Lecture 10

Negative slip, Flow separation conditions, Air

vessels
NEGATIVE SLIP

 The difference between the theoretical discharge and the actual discharge of a

reciprocating pump is known as, slip.

 Usually slip is expressed as percentage slip which is given by, the ratio between the

leakage discharge (difference between the theoretical discharge and the actual discharge)

and the theoretical discharge of a reciprocating pump.

100

1 100

1 100

 The slip is usually positive, but in reciprocating pumps, it is possible to have a negative

slip.

 This may be due to that fact that when the suction valve remains open during the delivery

stroke of the piston and some quantity of water goes directly from the suction pipe to the

delivery pipe, which leads to, actual discharge more than the theoretical discharge.

FLOW SEPARATION CONDITIONS

 For the satisfactory working of a reciprocating pump, the pressure inside the cylinder at

any instant must not be less than the vapour pressure of the liquid.
 If the pressure inside the cylinder is less than or equal to vapour pressure of the fluid,

then separation will occur.

 There are two situations of the piston where this (separation) can happen. One is at the

beginning of the suction stroke and the other is at the end of the delivery stroke.

 Maximum speed in the case of reciprocating pump is determined based on above-

mentioned condition, i.e., pressure inside the cylinder during suction and delivery stroke

should not fall below vapour pressure of the flowing fluid in the suction and delivery

pipe.

 The pressure at which separation takes place is known as separation pressure and the

head corresponding to separation pressure is called separation pressure head, hsep.

 Maximum speed during suction stroke can be obtained from the following expression.

We have

Knowing the value of , from the equation above speed, N, can be determined by

Maximum speed during delivery stroke is obtained as

We have


From above equation we get, , and hence, speed, N can be calculated by

Air vessels
 Air vessel is a closed chamber (cast iron closed chamber) having an opening at its base,

through which water flows into the vessel, or from the vessel, and fitted on the suction as

well as on the delivery side, near the pump cylinder to reduce the accelerating head.

 Development of acceleration head in the reciprocating pump is undesirable, since it

becomes an extra head against which the pump has to work.

 It is also known that higher the speed and longer the pipe, higher is the acceleration head

however, there is a limit to the speed with which the pump may work from the Cavitation

point of view.

 To reduce acceleration heads, air vessels are used on both suction and delivery pipes as

close to the cylinder as possible.

 The vessel is fitted with compressed air, which can contract or expand to absorb most of

the pressure fluctuations. An air vessel in a reciprocating pump acts like a flywheel of an

engine.

 Whenever, the pressure rises, water in excess of the average discharge is forced into the

air vessel.

 As the level of the liquid in the air vessel rises, the air held in air chamber gets

compressed. When the water pressure in the pipe falls, the compressed air ejects the

excess water out.

 Air vessel  

Delivery pipe

Air vessel  
Delivery valve Piston  Piston rod 

Suction valve  Cylinder  

Suction pipe

Flow direction

Figure 6.19. Typical Air vessel ( From: Chandramouli, et al., 2012)

 The main purpose of providing air vessels are:

a. To run the pump at higher speed.

b. To reduce the possibility of separation in suction side.

c. To ensure constant rate of discharge.

d. To save power required to drive the pump.

 These vessels are capable of absorbing fluctuations in pressure or velocity, it is assumed

that the velocity in suction and delivery pipes between air vessels and the cylinder are

fluctuating and there is a uniform velocity in pipes beyond the air vessels.

 When the mean velocity of water in the suction pipes is less than the instantaneous

velocity of water in the suction pipe between the air vessel and the cylinder, the required
 excess water goes out of the air vessel to the cylinder, and when the mean velocity is

more than the instantaneous velocity, the excess water goes into the air vessel.

 Similarly, for the delivery side, when the mean velocity of water is less than the

instantaneous velocity the excess water goes into the air vessel and vice versa.

 The velocity in the suction pipe between the foot valve and the air vessel will be uniform

and is given by also

Therefore,

Similarly,

 The velocity between the air vessel and the cylinder is

 Usually, the air vessel is installed as close to the cylinder as possible, so that the velocity

or pressure fluctuations are neglected. Thus, the effect of acceleration head in the pipe is

negligible and the loss of head due to friction is represented by a straight line, since the

velocity is constant throughout the stroke

 The pressure head due to acceleration in the suction pipe of length (that is, between air

vessel and cylinder) is cos

 The loss of head due to friction in the suction pipe is,

 Loss of head due to friction in the suction pipe for the remaining length (i.e. length below

the air vessel) is,

 Pressure head due to acceleration in the delivery pipe of length (that is, between air

vessel and cylinder) is given by,
  Loss of head due to friction in the delivery pipe for the length is

sin

 Loss of head due to friction in the delivery pipe for the remaining length (that is, beyond

the air vessel) is given by