A few things about pump's piping system

There should be at least 10 diameters of pipe between the suction of the pump and
the frst elbow. This is especially critical in double-ended pump designs as the
turbulent inlet fow can cause shaft thrusting, and subsequent bearing problems. If
an elbow must be installed be sure it is in a plane at right angles to the pump shaft
to preent an uneen fow to both sides of a double suction impeller.
!ipe from the pump suction fange to the pipe rac", not the other way around.
#a"e sure eccentric reducers are not installed upside down at the pump
suction. The top of the reducer should go straight into the suction fange.
!iping should be arranged with as few bends as possible. If bends are
necessary use a long radius wheneer possible
If an e$pansion %oint is installed in the piping between the pump and the
nearest point of anchor in the piping, It should be noted that a force equal to
the area of the e$pansion %oint &which could be a lot larger than the normal
piping si'e( times the pressure in the piping will be transmitted to the pump
proper. !ipe couplings that do not proide an a$ially rigid connection hae the
same a)ect. If an e$pansion %oin or non-rigid coupling must be used, it is
recommended that a pipe anchor be installed between it and the pump.
*e aware that radial forces are being generated in the pump housing from
the pressure in the piping system acting on the olute area. The magnitude
and direction of the forces is dependent upon the piping arrangement along
with the areas and pressures inoled.
It is always a good idea to increase the si'e of the suction and discharge
pipes at the pump no''le in order to decrease the head loss from pipe
friction.
+uction piping should be at least one si'e larger than the suction fange at
the pump.
If increasers are used on the discharge side to increase the si'e of discharge
piping, they should be installed between the chec" ale and the pump.
*oth a chec" and gate ale should be installed in the discharge piping with
the chec" ale placed between the pump and the stop ale to protect the
pump from reerse fow and e$cessie bac" pressure. #anually operated
discharge ales that are hard to reach should hae some facility for quic"
closing. , sproc"et rim wheel and chain or a remotely operated motor are two
alternaties you might consider.
+uction piping must be "ept free of air lea"s.
The installation of chec" ales should be aoided in the suction piping
although they are often used to reduce the number of ales that hae to be
operated in switching between series and parallel pump operation.
, foot ale is often installed in the suction piping to aid priming. -o not
install them if the pump is operating against a high static head because
failure of the drier would allow liquid to rush bac" suddenly causing water
hammer. This is especially true for ertical turbine and submersible pumps
that are not designed for use with a foot ale.
.oot ales should be of the low loss fap type rather than the multiple spring
ariety and hae a clear passage for the liquid at least the same area as the
suction piping.
, hori'ontal suction line should hae a gradual rise or slope to the pump
suction.
/ast iron pumps should neer be proided with raised face fanges. If steel
suction or discharge piping is used, the pipe fanges should be of the fat face
type and not the raised face type. .ull-faced gas"ets must be used with cast
iron fanges.
The optimum control ale location is within fe feet &1,0 meters( of the
pump discharge to preent too much surging of fuid in the system when the
discharge is throttled.
The optimum pipe si'e will consider the installed cost of the pipe &the cost
increases with si'e( and the pump power requirements &the power required
increases with pipe friction(
o Try to limit the friction loss at design fow to 1-0 feet for each 100 feet
&1-1 meters for each 20 meters( of pipe(.
o To preent the settling of solids you need a minimum elocity of about
3 to 4 feet per second &1.0 to 1.0 meters per second(
o 5elocities of no more than 10 feet &2 meters( per second are
recommended in the suction side piping to preent abrasie wear.