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Suction Bell Design and Application Considerations

Written by Lakhbir Chauhan P.E., Pump Consulting Services, Inc.

The design of the pump and surrounding systems can be determined by the size of the suction bell.
The suction bell (Figure 1) is an essential component of a vertical axial, mixed flow or turbine pump. It is the component that provides smooth passage of fluids to the flow into the propeller/ impeller from the formed intake or the sump. The suction bell is generally connected to the impeller intake with a flanged connection for manufacturing and removal convenience. As the name suggests, the area of the suction bell decreases gradually from the suction tip to the impeller diameter. This feature provides uniform acceleration to the flow as well as flow guidance into the impeller. General applications include open suction vertical pumps for flood control and lift stations, pump barrels for high head transfer stations and for large volume water transfer from canals for cooling applications in the power plants.

Figure 1. (right) Suction Bell

Design Considerations
The following considerations will dictate the design of the suction bell: 1. The suction bell design is tied to the submergence requirements for optimum pump performance in vertical axial and mixed flow pumps. 2. Larger diameter suction bells reduce submergence requirements. Lower submergence requirements reduce the depth of the station, which reduces construction costs. 3. The diameter of the suction bell is optimized to suit the pump and the station design. 4. Larger diameter suction bells make the installation more challenging, requiring larger floor openings. 5. All the station dimensions can be related to suction bell diameter. 6. The height of the suction bell is dictated by the pump design. 7. Extensions called suction umbrellas can be added to the suction bell to increase its influence after installation. 8. The performance of a pump is seriously impacted by the vortex, eddy and swirl in the intake sump. These phenomena can be partially controlled with the suction bell design. 9. Custom designed suction bells can reduce operating costs and station costs. 10. The suction bell works as a housing for the tail bearing. 11. Most manufacturers keep the suction bell diameter as a multiplier of the impeller diameter ranging from

1.25 to 2.0 times. 12. The generally acceptable multiplier is close to 1.5 times the impeller diameter. 13. Slower velocities through the bell inlet are recommended. However, the cost of manufacture increases.

Design Parameters
Many factors must be considered when designing a suction bell to ensure optimum pumps operation and efficiency. Suction Bell Sizing Hecker (Hecker, G.E., 1987) proposed a formula to compute the optimum submergence for a vertical pump as follows: S = D (1 + 2.3* Fd) (Eq 1) S = Minimum submergence in ft D = The Suction Bell diameter in ft Fd = Froude Number (Dimensionless) The Froude Number is computed from the following equation: Fd = (V/g*D) (Eq 2) V = Flow velocity at the suction bell entrance (feet/second) g = 32.2 ft/sec2 Since flow through the pump can vary considerably, all the calculations can be referenced to the best efficiency/design point. Another consideration could be the maximum flow through the pump at the lowest head during continuous operation. Equations 1 and 2 are heavily dependent on D, the suction bell diameter. As is obvious, increasing the suction bell diameter reduces the submergence. If the use of a suction umbrella is considered, the reduction in submergence can be substantial. Intake Structure Layout The intake structure layout and design can be conveniently expressed in the suction bell diameters. The planned width of the intake bay is generally recommended as 2D, the clearance under the suction bell as D/2 and the centerline of the pump from the back wall in plan is 0.75 D. The overall width of the station intake is: N * 2D + W (Eq 3) N = the number of pumps W = the outside wall width. The flat approach area is generally set to be greater than 5D from the pump centerline. The above considerations are based on the approach velocity of less than 1.5 feet/second. A larger suction bell increases the bay width and helps reduce the submergence to obtain the same approach velocity. Vortex Formation in the Sump

Vortex formation can cause serious performance issues leading to inefficiency and vibrations. Performance issues can become critical enough to make the pump in-operational causing serious financial loss. Vortex formation can be shown to be dependent on the Froude number and the sump dimensions. Both these parameters have been shown to depend on the suction bell diameter, submergence and geometry of the sump. The suction bell is a big controlling factor in the functional design of the sump. The design can be further refined and enhanced with physical/numerical modeling. Suction Bell Height The design is based on a gradual increase of the velocity from the lip of the bell to the impeller inlet. Shorter heights can cause higher losses. Excessive heights become expensive. The height can be easily optimized by physical layout based on defined flow acceleration.

Conclusion
Obviously, the suction bell has a pervasive influence on the pump and the station design. Almost all the design dimensions for the station can be expressed in terms of the suction bell diameter for ultimate convenience. Axial and mixed flow pump performance is tied to the sump design which in turn can be tied to the suction bell design. The suction bell diameter can be used for initial layout and design of large volume water transfer or dewatering pump stations and further checked with physical and numerical modeling. Dewatering? Pumps & Systems, March 2011

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