PENGAJIAN KEJURUTERAAN MEKANIK

KAMPUS KEJURUTERAAN
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
14300 NIBONG TEBAL, PULAU PINANG
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EML 331/2
MAKMAL KEJURUTERAAN II
2018/19

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Title: Centrifugal Pump
TITLE: Centrifugal Pump

OBJECTIVE
To study the performance characteristics of single stage centrifugal pump connected in series/
parallel.

INTRODUCTION
A centrifugal pump is a mechanical device designed to move a fluid by means of the transfer
of rotational energy from one or more driven rotors, called impellers. Fluid enters the rapidly rotating
impeller along its axis and is cast out by centrifugal force along its circumference through the impeller
vane tips. The action of the impeller increases the fluid velocity and pressure and directs it towards
the pump outlet. The pump casing is specially designed to constrict the fluid from the pump inlet,
direct it into the impeller and then slow and control the fluid before discharge.
Centrifugal pumps use one or more impellers that rotate on a shaft. The rotating impeller
moves the fluid along the spinning vanes, which increases the velocity of the fluid. The fluid then leaves
the impeller vanes and moves into the pump volute where the velocity of the fluid is converted into
high pressure through a diffusion process. Then the fluid is sent through the discharge port of the
centrifugal pump and into the piping system.

APPARATUS
1. Centrifugal pump bench
2. Stopwatch
3. Ruler

METHODOLOGY

Single pump

Figure 1

1. The apparatus was set up as shows in Figure 1.

2. The stop-cock were set up (handle parallel to pipe-valve closed, handle perpendicular to the
pipe-valve open)
3. The water reservoir was filled with water to maximum level.
4. Pump 1 (9) was switched on with switch box (11) and make sure that pump 2 was switched
off.
5. The desired volumetric flow rate, V was set by using drain cock (8). Water inflow into the
reservoir need to be continuously flow, thus maintaining a fixed level of water.
6. Psuction , Pdelivery and V was measured and recorded in the table.
7. The experiment was repeated with different volumetric flow rates.
 Figure 2

Pump connected in series

1. The apparatus was setup as shown in Figure 2.
2. The water reservoir was filled with water to maximum level.
3. Pump 9 and pump 10 was switched on with the main switch on the switch box (11).
4. The desired volumetric flow rate, V was set by using drain cock (8). Water inflow into the
reservoir need to be continuously flow, thus maintaining a fixed level of water.
5. Psuction1, Pdelivery1, Psuction2, Pdelivery2 and Poutflow and V was measured and recorded in the table.
6. The experiment was repeated with different volumetric flow rates.

Pump connected in parallel

1. For parallel connection, valve 4 and 5 was open and valve 6 is closed. So that water will flow
in parallel position from reservoir to the outlet of the system,
2. The water reservoir was filled with water to maximum level.
3. Pump 9 and pump 10 was switched on with the main switch on the switch box (11).
4. The desired volumetric flow rate, V was set by using drain cock (8). Water inflow into the
reservoir need to be continuously flow, thus maintaining a fixed level of water.
5. Psuction1, Pdelivery1, Psuction2, Pdelivery2 and Poutflow and V was measured and recorded in the table.
6. The experiment was repeated with different volumetric flow rates.
RESULT

Single Pump
P Suction 1 P Delivery 1 P Outflow
Experiment (bar) (bar) (bar) Volume (m3) Time, (s)
1 0 2.8 3 10 72
2 0 2.4 2.6 10 58
3 0 2 2.2 10 43
4 0 1.6 1.8 10 39
5 0 1.2 1.4 10 23
6 0 0.8 1 10 22
7 0 0.4 0.25 10 20
8 0 0 0 10 18
Table 1: Results for single pump configuration

Pump connected in series

Volume
P Suction 1 P Delivery 1 P Suction 2 P Delivery 2 P Outflow Volume Flow Rate,
Experiment (bar) (bar) (bar) (bar) (bar) (m3) Time, (s) m3/s
1 0 2.8 2.8 6 6 10 108 0.092593
2 0 2.4 2.4 5.2 5.2 10 72 0.138889
3 0 2 2 4.2 4.2 10 42 0.238095
4 0 1.6 1.5 3.2 3.2 10 31 0.322581
5 0 1.2 0.9 2.2 2.2 10 25 0.4
6 0 0.8 0.5 1.5 1.5 10 22 0.454545
7 0 0.4 0 0.6 0.5 10 20 0.5
8 0 0 -0.8 0 0 10 18 0.555556
Table 2: Results for pump connected in series

Pump connected in parallel

Volume
P Suction 1 P Delivery 1 P Suction 2 P Delivery 2 P Outflow Volume Flow Rate,
Experiment (bar) (bar) (bar) (bar) (bar) (m3) Time, (s) m3/s
1 0 2.8 -0.8 3 3 10 52 0.192308
2 0 2.4 -0.8 2.6 2.6 10 29 0.344828
3 0 2 -0.8 2.1 2.1 10 23 0.434783
4 0 1.6 -0.8 1.6 1.6 10 14 0.714286
5 0 1.2 -0.8 1.3 1.3 10 13 0.769231
6 0 0.8 -0.8 1 0.75 10 12 0.833333
7 0 0.4 -0.8 0.5 0.25 10 11 0.909091
8 0 0 -0.8 0 0 10 10 1
Table 3: Results for pump connected in parallel
ANALYSIS

Graph of pump head vs volume flow rate

7
6
5
Pump Head, m

4
3 Single Pump
2 Series Pump

1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Volume Flow Rate, m3/s

Figure 3: Graph of pump head vs volume flow rate

in series and single pump

Graph of pump head vs volume flow rate

3.5
3
Pump head, m

2.5
2
1.5 Single Pump
1 Parallel Pump
0.5
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Volume Flow Rate, m3/s

Figure 4: Graph of pump head vs volume flow rate

in parallel and single pump

Time Taken for Pump to Reach 10m3

120

100
Time Taken

80

60 Single Pump

40 Series Pump

20 Parallel Pump

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Experiment

Figure 5: Graph of Time Taken for Pump to Reach 10m3

 DISCUSSION

For figure 5, At higher delivery pressure the series pump is lagging the single pump but when the
delivery pressure is at 2 bar, the pump connected in series has a faster time to reach 10m 3 of water.
For the pump connected in parallel, the time taken is the fastest for all different delivery pressures.

7
6
5
Pump Head, m

4
3 Single Pump

2 Series Pump

1
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
Volume Flow Rate, m3/s

Figure 6: Actual graph for pump in

series configuration

Comparing both graphs for figure 3 and figure 6, the graph in figure 3 to graph in figure 6 is similar
with its volume flow rate ends at some point and the pump in series has a higher head than the single
pump. However, the experimental graph does not reflect perfectly to the theoretical graph. This is due
to a few errors that occurs during the experiment. It can be concluded that for a centrifugal pump
configured in series can achieve higher pump head but has a fixed maximum volume flow rate.
Centrifugal pump in series can exceed the maximum working pressure.

3.5
3
Pump head, m

2.5
2
1.5 Single
1 Pump

0.5 REFERENCE Parallel

0 Pump
0 0.5 1 1.5
Volume Flow Rate, m3/s

Figure 7: Experimental graph for

pump in parallel configuration

Comparing both graphs for figure 4 and figure 7, the graph in figure 4 to graph in figure 7 is similar in
the pump head end at some point for the two configurations but different for the volume flow rate.
There are deviations from the experimental result to the actual results. This is due to the errors that
occur during the experiment. From both graphs, it can be concluded that centrifugal pump configured
in parallel can achieve higher volume flow rate but the maximum pump head is fixed at a certain point
for each incremental in pump number. Centrifugal pump in parallel can be used at higher pressure but
lower head.

From the experiment that has been conducted there is a few errors in the result that made the graph
to have slight variation or deviation from the theoretical shape. This error causes the reading to have
spike in its value thus causing the graph to have a slightly different shape than theory.

i. There is calibration error occurs during experiment when measuring instrument is

wrongly calibrated or poorly calibrated. This make the measuring value is a little bit
different from the real value and this might contribute to the error in the whole
result. By using well calibrated instrument might help to minimize the error.
ii. Valve can cause backflow in the system thus making the pressure variation to deviate
and the flow of water itself to have deviate from the theoretical value.
iii. Human error such as parallax error when taking the reading for certain value also can
produce inaccurate output. Parallax error is apparent during taking the time taken
for volume to reach 10 m3. The adhesive force of water in the tube made the reading
inaccurate thus, leading to deviations in the result. Besides that, for one of the
pressure gage, a ruler had to be used to read the pressure gage to avoid making a
parallax error.
iv. Cavitation may occur during the experiment due to the lack of constant water flow
through the centrifugal pump especially during pump in parallel with low input
pressure. Cavitation may lead to the pump corroded and reduced in efficiency and
flow rate. A steady flow of water is needed to ensure no air is trapped in the pump
thus, avoiding cavitation.

CONCLUSION

The performance characteristic of a single pump is when the pressure head is high the volumetric flow
rate is low, it is the same for a ump connected in series or pump connected in parallel. The difference
is for pump connected in series the volumetric flow rate is the same as the single pump while the
pressure head is double or more. While for pump connected in parallel the pressure head is the same
or almost the same as the single pump while it volumetric flow rate is double or more than the single
pump. Overall the experimental result follows the theoretical value and shape of the graph with minor
deviation that are caused by errors.

REFERENCE

1. Pg 28-30. “Buku Makmal EML332/2, Makmal Kejuruteraan II, Sidang 2018-2019”, Universiti
Sains Malaysia
2. Alarabi, Ahmed. “CAVITATION IN CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS CONNECTED IN SERIES AND
PARALLEL”. Department of mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering Technology
Hoon. Dec. 2017
3. https://www.dultmeier.com/technical-library/how-does-a-centrifugal-pump-work.php. 22
Oct 2018
4. https://www.michael-smith-engineers.co.uk/resources/useful-info/centrifugal-pumps. 22
Oct 2018