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Pump selection
Centrifugal pump
selection process
Centrifugal pumps can be used in many applications, but in order
to operate reliably, with optimal energy use and maximum life span,
a pumps design characteristics must suit the intended service.
Correct pump selection is the first step to ensure this, as Eduardo
Larralde and Rafael Ocampo demonstrate in this first of two articles.
O
perational versatility is an 1. Denition of the technological process 10. Determination of available NPSH.
outstanding feature of centrifugal outline and main process parameters such
11. Preliminary selection of the pump
pumps that has contributed to as ow, pressure and temperature.
type, design, position, driver, type of
their extended use in a wide range of
2. Determination of the required sealing, and cooling of seal and bearings
applications. But, although a centrifugal
pumping services. if required.
pump can serve many dierent operating
conditions, it will not provide suitable and 3. Complete description of the uid to be 12. Determination of the type of drive
satisfactory performance in all of them. handled in each pumping service (type unit (electric motor, steam turbine, etc.)
of uid, temperature, density, viscosity, and its main operating parameters. In
In order for a pump to run correctly,
corrosiveness, erosiveness, vapour pressure, the case of an electric motor, special
without wasting energy or sustaining
solids in suspension, toxicity, volatility). attention should be paid to its eciency
internal damage, its design characteristics
(only high-eciency motors should be
must be suitable for the intended service. 4. Plot of general layout of the plant
specied) and to the advisability of using
Therefore, the correct selection of the and determination of available space in
a variable speed drive (VSD).
pump is the rst step in guaranteeing three dimensions.
ecient and appropriate performance, In the authors experience, the buyer
5. General arrangement and dimensions
reliable operation and a reasonably long should take the preliminary denitions
of the piping according to the recom-
life span. highlighted in item 11 and include
mended velocities for each uid and type
them in the technical specications of
In spite of the existence of a large volume of pipe.
the bid request sent to the suppliers.
of literature concerning the selection of
6. Determination of elevation for suction This action should not eliminate the
pumps, there are still essential aspects that
and discharge points or vessels relative to possibility and advisability of communica-
are sometimes overlooked, leading to an
the centre line of the pump. tion and exchange of criteria between
inadequate selection. The main purpose of
buyer and seller leading to mutually
this article is to review the most important 7. Preliminary calculation of friction losses
agreed changes.
technological details to be dened before and plotting of system characteristic curve.
seeking a quotation for a new centrifugal Consider allowance for future corrosion After gathering all the information
pump, the aspects to be included in the of pipes. outlined in the 12 items listed above,
enquiry and those to be carefully checked the buyer will be ready to prepare the
8. Denition of the working parameters
in the oers received before taking the specications for the quotation request.
of the pump, namely, capacity, head,
decision as to which is the best pump to According to the API 610 standard1,
suction and discharge pressures, taking
full the required service. a good practice is to ll in as much
into account any possibility of variations
information as possible in the data sheet
in pressure or temperature at dierent
shown in its appendix. Undoubtedly, this
Preliminary denitions pumping conditions.
data sheet is a valuable document for
The initial selection process for any pump 9. Determination of any possible excep- pump owners, which is why its length
should include the following steps: tional start, stop or running conditions. has increased from one page in the Fifth
Edition (March 1971) to ve pages in the the process; using several pumps in parallel; eciency, NPSH(R) and power consump-
Eighth Edition (August 1995). or using a VSD. tion, all of them plotted against the
capacity of the pump. The scope of these
The rst box shows the data that must be It may happen that the option adopted entails
curves should cover at least up to 125%
included in the technical specication. The the pump running in a capacity range wider
of the pump capacity at the BEP. Addition-
data shown relate to an actual pump whose than the recommended 80% 110% of the
ally, headcapacity curves for minimum
selection will be discussed in the case study to ow at the best eciency point (BEP), losing
and maximum impeller diameters should
be presented in the second article in this two- not only eciency but also reliability, as shown
be shown. The necessary corrections for
part series. The second box shows the required in Figure 12.
viscosity should be clearly indicated. The
scope of supply. Additionally, the minimum safe ow recom- area of ow for the eye of the rst-stage
Nevertheless, the previously listed informa- mended by the manufacturer for the pump impeller as well as its identity number
tion is not enough. Operational require- should be clearly stated in order to prepare should also be shown. Although the API
ments are of the upmost importance, the system to ensure the safe, continuous 610 standard requires the inclusion of these
and therefore should be dened with the operation of the pump when the process ow data for the rst-stage impeller in the char-
maximum accuracy. Frequently, capacity demand is lower than that value. acteristic curves, it should be pointed out
and head are established only for normal that only a few manufacturers do so and
and maximum values without taking into therefore this information will have to be
Bid analysis
account that the pump could run through insisted on by the buyer. The worst case is
a wide range of capacities and that the At this point the buyer is ready to ask for when the supplier fails to include the e-
process may not allow pressure dierences preliminary oers in order to carry out ciency curve or the NPSH(R) curve, which is
beyond certain limits. This is just the case a thorough analysis of the characteristic completely unacceptable if a correct selec-
curves of the oered pumps and, of course, tion of the pump is to be made.
in the example to be presented in the next
a detailed check of all the other informa-
article. This condition will obviously force Secondly, the rotational speed, density and
tion contained in the oers. When checking
an arrangement to be found to full that viscosity to which the curves relate must
the characteristic curves there are three
basic requirement with the highest possible be taken into consideration. If they do not
main aspects to consider.
eciency. Several options could be consid- match up with the data in the bid request
ered, such as choosing a pump whose Q-H Firstly, the API 610 standard must be it will be necessary to do the pertinent
(capacityhead) characteristic curve is at fullled concerning the supply of all the corrections. Failure to do this detailed
enough to satisfy the conditions imposed by required curves, namely, dierential head, checking can cause misunderstandings,
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26 Feature
WORLD PUMPS February 2010
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Feature 27
WORLD PUMPS February 2010
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28 Feature
WORLD PUMPS February 2010
Scope of supply
Pump.
Induction electric motor (with VSD if
required).
Steel base plate, common to pump and
motor.
Flexible coupling.
Protection of mobile parts.
Counter anges, neck type UNI/DIN for
welding to ANSI Schedule 40 pipes.
Technical documentation, which
should include: complete data sheets
for pump and driver as stated by API
610; drawings and specifications for
driver, coupling and pump; materials
specications; characteristic curves;
installation, operation and maintenance
instructions; lubrication instructions;
spare parts recommendations; and
so on.
Inspection and testing certicates as per
the scope stated by API 610.
References
problems and therefore increases its reli- full the standards regarding the type of test
ability (Figure 1). to be made, the correct application of the [1] API 610, Centrifugal Pumps for
test procedure and the handing over of the Petroleum, Heavy Duty Chemical and
Nowadays, the increase in the costs associ-
resulting test data. More frequently than is Gas Industry Services, Eighth Edition,
ated with running a pump, mainly the cost
desirable, some manufacturers submit scant American Petroleum Institute, (1995).
of energy, has made the initial cost less
information on tests results. Depending on
important when compared with the LCC [2] E. Braun and W. Leiber, The right
the quantity and importance of the equip-
of the pump, making the LCC calculation pump lowers total cost of ownership,
ment being bought, the buyer should assess
an indispensable tool to be used for the World Pumps, No. 491, pp. 3033, (2007).
the practicality of his personnel or hired tech-
acquisition of any type of pump. After the
nicians participating in the shop inspection [3] B. Went, The systems approach to
full selection process described has been
and testing of the pumps. reducing carbon emissions, World Pumps,
completed, the nal selection of the pump
No. 500, pp. 5255, (2008).
can be made. The buyer should conrm that the standard
applied for manufacture and testing [4] L. Dingley, Will sustainability end
is a recognized international standard up costing the earth?, World Pumps,
Other considerations No. 494, pp. 2628, (2007).
and should check it and verify that it
satises requirements. [5] P. Noll, Determining the real cost
Besides the selection of the pump itself there
are some points worth considering. Shop In the second article a case study will be of powering a pump, World Pumps,
inspection and testing of the pumps must discussed, applying all the procedures No. 496, pp. 3234, (2008).
Contact
Eduardo Larralde
E-mail: larralde@quimica.minbas.cu
Rafael Ocampo
E-mail: rocampod@gmail.com
Figure 3. Typical breakdown of pump costs.
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