Question:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using gear pumps?

Answer:
Gear pumps are a type of positive displacement pump that are appropriate for
pumping relatively high pressures and low capacities. Advantages include the ability
to handle a wide range of viscosities, less sensitivity to cavitation (than centrigual
style pumps), relatively simple to maintain and rebuild. Disadvantges can include a
limited array of materials of construction due to tight tolerances required, high shear
placed on the liquid, and the fluid must be free of abrasives. Also note that gear
pumps must be controlled via the motor speed. Throttling the discharge is not an
acceptable means of control. Reference: The Pilot Plant Real Book, FXM Engineering,
ISBN 0972176918

Question:
How can I quickly estimate the horsepower of a pump?
Answer:
Try this handy little equation: Horsepower = (GPM)(Delivered Pressure) / 1715
(Efficiency) GPM = Gallon per minute of flow Delivered pressure = Discharge minus
suction pressure, psi Efficiency = Fractional pump efficiency

Question:
How can I estimate the efficiency of a pump?
Answer:
The following method, developed by M.W. Kellogg, gives results within 3.5% of most
manufacturers curves.
Eff % = 80-0.2855H+3.78x10-4 H F-2.23x10-7 H F2+5.39x10-4 H2 -6.39x10-7 H2 F+4.0x10-
10
H2 F2
H = Developed head, ft
F = Flow in GPM (gallons per minute) Applicable for heads from 50 to 300 ft and flows
from 100 to 1000 GPM

Question:
What is the significance of the minimum flow required by a pump?
Answer:
The minimum flow that a pump requires descibes the flow below which the pump will
experience what is called "shutoff". At shutoff, most of the pump's horsepower or
work is converted to heat that can vaporize the fluid and cause cavitation that will
severely damage the pump. The minimum flow of a pump is particularily important in
the design of boiler feed pumps where the fluid is near it's boiling point.

Question:
How can I determine the largest impeller that a pump can handle?
Answer:
The motor amperage should be measured in the field with the pump discharge valve
wide open. Subtract about 10% from the pumps maximum rated amperage. Then the
maximum impeller size can be determined from: A2 = A1(d2/d1)3 A2 = Maximum
amperage minus 10% A1 = Current operating amperage d2 = Maximum impeller
diameter d1 = Current impeller diameter

Question:
How can one determine if a pipe is running full or is at its sealing flowrate?
Answer:
The following equation gives a quick check to determine the sealing velocity for a
pipe: Q = 10.2 D 2.5 where Q is the liquid flowrate in gallons per minute D is the pipe
diameter in inches If the current flowrate in the pipe is less than the value calculated
for Q above, then the pipe is below its sealing flowrate or is said to be partially
flooded. In order to calculate the velocity in this pipe you must use a set of flow area
equation presented in Chemical Engineering magazine (March 1998, p. 129). The
above equation is valid for liquid flow through a horizontal pipe.

Question:
How can I determine the choked or sonic flow in an orifice?
Answer:
Choked flow (also known as sonic flow) occurs when the ratio of the upstream gas
pressure to the downstream gas pressure is equal to or greater than [(k + 1) / 2]k / ( k -
1)
, where k is the specific heat ratio (Cp / Cv). For many gases, k ranges from about
1.1 to about 1.4, and so choked gas flow usually occurs when the upstream pressure
is about twice the downstream pressure. The equation for choked flow is: Q = C A (g
k d PU )1/2 [2 / (k + 1)](k +1) / (2k - 2) If the ratio of upstream to downstream gas pressure is
less than [(k + 1) / 2]k / ( k - 1), then the flow is non-choked (i.e., sub-sonic) and the
equation for non-choked flow is: Q = C A (2 g d PU)1/2 [k / (k - 1)]1/2 [(PD / PU)2/k - (PD /
PU )(k + 1) / k ]1/2 where: Q = mass flow, lb/s C = discharge coefficient (usually about
0.72) A = orifice hole area, ft2 g = 32.17 ft/s2 gravitational acceleration k = Cp / Cv =
(specific heat at constant pressure) / (specific heat at constant volume) d = gas
density, lb/ft3, at upstream pressure PU = upstream pressure, lbs/ft2 PD = downstream
pressure, lbs/ft2

Question:
What are some good sources where I can find information about "real life" fluid
dynamics and pumping systems?
Answer:
1) Flow of Fluids Through Valves, Fittings, and Pipe (Crane Technical Paper No. 410).
Asking price = $10.00, but actually free. 2) Engineering Data Book; from the
Hydraulic Institute. This one is definitely not free. It retails for $70, but should be
available in your college library. 3) Pump Engineering Manual, 6th Edition. This is the
old Durco Pump Manual which is now distributed by FlowServe. They ask for $10, but
it is also free. 4) Goulds Pump Manual, GPM6. Look in section 7 - Technical Data. This
is Free and you can also wrangle a free Goulds Pump selection computer program
which describes all the performance data and curves of their entire line of pumps.
Very useful. 5) Pumps and Systems magazine is free to qualified industrial pump
users. Contact AES Marketing, Inc., 123 N. College Ave.; Suite 260; Fort Collins, CO
80524; ph (970) 221-2006 or Fax (970) 221-2019 for a free subscription. This
magazine should be in your engineering library as well. Try their web site at
WWW.pump-zone.com.

Question:
For mixing with a circulation pump, what's a good rule of thumb to determine when
the tank will be "well mixed"?
Answer:
A common used rule is: time = (3* volume)/circulation rate for mixing with a
circulation tan