HYDRAULIC CONSTRUCTION 1:

PUMP STATION
PhD Peruzzo P.(1) PhD Crestani E. (2)

e-mail address:
(1) paolo.peruzzo@dicea.unipd.it
(2) elena.crestani@dicea.unipd.it

ENSTP Yaound, Cameroun

April-May 2014

GENERAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM (1)

H
2

pump

Suction pipe d1, L1, v1

Delivery pipe d2, L2, v2
H2-H0=geodetic head

Its not necessary that the two pipes have the

same characteristics
H=loss of energy

H2-H0+H= pump head Hp (total dynamic head to obtain the system curve)

GENERAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM (2)

H2-H0=geodetic head

H=loss of energy

H2-H0+H= pump head Hp (total dynamic head to obtain the system curve)

v12
v22
L1
L2
nKc
K s
nKc
H = loss of energy = Ki
d1
d2

2g
2g
Power of the pump Pu = Q Hp

Pump efficiency = Pu / Pa <1 with Pa real power required

Can we increase infinitely Hp for example by increasing H?

No, there is a theoretic limit related to the cavitation problem

NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH) (1)

Cavitation: formation of vapor bubbles in liquid where the pressure falls below its
vapor pressure.
In pumps, it causes serious damages of the component and loss of energy. Indeed, when
the cavitation bubbles collapse, they force the liquid into very small volumes, thereby
creating spots of high temperature and emitting shock waves. Highly localized collapses
can erode metal.
Cavitation has to be avoided in pumps.
At this purpose, the Net positive suction head (NPSH) is defined.
NPSH: absolute pressure, expressed in meters, at the entrance of the pump, to which the
vapor pressure is subtracted, in working condition (temperature, altitude..). Note that the
cavitation happens in the impeller but it is almost impossible to estimate the pressure
inside the pump because of, e.g., the strong loss of energy, the high velocity and so on.

NPSHa

Pa Pvap

v12
L1
ki
H 0 H1
1
2g
d1

NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH) (2)

NPSHa has to be compared with the NPSHr that is a value provided by the builder of
the pump at which, in standard condition, the cavitation happens. It is then the value of
absolute pressure measures at the entrance of the pumps in laboratory test at which there
is cavitation (i.e., the vapor pressure is reached in the impeller).

NPSHa NPSHr 0.5

being 0.5m a safety factor

If valves, flowmeters, , have to be used, it is better to put them in the delivery pipe
because of the loss of energy they cause (i.e., reduction of NPSHa, if placed in the
suction pipe).

CAVITATION EFFECT IN PUMPS

CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS (AXIAL, MIXED, RADIAL) (1)

Centrifugal
pumps
are
classified
considering the alignment of the flow in
respect to the motor shaft.
There are pumps:
radial: usually for high head and low
flow rate
axial: small head and high rate flow
Mixed
(semi-axial):
operating conditions

intermediate

The pumps may be identified through the

pump number:

ns n Q /(gH )3 / 4
n = revolution of the engine

CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS (AXIAL, MIXED, RADIAL) (2)

Qualitative trend of the pump curve (head rate flow) for radial, mixed, axial pumps

RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (1)

RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (2)

VELOCITIES TRIANGLE (1)

= radial velocity of the pump impeller

u = blade velocity
v = absolute velocity of the fluid (fixed observer)
w = relative velocity of the fluid (the observer is moving with u)

RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (3)

VELOCITIES TRIANGLE (2)
M wQ(r2v2 cos 2 r1v1 cos1 )

moment of momentum relative to the

center of rotation O

P M wQH

Power of the pump

r u

( D2v2 cos 2 D1v1 cos1 )

2g
1 / 2

Q D2 a(u2 v2 cos 2 )tg 2

nD2

Q
nD2

g
D2 atg 2

Relation among the three fundamental

pump parameters (Q, H, n) in relation to
the geometric characteristics of the
pump (D2, a, 2)

RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (4)

H

nD2

Q
nD2

g
D2 atg 2

PUMP CURVE

Linear (theoretical) relation between Q and H. It has to be corrected to consider the loss of
energy

RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (5)

EXAMPLE OF PUMP CURVE FOR RADIAL PUMP
Revolution per minute

H
efficency
power

DESIGN POINT OF THE SYSTEM (1)

System curve depends only on the system
gives the hydraulic head that the pump needs to move
Pump curve depends only on the pumps and its characteristics

Pump curve
Sistem curve
Design point: point of equilibrium
between what is required to the
pump and what the pump can
provide

H*
H*

System curve when a loss of

energy is added (for example if we
need to pump a lower Q)

Q* Q*

DESIGN POINT OF THE SYSTEM (2)

IN SERIES PUMPS

- Each pump has the same Q

- The head is different
- The system with in series

H1+H2
P1+P2(series)

pumps works with the

same Q and a head H that

H1

P2

is (for each Q) the sum of

P1

the head of the pumps, i.e,

H*=H1+H2 for each Q

DESIGN POINT OF THE SYSTEM (3)

IN PARALLEL PUMPS

- Each pump has the same H

- The Q is different
- The system with in parallel
pumps works with the
same H and a Q that is (for
each H) the sum of the Q
of the pumps, i.e,
Q*=Q1+Q2 for each H

ESTIMATION OF THE TANK VOLUME FOR PUMPS (1)

Sequence 1
level 3

start P3
stop P3

Qin Q1

first pump: V T Q1
1
c1
4

start P3
start P2

level 2

start P2

level 1

stop P2
start P1

start P1

stop P1

stop P1-P2-P3

level 0

One pump:

Sequence 2

0 1
It comes from

dTc
0
d

this is the worst condition

for the pump. It gives the
volume that minimizes the
cycle time

ESTIMATION OF THE TANK VOLUME FOR PUMPS (2)

S1:
second pump:
S2:

V2
V2

Qin Q1 Q2 (Qin Q1 )
V
V2
V1 V2
Tc2 1

Qin Qin Q1 Q2 Q1 Qin

Tc2

Scheme and comparison between S1 and S2:

n. equal
pumps

S1

S1

S2

S2
n. equal pumps

Note: V0 is the dead volume, necessary to ensure a good operation. h0 value depends on
the pump (e.g., 30-50 cm)

TYPICAL PUMP STATION

WET STATION
DRY ROOM STATION

WET STATION

WET STATION

SCREW STATION
DRY STATION

TYPICAL PUMP STATION