Introduction

Pump

Pump is a device that expends energy in order to raise, transport, or compress fluids. A pump
moves liquids or gases from lower pressure to higher pressure, and overcomes this difference in
pressure by adding energy to the system (such as a water system).

Suction pump works by atmospheric pressure when the piston is raised, creating a partial
vacuum, atmospheric pressure outside forces water into the cylinder, whence it is permitted to
escape by an outlet valve. Atmospheric pressure alone can force water to a maximum height of
about 34 feet (10 metres), so the force pump was developed to drain deeper mines. In the force
pump the downward stroke of the piston forces water out through a side valve to a height that
depends simply on the force applied to the piston.

Pumps that increase the pressure within the distribution system or raise water into an elevated
storage tank are called booster pumps. Well pumps lift water from underground and discharge it
directly into a distribution system.

Centrifugal Pump

Centrifugal pump is the mechanical energy is converted into pressure energy by means of
centrifugal force acting on the fluid (hydraulic machine). The main parts of centrifugal pump are
impeller, casing, suction pipe with foot valves, strainer and delivery pipe.

An impeller is a rotating component of a centrifugal pump which transfers energy from the motor
that drives the pump to the fluid being pumped by accelerating the fluid outwards from the center
of rotation. The casing that receives the fluid being pumped by the impeller, slowing down the
fluid’s rate of flow. A volute is a curved funnel that increases in area as it approaches the discharge
port.
A pipe whose one end is connected to the inlet of the pump and another end dips into the water in
a sump is known as a suction pipe. A foot valve is found at the end of a pipeline in a suction lift
application. They function as a check valve, but they also have a strainer affixed to their open end.
Centrifugal pumps work by converting a rotational energy from a motor to induce a flow or raise
the pressure of liquid. When a fluid enters from the suction end of the pump, the impeller catches
the fluids and then rotates, making the fluid entering the pump rotate as well.
During this process, the fluid gains velocity and pressure as it leaves the impeller. A diffuser or
scroll inside the pump then decelerates the fluid flow, further increasing the fluid pressure.

The Centrifugal pump acts as a reversed of an inward radial flow reaction turbine. This means
that flow in a centrifugal pump is in the radial outward directions. The centrifugal pump works
on the principle of forced vortex flow which means that when a certain mass of liquid is rotated
by an external torque, the rise in pressure head of the rotating liquid takes place.

The rise in pressure head at any point of the rotating liquid is proportional to the square of the
tangential velocity of the liquid at that point. Therefore The rise in pressure head is v2/2g. Thus
at the outlet of the impeller, where the radius is more, the rise in pressure head will be more and
the liquid will be discharged at the outlet with a high-pressure head. Due to this high-pressure
head, the liquid can be lifted to a high level.

Due to the general complexity of flow through a centrifugal pump ,the actual performance of the
pump cannot be predicted on a completely theoretical basis .Actual pump performance is
determine experimentally through test on the pump and the result are presented as pump
performance curve .Performance characteristics for a given pump geometry and operating speed
are usually given in the form of plots of head rise ,efficiency and power versus flow rate

(commonly referred as capacity).This information is most helpful to the engineer responsible for
incorporating pump into a given pipe flow system.

References

Engramritkumar. (2018) Mechanical Engineering Notes, Eggnews by Theme Egg.

Douglas Ray Roper, BSME Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park
(1980)