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Understand
the Fundamentals of
Centrifugal Pumps
Efcient and reliable pumps can signicantly improve
a plants bottom line. This article reviews important
concepts that a chemical engineer must understand
and the factors that need to be considered when
selecting radial-ow centrifugal pumps.
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October 2010
CEP
Head
A centrifugal pump increases the absolute pressure
of a fluid by adding velocity energy to the fluid (0.5 mv2)
and then converting that to head energy (mgH) in the
volute, as shown in Figure 2. The fluid is drawn into the
impeller eye (Point 1) at a velocity V1, which is approximately equal to the volumetric flowrate divided by the
cross-sectional area of the impeller eye. The rotation
of the impeller increases the velocity and pressure of
the fluid (Point 2). When the fluid reaches Point 3, it is
slowed down by the increasing area of the volute, and the
Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
40
20
380
90
360
80
340
NPSHR, ft
NPSHR
0
Efficiency
Rated Flow
Head
70
Efficiency, %
60
Head, ft
BEP
320
300
50
280
40
260
30
240
Allowable Operating
Region
Preferred Operating
Region
150
100
Power
10
50
Power, BHP
20
0
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
S Figure 1. The characteristics of a centrifugal pump are described by the pump performance curves. Source: (1)
where: HY is hydraulic efficiency (excluding mechanical losses); U is the centrifugal velocity component of the
fluid, and is equal to the angular velocity () multiplied
by impeller radius (r); Vu is the circumferential velocity
component of the absolute velocity vector V; and g is
acceleration due to gravity. (The absolute velocity vector,
V, at any point along the fluids route through the vane is
calculated by adding the vectors U and v, where v is the
velocity of the fluid moving along the impeller viewed
from the rotating frame.)
The pressure head (H) can be thought of as the
increase in height of a column of fluid that the pump
would create if the velocity head were converted, without
loss, into elevation head. The actual change in pressure
resulting from this head can be calculated using:
P = gH
Discharge
H = HY(UVu)/g
(2)
Impeller
Eye
2
1
Suction
Volute
Impeller
Note that the pumps illustrated in this article have open-vane
impellers, which are not allowed by API 610. They are used
here for illustrative purposes.
CEP
October 2010
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23
Back to Basics
Nomenclature
= inlet area to the pump,
= diameter of the impeller, m
= suction pipe friction head loss, m
= acceleration of gravity, m/s2
= head, m
= head per stage, m/stage
= static suction head or lift measured from the
impeller centerline, m
m
= mass, kg
N
= pump speed, rpm
= specific speed based on Q in m3/s and H in m,
nq
dimensionless
= specific speed based on Q in gal/min and H in
Ns
ft, dimensionless
NPSHA = available net positive suction head, m
NPSHR = required net positive suction head, m
P
= pressure, kPa
= inlet or suction pressure, kPa
Pin
= vapor pressure of a fluid, kPa
Pv
Q
= volumetric flowrate of a fluid, m3/s
= flow coefficient, dimensionless
Qs
r
= radius of the impeller, m
S
= suction specific speed
U
= centrifugal velocity component of the fluid, m/s
V
= velocity of any point in the fluid, m/s
= circumferential velocity component of the absoVu
lute velocity vector V, m/s
= velocity of the fluid at the inlet to the pump, m/s
V1
U
= centrifugal velocity component of the fluid as a
vector, m/s
v
= velocity vector component of the fluid moving
along the impeller viewed from the rotating
plane, m/s
V
= absolute velocity vector of any point in the fluid,
m/s
A1
d
fL
g
H
Hstg
Lh
Greek Letters
= hydraulic efficiency (does not include mechaniHY
cal losses)
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October 2010
CEP
Ethylene
Propylene
Diesel Fuel
Water
(kg/m3)
440
614
850
1,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
463
332
240
204
P (kPa)
H (m)
800
Ethylene
700
Propylene
600
Diesel
Head, m
m2
Property
500
Water
400
300
200
100
0
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Pressure, kPa
2500
3000
Specic speed
Specific speed is a convenient variable used to optimize the geometry of a pump. It is based on the scaling
and similitude characteristics of centrifugal pumps and
the principle of dimensional homogeneity, which states
that the head coefficient, , and the flow coefficient, Qs,
are constant for similar pump geometries:
= (gH)/(r)2 = constant
Qs = Q/(r3) = constant
(3)
(4)
(5)
29.0
38.7
58.1
77.5
96.8
116.2
135.6
154.9
174.3
1500
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
387.3
19.4
1000
20000
17.4
900
290.5
15.5
800
15000
13.6
700
193.6
11.6
600
10000
9.7
500
X Figure 4. Impeller
designs vary with
specific speed
constraints imposed
by process requirements and impeller
speed. Source: (3)
nq
NS
D2
D2
Axis of
Radial-Vane Area
Francis-Vane Area
D2
D2
D1
>4
D1
D2
= 1.5 to 2
D1
< 1.5
D1
(6)
(7)
(8)
Impeller Eye
=1
Discharge
For convenience, specific speed is generally represented in terms of pump speed (N), volumetric flowrate
(Q), and head (H):
nq = NQ0.5/H0.75
Rotation
C B
Suction
Volute
Impeller
S Figure 5. Static pressure losses occur as the fluid travels into the pump
suction and moves in and out of the impeller.
(9)
October 2010
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25
Back to Basics
W Figure 6.
Cavitation damage
has occurred on an
impeller. Source:
The Hydraulic
Institute, Inc.
Le
ad
in
g
Ed
ge
of
Va
ne
Cavitation Damage
T Figure 7. NPSHA
is illustrated by
the height of fluid
above the impeller
centerline (minus
pipe friction losses).
Source: Adapted
from (2).
(10)
Lh
NPSHR = V12/2g
(11)
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October 2010
CEP
(12)
(13)
Minimum ow
As the flowrate drops below that of the BEP, the
NPSH required by the pump initially decreases until it
reaches a minimum before beginning a steady increase
(Figure 1). As flow decreases, the tendency of the fluid to
fall back on itself, or recirculate, increases. At the BEP
flowrate, the fluid moves smoothly through the impeller passage. As the flow decreases, there is not enough
Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
High Flow
Low Flow
October 2010
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27
Back to Basics
efficiency = 79.2%
minimum flowrate = 193.7 m3/h
shutoff head = 997.2 m
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October 2010
CEP
NPSHR = 7.0 m
suction specific speed = 7,960
efficiency = 89.6%
minimum flow = 779 m3/h
shutoff head = 59.7 m
Closing thoughts
Close coordination between the process engineer and
the rotating-equipment engineer is essential throughout the
design and specification phases of a project. By understanding the concepts discussed here flowrate, head,
suction pressure, and NPSH and how these parameters
affect the impeller selection (specific speed), minimum
flow requirements and required NPSH, you will be wellCEP
equipped to take on the task of selecting a pump.
Literature Cited
1.
2.
3.
4.
American Petroleum Institute, Centrifugal Pumps for Petroleum, Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries, 10th ed., API
Standard 610 (ISO 13709), API, Washington, D.C. (2004).
Goulds Pumps, Net Positive Suction Head,
www.gouldspumps.com/cpf_0007.html (May 18, 2006).
Goulds Pumps, Specific Speed and Pump Type,
www.gouldspumps.com/cpf_0005.html (Jan. 31, 2009).
Henshaw, T., Do Pumps Require Less NPSH on Hydrocarbons?
Stepping NPSHR to Different Speeds, Pumps and Systems,
www.pump-zone.com/pumps/centrifugal-pumps/do-pumpsrequire-less-npsh-on-hydrocarbons-stepping-npshr-to-differentspeeds.html (Aug. 2009).
Further Reading
Andrews, D., Minimum Continuous Thermal Flow, Lawrence
Pumps, www.lawrencepumps.com/documents/news_vol3_i1_
jan.pdf (Feb. 14, 2009).
Bloch, H. P., and A. R. Budris, Pump Users Handbook: Life
Extension, 2nd ed., Fairmont Press, Lilburn, GA (2006).
Karassik, I. J., et al., Pump Handbook, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill,
New York, NY (2001).
Karassik, I. J., and W. C. Krutzsch, Centrifugal and Axial Pumps,
Published in Baumeister, T., et al., eds., Marks Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, 8th ed., McGraw-Hill, New
York, NY (1978).
Tuzson, J., Centrifugal Pump Design, Wiley-IEEE, Hoboken,
NJ (2000).