Study of the Centrifugal Pump Efficiency
at Throttling and Speed Control
Levon Gevorkov and Valery Vodovozov
Department of Electrical Engineering
Tallinn University of technology
Tallinn, Estonia
levon.gevorkov@ttu.ee
AbstractCentrifugal pumping systems are the common
hydraulic devices mainly driven by electric drives. Their
efficiency varies significantly with the change of working point
location that depends on the positions of the performance and
system curves. This paper is devoted to the study of the pumping
system efficiency at throttling and speed control. A model-based
calculation method for the single-drive centrifugal pump head
and pressure control is described. The proposed Matlab model
was tested with the help of a real test bench. The results obtained
confirm the model validity and accuracy.
Keywords energy efficiency, pumps, modelling, pressure
control, simulation, variable speed drives.
I. INTRODUCTION
Pumping systems represent complicated electromechanical
equipment including mainly the centrifugal pumps, variable
speed drives (VSD), pipelines, and various types of
sensors [1], [2]. They are among the most significant power
consumers and commonly work with variable loads those
characteristics depend on many factors, such as pipe length and
material, a number of pumps, valves, drives, etc. [3]. These
systems increase the kinetic energy of the liquid running
through the pump and thus create an appropriate pressure at the
pump outlet. During the pump system study, the focus is
mainly on the head, pressure, and flow control systems [4].
Different methods and approaches are used to explore
pumping systems. Among the most efficient ways, the
Simulink models are presented [5], [6]. These types of models
are very useful tools for the pumping station testing and tuning.
They allow replicating the processes that take place in real
systems. Simulation cuts down financial costs and time during
the assessment process. The control systems developed with
the help of the Simulink tools can be applied for the process
optimisation and for the real-time management without
expensive hardware prototyping.
According to recent European Union statistics [7], the total
share of energy consumed by the centrifugal pumps varies
from 22 to 30 percent of the worldwide-developed volume. At
the same time, significant energy losses occur inside the pumps
mainly related to the volumetric losses inside the casing of a
centrifugal pump and to the losses in the VSDs feeding the
pumping units.
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The VSD losses consist of the frequency converter losses
and motor losses. Since the useful power produced by the
centrifugal pump is a part of the total power applied to its shaft,
it is important to measure and maximize the pumping system
efficiency. As it was shown in [8], [9], to achieve the minimal
pumping lifecycle cost, it is necessary to operate it as close to
the best efficiency region of a pump as possible.
An impact of the VSD on the system efficiency is in the
focus of this paper. One study of such the impact was presented
in [10] where the losses of an induction motor of 2.2 kW,
14 Nm fed from the frequency converter was explored. It was
shown that its maximal efficiency depends on the motor and
converter size. Typically, it is of 92 98 % for 1 400 kW
VSDs. A decreasing effect on the VSD efficiency when the
motor is driven at a low rotational speed was demonstrated in
[10] as well.
To analyse an influence of the VSD efficiency associated
with the changeable speed-torque conditions to the total
pumping system performance, in [11] the efficiency maps have
been adopted instead of using particular working points, such
as the rated power at the rated torque and the rated speed. The
required map was built there by processing the efficiency data
from [10] for the set of three-phase induction motors. Using
this map, two situations were explored, both for the 30 % drop
of torque. The former study was related to the stable (load-
independent) speed levels of 250, 400, and 1350 rpm
respectively. The latter study concerned the load-dependent
situation where the speed dropped by 10 % due to the speed
control inaccuracy. According to the analysis, in the first case
the efficiency decreased by 10 % at low speeds and 5 % at high
speeds, whereas in the second case the efficiency decreased by
20 % and 15 % respectively. This is the reason why the total
efficiency of every pumping system has its individual non-
linear dependence on the flowrate and speed, which cannot be
solved analytically.
To assess the efficiency of the pumping system, the
complex Simulink- and DriveSize-based model is proposed in
this paper. It has some advantages useful for the pumping study
and process optimization. The paper is divided into the
following parts. The next section explains the efficiency-
oriented head control of a pump. Here, an impact of the VSD
efficiency is analyzed. Then, the topology of the model and its
subsystems are explained. The final part deals with
experimental verification of the model.
15th Biennial Baltic Electronics Conference (BEC2016)
Tallinn, Estonia, October 3-5, 2016
 II. EFFICIENCY-ORIENTED HEAD CONTROL OF A PUMP throttling using a regulation valve,
The efficiency of a separate centrifugal pump in an the speed control using the VSD.
arbitrary working point is as follows [12]: The first one affects the system curve. It moves the working
ghq pq , point to the left up along the performance curve at the rated
pump = = (1) speed while the valve closes and to the right down along the
P P same curve while the valve opens. The second approach affects
where the performance curve. It moves the working point to the left
h total head, m down along the system curve while the speed drops and to the
q flowrate, m3/h right up along the same curve while the speed grows.
liquid density, kg/m3 Let us Wr is a working point corresponding to the reference
g acceleration due to gravity, m/s2 head hr at the rated speed nr when the pump operates at its
p liquid pressure at the pump intake, Pa highest efficiency max. This point is usually presented in the
P brake power on the pump shaft, W pump manufacturers documentation.
A pump working point Wi is located at the intersection of Any time when the reference head h+ is higher than hr, the
the pump performance curve and the pipeline system curve only control approach is throttling because the speed cannot be
(Fig. 1). increased above the rated level. At this control, the working
point moves left up along the rated performance curve to W+
h, p,
whereas the flowrate q+ drops below the rated value qr.
Performance curves max When the reference head h- is lower than hr, both the
throttling and the speed control may be used. At the former
approach, the working point moves right down along the rated
h+ W+
performance curve to W1- whereas the flowrate q1- grows above
Wr the rated value qr. At the latter approach, the working point
hr
W2- W1- moves left down along the system curve to W2- whereas the
h- flowrate q2- drops below the rated value qr.
Compare these approaches to understand which one is
Efficiency curve better from the efficiency point of view. As follows from
Fig. 1, at throttling the efficiency decreases as the working
point moves outside Wr along the performance curve. And vice
System curves q
versa, as follows from (1) and (2) the pump efficiency does not
q+ q2- qr q1- change at the speed control as the working point moves outside
Wr along the system curve. It follows from the pump
characteristics that, to increase the head above hr, throttling is
to be used whereas to decrease the head below hr, the speed
control is preferable.
Next, involve in this study the VSD feeding the pump from
the supply grid [13]. Taking into account the VSD, the losses
of both system parts are to be taken into account to estimate the
efficiency. It means that the total efficiency of the pumping
Fig. 1. Characteristics of a centrifugal pump.
system is as follows:
The performance curve of a pump represents an hq
characteristic published by a manufacturer for the rated speed = VSD pump , (3)
nr of the pump shaft rotation [13]. Together, a manufacturer
In contrast to the separate pump, the efficiencies of the
usually publishes an efficiency curve of the pump. The similar
characteristics may be obtained for other speeds using the frequency converter and the motor of the VSD depend non-
affinity laws: linearly on both the load and the speed. By linking the load
torque to the speed and power [15],
2 3
qis ni , his ni , Pis ni , P
= = = (2) T= , (4)
qrs nr hrs nr Prs nr n

where an index s designates the coordinates of the points one more affinity law may be added to (2):
located on the s-th system curve, index r the points of the 2
Tis ni . (5)
rated performance curve, and i the points of the performance =
curve for the i-th speed. Trs nr

To adjust the head or pressure, two approaches may be Accordantly (5), the torque changes with a speed in a similar
used [14]: way as the head does. It is clear from this analysis, that to

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select the proper control method throttling or speed control
every working point has to be assessed and compared from the
VSD efficiency point of view.
III. A MODEL OF THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMPING SYSTEM FOR
EFFICIENCY ESTIMATION
To verify operability of the method, computer simulation
was used [16]. The simulation was based on the pump and
VSD models. The purposes of the simulation include the
following: to demonstrate the distribution of losses between all
devices in the pumping system, to compare the energy
consumption in different pumping zones, and to emphasise an
importance of the VSD efficiency.
In order to implement the models of pumping units, two
separate modelling environments were used. The centrifugal
pump and all hydraulic equipment including the pressure and
flow sensors, pipeline, and tanks were modelled in
Matlab/Simulink. The model of the VSD consisting of an
induction motor and a frequency converter was prepared in the
ABB DriveSize software tool [17]. Both models were brought
together in the Simulink environment. Fig. 2 demonstrates the
simulation architecture in brief.

Drive Size Matlab / Simulink

QH lookup table

Parameters of Calculating
application H
hydraulic
power
Q

Parameters of
converter S vs Pm lookup table
Motor power

Parameters of
motor
S
Calculating
overall
Lookup table of Calculating efficiency
output power S vs P lookup table input power and
optional
Power losses

Lookup table of efficiency

VSD losses
S

Fig. 2. The structure of the developed model for efficiency estimation

Here, the QH lookup table presents the tabulated pump

manufacturers performance curve, S vs Pm lookup table is
the tabulated pump manufacturers power curve, and S vs P
lookup table are the tabulated VSD manufacturers loss
curves. To calculate the hydraulic power, the model (1) (3) is
used. To calculate the input consumed power, (4), (5) are
applied.
During the simulation, the pump was set to operate with a
defined speed, depending on the test case. The current speed of
pumps was applied to the VSD model expressed in the form of
the lookup tables derived from the characteristic graphs. These
lookup tables provide the current losses and input power
IV. EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION
For the model validation, an experimental test bench was
used described in [18].
To estimate the efficiency of the pumping system applying
throttling, the rotational speed of the pump was maintained at
the constant level corresponding to its rated speed. On the
contrary, to estimate the efficiency of the pumping system
applying the speed control, the frequency converter was
adjusted.
P, bar

depending on the pump speed and torque for each test case.
The special functionality was computed from the hydraulic
power at the output of the pumping system based on the
provided flow and pump head. The value of the current flow
was measured by the metering functionality of SimHydraulics. BEP
The achieved pump head was calculated by the pump model 1.55
implemented as the lookup table, which expresses the
performance curves of the pump. The input power was
estimated using the hydraulic power, pump input power, and 0.55
VSD losses obtained from the motor and frequency converter
model. To this aim, the model contains the modules for the
separate throttling and speed control. Q, m3/h
Fig. 3. Pressure control.

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 To analyse data from the model and the experimental test
bench, the working point of the pump was initially located
close to the BEP as Fig. 3 shows.
After measuring the efficiency at the BEP, the pressure
setpoint was moved from 1.55 bar to a lower level, 0.55 bar.
Both methods were applied the mechanical and the speed
control to adjust the required pressure.
The comparative table (Table I) and diagram (Fig. 4) for
the simulation and experimentation are shown below.
TABLE I. COMPARISON OD EFFICIENCY ESTIMATES
Efficiency, %
Pressure and control
Simulation Experimentation
1.55 bar (BEP) 37.5 34.0
0.55 bar (VSD) 36.2 32.6
1.55 bar (Valve) 25.8 21.4
Fig. 4. Efficiency measured using the simulation and the experimental
method near the BEP at the rated speed of 2760 rpm and for the pressure
maintenance of 0.55 bar.
V. CONCLUSIONS
A new model for efficiency estimation in the centrifugal
pump is proposed in the paper. It was tested with the help of
the real centrifugal pump test bench during the mixed pressure
control. The model shows enough high accuracy at multiple
simulation modes of the processes that take place in a real
centrifugal pump system. An advantage of the model is based
on the ability to predict energy efficiency of a centrifugal pump
system in various working points during the pressure regulation
using either the throttling or the speed control dependently on
the required pressure level and pipeline resistance. The novelty
of developed model is based on the possibility to combine data
from two simulation environments ABB DriveSize and
original Matlab model and to make calculations based on
them. The model can be also helpful at the design stage for the
efficiency calculation and drive sizing.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research work has been supported by Estonian
Ministry of Education and Research (Project SF0140016s11).
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