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Pump selection parameters


Pump selection parameters

Review of design and


other parameters for
pump selection - Part 1
The selection of centrifugal pump unit is governed by factors like duty
parameters, liquid properties, piping configuration, utilities and site conditions,
safety requirements and provision of re-rating for future expansion.

T
he selection is relatively simple and straightfor- 1) Bearing loads: The hydraulic thrust (axial and radial)
ward when the pumps offered by various vendors acting on the bearings is higher for OH1 and OH2
are of the same design, type and code as mentioned types as explained below:
in Table 1 of API 610-10th ed (The pump type and The axial hydraulic thrust acting on bearing is due to
code classification referred in this article shall be as per the following factors:
table 1 of API 610-10th ed (1)). a) differential head generated across the pump.
The selection, however, becomes tricky when differ- b) change in flow direction in impeller.
ent design, types and codes are available for the required c) suction pressure.
parameters. The sales engineers of the pump manufac- d) high pressure in mechanical seal cavity (ref
turers try to project their offered design as the most para 2.2.3 (2)).
appropriate choice. Their claims and counter claims can All these components get balanced in single stage
lead to further confusion as in many process plants the double suction impeller type (BB1 and BB2) for
plant engineers are unaware of the basic design factors complete range of suction pressures and resultant
that should govern pump selection. Under such circum- thrust is very low. For single suction impeller (OH1
stances the engineer responsible for technical recom- and OH2) the resultant of these components can be
mendation/selection requires an understanding of the moderate but with higher suction pressure (above 8
intricacies related to pump mechanical and hydraulic bar (g)) the thrust values due to(c) and (d) can be very
design and the implication of various factors to make an high leading to higher resultant thrust on bearings. It
informed decision. The real life case studies explaining is therefore necessary to review bearing designs for
salient features of designs which may facilitate such types OH1 and OH2.
selections are given below:
2) Shaft deflection at mechanical seal and wear rings:
Case I: Overhung end suction impeller pump A single stage double suction impeller pump of BB1
(OH1 and OH2) or between bearing single and BB2 type is designed with a shaft supported at
stage double suction impeller pump ( BB1 both ends. This arrangement results in reduced
and BB2). shaft deflection at mechanical seal faces and wear
Both the types mentioned above can be quoted for a wide rings when compared with cantilever type arrange-
range of flow - head domain. For example a duty parameter ment in types OH1 and OH2. Lower shaft deflec-
with flow = 1000 m3/h at head = 132 m can be achieved tion also ensures higher value of first critical speed
either with horizontal single stage overhung end suction and more stable rotor design. Lower shaft deflec-
impeller pump (OH1 and OH2) or between bearing single tion is achieved in types OH1 and OH2 by increas-
stage double suction impeller pump (BB1 and BB2). The ing the shaft diameter which leads to higher bearings
following factors can be useful while selecting the option: and mechanical seal sizes. A review of shaft deflec-

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tion calculations is therefore necessary for OH1 and BB1 / BB2 type and hence effect of misalignment due
OH2 types. to moments and forces is less in case of BB1 / BB2 type
3) Nozzle orientation: OH1 and OH2 types usually offer when compared with OH1 / OH2 type.
end/top (end suction and a top discharge) and as a
special case top/top orientations. The BB2 types can 10) Suction piping: BB1 and BB2 types are very sensitive to
offer side/side, top/side, side/top and top/top nozzle suction piping. Incorrect orientation and location of
orientations. The BB1, however, is restricted to side/ bends, and insufficient straight lengths can lead to
side orientation. This means BB2 type can offer more uneven flows into impeller eye leading to cavitations,
options from piping point of view. vibration and uneven hydraulic forces leading to bear-
ing and seal failures. The suitability of available piping
4) Impeller design: For same flow, the double suction is to be checked with pump vendor.
impeller has lower inlet tip speed leading to less
erosion due to abrasion. 11) In addition to above guidelines the following guide
lines may also be used:
5) Lower suction pressure: The double suction design
requires less Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) at a) The maximum impeller diameter for a single stage
the same speed and flow. This also means a smaller overhang pump design, operating at 2950 rev/min
pump at higher speed can be selected which may and higher shall be 15 inches (380 mm) (3,4). The
cost less and may prove more efficient than OH1 permissible peripheral speed for a given material
and OH2. The pumps for atmospheric and vacuum of construction is also to be checked.
and fines rich application in crude distillation are
required to handle fluid rich in fine coke particles at b) Consider between bearing pumps whenever the
lower suction pressure and high temperature (350 product of power input and rotational speed (kW
deg C). For such difficult services double suction times rpm) exceeds 675000 (4).
impeller can be preferred.
For duty parameter close to with flow = 1000 m3/h at
6) Shaft seals: BB1 and BB2 types require two mechanical head = 132 m as mentioned in the beginning of this
seal systems thereby increasing the initial equipment case study we opted for between bearing single stage
cost and possibly the maintenance cost. double suction impeller pump of BB2 type after re-
viewing the design based on above factors and also the
7) Low mechanical seal cavity pressure: In case of BB1 guidelines given in (5) and (6).
and BB2 types the seal cavity is always subjected to
suction pressure while in case of OH1 and OH2 type Case II: Wet pit diffuser (VS1) or vertical
the seal cavity is subjected to suction pressure plus sump line shaft (VS4) and vertical sump
minimum 5 to 15% of pressure developed across the cantilever (VS5).
pump, depending on impeller design with or without The following considerations can be useful while select-
balance holes and back wear rings. The lower seal ing the option:
cavity pressure and lower shaft deflection at seal may
enhance seal reliability. 1) Space: The VS1 pump design is compact requiring
less mounting space. This also mean that for the
8) Casing gasket reliability: Casing gasket is always de- available opening size on a tank or a pit the probability
signed for maximum allowable working pressure of mounting the VS1 type without requiring any
(MAWP). In case of BB2 types the casing gasket is modification is high.
subjected to only suction pressure while in case of
OH1 and OH2 types the casing gasket is subjected to 2) Pump mounting, dismounting, assembly and disas-
discharge pressure which is higher. This can reduce sembly of VS1 type is relatively simple and require
the chances of probable hazard due to leakage from relatively lesser head-room and assembly space.
gasket in BB2 type.
3) Bearing load/life: The pump and line shaft bearing
9) Misalignment due to moments and forces on pump life can be higher for VS1 type as hydraulic radial
flanges. Distance between coupling shaft end and thrust for diffuser type casing is low. The hydraulic
suction / discharge nozzle is relatively less in case of radial thrust in case of VS4 and VS5 types is higher

JULY 2005 41
Pump selection parameters

as casing is volute type and hence bearing life can VS5 in addition to advantages like simple design offer
be relatively lower. advantages of availability of different materials includ-
ing plastic. Also the pumped liquid does not contact or
4) Higher efficiency: Specific speed of VS1 type can be pressurize the mechanical seal. The later is important
higher as required head is achieved through multi- as the mechanical seal is exposed to vapours in the
staging while specific speed of VS4 and VS5 type is tank which are usually at lower pressure.
lower as head is achieved in a single stage. Higher This low pressure operation simplifies mechanical seal
specific speed leads to higher efficiency. selection and enhances the seal life. On other hand for
VS1 type the mechanical seal is required to seal higher
5) Setting height change: For the available VS1 type the pressure pumped liquid which calls for more attention
setting height can be changed easily by simply chang- during selection.
ing the number of column pipes with the line shafts In Jamnagar Refinery we opted for VS1 type pumps as
while for VS4 type number of column pipes with line against VS4 or VS5 for many applications involving
shafts and also the discharge pipes are to be changed clean liquids and hydrocarbons requiring fulfilment of
which is cumbersome. The setting height for VS5 API 610-8th ed (13) after conducting design audit based
which is of cantilever type is restricted by maximum on reference (8). For application like molten sulphur,
possible single shaft length and is usually eight meters and liquid containing solids and sludge VS4 and VS5
or less. As such setting height for VS4 and VS5 types were selected.
is rarely above ten metres. The setting height above
ten metres is possible in VS1 type. Case III: Submersible vs conventional
The VS4 and VS5 type can be offered with stand pipe pumpsets.
arrangement to cater to change in setting height with The close coupled (impeller mounted on motor shaft)
limitations in operation. The pump can be switched on submersible pumps are now available with special design
only when liquid level in the tank is above pump, features and material of construction (9) to suit liquid
which means switching on with higher submergence properties and plant requirements. The design features
which also means blockage of more inventory. The include compact and simple design aimed at ease of
ease of setting height change of existing VS1 type help installation, modular construction leading to low cost and
during expansion projects. high interchangeability of parts, and incorporation of
temperature, vibration and moisture sensors to enhance
6) Re-rating: The VS1 type can offer a very wide range of reliability. Due to these features they invariably offer an
head and flow domain. This is due to the provision of edge over conventional close coupled pumps or pumps
stage addition to increase the head and possibility of with flexible or rigid coupling for many applications. The
modular design concept used during development of advantages are elaborated below:
the pump series. The change in bowl assembly with-
out changing the column pipe assembly is relatively 1) Ease of installation: No need of pump house for the
easy for VS1 type pump. This means rearing of exist- pump motor unit as it is submerged in the liquid to
ing VS1 type pump assembly to cater to revised head be pumped. The pump can easily be placed in tanks
and flow is easy. and containers or in a sump of simple construction
requiring prefabricated concrete and steel structure
7) Special applications: The VS4 and VS5 types are which means much shorter construction times. The
preferred for special applications like handling molten pump requires less head-room for raising it from the
sulphur, concentrated acids, liquids containing sludge sump. All these features are available for less floor
and fibrous materials, and slurries. For such applica- space and less civil cost. These features make it
tions single stage pumps, in general are suitable as possible to install the pump closer to the point of
head encountered in refineries can be handled by need, thereby simplifying the piping. Floor space
single stage pumps operated at 1450 to 2950 rev/min. can be kept clean which means better working
The VS1 type multistage or under circumstances single conditions. Submerged installation also means that
stage are not preferred due to their lower clearances, they are safe against flooding.
non availability of suitable designs to handle sludge
and other difficult liquids like molten sulphur which 2) Alignment: The close coupled pump and motor are
requires steam heating and an arrangement for drain- mounted on single short shaft which eliminates
age of molten sulphur on shut down (7). The VS4 and costs like alignment equipment, skilled manpower

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Pump selection parameters

trained for alignment and downtime required to


carry out the alignment. For such applications in case of pump breakdown the
submersible pumps prove safer as leakage to environ-
3) Noise pollution: The noise level of these pumps is very ment does not occur.
low and hence offers environmentally better working
condition, eliminates the need of acoustic hood and 7) Energy consumption: The submersible motor efficiency
permits the installation near residential buildings. is relatively lower than conventional dry motor but
overall economics based on above factor is in favour
4) Simple piping: As the unit is submerged in liquid no of submersible pump sets (9, 10).
special suction piping is required. This means suction The submersible units, however, can have following
pipes, bends, valves, strainers and support structures disadvantages:
are eliminated. This simplifies system calculations 1) They cover relatively limited Q-H domain when
and also sump design. The discharge piping can be compared with conventional dry motor driven
provided with automatic bolt free connection which pumps.
is operator friendly and allows easy installation and 2) The repair of submersible motor requires addi-
fast removal of pumpset for replacement or mainte- tional facilities and skills.
nance. The other advantages include lower capital
investment cost, lower construction cost and fewer Case IV: Suction specific speed
components to service. Suction specific speed (nqs) of a centrifugal pump is an
index relating flow (Q per impeller eye in m3/s), net positive
5) Reliability: The submerged operation and absence of suction head required (NPSHR in m) and rotative speed (N
suction piping offers more NPSHA thereby reducing in revolution/minute). It is expressed mathematically by
chances of cavitation damage leading to higher impeller the following equation:
life. A smaller pump can be selected due to higher
NPSHA. The excessive motor heat is transferred to the nqs = N (Q)0.5 / (NPSHR)0.75
surrounding liquid thereby enhancing the motor life.
The need of cooling system is eliminated. Suction specific speed is calculated for the pumps
The shorter shaft length minimizes strain on bearings performance at best efficiency point with the maximum
and shaft sealing. Due to absence of suction piping the diameter impeller and provides an assessment of a pumps
problems related to clogging of suction strainer and susceptibility to internal recirculation (1).
valves are avoided. The need for reliable and trouble free operation makes
Submerged operation avoids the problem of corro- the pump users/ consultants impose various evaluation
sion and/or freezing of water lines. The submersible criteria for pump selection and limiting the acceptable nqs
units can be provided with special protection de- to 213 (11000 US Units, i.e. speed in rev/min, flow in US
vices like moisture, temperature and vibration sen- gpm and NPSHR in ft) is one of them.
sors which can enhance the overall life and meantime The basis for this limitation on acceptable nqs could be
between failures. traced to the pump failure analysis carried out in the U.S.A
in the sixties and seventies for which the collected data
6) Wide range of application: These units are usually pertained to the then available pump designs in the U.S.A.
available in modular design which means the perform- The statistical analysis of the pump failures seemed to
ance of the pump can be easily modified to suit indicate that pumps with nqs 213 (11000 US Units) have
changing needs. In other words re-rating of the existing higher probability of failure (11).
unit can be simple. On the other hand the German and European pump
The pumps can be used for cryogenic applications manufacturers experience, though not substantiated with
involving handling of liquid like LNG, LPG, and statistical study, suggested that there was a large popula-
liquid ammonia where very low NPSH is available. tion of pumps with nqs 213 (11000 US Units) operating
They are also available for handling hydrocarbons without any problem. The German pump industry had
like Oil, Gasoline, Butane. They are suitable for all conducted systematic scientific research on pumps with nqs
kind of effluents, sewage and dirty water applica- 213 (11000 US Units) at a German University in which
tions. They can find application in iron and steel, extensive performance tests involving measurement of
food processing, sea water, industrial water and factors like vibration, shaft deflection and pressure pulsa-
sugar industries. tion were carried out (12). The tests proved that high nqs

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does not have direct correlation with the above factors that respect to the relevance of suction specific speed for the perform-
contribute to pump failure. This clearly indicates that with ance and reliability of centrifugal pumps. Proceedings of the
improved hydraulic design it is possible to have higher thirteenth international pump users symposium.
reliability of pump performance of pumps having nqs 213 (13) API Standard 610, 8th ed: Centrifugal Pumps for Petroleum, Heavy
(11000 in US units). It is interesting to note that the standard Duty Chemical, and Gas Industry Services.
API 610, 8th edition (13) very clearly mentions that apart (14) J. F. Glich: Selection criteria for suction impellers of centrifugal
from other factors the vendor experience on pump design pumps, Part 1. World Pumps, January 2001.
should be taken into account before selecting the accept-
able nqs while API 610-10th edition (1) leaves it totally to the
purchaser to decide. Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the management of
Based on the above it can be concluded that good pump Reliance Engineering Associates Limited for granting per-
designs with higher nqs can have reliable and trouble free mission for publication.
performance and there is no solid basis for imposing the
limitation of 213 (11000 US Units) on the acceptable nqs PetroMin thanks D. K. Shukla, D. K. Chaware and R. B.
(14). It would be better to check with other end users Swamy for contributing this paper. PET

performance of identical pumps for similar duty param-


eters to decide the selection. Our plant experience had D. K. Shukla is Process Engineering
proved that pumps with nqs 213 (11000 US Units) are Manager with Reliance Engineering As-
working without any problem. sociates Limited at Refinery Complex,
Jamnagar - India. He has more than 25
The second and concluding part will discuss cooling years of experience process and sys-
water pump selection and will appear in next issue of this tems engineering in hydrocarbon processing indus-
publication. tries including oil/gas production facilities, refining
and petrochemical processes. His previous experi-
Reference: ence include working with Engineers India Ltd., New
(1) ANSI/API Standard 610, 10th ed. October 2004: Centrifugal Delhi; MW Kellogg, Houston; and BOC Gases in
Pumps for Petroleum, Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries. Murray Hill (NJ)/Guildford (UK).
(2) API Standard 682, 2nd ed: Shaft Sealing Systems for Centrifugal
Deepak K Chaware is Rotating Equip-
and Rotary Pumps.
ment Engineer with Reliance Engineer-
(3) UOP Standard Specification No. 5-11-4 for Centrifugal Pumps.
(4) Heinz P. Bloch: A hundred-plus points to improve pump reliabil- ing Associates Limited at Refinery
ity, Part 3 Hydrocarbon Processing, May 2004. Complex, Jamnagar - India. He received
(5) Charles C Heald, DG. Perry: Design and operation of pumps or an M.Tech degree in Mechanical Engi-
hot standby service. Proceedings of Fifth International Pump neering from Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai
Users Symposium. Texas A & M University, Houston May 1998. - India. He has more than 20 years of experience in
(6) William E. Nelson, John W. Dufour: Problem-free pumping the field of centrifugal pump design, testing and
system A guide to holistic design. Chemical Engineering, selection. He has worked with leading pump manu-
January 1995. facturers such as Beacon Weir Ltd, Sulzer Pumps
(7) Correspondence with Mr. J. Fatzinger of Lewis Pumps USA. India Ltd and KSB Pumps India Ltd.
(8) Heinz P Bloch: Auditing vertical pump mechanical reliability. Rajkumar B Swamy is a Process Engi-
Hydrocarbon Processing August 2003. neer working with Reliance Engineering
(9) Dipl.-Ing. A. Kratzer et al: Tauchmotorpumpen aus Korrosions Associates Limited at the Jamnagar Re-
und verschlei_bestndigen Werkstoffen; wirtschaftliche Al-
finery Complex - India. He has six years
ternative zu Wellentauchpumpen fur die chemische und
of experience in the field of process
verfahrenstechnische Industrie. Pumpentagung Karlsruhe84, 02,
design, plant design, detailed engineering in the petro-
bis 04, Oktober 1984.
leum refineries. He is a chemical engineering graduate
(10) Dr. Ing. Heinz Dieter Hellmann et al: Unterwassermotorpumpe;
from Gulbarga University, Karnataka India and his
Konzept mit vielen Anwendungs-mglichkeiten. Pumpentagung
previous experience include working with Hindustan
Karlsruhe84, 02, bis 04, Oktober 1984.
(11) J. L. Hallam: Centrifugal pumps: which suction specific speeds are Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mumbai Refinery.
acceptable? Hydrocarbon Processing, April 1982.
(12) Bernd Stoffel and Ralf Jaeger: Experimental investigations in ENQUIRY NUMBER: 07-06

JULY 2005 45

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