Chapter 9.

Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

Centrifugal pumps are ideal for the low pressure, high flow rate requirements of
hydrocyclones and mixing systems. Unlike constant-volume piston pumps, centrifugal pumps provide constant head. Consequently, the pump and associated piping system must be correctly sized and designed to deliver the required flow rate
and desired head. This section briefly describes how centrifugal pumps work and
provides guidelines for the design, installation and operation of centrifugal pumps
and piping systems.

Principle of Operation
The centrifugal pump consists of a rotating impeller mounted inside a casing
(Figure 9.1). Fluid enters the casing at the center (the eye of the impeller). As the
impeller spins, the fluid is accelerated to the circumference by the curved impeller
vanes. The accelerated fluid exits the impeller and enters the pump casing where
this kinetic energy is converted into pressure energy. Although the pump can operate against a closed discharge valve, it is not recommended. When there is no
flow, all the pump power is dissipated into the fluid. This will cause the pump and
motor to quickly overheat.
A drive shaft connected to the impeller transmits power from the driver. A stuffing
box or seal is normally used to prevent leakage. The most common driver for centrifugal pumps is the a.c., fixed-speed, induction motor. Variable-speed motors are
available, but rarely required for drilling rig applications. The motor is joined to the
pump shaft by a flexible coupling. Drivers are usually three-phase motors. The
rotation of the pump should be checked when it is installed to make sure that it is
rotating in the proper direction.
Centrifugal pumps are usually constructed of a cast-steel housing with cast-iron
internal parts. Long-life packages offer hard-facing on the high-wear areas of the
pump. Wear-resistant tungsten carbide seals are also available. Both are highly
recommended.
The pump performance curves in Appendix E, Pump Performance Curves, illustrate that the head generated by centrifugal pumps decreases very little as the
flow rate is increased. Conversely, the flow rate through hydrocyclones is not
affected much by head. Note, however, that hydrocyclones are designed to operate at a certain amount of head. Less or more may be detrimental to their performance. Therefore, the pump should be sized to provide the correct head at the
flow rate dictated by the hydrocyclones.

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Solids Control Manual

Figure 9.1

Typical Centrifugal Pump. Kinetic energy is converted into pressure energy by the
rotating impeller vanes to provide consistent head.

Sizing Centrifugal Pumps

1. Determine the total flow rate needed. For a hydrocyclone manifold, the flow
rate is calculated by:
Q (gpm) = # of Cones Flow Capacity Cone
2. Determine the total head required. For most hydrocyclones, the required inlet
head is 75 ft. The total head required from the pump is:
H t = 75 ft + Lift Height (ft) + Friction Losses (ft)
where:

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Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

Lift Height is the height between the hydrocyclone manifold and the mud surface (not the pump suction).
Friction Losses are the equivalent loss of head through lines, elbows and
tees. For most installations, this is generally between 2 and 5 ft. If long line
lengths and/or numerous elbows and tees are present, use a worksheet as
shown in Table 9.1 to calculate the actual friction losses. An example calculation is provided.
3. Using the pump performance curve for your pump (Appendix E, Pump Performance Curves), find the intersection of the total flow rate required (Step 1)
and the total head required (Step 2). Choose the impeller size which corresponds to this point. If the intersection point falls between impeller sizes,
choose the next larger impeller size.
4. Determine the required horsepower to drive the pump. Using the pump performance diagram for your pump, find the intersection point for the impeller size
determined in Step 3 and the total flow rate (Step 1). Read the corresponding horsepower required at this point. Interpolate between the horsepower
curves when necessary. This is the horsepower required to pump water. For
any mud weight, the required brake horsepower (BHP) is calculated by:
m ud ( ppg ) BHP c urv e
BHP mud = ------------------------------------------------------------8.34

Centrifugal Pump Sizing Example

Problem:
Determine the pump requirements, given the following desilter arrangement:
12-50 gpm cones
Required head - 75 ft
Maximum Mud Density - 10 ppg
Piping System as shown in Figure 9.2
Solution:
1. Calculate Total Flow Rate
gpm
Q = 12 cones 50 -------------- = 600 gpm
cone

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Solids Control Manual

Figure 9.2

Centrifugal Pump Sizing Example.

2. Calculate the pump discharge head:

A. Using a worksheet such as Table 9.1, list the length and size of each pipe,
and the number and size of each fitting.
B. From Table 9.2, find the friction loss coefficients (C) for each item listed.
C. Calculate the friction loss for each item.
D. Sum the friction losses to arrive at the total friction losses.
E. The total required head is the sum of the required hydrocyclone head, the
feet of lift and the friction losses.
3. From the Pump Performance Curves (Appendix E, Pump Performance
Curves), select a pump which will provide the required head and flow rate.
For this example, a Harrisburg Series 250 6 x 5 x 14 pump operating at
1150 rpm with a 14 in. impeller will provide 95 ft of head at 600 gpm.
4. Determine the Horsepower required.
At 95 ft of head and 600 gpm, this pump will require 25 HP to pump water.
Correcting for 10 ppg mud:

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Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

m ud ( ppg ) BHP curve

BHP mu d = ------------------------------------------------------------8.34
( 10 ) (25)
= -----------------------8.34
= 30 HP

Table 9.1 Detailed Worksheet for Pump Sizing

Equipment Information
Required Flow Rate

Q (gpm)

600

Required Hydrocyclone Head

HH (ft)

75

Feet of Lift

HL (ft)

Friction Loss (ft)

.02

Tabulation of Friction Losses

N is the length of pipe (ft) or number of Fittings
2

Size
(in.)

N C QR
----------------------------6
1 10

Extended Entrance

( 1 ) ( 0.664 ) ( 600 )
------------------------------------------6
1 10

10

Suction Line

( 10 ) ( 0.0664 ) ( 600 )
------------------------------------------------6
1 10

.24

15

Discharge Line

( 15 ) ( 0.1612 ) ( 600 )
------------------------------------------------6
1 10

.87

Short Elbows

( 2 ) ( 1.29 ) ( 600 )
---------------------------------------6
1 10

.93

2.06

Pipe Length or Fitting Type

Total Friction Loss, HF (ft)

Total Required Head, HT (ft)
HH + H L + HT = HT
75 + 6 + 2 = 83 ft

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Actual
Inside
Diameter
(Inches)
Std Wt

Welding Ell 90
Standard Weight

Straight
Pipe1

Long Ell
Threaded

Gate
Valve
FULLY
OPEN

45Ell
Threaded

Standard
Tee
Threaded

Square
Entrance

90 Ell
Threaded

Reduced
Tee
Threaded

Square
Ell

Standard
Tee
Threaded

Butterfly
Valve
FULLY
OPEN

Swing
Check
Valve
FULLY
OPEN

Globe
Valve
FULLY
OPEN

Short

Long

R =1
D

R = 1.5
D

For 45 Ells
Use 65% of Values
Given Below

Extended
Entrance

Cone
Entrance
1/2
3/4

.622
.824

10,048
2,300

4,019
920

8,034
2,300

11,053
3,220

17,082
4,830

33,158
96,600

50,240
16,100

190,912
52,900

1
1-1/4
1-1/2

1.049
1.380
1.610

628
147
67

377
103
61

879
264
148

1,130
338
182

1,632
514
276

3,326
1,028
546

5,020
1,616
877

18,198
5,729
3,035

2
2-1/2
3

2.067
2.467
3.068

18.7
7.3
2.3

18.7
7.3
4.6

56
22
9.1

74.7
29.4
11.4

93
44
18.3

187
88
34

205
81
18.3

280
140
53

1,083
507
196

56
29
11

37
22
7

4
5
6

4.026
5.047
6.065

.5485
.1612
.0664

1.10
.48
.20

2.74
1.13
.53

3.84
1.29
.66

5.49
2.10
1.00

10.97
4.03
1.99

4.94
1.13
.73

17.6
6.45
3.19

62.0
22.9
11.3

3.84
1.29
.66

2.19
.81
.40

8
10
12

7.981
10.020
12.000

.0156
.0047
.0019

.062
.024
.011

.172
.061
.030

.203
.080
.038

.312
.118
.057

.624
.235
.114

.203
.075
.042

.515
.197
.095

3.49
1.32
.64

.203
.061
.038

.125
.039
.023

1. Based on pipe friction factor, f = .047. For other function factors, C = [31,088 f/d5] * L where L has units of feet and d has units of inches.
2. Adapted from IADC Mud Equipment Manual, Handbook 4, Centrifugal Pumps and Piping Systems.

Solids Control Manual

Nominal
Pipe Size

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Table 9.2 Friction Loss Coefficients for Pipe Fittings2

Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

Estimating Impeller Size

In many instances, we are dealing with existing equipment and need to determine
the pump impeller size to estimate output capacity. The impeller size of a centrifugal pump can be estimated by the following procedure:
1. The fluid density, pump rpm, a valve on the pump discharge and an accurate
pressure gauge between the pump and valve are required.
2. With the pump running, close the discharge valve and read the pressure.
Note: Limit time to less than 3 minutes.
3. Convert pressure read in Step 2 to head (feet).
4. Plot the head from Step 3 on the pump performance curve for 0 gpm. Estimate the effective impeller size.

Pipe Sizing
As was evident in the centrifugal pump sizing example, the pipe diameter and the
design of the piping system will affect the size of the pump and the horsepower
requirements. Suction and discharge lines should be as short as practical and
sized to flow at velocities in the range of 5 to 10 ft/s. Low velocities will allow solids
to drop out in the lines. High velocities erode elbows and cause distribution problems in the hydrocyclone manifold. Inadequate suction line size can cause cavitation in the pump. Also, the suction line should have no elbows, tees or reducers
within 3 pipe diameters of the pump suction flange.
Pipe velocity can be calculated using the following equation:
Q
v ( ft s ) = --------------------------2
( 2.48 ) d i
where:
Q = flow rate, in gal/min
di = inside diameter of the pipe, in inches
As a quick reference, the maximum and minimum recommended flow rates for
common pipe diameters are listed in Table 9.3.

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Solids Control Manual

Table 9.3 Recommended Flow Rates for Pipe
Nominal Pipe
Diameter
Schedule 40

Recommended Flow Rates,

gpm
Minimum
@ 4 ft/s

Maximum
@ 10 ft/s

3/4

16

12

26

1-1/4

20

47

1-1/2

26

63

45

105

2-1/2

60

150

95

230

3-1/2

130

310

160

400

260

625

360

900

650

1550

10

1000

2550

12

1400

3500

Suction Head Requirements (NPSH)

The suction line of the pump must be submerged to prevent vortexes in the suction tank or air locking of the pump. Centrifugal pumps require a net positive suction head (NPSH) to prevent cavitation and subsequent damage to the pump. The
NPSH required is a function of the pump design and the flow rate. NPSH curves
are included on the Centrifugal Pump Performance figures to find the minimum
NPSH needed. The amount of NPSH available must then be determined.
As a shortcut, the minimum submergence for 6 in. and 8 in. suction lines as a
function of flow rate is provided in Figure 9.3. These curves may be used for most
applications where the suction line is short and straight.
If the intersection of your submergence depth and flow rate fall near the line, a
detailed determination of suction head should be made using the following equation:
2

V
P atm
P vapor
NSPH ( ft ) = -------------------------- + d su bmergence -------------------------- -----s- H fs
0.052 m
0.052 m 2g

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Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

Figure 9.3

Minimum Suction Line Submergence. Points below or right of the lines should be
avoided.

where:
Patm

uncorrected barometric pressure, psi (Figure 9.4)

dsubmergence

height from pump suction to fluid level, ft

Pvapor

vapor pressure of liquid, psi (Figure 9.5)

pm

mud density, lb/gal

vs

velocity of suction line fluid, ft/s

g
Hfs

=
=

gravitational constant = 32 ft/s2

friction head losses in the suction line, ft

NPSH Example
From the previous example, the required NPSH from the Pump Performance
Curves for our flowrate and impeller size is approximately 4.5 ft. Head loss in the
suction line were calculated in the worksheet example to be 0.26 ft.
If the rig elevation is 1000 ft and the mud circulating temperature is 100oF., the
available NPSH is determined as follows:

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Solids Control Manual

1. Patm = 14.2 psia (from Figure 9.4)
2. dsubmergence = 6 ft
3. Pvapor = 0.95 psia (from Figure 9.5)
4.

Q
400
v = --------------------------- = -------------------------------- = 4.38 ft/s
2
2
( 2.48 ) d i
2.48 6.056

5. The available NPSH is:

2

14.2
0.95
( 4.38 )
NPSH ( ft ) = ------------------------- + 6 ---------------------- ------------------- 0.64 = 30.54 ft
0.052 10
0.05 10 2 32.4
Since only 4.5 ft is required, there is sufficient NPSH available.

Suction Line Entrance

A properly-designed entrance will minimize friction loss, reduce air entrainment
and will reduce the amount of dead volume before suction is lost. Various designs
are compared in Figure 9.6.

Installation and Operating Guidelines

1. Eliminate manifolding wherever possible.
2. Keep air out of the mud by degassing, having adequate suction line submergence and installing baffles to break vortices.
3. Do not restrict flow on the suction side of centrifugal pumps.
4. Install a pressure or head gauge between the pump and the first valve.
5. Do not completely close off discharge for more than 3 minutes.
6. Suction and discharge lines should be as short and straight as practical.
7. Size lines to achieve velocities of 5 - 10 feet per second.
8. Install pumps to run with flooded suctions. Check NPSH.
9. Check direction of rotation.
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Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

10. To reduce start up load on the electric motor, start the pump with the discharge valve partially open, then open fully once the pump is up to speed.
This will also reduce shock loading on the downstream equipment.

Figure 9.4

Elevation vs. Barometric Pressure.

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Solids Control Manual

Fluid Temperature, F

Figure 9.5

Vapor Pressure as a Function of Fluid Temperature.

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Centrifugal Pumps & Piping

Figure 9.6

Pump Suction Pipe Entrances. The recommended designs reduce friction loss and
air entrainment.

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Solids Control Manual

Summary

A centrifugal pump provides constant head, which is ideal for the low pressure, high flow rate requirements of hydrocyclones and mixing systems. Centrifugal pumps are constructed of a cast-steel housing with cast-iron internal
parts. Hardfacing on the high-wear areas and tungsten carbide seals are recommended.

Centrifugal pumps must be sized to provide the required head. Charts of head
versus flow rate for the most common centrifugal pumps supplied in Appendix
E, Pump Performance Curves. A procedure to correctly size centrifugal
pumps is outlined in this section.

Suction and discharge piping should be short as possible to reduce friction

losses. The piping should be sized to flow at velocities in the range of 5 to
10 ft/s to prevent solids settling or erosion problems. Tables and charts are
supplied to estimate the friction losses in pipe and fittings.

The suction line of the pump must be submerged to prevent vortexes in the
suction and subsequent air locking of the pump. Guidelines are presented for
determination of minimum submergence depth. Designs for suction line
entrances are also illustrated.

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