ME2135-1 CHARACTERISITICS OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Semester 4
18/1/2012

Meelen Jeet Kaur Sidhu

A0078660X
Lab Group 2J2
Informal Report

Department of Mechanical Engineering

National University of Singapore

Title
Characteristics of Centrifugal Pump
Aim/ Objective
To determine the pump characteristics H versus Q, P versus Q, and versus Q at a given speed
To verify speed laws Q N and H N2 for the same pump
Results
N1 = 1510 rpm = 158.13 rad/s
Valve
Setting
Fully
Open

Fully
Closed
Valve
Setting
Fully Open

Fully
Closed

M (kg)
1.200

Suction Pressure, Pin

(kgf/cm2)
-0.150

Discharge Pressure, Pout

(kgf/cm2)
0.00

Pressure Head, P
(kgf/cm2)
0.150

1.150
1.150
1.050
1.000
0.950

-0.100
-0.100
-0.070
-0.050
-0.025

0.16
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60

0.260
0.400
0.470
0.550
0.625

Volume Flow Rate, Q(m3/hr)

5.18
4.13
3.16
2.10
1.18
0.00

Torque Arm Length, R = 0.12m

Impeller Diameter, D = 0.16 m

Sample Calculations

Input Shaft Power, Ps

(KW)
0.223376285
0.21406894
0.21406894
0.19545425
0.186146905
0.176839559

Output Power, Pw
(KW)
0.02116602
0.029251058
0.034432238
0.026886565
0.017679211
0

Efficiency
(%)
9.48
13.66
16.08
13.76
9.50
0.00

For Valve Setting Fully Open and Pump Speed, N1 = 1510 rpm
Given:
M = 1.200 kg
Suction Pressure, Pin = -0.15 kgf/cm2
Discharge Pressure, Pout = 0 kgf/cm2
Volume Flow Rate, Q = 5.18 m3/hr

P
1) ( outP )=0.15 kgf /cm 2
Pressure Head , P=

P=Hg
Rearranging the equation gives:

H=

P (0.15)(98066.5)
=
=1.50 m
g
1000(9.81)

2)

Input Shaft Power , Ps =MgRN=( 1.2 ) ( 9.81 ) ( 0.12 )( 1510 ) (

0. 223 kW
3)

Output Power , Pw =PQ=( 0.15 )( 98066.5 ) (5.18)/(3600)

0.0 212 kW
4)

Efficiency , =

C H = =

Pw
0.0212
100=
100=9.49
Ps
0.223

( 9.81 ) (1.50)
gH
=
2 2
2
2
N D (158.13) (0.16)

0. 023

Q
7.33
=
3
N D ( 3600 ) (158.13)(0.16)3
2.22 103
CQ = =

2
)
60

Discussion
Graph 1:

PS (kgf/cm2) v/s Q(m3/hr)

0.25
0.2
N1

0.15

Polynomial (N1)

0.1
0.05
0
0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

From graph 1, it is observed that for pump1, the input shaft power, P s increases as the volume flow rate,
Q increases. This is due to the fact that more power is required to increse the volume flow rate in the
pipe.
Graph 2:

(%) v/s Q(m3/hr)

18.00
16.00
14.00
12.00

N1

10.00

Polynomial (N1)

8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00

From graph 2, it is observed that for pump 1, as the volume flow rate increases, the pump efficiency will
increase to a maximum value. After this maximum point, the efficiency decreases as frictional and
viscous forces are more dominant and cause the energy losses to increase at a much faster rate as
compared to the input power.
Graph 3:
For Pump 1.
Volume Flow Rate, Q(m3/hr)

Head, H(m)

5.18
4.13
3.16
2.10
1.18
0.00

1.50
2.60
4.00
4.70
5.50
6.25

For Pump 1 in series:

Valve
Volume Flow Rate,
Setting
Q1(m3/hr)
Fully
5.09
Open
4.07
3.06
2.08
1.09
Fully
0
Closed
For Pump 2 in series:
Valve
Volume Flow
Setting
Rate, Q2(m3/hr)
Fully
5.09
Open
4.07
3.06
2.08
1.09
Fully
0
Closed

Head, H1(m)
1.50
2.00
4.00
4.70
5.50
6.40

Head, H2(m)
1.00
4.00
6.00
7.50
8.00
8.50

Predicted Values of H and Q for Series System:

Predicted H

Predicted Q
3.00

5.09

4.00
8.00
9.40
11.00
12.80

4.07
3.06
2.08
1.09
0

Experimental Values of H and Q for Series system:

Volume Flow Rate, Q(m3/hr)
Head, H
5.09
4.07
3.06
2.08
1.09
0

1.50
7.00
11.00
13.20
14.50
15.39

H (m) v/s Q(m3/hr)

18.00
16.00

Predicted Series

14.00

Polynomial (Predicted
Series)

12.00

Experimental Series

10.00

Polynomial (Experimental
Series)

8.00

N1 pump 1

6.00

Polynomial (N1 pump 1)

4.00
2.00
0.00
0

The graph above shows that as the volume flow rate, Q, increases, the pump head, H, decreases. It can
also be observed that the predicted and experiemental values have a small difference. Therefore, the two
set of values can be said to be rather similar.

Graph 4:
For pump 1 at N1:
CH=
0.023
0.040
0.061
0.072
0.084
0.096

CQ=
0.0022
22
0.0017
71
0.0013
55
0.0009
01
0.0005
06
0

For pump 1 at N2:

CH=
0.030
2
0.027
8
0.024
2
0.043
5
0.042
3
0.047
1
0.050
8

CQ=
0.002
1
0.001
7
0.001
4
0.001
0
0.000
7
0.000
3
0.000
0

CH v/s CQ
0.060
0.050

N1

0.040

Polynomial (N1)
N2

0.030

Polynomial (N2)

0.020
0.010
0.000
0

From the graph above, for pump 1 at both speeds, it can be seen that as Q increases, H decreases.
However, there is a large difference in the two graphs. This could be due to many factors such as
leakage and friction. In theory, the two graphs should be similar to show that the effects of Reynolds
number can be ignored.
Graph 5:
N2= 1700rpm = 178.023rad/s
Valve
M (kg)
Suction Pressure,
Settin
Pin (kgf/cm2)
g
Fully
1.4
-0.25
Open
1.4
-0.23
1.2
-0.2
1.1
-0.16
1
-0.15
0.8
-0.14
Fully
0.75
-0.12
Closed
Valve
Setting
Fully
Open

Input Shaft Power, Ps

(KW)
0.2934
0.2934
0.2515
0.2305
0.2096
0.1677

Discharge
Pressure, Pout
(kgf/cm2)
0

Pressure Head,
P (kgf/cm2)

Volume Flow
Rate, Q(m3/hr)

0.25

5.4

0
0
0.2
0.2
0.25
0.3

0.23
0.2
0.36
0.35
0.39
0.42

4.5
3.6
2.7
1.9
0.9
0

Output Power, Pw
(KW)
0.0368
0.0282
0.0196
0.0265
0.0181
0.0096

Efficiency
(%)
12.53
9.61
7.80
11.49
8.64
5.70

Head,
H(m)
2.50
2.30
2.00
3.60
3.50
3.90

Fully
Closed

0.1572

experimental H1

0.0000

Theoretical H2
1.50
2.60
4.00
4.70
5.50
6.25

experimental Q1

0.00

Experimental H2
1.90
3.29
5.07
5.96
6.97
7.92

Theoretical Q2
5.18
4.13
3.16
2.1
1.18
0

4.20

2.50
2.30
2.00
3.60
3.50
3.90
4.20
Experimental Q2

5.83
4.65
3.56
2.36
1.33
0

5.4
4.5
3.6
2.7
1.9
0.9
0

H (m) v/s Q(m3/hr)

4.50
4.00
3.50

Predicted N2

3.00

Polynomial (Predicted
N2)

2.50

Experimental N2

2.00

Polynomial
(Experimental N2)

1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00

From the above graph, it can be seen that both the predicted and experimental values of H decreases as
Q increases. However, there is a large difference in the predicted and experimental values. This could be
due to many possible reasons like pipe leakage or friction in the pipe. These factors could have caused a
large decrease in H.
Conclusion

This experiment which is conducted using a parallel- series configuration pump test rig has allowed
students to be exposed to the method of determination of pump characteristics, which is similar for all
types of pumps. Through recording and plotting of data from the test rig, the different pump
characteristics can be observed. For example, in graph 3, it can be observed how the pump head, H
varies with the volume flow rate, Q.
The performance law of a fluid machinery has been verified, as shown in graph 4 since the relationship
between the head coefficient and flow coefficient of pump are almost similar for both speeds.