Industrial Pumps:

Selection, operation, Maintenance and Repair

And with

American University at
Cairo - AUC

Engineering Services

Dr. Mohsen Soliman

Mechanical Power Eng. Dept

Presentation # (3):
Performance of Pumping Systems

Characteristics of Pumping Systems & System-Head Curves

1- Using a pump in a system (includes piping, fittings, valves, flow-meters ,..etc) we have to define both:
Pump capacity (flow rate m3/sor GPM)+ Pump total head in m or ft (to overcome friction & higher elevation
flow resistance in the system and to meet/deliver the pressure requirements of system components).
2- Both Pump capacity + total head is a measure to specific delivery work (N.m/kg) pump is doing on fluid.
3- Underestimating pump total head (i.e., actual higher head) = pump discharge is less than required flow.
4- Overestimating total head (less actual resistance) = pumping at part-load, less efficiency, more cost.
5- The pumping system pressure and the resistance to flow, which are dependent on system components
& characteristics, dictate (or define) the required pump head rating.

EXAMPLES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

Volute Centrifugal Pump

Mixed Flow Pump

Diffuser Centrifugal Pump

Vertical Axial Flow Pump

Turbine Pump Casing and Impeller

Examples of Positive Displacement Pumps

Gear Pump

Internal Gear Pump

Lobe Pump

Internal Gear Pump

Sliding Vane Pump

Three Rotor Screw Pump

Friction Losses in Piping components:

Energy Gradient Line EGL & Hydraulic Gradient Line HGL

Total Energy, meter head

Hydraulic energy, meter head

System-Head Curves:
1-Pumping system may include with piping: valves, fittings, open channels, tanks, nozzles, meters,..etc.
2- To Select pump/s, have to calculate friction resistance to flow through various components, h f, system
3- System frictional loss and flow resistance increases as the square of flow rate, h f, system ~ Q2
4-Fixed System Heads= Static add head to raise fluid above inlet level, Zsystem+ Differential Press, Psystem
5- Fixed system heads are called static heads and they do not change with variation of fluid flow rate.
6- Fixed system heads/static heads can be positive or negative (for each of them).

Pump Static Head Arrangements

Pressure Heads on a Pump

 h f, system ~ Q2

PUMP PERFORMANCE CURVES

These are curves that show variations of head, brake power and efficiency as a function of capacity at constant
speed. They are produced as the result of actual tests carried out on a pump and are then taken as typical for
that particular pump design and impeller size. Figure 3 shows performance curves for one particular size of
impeller. Using discharge capacity (L/min) as a base line. Brake power (kilowatts) shows almost a straight-line
increase corresponding to pump output. Efficiency reaches a maximum at about 70% of maximum pump output.

Figure 3 Centrifugal Pump Performance Curves

Head decreases as flow increases. At 120 m head, flow is zero. When the head is only 60 m, the flow through the
pump is 126 000 L/min.
This pump performs best when the head is between 96 and 108 m with the efficiency near 90% and a capacity of
between 80 000 and 100 000 L/min. The pump is capable of operating at a wide output range but the energy
consumed is most profitably used in the 80 000 to 100 000 L/min range. That means that for every kilowatt input,
90% is converted to liquid power and 10% is lost, usually in the form of heat.
If the flow rate drops to 36 000 L/min, the efficiency drops to near 60%. This is acceptable for short periods of
time during fluctuating conditions, but if the pump is expected to run at 36 000 L/min continuously, then it would
be more economical to change the impeller to one which has high efficiency at near 36 000 L/min.

Efficiency = Output / Input = Liquid kW / Brake kW

The performance curves on Figure 4 have been

developed for one particular pump running at an
average speed of 3450 r/min and using a 150 mm
diameter impeller, the maximum size that will fit
into the pump casing. The same pump casing can
be used, however, with smaller diameter impellers
and will give proportionately reduced head and
capacity figures.

Centrifugal Pump Performance

Several factors govern the rating of a centrifugal
pump. Two factors that will be discussed in this
module are pump speed and impeller diameter.
1.Effects of Speed Change
1.Capacity (Q) is directly proportional to
speed (N).
2.Head in meters or pressure in kPa (P) is
directly proportional to the square of the
speed (N2).
3.Power (kW) is directly proportional to the
cube of the speed (N3).
The above statements may be expressed as:
Q1 / Q2 = N1 / N2
P1 / P2 = N12/ N22
kW1 / kW2 = N13 / N23
In the equations, the subscript 1 refers to the original
conditions and the subscript 2 refers to the new
conditions.

Figure 4 Centrifugal Pump Performance Curves

Variants in Pumping Systems

Branch-Line Pumping Systems