1.

0 Title : Performance of Pump

2.0 Objective : To measure and study the performance characteristics for a variable
speed centrifugal pump operating at 3 different impeller speeds.

3.0 Introduction :
One of the most common radial-flow turbo machines is the centrifugal pump. The type of
pump has two main components: an impeller attached to a rotation shaft and a stationary
casing (or housing) enclosing the impeller. Schematic diagram of basic elements of
centrifugal pump is as shown below.

Figure 1. Basic Elements of a Centrifugal Pumps

Energy is added to the fluid by the rotating blades and both reassure and absolute velocity
are increased as the fluid flows from the eye to the periphery of into the blades. The
kinetic energy is converted into further increases in pressure as the fluid flows from the
impeller into the casing enclosing the impeller.

Due to the general complexity of flow through a centrifugal pump, the actual
performance of the pump cannot be predicted on a completely theoretical basis. Actual
pump performance is determined experimentally through tests on the pump and the
results are presented as pump performance curves. Performance characteristics for a given
pump geometry and operating seed are usually given in the form of plots of head rise,
efficiency and power versus flow rate (commonly referred as capacity). This information
 is most helpful to the engineer responsible for incorporating pumps into a given pipe flow
system.

Consider the experimental arrangement for determining the head rise (or pressure rise) gained
by a fluid flowing through a pump, as shown schematically below.

Figure 2 : Experimental Arrangement for Pump Performance Characteristic.

The pump head rise can be be expressed using the energy equation as

hh22  ((pp22  pp11))// pg

pg  ((zz22  zz11)) ((VV222 VV112))//22gg
2 2

..…….(1)

Typically the differences in elevations and velocities (between inlet and outlet) are so small
so that

h p  ( p2  p1 ) / pg

….…..(2)

The power, Pf gained by the fluid is given by the equation

Pf  pgQh p

….…..(3)

The pump overall efficiency n , is the ratio of power actually gained by the fluid to the shaft
power supplied Wshaft as given by the equation
 
n  Pf / W shaft

….…..(4)


Where, W shaft the shaft power, is the product of the Torque applied to the shaft and the
angular velocity, w.


W shaft  Tshaft( t )

….…..(5)

Where

2N
w
60

Typical performance curve for the axial centrifugal pump of a given size operating at constant
speed is shown below:
 Figure 3 : Typical Characteristics of an Axial Centrifugal Pump

4.0 Apparatus : Speed controller

Main control valve

Pressure indicator (%)

Motor speed (rpm)

Pressure selector

Water flowrate (lpm)

Motor power (W)

Main switch

5.0 Experimental Procedure :

1. The circulation tank is filled with water
2. The valve (V5) is initially fully closed
3. The motor speed is set to maximum by turning the speed controller fully
clockwise
4. The main power supply is switched on
5. The main switch on the control panel is switched on and all digital indicators
illuminated
6. Valves are set correctly according to the operation requirement as follow
below :
 Pump Operation Running Pump Open Valve Close valve
Single P1 V1, V2 V2, V3
Serial P1 & P2 V1, V3 V2, V4
Parallel P1 & P2 V1, V2, V4 V3

7. The pump is on and V5 is open slowly until the desired flow rate is achieved
8. The pump speed selector switch to monitor the pump speed is used
9. The pressure selector switch to read the pressure in the process streams is used
10. The pump speed controller is turned clockwise to increase the pump speed or
anticlockwise to decrease the pump speed
6.0 Result:

No. Pump Volume Hosepower Pressure Pressure Head Power

of speed, N flow rate, (bhp) inlet outlet Pump (kw)
Data (rpm) Q (mᶟ/s) (kPa) (kPa) (hp)
1 2383 0.00200 486 -96.526 19.305 0.0118 0.2315
2 2333 0.00160 460 -62.053 94.458 0.0160 0.2511
3 2278 0.00120 436 -32.405 137.895 0.0174 0.2048
4 2228 0.00080 407 -6.895 172.369 0.0183 0.1436
5 2173 0.00035 359 0 193.053 0.0197 0.0676
6 2118 0 291 6.895 220.632 0.0218 0
Table 1: Experiment table for 100% speed.

No. Pump Volume Hosepower Pressure Pressure Head power

of speed, N flow rate, (bhp) inlet outlet Pump (kw)
Data (rpm) Q (mᶟ/s) (kPa) (kPa) (hp)
1 1906 0.00125 185 -34.474 0 0.003514 0.04309
2 1856 0.00100 180 -20.684 21.373 0.004287 0.04206
3 1801 0.00075 174 -6.895 51.711 0.005974 0.04395
4 1751 0.00050 167 0 68.948 0.007028 0.03447
5 1701 0.00025 157 4.137 82.737 0.008012 0.01965
6 1646 0 138 6.895 89.632 0.008434 0
Table 2: Experiment table for 80% speed.

No. Pump Volume Hosepower Pressure Pressure Head Power

of speed, flow rate, (bhp) inlet outlet Pump (kw)
Data N Q (mᶟ/s) (kPa) (kPa) (hp)
(rpm)
1 1668.1 0.0007833 132 0 0 0 0
2 1618 0.0006267 130 0 0 0 0
3 1563 0.0004700 124 0 17.237 0.001757 0.0081
4 1508 0.0003133 122 0.689 31.026 0.003092 0.0095
5 1455 0.0001567 120 0.689 34.474 0.003444 0.0053
6 1404 0 114 0.689 37.921 0.003800 0
Table 3: Experiment table for 70% speed
 Head Pump vs Flow Rate
0.0250.0218
0.0197
0.02 0.0183 0.0174
Head Pump, hp 0.0160
0.015 0.0118

0.01

0.005

0
0.00000 0.00050 0.00100 0.00150 0.00200 0.00250
Flow rate (100%), mᶟ/s

Head Pump(hp)

Graph 1: Head Pump Vs Flow Rate (100% speed)

Head Pump vs Flow Rate

0.008434
0.009 0.008012
0.008 0.007028
0.007 0.005974
Head Pump, hp

0.006
0.005 0.004287
0.003514
0.004
0.003
0.002
0.001
0
0.00000 0.00020 0.00040 0.00060 0.00080 0.00100 0.00120 0.00140
Flow rate (80%), mᶟ/s

Head Pump(hp)

Graph 2: Head Pump Vs Flow Rate (80% speed)

 Head Pump vs Flow Rate
0.003800
0.004 0.00344
0.0035 0.00309
0.003
Head pump, hp

0.0025
0.00176
0.002
0.0015
0.001
0.0005 0 0
0
0.0000000 0.0001000 0.0002000 0.0003000 0.0004000 0.0005000 0.0006000 0.0007000 0.0008000 0.0009000
-0.0005
Flow rate (70%), mᶟ/s

Head Pump(hp)

Graph 3: Head Pump Vs Flow Rate (70% speed)

Example calculation:

Rate: 100%

Set Data 1:

Flow rate, Q = 0.002 mᶟ/s 𝑃𝑖𝑛 = −96.526 𝑘𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 19.305 𝑘𝑃𝑎

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 −𝑃𝑖𝑛
Head pump = 𝜌𝑔

19.305−(−96.526)
= 1000(9.81)

= 0.0118 hp

Power = 𝜌𝑔𝑄(ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝)

= (1000)(9.81)(0.002)(0.0118)

= 0.2315 kW
7.0 Discussion:

From this experiment that we had conduct, the experiment title is performance
of pump. The data that have been collected shows that the parameters such as total
head, flow rate and input power will change if the speed is changed. So, it is
important to know that only suitable parameters can safely control a pump at different
speeds. The result showed that the flow rate of each speed have the different value.
The graph of head pump versus flow rate shows that when the flow is decreases, the
speed will increases. Which means it is inversely proportional to its speed. The result
also showed that the pressure inlet which is initial pressure will increase when exist at
pressure outlet that can be identified at the table. For an example at 100% setting at
speed of 2383 rpm, the pressure inlet is at -96.526 kPa and at pressure outlet the value
become 19.305 kPa. This showed that the outlet pressure is higher than the inlet
pressure.

Affinity laws also known as an equation when the relationships of rotor dynamic
pump performance parameters of flow, head and power absorbed to speed. The flow
rate (Q) is directly proportional to rotational speed (N), Q ∞ N. Then, the head (H) is
inversely proportional to the square of the rotational speed, H ∞ N2 and lastly the
power absorbed (P) is inversely proportional to the cube of the rotational speed, P ∞
N3. However, each of the graph have different speed setting, the graph 1,2 and 3
showed that head pump is inversely proportional to the flow rate. This is because
when the flow rate increase the head pump will decreased.
 Performance of pump

8.0 Conclusion:

In conclusion, the experiment was success as the main objective which is to measure and to study
the performance characteristics for a variable speed centrifugal pump operating at 3 different impeller
speeds have achieved. This can be proof by the result that has been show at the result section. It shows
all the value that needed for this experiment. This result has been done by following the procedure of
this experiment.

The result of experiment is difference from the theoretical value. This might happen because of
the some errors that occur during this experiment. One of the errors is calculating the error. This
might happen because of the accuracy and precision of the experimental measurement is low. Other
than that is, random errors that happen because of the measurement is not to be taken in multiple time
to get more accurate value. Lastly, systematic error that happen because of the user is misread the
instrument value.

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 Performance of pump

9.0 References :

1. Munson, Bruce R, et al.Fundamental of fluid mechanics 7th Edition. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.: United States of America, 2013. Print

2. Hirschi, R., Dupont, Ph., Avellan, F., Favre, J.-N., Guelich, J.-F., and Parkinson, E.,
1998, “Centrifugal Pump Performance Drop Due to Leading Edge Cavitation:
Numerical Predictions Compared With Model Tests,” ASME J. Fluids Eng. 120, No.
4, pp. 705–711.

3. Williams, A. A. (1994). The turbine performance of centrifugal pumps: a comparison

of prediction methods. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part
A: Journal of Power and Energy, 208(1), 59-66.

4. Williams AA. The turbine performance of centrifugal pumps: a comparison of

prediction methods. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A:
Journal of Power and Energy. 1994 Feb;208(1):59-66.

5. Medvitz, Richard B., et al. "Performance analysis of cavitating flow in centrifugal

pumps using multiphase CFD." Journal of Fluids Engineering 124.2 (2002): 377-383.

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