Chapter 5:

Hydraulic Turbo Machinery

Centrifugal Pump
Dr. SALVADOR VARGAS DAZ
Departamento de Ingeniera Mecnica
Universidad Libre

Semestre 2014-II

Types of Pumps
There are many pump classifications. One classification is
according to the method energy is imparted to the liquid: kinetic
energy, or positive displacement.
A centrifugal pump is of kinetic energy type - it imparts energy to
a liquid by meansof centrifugal force produced by a rotating
impeller.
A positive displacement pumpimparts energy by mechanical
displacement. Piston, diaphragm, plunger, screw,vane, and gear
pumps
are
some
examples.
Centrifugal pumps are widely-used because of its design
simplicity, highefficiency, wide range of capacity and head,
smooth flow rate, and ease ofoperation and maintenance.
(Displacement pumps are of lower flow range andhave pulsating
flow rate).

Description of Centrifugal
Pump
One of the most common radial flow turbo machine is centrifugal
pump. This type of pump has two main components. An impeller
attached to the rotating shaft, and a stationery casing, housing,
or volute enclosing the impeller. The impeller consists of a
number of blades (usually curved) also sometimes called vanes,
arranged in a regular pattern around the shall.

Description of Centrifugal Pump

Impellers are of three types - open impeller, semi-open and
enclosed or shrouded impeller. An open impeller is shown in
Figure (a) where blades are arranged on a hub, semi-open
impeller is shown Figure (b), the blades are backing plate and are
open on the other (casing or shroud) side. Shrouded impeller is
shown in Figure (c) where blades are covered on both hub and
shroud ends. A shrouded impeller will have no peripherial
leakage.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Types of Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps can be grouped into several types using
different criteria suchas its design, construction, application,
service, etc. Thus one specific pump can belong to different
groups andoftentimes this becomes descriptive of the pump
itself.
Some of these groups are:
1. Based on number of impeller/s in the pump
2. Based on impeller suction
3. Based on shaft orientation

Types of Centrifugal Pumps

1. Based on number of impeller/s in the pump:
a) Single stage - pump has one impeller only; for low head
service.
b) Two-stage - pump has two impellers in series; for
medium head
service.
c) Multi-stage - pump has three or more impellers in
series; for high
head service. The number of impellers,
not the number of
volutes, determines the
number ofstages. Thus a pump with 4
volutes but only 3
impellers is normally referred to as a 4-stage
pump
destaged to 3-stage, or 4/3-stage.

Types of Centrifugal Pumps

2. Based on impeller suction:
a) Single suction - pump with single suction impeller
(impeller has suction cavity onone side only); simple design
but impeller is subjected to higher axial thrust imbalance due
to flow coming in on one side of impeller only.
b) Double suction - pump with double suction impeller
(impeller has suction cavities on both sides); has lower
NPSHR than single suction impeller. Pump is considered
hydraulically balanced but is susceptible to uneven flow on
both sides of impeller if suction piping is not done properly.

Types of Centrifugal Pumps

Based on shaft orientation:
Horizontal - pump with shaft in horizontal plane; popular due to ease of
servicing
and maintenance.
Vertical - pump with shaft in vertical plane; ideal when space is
limited or of a
premium, or when pumping from a pit or underground barrel to increase
the
available NPSH.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

Figures bellow show radial flow impeller. The velocity diagram is
drawn at the inlet location 1 and exit location 2. The velocity
diagrams have the same meaning as given earlier.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

For the idealized situation in which there are no losses the
theoretical pressure head across the pump is given by the
Euler's equation.

From the law of cosines, we can write

Substituting values of uV1w cos1 and uV2w cos2

The first term on the right hand represents gain in the kinetic

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

Applying Bernoullis equation between points 1 and 2, we have

Since (Z2 Z1) is often much smaller than (P2 P1)/, it can be eliminated
and thus the
static pressure is given by

Returning to Eulers equation

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

The best design for
momentum entering
pressure rise can take
u1V1w = 0; u1 0, V1w
equation becomes

a pump would be one in which angular

the impeller is zero, so that maximum
place, thus if
= 0 i.e. 1 = 90 then V1= V1f and Eulers

From velocity triangle

Applying equation of continuity in the region of the impeller, flow

rate is given by
Flow rate

Flow velocity

Head, Eulers equation

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

The last equation is of the form
where a1 and a2 are function of machine geometry.

The constant a1 =
/g represents ideal head developed by the
pump for zero flow rate and it is referred to as "shut off" head.
The slope of curve of head versus flow rate depends on sign and
magnitude of a2.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

1. Radial vanes: for radial vanes = 90, and a2 = 0. The whirl
component of absolute velocity V2w at exit is equal to
peripherial velocity u2 and head is independent of flow rate as
shown in Figure bellow.
2. Backward curved vanes: for backward curved vanes < 90
and a2 > 0, then from exit triangle of velocity V2w > u2 and
head decreases with flow rate as shown in Figure bellow.
3. Formed curved vane: for forward curved vanes > 90 and
a2 < 0 then from exit velocity triangle Vw2 > u2 and head
increases with flow rate as shown in Figure bellow.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

For actual pumps, the blade angle 2 falls in the range of 15 - 35, with a
nominal range
of 20 < 2 < 25 and with 15 < 1 < 50. Pumps are not usually
designed with forward
curved since such pumps tend to suffer unstable flow condition.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

The effect of blade angle 2 at outlet on exit velocity triangle. For same
peripherial velocity u2, for forward curved vane V2w > u2, for radial vane
u2 = V2w and for backward curved vane V2w < u2.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

For real fluid flow theoretical head cannot be acquired in practice
due to losses in the pump

Hydraulic efficiency is defined as actual head to theoretical head

Mechanical efficiency is output of pump divided by input shaft

power

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

Overall efficiency is defined as power output divided by power
input

Following relation holds good

where T is the torque applied to the shaft

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

Specific Speed
It is possible to correlate a
turbo pump of a given family
to a dimensionless number
that characterises its operation
at maximum condition. Such a
number is termed specific
speed and is given by

The value of
is usually
based on motor requirement
and values of Q and H are
those at maximum efficiency.
The type of pump is selected
based on value of p . For

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

Figure bellow shows various types of impellers. Their shape depends on
specific speed of the pump.

Analysis of Centrifugal Pump

Cavitation and Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH)
The cavitation has to be avoided in the pump. To characterise
potential for cavitation the difference between the total head on
suction side and vapour pressure head is used. The difference is
called net positive suction head (NPSH)
Total head near the pump impeller is

Liquid vapour pressure head is

Description of Centrifugal Pump

Consider a schematic of pump installation shown in Figure to
illustrate NPSH

For this calculation absolute pressures are to be used since

vapour pressure is in absolute units.

Pumps in Series and Parallel

Pumps in Series
When a high head is required, the required total head could be
divided on two or more units. When the pumps are arranged in
series the inlet of second pump is connected to the outlet of the
first pump so that same flow rate passes through each pump, but
the heads generated by the two pumps are added together for a
given flow rate.

H
H
AA

H
H
H = HA +
HB

BA

Pumps in Series and Parallel

Pumps in Parallel
Usually used when large capacities are required in such the total
capacity could be divided to two or more identical units. When
the pumps are arranged parallel each pump handles part of the
flow rate because the inlets of the pumps as well as the outlets
are coupled together. Thus the total flow rate passing through the
system is equal to the sum of the flow rates passing through the
individual pumps at a given head, which is same for each pump.
Q
A
A

Q
A

Matching Pumps to a System

Demand
The system demand curve is
defined as elevation head plus
friction and minor losses.
H = elevation head + pipe
friction losses + minor losses

Characteristic curves for Centrifugal Pumps

Figure bellow gives performance (H-Q) curve of the pump and
also system demand curve. The intersection of pump
performance curve and system demand curve is the operating
point which gives head and discharge. It is desirable that the
intersection occurs as close to the point of maximum efficiency of
the pump as the 'best operating point'.

Pump performance curve

equation

Characteristic curves for Centrifugal Pumps

Figure gives the performance curves radial flow pump, head (m),
against flow rate Q in m3/h with constant efficiency curves. Radial
flow pump and performance curves for four different impellers
with N = 2900 rpm ( = 304 rad/s). water at 20C is the pumped
liquid.

Characteristic curves for Centrifugal Pumps

Figures give the performance curves radial flow pump. The upper part is
power P in KW against flow rate Q in m3/h for different impeller
diameters, the lower part is NPSH(m) against flow rate Q in m 3/h. Radial
flow pump and performance curves for four different impellers with N =
2900 rpm ( = 304 rad/s). water at 20C is the pumped liquid.

Axial Flow Pumps

In axial flow pump, there is no radial flow and liquid particles enter and
leave the impeller at same radius. Furthermore assuming uniform flow
and applying continuity equation, flow velocity at inlet is same as exit.
The sketch of axial flow pump is shown in Figure bellow. The rotor is
connected to a motor through a shaft, and as it rotates at relatively high
speed, the fluid is sucked in through the inlet. The fluid discharges
through a row of fixed blades (guide) vanes with high pressure.

Axial Flow Pumps

Inlet and outlet velocity diagrams for axial flow pump