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Frames NPSH knowledge session

16-07-2007
Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 2
Contents
1. Definition of NPSH
2. NPSH required
3. NPSH available
4. Calculation of NPSH available
5. Units of measurement
6. Examples
7. Recommendations

Questions
Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 3
1 Definition of NPSH
NPSH = Nett Positive Suction Head

Roughly translated:
Suction Head pressure at the suction (inlet) of the pump.
Nett Positive amount above the absolute vapour pressure.

Minimum pressure above the absolute vapour pressure of the
liquid at the suction port of the pump.
Reason for the requirement: to prevent cavitation inside the
pump (pressure < vapour pressure).

NB. Vapour pressure is dependent on temperature and
composition.
Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 4
1 Definition of NPSH
Common things that go wrong:

NPSH is NOT the required suction pressure at inlet of the
pump.
NPSH is NOT a distance in meters.
NPSH is NOT dependent on operating pressure.
Units of NPSH ; See later on in presentation.




Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 5
2 NPSH required
Pressure loss INSIDE the pump (intredeverliezen).
Pressure loss over the suction line with valves is NOT part of
the NPSH.

Calculated/Determined by the pump supplier.








Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 6
3 NPSH available
Calculated NPSH based on the process design and lay-out,
up to the suction port of the pump.

Calculated by the engineering company : Frames.







Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 7
4 Calculation of NPSH available
Definition : Minimum pressure above the absolute vapour
pressure of the liquid at the suction port of the pump.

NPSH = P
suc
+ P
stat
P
loss
- P
vap

NPSH Nett positive suction head (bar)
P
suc
Pressure in suction vessel (bara)
P
stat
Static pressure of liquid column (bara)
P
loss
Pressure loss (lines, valves, HEX) (bar)
P
vap
Vapour pressure of liquid at suction port (bara)


Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 8
4 Calculation of NPSH available
NPSH
available
= P
suc
+ P
stat
P
loss
P
vap



P
suc
P
vap
P
stat HEX

FB

Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 9
4 Calculation of NPSH available
NPSH
available
= P
suc
+ P
stat
P
loss
P
vap



P
suc
= P
dis_booster pump
P
vap
P
stat
= 0

FB

HEX

HEX

Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 10
4 Calculation of NPSH available
Pressure loss : P
loss

Friction loss over pipeline (including bends, reducers, etc.).
Friction loss over valves.
Friction loss over other inline equipment, e.g. HEX, filter.
For a piston/plunger pump : pulsation loss.
Calculation to be done by pump or pulsation dampener
supplier!


Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 11
5 Units of measurement
NPSH is pressure use a pressure unit ; e.g. bar.
Common other units: m or mwc (meters water column).
How to convert units:
DP = r
.
g
.
DH

r density of liquid (kg/m
3
)
g gravity constant (m/s
2
)

NB. Density is temperature-dependent!

Example: DP = 1000 kg/m
3

.
9.81 m/s
2
.
10 m = 0.981 bar

Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 12
6 Examples
FPS Glycol injection pump

Glycol properties at suction port:
o T = 30 C
r = 1115 kg/m
3

o P
vap
= 0.35 bara

Pump supplier : NPSH
r
= 4 mwc
o NPSH
r
= 998
.
9.81
.
4 = 0.392 bar
o NPSH
r
= 0.392
.
10
5
/ (1115
.
9.81) = 3.58 m (process medium)

Minimum suction pressure at port = 0.392 + 0.35 = 0.742 bara
Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 13
6 Examples
Engineering:

NPSH
a
= P
suc
+ P
stat
P
loss
P
vap


o NPSH
a
= 5 m minimum (Some margin included)
NPSH
a
= 1115
.
9.81
.
5 = 0.547 bar
o P
suc
= 1.1 bara
o P
loss
= 0.4 bar (Including pulsation loss)
P
stat
= 0.197 bara
P
stat
= 0.197
.
10
5
/ (1115
.
9.81) = 1.8 m minimum
P
pump suc
= 1.1 + 0.197 0.4 = 0.90 bara

Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 14
6 Examples
FES Corrosion inhibitor pump

Corrosion inhibitor properties at suction port:
o T = 20 C
r = 780 kg/m
3

o P
vap
= 0.65 bara

Pump supplier : NPSH
r
= 0.04 bar
o NPSH
r
= 0.04
.
10
5
/ (780
.
9.81) = 0.523 m (process medium)
o NPSH
r
= 0.04
.
10
5
/ (998
.
9.81) = 0.409 mwc

Minimum suction pressure at port = 0.04 + 0.65 = 0.69 bara
Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 15
6 Examples
Engineering:

NPSH
a
= P
suc
+ P
stat
P
loss
P
vap


o NPSH
a
= 2 m minimum (Some margin included)
NPSH
a
= 780
.
9.81
.
2 = 0.153 bar
o P
suc
= 1.0 bara
o P
loss
= 0.03 bar (Including pulsation loss)
P
stat
= -0.167 bara
P
stat
= -0.167
.
10
5
/ (780
.
9.81) = -2.18 m minimum
P
pump suc
= 1.0 0.167 0.03 = 0.80 bara

Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 16
7 Recommendations
Design at the worst case scenario.
o Local (unexpected) cavitation can occur while average calculation
is OK. Especially with pulsation loss.
Apply enough margin between NPSH available and required ;
common margin is 1 meter.
o Difference between reality and engineering / Over-design.
Calculate in pressure units (least confusion).
Check with the pump supplier what unit the NPSH required
has.
o Often NPSH tests are done with water at 20 C mwc.
Pump (and pulsation dampener) supplier should check the
calculation.

Frames Group - NPSH knowlegde session 17
Questions

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