Professional Documents
Culture Documents
'--<''
Centrifugal -pultps
and
systenhydralrlcs
J. Karassik,
Worthington
higher level.
A centrifugal purp transforms mechanical eneIg-y
from a rotating impeller into the kinetic anci potential
energy required. Although the centrifugal force devel-
*59.02
bar
Di., McGraz,-Edison Ca
oped depends on both 1the peripherai speed of the impeller and the ciensity of the liquid, the amount of energy imparted per pound of liquid is independent of the
density of t}e liquid. T\erefore, for a given pump operating at a certain speed; and handling a definite volume
of liguid, the energy applied and transferred to the liquid (in ft-lbllb of liquid) is the same for any iiquid,
regardless of the density. (The only qualification to this
statement is thAt the viscositv of the liquid does affect
this energ,y, as we shail'see later.) The pump head or
energy in ft-lb/lb must, iherefore, be expressed in feet.
Within the pumping system itself, we must renember
that (1) head can be measured in various units, such as
ft of liquid, pressure in psi, in. of mercury, etc.; (2) pressures and head readin can be in gage or absolute units
(the difference beteen gage and absolute units is affected by the existing.atmospheric pressure and there_
fore by the aititude); ad (3) the pressure at any point
in a system handling liquids must never be permitted to
fall beiow e vapor presure of the liquid.
A column of cold water 2.31 ft high will produce a
pressu.re of 1 psi at its base. Thus, for water at ordinary
ambient temperatures, any presure calculated in
pounds per square inch can be converted into an eqrivaient head in feet of water by muitiptying by 2.31. For
equivalent to 1 psi presure can be calculated by dividing 2.31 by the specific gravity of the liquid. The effect
Repinted from GHEMCAL ENGNEERiNG, oct. 4, 1982. copyright @ 1982 by Mccaw_Hill lnc.
1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020
Hot water,
45o"F \232.2"cl
Gasoiine
Mercu ry
170 ft
51.8 m
pump centerline, it is usually spoken of as a "static suction lift." If either the suction or discharge liquid level is
under a pressure other than atmospherc, ths pressure
can be considered either as part of the static head or
eparately as an addition to the static head.
to work in terms of gage pressure, a complicated probm can occasionaily be clarified by working entirely in
Friction head
given in Table I.
Fig. 2 iilustrates the relationship befiveen gage- and
absolute-pressure readings. While it is usually feasible
System head
In strct terms, a pump can only operate wthn a
To deiiver a given volume of liquid through
that sytem, a pump must mpart energ,y to the lqud,
made up of the following components:
l static head^
Difference in pressures on liquid surfaces.
Friction head.
I Entrance and exit losses.
system.
Absolute pressure
u. s. units
.:
1]];l
static head
:1+
]]4i:]i]i
of cold water
34 t
::--=-=Z.Jln,/psl
l4./ psl
. head in ft
osl=
2.31
Head n f =
..
^so,or_
ps X 2,31
sp, qr,
;*#*=
pressure in bur =
1a,2m/bar
h"l1i!
1o.2 ',
X sp. gr.
Headinm=barX]o,2
sp. 9r.
::,, !,,l
1 atmosphere = 14.7 pi
o-J
CENTRIFUCAL PUMPS
Atmospheric pressure
Absolute pressure
gage prsure +
barometric pressure
..
Anv nressure below
gage pressure)
I
I
atmosoheric l
l
Barometric
a.
Atmospheric pressure
presUre
I
Abolute
] pressure
valves, fittings and any other elements such as heat exchangers. These losses vary approximately as the square
of the flow through the system. They also vary with the
size, type and surface condition of the piping and fit-
Total
static
head
-tI
I
Static
suction
head
exit
,,l,"
discharge
head
,,
l9B2
:""-, ,
a, ":,
^.
] ;;
,_"!
Head
\.'
G
'9!,
curVe
/
\_
rlcton
losses
Capacity, O
PUmp's
...p9u.yu
']ea.l-."^_
do
u3
a2
a hdx)
Capacity, O
System-head curve.
1r'
o
o
T
Capacity, O
Capacity, O
This is the capacity that will be delivered into the system by that pump at that particular speed.
For systems having varying static heads or pressure
differences, it is possible to construct curves correspond-
as
I
do
o
T
.u.*IlEd
lrur'rr.
p static head
l
2|
E1
)
.E
X
E
Capacity, O
'l
Minimum
9B2
o.7
ol
CENTRFUCAL PUMPS
100
60
c-50
{40
do
o
s30
*2O
1B0
+ 160
140
o 120
o
E ,l00
-6
|-
80
2oo
|,
p,lp J",r!
"ffi
_o
Capacity, m3/h
300
|
4o0
,,
500
++\*l
90
80}c
70 .9
a
60EtlJ
50
40o
30n
60
20T
O
103o
40
10
i9
20
2 4 6 8 10121416182022
c
,i
o
0o-
t00
otr
JJ
;9
50
40=
y
30
('
j
20g
10
P90
E
.6
o
=85
,E
!
o
,3
c,
cc
80
75
Affinity laws
practces.
speed.
q'!!;-')
wHp 3,960
()
where: WI-IP = water horsepower; Q - pump capacty, gpm; and H = total head, ft.
Tle power required to drve the pump is the water
horsepower clivided by the pump efficiency,7l.Hence,
dividig Eq. (l) by 1 gives:
BHP=-OIr(.b.
3,960
80
85
pr.\
(2)
4
c}lEtrtc.
90
%
95
100
of original diameter
The relationships that allow us to predct the performance of a pump for a speed other than that for
known pump characteristics are referred to as the "affinity laws." When the speed is changed:
1. The capacity, Q, for any given point on tle pump
characteristics varies directly a the speed, z.
2. T}e lead, H, varies as the square of the speed.
3. The brake horsepower, P, varies as the cube of the
ln other words, if Subscript l is assigned to the conditions under which the characteristics are known, while
Subscript 2 denotes the condtons at some other speed,
then:
*:?,
?:(*)'
(3)
=(3)",?:(?)'
$)
3,=(?)",
Dr. H2
Q, Dr' H,
Qz _
atvely modest cutdowns, Fig. B shows the recommended cutdown related to the theoretical cutdown,
Specific speed
performance characteristics.
The term "specific speed" is the concept that links the
three main parameters of the performance characteristics-capacity, head, and rotative speed-into a single
term. The mathematical analysis used to establish the
relationship between the specific speed of a pump and
its operating characteristics need not concern us..In its
N"=!#
(5)
Capacity
Capacity
Capacity
80
?, o
o
,6
A
tlJ 60
N s |met ri c|
/V{u,s.l/5'1.6
=
speeds.
eral outlire of impeller profiles are intimately connected to their respective specific speeds. Thus, the
value of the specific speed will immediately describe the
approximate impeller shape, as shown in Fig. 9. Similarly, the specific speed of a given pump will be definitely reflected in the shape of the pump characteristic
curves, as shown at the top of Fig. 9. While some variation in the shape of these curves can be made by
clarges in the desig of tle inpeller and casing waterways, the variation that can be obtaned without adversely affecting pump efficiency is relatively small.
Another parameter affected by the specfic speed s
the maximum efliciency obtainable fron pump impellers of different specific speeds and different sizes, also
indicated in Fig. 9.
a specific speed of
suction impeller.
Rating curves
suction conditions
side. Therefore,
operate.
Nc oCToDEIt
4. | !B2
B9
ft
CEN,fRIFUGAL PUMPs
j
c
130
130
A]"
zo
.3 ,ll0
oo
Ego
a
.E
80
X
WF
1
Ezo
ts60
-s50
80 ,:
.e'_
70Ey
60: O
50a
40 ,'
30b
f20
o
o
;s
a./Y,
10
o
t
-z,ooo (U.S.
,l
20 40 60
20ao
105
units|
=,-1o (metric)]
try,
o.
160
160
160
150
,l
140
140
130
,l
o 10
E 100
f
E
90
50
j
o
c
o
,6
120 E
o
so
20
110
?o
,l00
^/er
90
80
B0
o
!
o
o
E
o
E
@
o
60
40
40
o
o
,F
30
30
o
cf
7o
50
7o
20
,l0
60
50
b.Vs
20
40
[tr" =
60
20
-80
10
(metri c)]
80 100 120
l40
300
300
280
2o0
_a,7*
,
]ao
jQ
100
o
*o
.9
r6
E
f
.E
iB0 ox
E
i60 o
160
oo
o
}
o
240 A
o
220
2oo
140
o
o
}
o
o
o
'O
22o
Eo
x6
260 Oc
.P 24o
y
C
c?
E
*
o/o
320
?60
E
.E
32o
zeo
,;
tc
90! c
100
s
o40
3o 0
,F
-:
120 2
a
110,6
z.
zo
'oh
e80
140 o
3
120 o
o
o
100
B0
;60
60
Eao
(r
c.
20
=
^/s
[&.
20
40
60
B0 100 120
140
90
40
20
0
o
B
o
o
o
.9
o
E
quired. If available (NP.l1) falls below tlrat requiredas for instance if at 1,800 gpm the (NP,S1/) available
falls below 17 ft-cavitation starts, and the pump
produces less head. Some increase in capacity occur
with a further reduction in head, until about 1,970 gpm
is reached; then further reduction in head causes no
increase in capacity (see curve with broken line).
As defined by the Standards of the Hydraulic Institute, the suction head, i", is the statc head on the
pump-suction line above the pump centerline, minus all
friction-head losses for the capacity being considered
(including entrance loss in the suction piping), plus any
pressure (a vacuum being a negative pressure) existing
pump takes its sucton from an open tank under atmospheric pressure. Because the suction lift is a negative
suction head measured below atmospheric pressure, the
total suction lift (symbol also i*) is the sum of the static
suction lift measured to the pump centerline and the
friction-head losses as defined above. (It is sometimes
advantageous to express both suction and discharge
heads in absolute pressure, but usually it is more convenient to measure them above or below atmospherc
pressure.)
A gage on tlre suction line to a pump, with its readngs corrected to the pump centerline, measures the
total sucton head above atmospheric pressure minus
the velocty head at the point of attachment. Because
suction lift is a negative suction head, a vacuum gage
will indicate the sum of the total suction lift and velocty head at the pont of attachment.
The three most common suction-supply conditions
are illustrated in Fig. 15.
Case
j
O
c
,O
.a
o 200
_P
f
F
E 150
E
o
o
s
o
T
a
o
s
o
.9
ca
140
zoo
150
130
120
110
100
90E
80
l_
o_
l-
?0t
100
20
tv1
OO
OO
Oo
oi
e'
Specific speed
10
=
!
o
OC)
OO
O_ O_
<i, 0
0L
sure values.
Case II involves a suction supply under atmospheric
pressure, located above the pump centerline. Because
the suction head (expressed as a gage value) has a P,
50
Because the source of supply is below the pump centerline (which is the datum line), S is a negative value. The
suction-lift formula is the same as that for suction head,
except that both sides have been multiplied by ( - l). A
gage attached to the pump sucton flange, when corrected to the pump centerlne, wll regster a partal
vacuum or negatve pressure.
To deternine the suction head, it is therefore necessary to add the velocity head to this negative pressure
algebraically; or, if it is desired to work in terms of a
vacuum, the velocty lead must be subtracted from the
100
1B0
o
,6
o
E
f
E
X
o
E
O
oo
o
3
o
\|l
\ft
!l
f
60
g#>
6810
10,000
12 14
16,1
l9B2
,9
30o.
20j
-|P
B2022
Specific speed
.O
lJ
ll
l
5.000
[*i
60
2.000
effic iency
EB0
o
3
o
o
o
o
Point of
120
140
80
7oic
91
5
!
10 :
nUGAL
Case
PUI\,!Ps
of a pump having a 6-in. line and pumping at a capacity of 1,000 gpm of cold water showed a vacuum of 6 in.
Hg (equivalent to 6.8 ft of water), the velocity head at
the gage attachment would be 2.0 ft of water, and t}re
suction lread would be -6.8 f 2.0, or -4.8 ft of water,
or the suction lift rvould be 6.8 - 2,0 or 4.B ft o[ water.
Point
A'
terl i ne
B-"hr=S-hrr-h,
Point
Case
l l
+P
pressure,
33.9
Point
h,
hr,
or
1B.3 ft.
an
(NP.11) of
l,,,-h,
+
lent to the vapor pressure correspondng to its temperature), this energy has to exist entireiy as a positive head.
If the liquid is below its boiling point, the suction head
required is reduced by the difference betwee tlre pressure existing in the liquid and the vapor pressure correspondng to the tenperature.
It is necessary to differentiate between available net
positive suction head, (NPS1I), and required net posi-
9,2
15,
A
operating on suction lift will landle a certai maximum capacity of cold water without cavitatior. The (NPS) or amount of energy available at the
suction nozzle of such a pump is the atmospheric pressure minus the sum of the suction lift and the vapor
pressure of the water. To handle the same capacity with
any other liquid, the same amount of energy must be
availab]e at the suction nozz|e. Thus, for a liquid at its
boiling point (in otler words, under a pressure equiva-
h,=S-h,,-h
- 0,6 pun-p
CL]
-lNpSH| A =
p,
z _ nr
Static head, ft
/r
Friction losses, ft
sea level:
|NPSH|A-
At
pu
At
?}1Jt:&\
Water, 80"F
P, = 0.5 psia
2'31
Point B
(L4J-0,5) _
15_3= 14,Bft
{NPSHIA
a. suction
15
3 = 9.0 ft
lift
(=5psig
{NPSHI =s
(& _-P,p}
(h
--
r" + h i|
=J
=
o
E
o
D
a
o
T
-Water, B0" F
P, = 0,5 psia
ricti on
hr=4it-
Capacity
2.31 |Ps_ Pvl
lNPSHlA _
sp.qr.
,| ? A
'-lF
lNPSH\A _
2.31 (14.7_+
S-O.S) +
10_4
50.3 ft
P, = 37,5 psig
ffia
Wl
Friction
hr
losses,tt
2i
|NpsH\A=ffi!*z-n,
P,
Pn
h,
|NpSHl A
= Pressure
Friction losses, ft
|37,5
J.!J -
52,2l +
10 _ 2= 8.0 ft
l
I
Double-suction.
single-suction, with shaft through eye of impeller.
Single-suction, overhung-impeller.
Single-suction, mixed- and axial-flow.
Hot-water, single-sucton and doub]e-suction.
condensate pumps, wth shaft passng through eye
of impeller.
One such chart, containing specific-speed limits for
t9B2
93
cENTRlI,UcAL PUMPs
4,000
3,500
HbrI- ,|
'
3,000
LPo.*o;
J ? -F
O
O
2,000
Application of the specific-speed-limit charts, as originally developed, had a very important shortcoming,
i.e., satisfactory suction conditions were tied directly to
the total head developed by the_pump. The perform-
Eo
O
o_
U,
1,000
900
B00
400
300
guidelines.
94
opment of the suction specific-speed concept. It is essentially an idex number, descriptive of the suctiol charis defined as:
acteristics of a given
::ud
(h")"n
(6)
at various
speeds,
t9B2
500
400
ump_
ll
300
.;
a
l.
200
lI
I
lll t*t=]
,":s'l
L
tr*--.od
fi
;ped,
J^
s
co
,;:1oo
-l
*:
;80
o
:io
I,,l
.l
oo
i+o
zo
F;
20
10
lllll
L.tr
ource: H,ydraui
ll
l.
6 81O
lnst iu
lan( ja ,d
20 304050
vorable effects.
T}re degree of interference with the proper operation
of tlre pump caused by minor cavitation will bear a
definite relationslrip to the temperature of the liquid
hadled by tle pump. Wirer we say that a punp is
cavitating, we ITean tlat somewhere rvithin tl-e confines
of the punp, the pressure will }ave fallen below the
vapor pressure of the liquid at the prevailing tenperature. Thus, a small portior of t}e iiquid }and]ed by tle
pump wiil vaporize, and tlris vapor will occupy cosiderably more space witlrin the impeller than did tle
water. Even when pumping water, there is definite evidence that required (NPSf4 decreases when the water
temperature ncreases.
Altogether it became evident that the reduction n
required (NPSI' nust be a function of the vapor pressure and of the characteristics of the liquid handled by
the pump. Thus, it was felt that rules could be developed to predict the effect of liquid characteristics on
required (NP,Si|.
Such rules have been developed by the members of
the Hydraulic Institute and incorporated in its Standards. We shall examine these rules, but before doing
this, let us consider the effect of temperature on required (NPS4 for watern as this may help us better
understand the effect of other liquids.
4, l9B2
95
CliNTlltIlUGAl, PUMPS
1,000
500
400
300
10
200
150
5+
4i
,l00
3.=o
.o
Eso
a40
930
,E
,5i
1.0
0.5
zo
R
=
10
vapor.
o
Temperatu re, F
water. For instance, at 50"F, one pound of water occupies 0.016 ft3, while steam at tlre same temperature oc-
0.0l67 ft3, and one pound of steam, 26.81 ft3, so that the
ratio of volumes is only 1,605-almost one lrundred
times less than at 50"F. Thus, the higher the temperature of the water, the greater the reduction in (NPS@,
tlrat can be permitted for tle same degree of effect on
pump performance.
Pump applications for hydrocarbon processes frequently impose restrictive linritations on available
(NPSH). On the otlrer hand, it was found in the past
that variations between tlre required (NPS@ when
Because of the absence of available data demonstrating (NPS/4 reductions greater than 10 ft, the chart has
been limited to that extent. Extrapolation beyond that
limit is not recommended.
Warnings are included in the Hydraulic Institute
Standards regarding the effect ofentrained air or gases.
This can cause serious deterioration of the head-capacity curve, of the efficiency, and of the suction capabilities, even when relatively small percentages of air or gas
are present.
An exhaustive analysis of the phenomena that take
place in a pump handling hydrocarbons is beyond the
scope of our discussion, Such an aralysis would at best
be open to argument, because several somewhat conflctng interpretatons stll exist wth respect to what
increase available
(NPSa, or means
to reduce required
(ffP,Sf|, or do both.
To increase available (NPSI/), we can:
l. Raise the liquid level.
2. Lower the pump.
3. Reduce the friction losses in the suction piping.
4. Use a booster pump.
5. Subcool the liquid.
use:
A
B. A
double-suction impeller.
larger impeller-eye area.
9. An oversize pump.
10. Inducers ahead of conventional impellers.
11. Several smaller pumps in parallel.
Each of these methods presents advantages and disadvantages. We shall examine and evaluate these methods individually:
7.
l.
B0
70
'
25a
|.i
ll
]De i."n;;;
6
].,: o
i:;iiF
a:I*|
150
i,]il
:ili]
ll
a! l.*
hea
60
E .L
;e
u
c
O
,6
uJ
'"ro'u"''|*
50
ificie,ncv,
;;l,:,j,
30
+
|n
diJ
10
o_
640
Capacity, gpm
raising a tank or a fractionating tower is excessive. Frequently, it wIl be found that only a few extra feet may
permit the selection of a less-expensive or more-efficient
pump, and the savngs n first cost, energ-y or mantenance will far outweigh the additional costs incurred.
2, Lower tle PumP-Just as in the case of raising the
liquid level, the cost of lowering the pump may not be
as prohibitive as one might imagine because it may permit the selection of a higher-speed, less-costly and
more-efficient pump. An alternative approach may be
to use a vertical pump with the impeller located below
ground level.
The penalty for this solution is that the pump bearings may have to be lubricated by the liquid being
pumped. While successful bearing designs and materials have been developed for this purpose, it should be
understood that the pump life cannot compare with the
life obtainable from external bearings that are either
grease or oil lubricated. Thus, one should expect morefrequent scheduled overhauls with this method.
3. Reduce PiPing friction /osses-]This is recommended
under any circumstance; the cost of doing so will be
easily repaid both by improved suction conditions and
by savings in energy.
4. Use a booster PumP--This solution is particularly effective in the case of pumps intended for high-pressure
service, where the resulting permissible higher speeds
will yield great savings in first costs of the main pump,
being pumped. It is most readily accomplished by injecting liquid taken from somewlere in the stream
where it is available at a colder temperature. In many
"
nr(Q)'/'
(Hr,r)3/n
n"(Qr)"'
(Hur)3/n
(7)
in which
case,
Hrrr:
Hrrz =
in which
case, n2
(8)
H"fl
(9)
|.414nr.
97
f
!
C\
{Jse
||.
1B0
160
ea
D,140
\ \
'_ 12o
,o 100
80
&
,i
V
!;16
*,
?O
7o
60
50{
405,6
-'.tr ssu
c or1o
30EtJJ
o,oJo.rJ
,ri
400 Sst
l
00
sst,--,
l\.
o
0
100
2,00l) ssl
iU
200
300
Capacity, gpm
9B
400
500
dles water.
The performance of a pump tested first on water (vis-
9nwer
in larallel-Obviously,
"o 1S,
i:
4,00( SSL
,,oJo
20
L-Sr.,
80
b10
a%
ls/ ,(L_.
-g
-o
^|
?o^"c
(ooo,
60
40
=uo
o
a30
.9
j
,
600
ffi,
10o
E80
o
a
o
!
f
60
=
o
100
a
o
c O
j:
O O
o -
.E
(J
6
F
go
E60
o
,6
340
o
O
co
?
o
o
O
,6
aria*"pz"t,"{""ffi
4 6 810 1520
40
o
o
3
6080100
i
l
pump for given performance conditions at a given viscosity, consult the Standards [l].
9B2
l
}
!
I
l
,
CEN,I,RI,UGAL PLIN4PS
O
c
.9
a
!
o
T
o
o
,i6
t(/)
o_
Capacity
nraximtr. At all other flows, the geometric configuration of the impeller and of the casing no longer provides
an ideal flow pattern. Therefore, our definition of "offdesign" conditions must be any conditions wherein a
pump is req-ired to deliver flows either in excess or
below the capacity at the best efficiency.
The rnost frequent cause for running a pump at reduced flows is the reduction in demand by the proces
100
Internal recirculation
The first three unfavorable effects of operation at low
flows are well understood and need no further explanation. On the other hand, the subject of nternal recircu-
t982
,,l,,
.,
lmpact probe-__
c
o
F
o
90
o
!
80
.O
100
E=
Suction
o
,a
I
I
6
f
,6
60
,F
50LIl
o
c
o
Normal flow
R ec
rcu
lation
flow,
7o
6,000
':
recirculation.
Information on the phenomenon was first released in
1972 n a lmted-crculaton paper and later, more
widely, in an article [3]. For obvious reasons, the matle-
problems
if
were contemplated.
pressure.
The suction specific speed, S, of the pump must always be calculated for the conditions corresponding to
the capacity at best efficiency. Guaranteed conditions of
service may or may not correspond to this best-efEcienc fl.ot,-the seldora do- S rn-*t al_*o he calcutated
on the basis of pump performance with the maximum
impeller diameter for which the pump is designed.
This constraint becomes obvious when we consider
that internal recrculaton at the sucton occurs because
of conditions that arise in and around the impeller inlet.
These conditions are not necessarily affected by cutting
down (i.e., reducing) the impeller diameter. Cutting
down will move the best efficiency point to a lower flow
value, but will not reduce the flow at whiclr suction
4, 9B2
101
20,000
CI]NI'RIFUG\l- PlIMPS
tion will always be less damaging when the pump handles lrot water, and particularly when it handles hydrocarbos, than ,hen it handles cold water.
Now that means are available to calculate the onset
of internal recirculatior, users and designers of centrifugal pumps should be in the position to establish sensible
linits for mirimum operating flows. To do so, it will be
necessary to establish some guidelines between mininrum flows and recircrlation flows. But there's t}re rub!
Setting up such guidelines is a fairly complex task for a
rumber of reasons.
horsepower.
guidelines:
above 9,000.
2, In the case of relatively small pumps-say under
100 hp-the effect of stcton recirculation is not apt to
be as significant as for larger pumps.
3. Pumps haidling hydrocarbons can be operated at
lower flows than similar pumps handling cold water.
4. Tlre risks o[ operating at flows much below the
suspicion that too optimistic a decision as to this mininum flow was made at tlre time the pump was selected.
5. When the pump s not expected to operate at flows
tion will depend entirely on the expected operatingcapacity range of these prmps. The shape of the power
the entire range of capacities that t}re pump will encounter in service.
efficiencies,
Effects of oversizing
One of the greatest sources of power waste s the practice of oversizing a pump by selecting design conditions
having excessive margins in both capacity and total
head. It is strange, on occasion, to see a great deal of
attention being paid to a one-point difference in efficiency between two pumps, whle at the same tme potential savings of 5, 10 or even |SVo of the power are
ignored through an over-conservative attitude n selecting the required conditions of service.
Still, it is true that some margin should always be
included, mainly to provide against the wear of internal
clearances that with time will reduce the effective pump
capacity. How much margin to provide is a fairly complex question, because the wear that will take place varies with the type of pump, the liquid handled, the severity of the service, and a number of other variables. We
shall examine this question later when we analyze the
savings in power consumption that can be realized from
restoring internal clearances to their original values.
A centrifugal pump operating in a given system will
discharge.
In the majority of pump installations, the driver is a
4, l9B2
103
CENTi(II|UGAI PUMPS
posed on Curve A.
,40
14"/u'in. im}.d|^.
,20
H >ad::
****1-1
-)00
J4]]=J"q"]
lB0
l60
l40
90
]20
.]00
80
-Stati
lBo
7o
IrrT
l60
140
l-f
|20
l00
508
.g
40E
tll
80
60 -"
Vo<
''r(Oi
30
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
used
to change the punrp capacity. Thus, if we have provided too much excess margin in the selection of the
punp head-capacty curve, the pump wll have to operate witl considerable throttling to limit its delivery to
the desired value. On the other hand, if we permit the
pump to operate unt}rrottled, which is more likely, flow
into the system will increase until that capacity is
hed where the system-head and head-capacity
L-ufl/eS intersect.
Example of oversizing
Let us exanine a pumping sytem for which tlre max-
i04
we
Capacity, gpm
not oversizing.
20
i0
4o
-l^"]_-|--|-|J{
lzL.""_J-l-ll
,.l,"]+",|J
most 16.5%.
As a matter of fact, we could use a 13,3/n-in. impeller.
Its head-capacity curve would intersect Curve D at
3,100 gpm and take 147 bhp, now saving 2|.6%.
Important energy savings can be made if, at the time
of selecting the conditions of service, reasonable restraints are exercised to avod usng excessve safety
margins for obtaining the rated service conditions.
But what of existing installations in which the pump
or pumps have excessive margins? Is it too late to
achieve these savings? Far from it! It is possible to accurately establish the true system-head curve by running a
performance test once the pump has been installed and
operated. A reasonable margin can then be selected,
and tlrree options become available:
l. The existing impeller can be cut down to meet the
conditions of service required for the irstallatio.
2, A replacement impeller with the necessary re-
duced diameter may be ordered from the pump manufacturer, The original impeller is then stored for future
use if friction losses are ultimately increased with time
or if greater capacities are required.
3. n certain cases, there may be two separate impeller designs available for the same pump-one of which
is of narrower width than the one originally furnished.
A narrow replacement impeller may then be ordered
from the pump manufacturer. Such a narrower impeller will have its best efficiency at a lower capacity than
the normal-width impeller; it may or may not need to
be of smaller diameter than the original impeller, depending on the degree to which excessive margin was
originally provided. The original impeller is put away
for possible future use.
Variable-speed operation
While the majority of motor-driven centrifugal
pumps are operated at constant speed, some pumps
take advantage of the possible savings in power con-
so-called
in Fig.
10a.
l9B2
i05
C-E,NTRIFUGAL PUNtPs
lniti,,
:\
H
'"ud
cutve
"ir"uud
10
a
a
cy
L.=
"r..'"
aerr_\O\
-".rur..Oa
''P/
3
o\
oa)
Ec
o.9
H6
Eh,
^ AL
oro]-
lncrease in leakage,
\
Al J
oO
-n
oh
xo'o
o
J
500
Capacity
pump laving the original clearances. This cost is relatively easy to determine. We can obtain prces on new
parts and estmate the cost of labor requred to carry
ut
1,000
wear i increased with higher differential heads. Therefore, we will generally find more reason to renew clearances of high-head pumps, and more savings.
References
l. "Hydraulic
Ohio,
t975.
2. Karassik, L J., Krutzch, W. C., Fraser, W. H., and Messina,J. P., "Pump
Handbook," McGraw-Hill, New York, l976.
3. Bus|, A. R., Fraser, W. tl., and Karassik, I. J., Coping Witl Pump Progres:
The Sources and Solutions of Centrilugal Pup Pulsations, Surgo ad
Vibrations, PumP Wotll Worthington, Mountainside. NJ., Sunmer 1975
and Marclr l976.
4. Fraser, W. H., Recirculation in Ce ntrifugal Pumps, Winter Annual \,Iating
of ASME, Nov. [6, l98l, ASME, New York.
5. Fraser, W. H., Flow Recirculation in Centrifugal Pumps, Turbomachinery
Syrnposium, Texas A&M Univenity, College Station,ltx., Dccember l98l.
The author
lgor.}. Karassik is chief consulting
enginrer, Worthington Div.. McGrawdison Co., 233 Mount Airy Road,
Bmking Ridge, NJ 07920. He u,as
appoined to 1he position in Deamber
l976 atter spcnding 42 yeam in various
moacitic at lvorthinston on
1he
2-2-3-5-I:0B3