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Course M-3035

Good Practice in Suction Piping Design -
Avoiding Hydraulic Noise

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Good Practices in Suction Piping Design
Avoiding Hydraulic Noise


Robert J. Meyer, P.E.

BSME, University of Cincinnati

MBA, Xavier University

Professional Engineer, State of Ohio
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Course Overview


This course is useful for engineers involved in designing systems using centrifugal pumps. The
principles explained here are applicable to many industries including chemical processing, water,
and wastewater treatment. The student is expected to already have a basic understanding of
NPSH and how to calculate losses in suction piping. Definitions for these key terms and concepts
will be reviewed at the beginning.
This course will explain two design objectives for avoiding cavitation damage, hydraulic noise,
and the maintenance expenses associated with these problems-
1. Deliver fluid to the pump suction at a pressure that avoids cavitation damage.
2. Deliver fluid to the pump suction that has a uniform flow distribution.
The student will acquire specific knowledge from this course that can be used to design better
suction piping by applying the guidelines presented. After reading this material and completing
the quiz, the student should:

have a better and more practical understanding of NPSH available and NPSH required.
have the tools to make better judgments on a safe margin between NPSH available and
NPSH required.
be able to make wise suction piping design choices that produce uniform flow at the
pump inlet.
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Table of Contents
I. Review of Term and Definitions................................................................................4

II. NPSH Available vs. NPSH Required.........................................................................5

A. Consider two factors when deciding on the margin between NPSHA& NPSHR.5

B. How NPSHR is determined by the pump manufacturer........................................5

Fig. 1 - Typical NPSH Testing at Several Flow Rates........................................7

C. System head calculations can affect actual NPSH margin....................................8

Fig. 2 - Pump Performance & System Head........................................................9

D. NPSH Margin Guidelines....................................................................................10

III. Good Practices in Suction Piping.............................................................................12

A. Suction pipe velocity...........................................................................................12

B. Pipe slope, reducers, and air pockets...................................................................13

Fig. 3 - Suction Lift, Air Pockets and Reducers................................................13

C. Elbows and tees...................................................................................................14

Fig. 4 - Flow Streamlines at an Elbow...............................................................14

Fig. 5 - Recommended Use of Elbows..............................................................15

Fig. 6 - Double Suction Casing Inlet.................................................................17



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I. Review of Term and Definitions

Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) the total suction head in feet of liquid absolute determined
at the suction nozzle and referred to datum, less the vapor pressure of the liquid in feet absolute.
Note that NPSH is an ABSOLUTE pressure, not a relative or gauge pressure. In the absolute
pressure scale, 0 is a perfect vacuum, and approximately 33 feet of water corresponds to a 0
gauge pressure.
Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHR) the amount of total suction head in feet of
liquid absolute, less the vapor pressure, required to prevent more than 3% loss in total head when
operating at a certain flow rate. NPSH Required values are determined at various flow rates by
the pump manufacturer. Plots of typical NPSHR tests and a general description of the most
common test methods will be given later.
Net Positive Suction Head Available (NPSHA) the total suction head in feet of liquid
absolute, determined at the impeller datum, less the absolute vapor pressure of the liquid. The
pump system designer must calculate the NPSH Available, which changes with flow rate and
liquid level in the sump or suction tank. The general formula used by system designers is:
NPSHA =(Pt Pv) / sg +Z Hf
where Pt =absolute pressure on free surface of liquid (ft.)
Pv =vapor pressure of the liquid at pumping temperature (ft.)
sg =specific gravity of the liquid (water =1.0)
Z =vertical distance between free surface and pump datum (ft., +or -)
Hf =friction loss in suction line and entrance losses
USING CONSISTENT UNITS IS IMPORTANT, as always. Note that there is no Velocity
Head term [V^2/(2g)] in the equation above. This is because velocity head energy is lost
accelerating the fluid from the sump or tank into the suction pipe. That energy is then recovered
in the suction pipe. When using this equation at the design stage, the velocity head terms cancel
out. When taking actual field test data with gauges, velocity head must always be added in.
Gauges always measure static pressure.
Cavitation the formation and subsequent collapse of vapor-filled cavities in a liquid. The
cavities may be bubbles or vapor-filled pockets, or a combination of both. The local pressure
must be at or below the vapor pressure of the liquid for cavitation to begin. And the cavities must
encounter a region of pressure higher than the vapor pressure to collapse. Bubbles which
collapse on a solid boundary (such as an impeller vane or shroud wall) will cause pitting,
damage, and some vibration. Cavitation pitting is evident slightly down-stream from the inlet
edge of the impeller vane because it's the bubble collapse that does the damage, not the bubble
formation.
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System Head - the sum of the static head between suction and discharge liquid levels, the pipe
friction head, and the head lost through fittings and valves. In many systems, the static head
varies because suction and discharge liquid levels vary. Friction head generally increases at a
rate approximately equal to the square of the flow through the system. Friction head is affected
by changes in pipe condition and valve opening.
II. NPSH Available vs. NPSH Required

A. Consider two factors when deciding on the margin between
NPSHA and NPSHR
NPSH Available must ALWAYS exceed NPSH Required (NPSHA > NPSHR). Margin is the
amount that NPSHA exceeds NPSHR. Margin can be expressed in two ways:
as a difference (NPSHA - NPSHR)
or as a ratio (NPSHA / NPSHR)
An adequate MARGIN is both necessary and important because:
1) Cavitation has already begun and is well established at the published NPSH Required (3%
head drop) value. Incipient cavitation usually starts at suction pressures TWO or MORE TIMES
HIGHER than the published NPSHR (3% head drop) value. The deterioration of pump
performance as suction conditions approach the NPSHR value will be graphically presented in
the next section.
2) Frequently, the ACTUAL pump operating flow rate exceeds the DESIGN flow rate because
system heads are often over-estimated. Also, the actual head developed by the pump at the rated
flow will exceed the rated head because of test code requirements. Both of these factors reduce
NPSH margin, as we will see later when the interaction of these factors is presented.
B. How NPSHR is determined by the pump manufacturer
There are two types of NPSH test setups generally used by pump manufacturers. Probably the
one most often used is the SUCTION SUPPRESSION test. Here a constant level open sump is
used, and NPSH Available is slowly reduced by partially closing a suction valve. To obtain the
most accurate results, the flow must enter the impeller eye uniformly, therefore there must be at
least 5 10 diameters of straight pipe between the pump suction flange and the suppression
valve. The second NPSHR test setup is the CLOSED LOOP test with vacuum control. This setup
often gives more accurate results at low NPSH values. The suction tank is a closed vessel, and a
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vacuum pump is used to reduce the pressure in this closed vessel, and thereby reduce the
NPSHA.
With either the SUCTION SUPPRESSION or CLOSED LOOP setup for NPSH testing, air
entering the pump suction is always a possible problem, and the enemy to an accurate test.
Suction pressures, and possibly pressure at the pump shaft seal, will be below atmospheric
pressure during most of the NPSH test. Therefore suction piping joints and suction valve stems
must be air tight. Pump shaft packing should be flushed with external water and adjusted
relatively tight during testing, or use a double mechanical seal with flush.
The NPSH test results, as shown in Figure 1, were produced by holding the flow rate constant at
1000, 1500, 2000, and 2250 GPM respectively, while reducing the NPSH Available on the
suction side of the pump. Differential head was measured to determine the 3% head drop point.
Each constant flow rate is a separate test, and represents one data point on the published FLOW
vs. NPSHR curve.
Once again, to emphasize the point that cavitation is well established when a pump is operated
with a suction pressure equal to its NPSH Required, let's look at the 2000 GPM data in Figure 1.
At ample suction pressures (NPSHA above 42 feet), the head developed is 105 feet. As suction
pressure is lowered, the total developed head is reduced until it reaches just under 102 feet (3%
drop off) at an NPSH value of 32 feet. At 2000 GPM, the NPSHR =32 feet. But if full published
head performance is expected at 2000 GPM flow, an NPSHA value above the published NPSHR
value must be maintained. Remember that 32 feet NPSH (absolute pressure) would roughly
correspond to a suction gauge reading just below zero (gauge pressure) for cool water. Please
study the NPSH data presented in Figure 1 at all four flow rates.
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Fig. 1 Typical NPSH Testing at Several Flow Rates
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C. System head calculations can affect actual NPSH margin
The previous NPSH Required data came from a wastewater pump with 6 suction and discharge,
13 impeller, operating at 1780 RPM. Continuing on with that same example, we will show how
the interaction between the pump head capacity curve, the calculated system head curve, and
the actual system head curve can have an adverse effect on NPSH margin. For this example, the
rated condition point specified by the system designer is 2000 GPM (gallons per minute) at 100
feet of head.
Figure 2 shows the actual head vs. flow (H-Q) performance curve for the pump mentioned above
at 13 impeller diameter at 1780 RPM. This pump would meet the 2000 GPM at 100 feet rating.
The first thing to note is the actual head produced at 2000 GPM is approximately 105 feet, not
100 feet. Typical test standards used in the USA allow only a positive tolerance on head. The
pump supplied will always meet, or more likely exceed, the rated head. Common International
(ISO) test standards provide for a bi-lateral (+/ -) tolerance on head.
The actual pump operating point will be where the actual H-Q curve intersects with the actual
system head curve. The dashed system head curve in Figure 2 is the one calculated during
system design. The solid system head curve is the actual result once the system is in operation.
Typically the system designer will be conservative in estimating friction losses, resulting in the
calculated system head curve being above the actual system head curve. This factor, plus the
positive test tolerance on head that the pump manufacturer must meet, has led to an actual
operating point of 2160 GPM, instead of 2000 GPM in this example.
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Fig. 2 Pump Performance & System Head
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What has this done to the NPSH margin that the system designer expected? Figure 2 shows
NPSH Required vs. Flow. This information is supplied by the pump manufacturer, and is based
on the data given in Figure 1. Figure 2 also shows the NPSH Available as calculated by the
system designer. At the rated flow of 2000 GPM, the calculated or expected NPSH margin was:
NPSHA NPSHR =40 feet 32 feet =8 feet
OR NPSHA / NPSHR =40' / 32' =1.25
However, at the actual flow rate of 2160 GPM, the actual NPSH margin is:
NPSHA NPSHR =37.7 feet 34.5 feet =3.2 feet OR
NPSHA / NPSHR =37.7' / 34.5' =1.09
The reality of the ACTUAL operating flow rate being greater than the RATED condition has led
to a loss of NPSH safety margin in the design. Study Figure 2 carefully to understand how these
factors have interacted.
D. NPSH Margin Guidelines
The following table presents recommended NPSH margins (ratios) for various applications.
Safety margins are always subjective, and the actual margin used is always a balance between
avoiding potential cavitation damage and initial cost. However, the cost of correcting cavitation
problems after construction can be significant.
APPLICATION MARGIN (NPSHA / NPSHR)
Chemical 1.1* - 1.3
Electric Power 1.1* - 1.5
Water / Wastewater 1.3 1.7
General Industry 1.2 1.7
Pulp & Paper 1.1* - 1.4
Building Trades 1.2* - 1.5
Cooling Tower 1.4* - 1.7
* =or 5 feet difference, whichever is greater
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Remember our previous example for a design of 2000 GPM at 100 feet. The pump used in that
example was a wastewater pump. The original design at 2000 GPM did not quite meet the
minimum recommended NPSH margin given above (1.3). At the design flow of 2000 GPM, the
margin was 1.25 (40' / 32'). After construction and commissioning, the actual system head
turned out to be lower than calculated, and the actual operating point was 2160 GPM. At that
actual flow rate, the NPSH margin further deteriorated to a 1.09 ratio or 3.2' (difference).
Using Fig. 2, we can see there is 37.7' NPSHA at 2160 GPM. From Fig.1, we can interpolate
between the 2000 and 2250 GPM NPSH test data to see that at 37.7' NPSHA, the developed head
is about 1.5% below the full head you could expect at high NPSHA levels (like 45' NPSHA or
higher).
In this example, the pump actually operates about half way towards its 3% head loss NPSHR
condition. Some cavitation is well established at that point. Note also from the NPSH test curves
in Figure 1, just below the 3% head drop point (the published NPSHR value) the developed head
starts dropping more rapidly. This is typical for many centrifugal pump designs, and this
slippery slope is one you don't want to get near.
If increased NPSH margin is desired, either the NPSHA of the system must be raised or the
NPSHR of the pump must be lowered.
Changes to the system that will increase the NPSH Available include:
a) Increase the supply tank elevation, or raise the minimum tank (wet well) level.
b) Lower the pump relative to the supply tank
c) Increase suction pipe size to reduce flow velocity and friction loss.
d) Add a booster pump.
e) Reduce the liquid temperature, thus reducing the vapor pressure.
Changes to the pump that will reduce the NPSH Required include:
a) Select a different pump with lower NPSHR. This may mean using a larger pump at lower
speed. Both pump and motor will have higher initial costs, but operating costs may be
lower with reduced cavitation, reduced vibration, reduced wear if abrasives are present,
and longer seal life. Going back to our previous example, for the design point of 2000
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GPM at 100 feet, a 6 suction and 6 discharge pump with 13 impeller at 1780 RPM
was selected. NPSHR at 2000 GPM was 32 feet. An alternate selection could have been a
6 suction and 6 discharge pump with 16.5 impeller at 1180 RPM, which has an
NPSHR of 16' at 2000 GPM (40'/16' = 2.5 NPSH Margin). This is huge increase in
margin from the original 1.25 margin, along with a higher initial cost for the pump and
motor. But these additional upfront costs will likely result in longer pump wear life, and
lower noise and vibration due to cavitation.
b) Add an inducer to the impeller inlet. This is sometimes done in low NPSH applications.
Inducers act as first stage impellers with low inlet angles, and reduce the NPSHR in the
flow range they are designed for. Inducers are sometimes used in chemical pump
applications on clear liquids. Because of their low inlet angles and high vane overlap,
their ability to pass spheres is very limited.
III. Good Practices in Suction Piping
The previous section dealt with delivering sufficient suction pressure (NPSH) to avoid cavitation
damage and its detrimental effects on vibration, bearing life, and seal life. That turns out to be
only half the battle.
To avoid hydraulic noise and the associated vibration, you must also deliver a uniform flow
velocity distribution to the pump inlet. A centrifugal pump that lacks a straight and uniform flow
pattern at its inlet will not respond properly, or perform to its maximum capability. A non-
uniform or swirling flow profile can lead to noisy operation, random axial load oscillations, and
premature bearing failures.
A. Suction pipe velocity
Suction pipe size should generally be at least one size larger than the pump inlet. Suction pipe
inlet velocities at the sump should be limited to 5 ft./sec. If there is a suction manifold
arrangement, the main line should also be limited to 5 ft./sec. Branch suction lines off the main
manifold should have flow velocities in the range of 5 8 ft./sec. If the designer must take some
liberties with other suction pipe guidelines concerning elbows, straight lengths of pipe, and the
like, then it is more important to stay near the low end of these flow velocity guidelines.
When using solids handling pumps, horizontal line velocities below 3 ft./sec. can cause settling
of solids and roping of stringy materials. This settled material might later be pulled up into the
pump during higher flow conditions and overwhelm the pump's solids handling ability thus
causing a plug.
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B. Pipe slope, reducers, and air pockets
Flooded suction for centrifugal pumps is always preferred. This eliminates any priming issues,
and also provides higher NPSHA. However, for pumps that must operate with a suction lift
condition, the suction line must slope constantly upward toward the pump. Refer to the top half
of Figure 3.
Also, any valves that are installed in the suction line should have their stems horizontal to avoid
collecting air or gas at high points. Reducers will generally be required just ahead of the pump
suction flange, since the suction pipe will be at least one size larger than the pump suction. They
must be installed to avoid air pockets, as shown in the lower half of Figure 3. Reducers at the
pump suction should be the conical type. Contoured eccentric reducers are NOT recommended,
as they can disturb flow right in front of the pump.
Also, more than one pipe size reduction in a single reducer fitting should be avoided. Large
reductions over short lengths can result in non-uniform flow patterns.
Fig. 3 Suction Lift, Air Pockets, and Reducers
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C. Elbows and tees
Because flow through elbows and tees can create non-uniform velocity distributions at their
exits, it is strongly recommended that 5 to 10 pipe diameters of straight pipe be provided in front
of the pump suction. Uneven and swirling flow velocities at the pump inlet will result in poor
angles of attack between the flow and the impeller blades, leading to hydraulic noise, axial
loading oscillation, possible bearing failure, and cavitation.
If suction pipe velocities are near the maximum recommended values, then it is more important
to provide a longer straight run of pipe in front of the pump suction (i.e. follow the 10 pipe
diameter recommendation). See the top diagram in Figure 5. Bends at 30 45 degrees are always
preferred over 90 degree bends.
Figure 4 shows typical flow streamlines through a short radius elbow at higher velocities. Note
that the flow shifts toward the outside wall during the second half of the turn. Flow becomes
separated from the inside wall, and there can be pockets of eddies in this area.
If a short radius elbow with higher flow velocities were near the pump inlet, the result would be
an undesirable flow pattern for the pump inlet. With such an uneven pattern, it is impossible to
have the flow line up smoothly with impeller blade inlet angles in all four quadrants of the
impeller eye. Large radius elbows with lower flow velocities would show much less tendency
toward non-uniform flows at the elbow exit.
Fig. 4 Flow Streamlines at an Elbow
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When elbows must be incorporated in the suction piping design, there are certain
recommendations that must be followed. For double suction pumps, do NOT place an elbow near
the suction with its plane parallel to the pump shaft. Because of the non-uniform flow at the
elbow exit, as seen in Figure 4, an elbow oriented this way will overload one side of the impeller
while starving the other side. This upsets the axial balance of the rotor and may result in
cavitation on the starved side. High axial fluctuating loads and noisy operation are likely results.
See Figure 5. If an elbow must be used near a double suction pump inlet, keep the flow
velocities low and only use long radius or reducing long radius elbows. Plus the plane of the
elbow MUST be perpendicular to the pump shaft.
Fig. 5 Recommended Use of Elbows

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If the suction piping arrangement must contain two or more 90 degree turns, those turns should
be in the same plane, as shown in the middle, left side of Figure 5. Orientation of the turns in the
same plane allows the second turn to rectify the non-uniform flow coming from the first turn.
Orientation of the two turns in perpendicular planes (shown as NOT RECOMMENDED) can
induce a rotational swirl pattern to the flow entering the pump inlet. Once again, this will lead to
a poor match between liquid flow angles and inlet blade angles, with hydraulic noise and
cavitation as the result.
Now that the evils caused by elbows near the pump suction have been explained, you might be
thinking hold on just a minute. There are several cases where pump manufacturers incorporate
an elbow right in front of the impeller inlet. How do they get away with that?
One such group of pumps are dry-pit vertical wastewater pumps used in the sewage treatment
industry. Vertical pumps are often preferred here for their smaller floor space requirements.
Vertically oriented pumps can be direct-driven by a motor mounted on top of the pump, or
driven through line shafting connected to a motor at a higher elevation. In either case, the pump
manufacturer must supply a suction elbow mounted directly in front of the impeller inlet. Here
the suction elbow is a necessary evil. However, we can diminish the evil by making smart
choices.
One principle to remember is that flow through CONVERGENT channels produces uniform
flow, while flow through DIVERGENT channels produces non-uniform flow patterns.
Therefore, the best designs for vertical pumps incorporate REDUCING ELBOWS on the
suction, or LONG RADIUS ELBOWS. These two choices result in the most uniform flow for
the impeller inlet. Short radius, non-reducing elbows would be the least desirable choice for an
elbow just in front of the impeller inlet.
Another pump design that incorporates elbows just ahead of the impeller inlet is a double
suction or split-case pump, such as previously shown in Figures 3 and 5. Again, the turn in the
suction passage (built into the casing), just ahead of each impeller inlet, is a necessary evil in this
design. Casing suction passage areas must be generous. See Figure 6. The area at AF should be
at least 1.5 times the impeller eye area D.
Once again, convergent flow in the suction passage of the pump casing (due to reducing areas
leading to the impeller inlet on each side) should result in reasonably uniform flow at the
impeller eye. Good double suction pump inlet designs also feature anti-rotation baffles to
suppress swirl at the impeller inlet. Note the anti-rotation baffle shown in Figure 6. Be wary of
double suction pump designs where the casing suction passage looks unusually compact in the
axial direction (shaft axis). These designs could produce greater hydraulic noise.
The pump manufacturer has the primary responsibility for supplying proper suction elbows for
vertical pumps, and designing suction passages in split-case pump casings. But better informed
pump users and system designers can assure that the best choices are made for suction elbows on
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vertical pumps. And that double suction pumps with unusually small casing suction passages are
avoided.
Fig. 6 Double Suction Casing Inlet