FLUID MACHINERY

Chapter 1
PUMPS AND PUMPING
Part III
Application of Pumps.
System Head Curve
=
H H s + hΣ

Total loss

  Q
2
l
 ∑ λ + ∑ζ  2 =
hΣ = kQ 2
 d  2A g
=
H H s + kQ 2

System head curve

H

HS

Q
2
 Operating Point

The operating point of the centrifugal

H pump is the intersection point of the
System curve
pump characteristic curve and system
head curve
Pump curve
HS

Best efficiency operating point

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 Shell Diagram of the Pump

Best efficiency point

4
 System and Pump Curves

A corresponding variable for the power input, efficiency of the pump

and NPSHR value is assigned to each duty point.

5
 Flow Rate Pulsations

Change of the flow rate with a fluctuating static head

The flat pump curves produce relatively large flow rate fluctuations, and those for
steeper ones are smaller.
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 Stability of Pump Operation

unstable stable

HP – required
P P
piping head

A1 : Q ↑⇒ H ↑⇒ Q ↑ ⇒ stability

A2 : Q ↑⇒ H ↑⇒ Q ↑ ⇒ instability

Centrifugal pumps with the characteristic curve having a maximum in the low flow rate
range can fall into the surging mode.
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 Changing the Operating Point

For changing the operating point of the pump we have either to change system
head curve or pump head curve.
Throttling control
If the pump does not deliver the
required service flow rate, then
throttling control (gate valve or
orifice) must be used to set duty
point B at flow rate Q. This means an
additional pipe hydraulic loss ∆Hdyn .
Notes.
- Additional loss in a suction part poses
the danger of cavitation.
-The drop in head is converted to heat in
the throttling device. For this reason
pumps with a flat H(Q) curve should be
used where possible for throttling control.
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Changing the Operating Point

Variable speed control

The semiconductor frequency
converters can be used to change
the rotation rate .

The pump similarity rules are

used to calculate a new speed n2
that the pump curve intersects
the system head curve at duty
point B2.

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 Operation of Pumps in Parallel
Parallel operation using two centrifugal pumps with the same characteristic curves

1 2

ρ gQ1+ 2 H 2η1η 2
η
= = = ηB2 (η= η= η B 2 < η B1 )
ρ gQ1+ 2 H ( 2η1 ) + ρ gQ1+ 2 H ( 2η2 ) η2 + η1 1 2

10
 Operation of Pumps in Parallel
Parallel operation of two centrifugal pumps with different characteristic curves

Pumps with nearly the

same head should be
used for working in
parallel

Flow rate of two

pumps working in
parallel are somewhat
less than flow rate
each of them would
have when operating
singly.
Efficiency of each pump
ρ gQ1+ 2 H η1η2 when they work in
η = Q1+ 2
ρ gQ1 H η1 + ρ gQ2 H η2 Q1η2 + Q2η1 parallel are also less.
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 Operation of Pumps in Series

Pumps operating in series are used for the increase of pressure (head)

HS ρ gQH1+ 2
=η =
ρ gQH1 η1 + ρ gQH 2 η2
η1η2
= H1+ 2
H1η 2 + H 2η1
Hw = f (Q) − system curve
HC = a+b
H = f (Q) − pump curve
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 Operation of Pumps in Junction

Notes

• Pumps operation in series is little effective when system curve is flat.

The steeper is the system curve the greater is the head increase.
• Operation of pumps in parallel is little effective when system curve is steep.
The steeper is the system curve the less is the flow rate increase.
• When pumps operates in series not only head is increased but the flow rate
too.
• When pumps operates in parallel not only flow rate is increased but the
head too.
• Total efficiency when pumps work in series is less than efficiency of each
pump operating singly. Thus application of pumps in serial junction is less
economically sound than use of single pump with necessary head.
• Efficiency of the pumps parallel work is less than that for individual pump
operation.
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 Effect of Liquid Viscosity on Performance
of a Pump
With the increase of viscosity the pumping liquid the flow rate and head reduce,
accompanied by an increase in power input, i.e. efficiency is lowered.
Correction factors

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 Cavitation

NPSHA and NPSHR in the H(Q) diagram

p1 V12 pv
NPSH = + −
ρ g 2g ρ g

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Impact of an Inducer on NPSHR

There is some deterioration of NPSH

in the partial load zone , produced
by pre-rotating of the input flow

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