the units of the hydraulic power are horsepower. In the case of our pump the power will be in units of Watts. The power required to drive the pump Pb, called brake power or mechanical power, is determined by measurement of the shaft torque and rotational speed:

(4)
where n is the rotational speed in revolutions per unit time, and T is shaft torque. If there were no losses in the pump, one would expect Pw and Pb to be equal, but of course this is never the case. Thus, we can define a pump efficiency as the ratio of power added to the fluid Pw to the power supplied Pb (via an electric motor or other source):

(5)
Obviously, one goal as a designer of a pumping system is to make the efficiency as high as possible to minimize power consumption. But this can be difficult as centrifugal pumps often are required to operate over a wide range of conditions. In this case, the designer needs to optimize based on the range of operating conditions in which the pump will be. Shown in Figure 7 are curves for Power, Efficiency, and Head vs. Flowrate for a typical centrifugal pump operating at a constant speed. Note that as flow decreases to zero, the Head becomes maximum. Conversely, as flow increases to maximum, the head goes to a minimum. This relationship is called a rising characteristic curve. A stable head-capacity characteristic curve is one in which there is only one possible flow rate Q for a given Head, as shown here. For this pump, the maximum head is slightly greater that 1.1m. The optimum efficiency for this pump is around 40%, at a flow rate of about 0.7 dm3/s. As noted earlier, if this pump was required to operate over a flow rate ranging from 0.3 to 0.9 dm3/s, it would operate at a non-ideal point for much of that range. In this case, it would be better to find a pump that had either a flatter efficiency curve or one that peaked at a lower flow rate. Notice on the power-flowrate curve that, below the optimum efficiency point, the power required is almost constant over a wide range of flow rates. However, the change in head is significant over this same range.

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

Figure 7. Centrifugal pump characteristic plot at constant speed B. Cavitation Cavitation occurs when the local static pressure falls below the vapor pressure of the liquid. At this point the liquid flashes to vapor forming vapor cavities in the fluid and changes the flow pattern. The flow may become unsteady which can cause the flow to oscillate and the pump to vibrate. If the local surface pressure of the vapor cavity becomes too high, the vapor cavity collapses and causes surface damage to the impeller. Cavitation can be avoided if the pressure everywhere is kept above the vapor pressure of the operating fluid, in our case water. The vapor pressure is the saturation pressure at a temperature. We can look up the vapor pressure at the temperature of the water in a thermodynamics book. For water at 20C, the vapor pressure is 2.34 kPa.

Centrifugal Pump Investigation III. Equipment

Figure 8 shows front and top view schematic diagram. Key components are noted below:

Component Identification 1-Water reservoir 2-Gate valve to control discharge flow rate 3-Turbine-type flow sensor 4-Pump and motor 5-Pressure sensor 6-Ball valve to control inlet (suction) pressure 7-Temperature sensor 8-Baseplate 9-Drain valve 10-Drain hole 11-Extra impeller 12-Drain valve in pump casing 13-Pressure sensor

Figure 8. Schematic of centrifugal pump apparatus Water is held in a transparent reservoir (1) and supplied to the inlet of the pump (4) through plastic tubing. A valve (6) can be used to change the inlet restriction to the pump, causing a change in the inlet suction pressure. A pressure sensor (5) and temperature sensor (7) are used to measure the inlet conditions of the water. The pump housing is transparent so that the impeller can be observed while rotating. The discharge from the pump is through plastic tubing, with a valve (2) used to vary the flow rate and pressure. A pressure sensor (13) is used to measure the discharge pressure, and a turbine flow meter (3) measures the volumetric flow rate of water. Water returns to the reservoir (1), which contains baffles to settle the flow and separate air bubbles before is it drawn into the inlet tube. The general operation of the apparatus will be through a software control panel on a PC. The operator will set pump speed through the computer control panel, and adjust valve settings on the apparatus that will result in changes in pressure, temperature, and flowrate. These values are monitored on the computer display, and once the desired

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

set points are achieved, data is collected. The operator will enable the software to record data through a data acquisition system directly to an Excel spreadsheet. In this lab, two different impellers will be tested, a forward-facing or reverse impeller, and a backward-facing or normal impeller, as shown in Figure 9. Each impeller will be tested at four speeds. Your TA will inform you what speeds will be used. Each group will collect data for one type of impeller, then the raw data spreadsheets will be shared among the groups.

Backward Facing Normal

Forward Facing Reverse

Figure 9. Impellers used in pump experiment The centrifugal pump control diagram window is shown in Figure 10. Labeled in the figure are the locations of the on/off switch, the buttons to switch between the control diagram and the table windows, the record data button and the button to create a new data table. Also shown is the location to set pump speed, which is done in percent of the maximum speed possible. To set the speed, you can either type the percent desired in the box or use the arrows on the side to adjust the speed. The red flow control valve (outlet valve) is shown, as well as the flow direction on the pump schematic in Figure 10. This valve controls the flow rate of the pump. The on/off switch is labeled in Figure 10 and is a 1 to indicate the pump is on and a 0 to indicate the pump is off. Clicking on the 0 or 1 will turn the pump on or off. A sample of the table window with a set of sample data is shown in Figure 11. Notice the units of the measured parameters in the table headings. You may need to convert some of the values to different units for your calculations. Also needed for your calculations are the pipe inlet and outlet diameters, which are 23.5 mm and 17.5 mm, respectively. Note that the inlet and outlet pressures are measured with respect to atmospheric pressure. This is why it is possible in this lab to have a negative inlet pressure. In your calculations you will need the pressure difference between the outlet and the inlet.

Centrifugal Pump Investigation

View diagram

View Table

Record data

New data table

Valve
Flow Direction

Set Pump Speed (% of Maximum)

ON/OFF button

Figure 10. Centrifugal Pump Control Diagram

Figure 11. Example of table in pump software where the data is recorded. 10

Centrifugal Pump Investigation IV. Experimental Design

In your 2-hour laboratory session, working as a group, you and your group members will have a 30-minute session to work out your experiment design for the day. At the end of the 30-minute session, your group will hand in to your TA a HANDWRITTEN experiment design for todays experiment. The experiment design will include three main parts: Objectives, list of experiment variables (independent, dependent, and control variables), and an experiment procedure. Use the following discussion guide to determine your experiment variables and procedure. The objective of this experiment is to characterize the total head and efficiency of a given centrifugal pump. These values need to be obtained over a range of flow rates, at different pump speeds, and for different types of impeller installation. Looking at equations (1) through (5), what are the quantities that you need to measure to obtain the efficiency of the pump? How can the flow speed of water in a pipe be obtained if one knows the volumetric flow rate and the dimensions of the pipe? When the flow in the outlet pipe of a centrifugal pump is restricted, will the pressure in the outlet pipe increase or decrease? What effect does this increase or decrease in pressure have on motor torque? To obtain measurements of the desired quantities over a range of flow rates between zero and the maximum value achievable on the apparatus, how many different flow rate values do you think is reasonable? Bear in mind that the number of points chosen here needs to be large enough so that the dependence of the measured quantity on flow rate can be captured, but should be small enough such that the experiment can be completed in a reasonable time.

V. Technical Report
A formal written report is not required for this experiment. You are responsible for the plots, table, and the discussion questions listed below. Your responses to the discussion questions are to be typed with 1-1/2 to double spacing, using a character font no smaller than 12 point on 8 by 11 inch paper. The margins should be at least 1 inch on all sides. Grammar, spelling and sentence structure will also be taken into account as part of the formatting section of grading. Include a reference section if necessary. Plots, tables and other figures should be prepared using appropriate software such as Excel, Origin, or equivalent. For the plots, keep all axis limits and divisions the same so that you can easily compare results from different plots. Be sure to connect consecutive data points with straight line segments, and use symbols that allow easy discernment of the different data sets. Read the Laboratory Technical Report Requirements handout and follow the guidelines included for all aspects of plot and table preparation. A. Data Reduction You will need to calculate the total head, brake power, water power, and efficiency for the plots and table. Remember to check units carefully, as pump specifications often mix SI and English unit freely.

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Centrifugal Pump Investigation

B. Plots and Tables You will prepare a total of 12 plots and one table of the results as follows: 1. For each speed, overlay the data for both normal and reverse impeller installations on the same plot: a. b. 2. Head H and pump efficiency vs. flow rate Q. Put head on the left y-axis and efficiency on the right y-axis. (4 plots, reflecting the 4 speeds tested.) Water power Pw, brake power Pb and pump efficiency vs. flow rate Q. Put Pw and Pb on the left y-axis and efficiency on the right y-axis. (4 plots, reflecting the 4 speeds tested.) For each impeller orientation overlay all 4 speeds on the same plot: a. b. 3. Head H and pump efficiency vs. flow rate Q. As before, put head on the left y-axis and vs flow rate Q. As before, put Pw and Pb efficiency on the right y-axis. (2 plots, reflecting the 2 impellers tested.) Water power Pw, brake power Pb, and pump efficiency on the left y-axis and efficiency on the right y-axis. (2 plots, reflecting the 2 impellers tested.) Prepare a data table showing the following for each impeller and speed tested (8 cases): maximum head; maximum flow rate; head at maximum flow rate; maximum efficiency; brake power, flow rate, water power and head at maximum efficiency. C. Discussion Please refer to the discussion questions below when preparing your report. Referring to your plots, tables, and calculations, answer each question thoroughly. 1. Study the efficiency curves for all the cases tested. Describe how the efficiency is calculated, and how it changes as other parameters are varied, such as flow rate, pump speed, and impeller configuration. Discuss the shape of the efficiency curve, and how it relates to other parameters, and how it would impact pump selection for a given application. 2. 3. Discuss the trends for measured parameters as flow rate decreases from its maximum to its minimum. Discuss the differences caused by using the reverse impeller (with forward-facing blades). Note the parameters that were affected, and discuss possible reasons for these changes. (Refer to chapter 12 of your text for more information regarding impeller design and installation.) 4. How much of an effect did the change in velocity between the inlet and the outlet of the pump have on the head pressure results? Could this term have been neglected in the analysis without affecting the results significantly? Justify your answer based on the data and results. (You might need to make an additional plot or table for this purpose.) 5. For the highest pump speed at which you took data with the impeller in the normal orientation, determine the annual energy cost to operate the pump at its highest efficiency point. At the same flow rate, compare this cost to that if the pump was operated at the next highest pump speed. (Assume that the pump operates continuously, 365x24x7, and that electricity costs $0.065/kw-hr.) Which of the two operating speeds would you recommend, and why?

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Centrifugal Pump Investigation

6. You observed cavitation at the pump inlet. What parameter did you change to cause cavitation? Why does cavitation occur? What is the source of the bubbles? Discuss whether cavitation is desirable or undesirable in a pump. 7. What are the likely sources of error in the recorded experimental data?

VI. References
1. 2. 3. 4. Fluid Mechanics, 4th Edition, Frank M. White, WCB McGraw-Hill, 1999. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, 4th Edition, Robert W. Fox and Alan T. McDonald, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. Instruction Manual: Centrifugal Pump Demonstration Unit, Armfield, Inc. The Hydraulic Institute, http://www.pumps.org

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