LAB#02

To Study and draw Characteristic curves of a single Centrifugal Pump

 PUMP:

Pump, a device that expends energy in order to raise, transport, or compress fluids.
The earliest pumps were devices for raising water, such as the Persian and Roman
waterwheels and the more sophisticated Archimedes screw (q.v.).

 Centrifugal Pump:

A centrifugal pump is a machine that uses rotation to impart velocity to a liquid and
then converts that velocity into flow. Let's break that definition down into its
components so that we can consider each one in turn: A centrifugal pump is a machine.
A centrifugal pump uses rotation to impart velocity to a liquid.

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 Components of Centrifugal Pump:

The major components of centrifugal pump are:

1.Impeller
It is a wheel or rotor which is provided with a series of backward curved blades or
vanes. It is mounded on the shaft which is coupled to an external source of energy
which imparts the liquid energy to the impeller there by making it to rotate.

2.Casing

It is a pipe which is connected at the upper end to the inlet of the pump to the center
of impeller which is commonly known as eye. The double end reaction pump consists
of two suction pipes connected to the eye from both sides. The lower end dips into
liquid in to lift. The lower end is fitted in to foot valve and strainer.

3.Delivery Pipe

It is a pipe which is connected at its lower end to the outlet of the pump and it delivers
the liquid to the required height. Near the outlet of the pump on the delivery pipe, a
valve is provided which controls the flow from the pump into delivery pipe.

4. Suction Pipe with Foot Valve and Strainer

Suction pipe relates to the inlet of the impeller and the other end is dipped into the
sump of water. At the water end, it consists of foot value and strainer. The foot valve
is a one-way valve that opens in the upward direction. The strainer is used to filter the
unwanted particle present in the water to prevent the centrifugal pump from
blockage.

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 Working of Centrifugal Pump

The first step in the operation of a centrifugal pump is priming. Priming is the operation in
which suction pipe casing of the pump and the position of fluid with the liquid which is to be
pumped so that all the air from the position of pump is driven out and no air is left. The
necessity of priming of a centrifugal pump is since the pressure generated at the centrifugal
pump impeller is directly proportional to density of fluid that is in contact with it.

After the pump is primed the delivery valve is kept closed and electric motor is started to
rotate the impeller. The delivery valve is kept closed in order to reduce valve is opened the
liquid is made to flow in an outward radial direction there by vanes of impeller at the outer
circumference with high velocity at outer circumference due to centrifugal action vacuum is
created. This cause liquid from sump to rush through suction pipe to eye of impeller thereby
replacing long discharge from center circumference of the impeller is utilized in lifting liquid
to required height through delivery pipe.

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Apparatus:
 Single Centrifugal Pump

 Valves

 Valve tightener

 Water Supply

Procedure:

Firstly, check the mains power supply for safety purpose.

Then plug the switch of the centrifugal pump in the power mains & start the
apparatus.

Check all the valves that they are working properly.

Then open all the valves so that maximum value of mass flow rate should be
obtained.

Now check the gauges of suction line & delivery line that they are also working
properly.

Set the pressure P1 of the suction gauge at zero bar in single centrifugal pump.

Now change the pressure P2 of the delivery line gradually & noted the reading of
the pressure difference created in the suction line & the delivery line.

Now close the bottom valve (connecting the collecting tank & the main
reservoir) to calculate the value of volumetric flow rate by measuring the volume of
water flowing in certain interval of time.

In the end, plot the graph between volumetric flow rate & pressure difference created
between suction & delivery line

Apparatus Schematic Diagram:

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Observation and Calculations:
Sr. Volumetric
P1 P2 ∆ V t
No. flow rate

P2–P1 Q
bar bar bar liter sec liter/sec
1 0 0 0 4 7.20 0.5661
2 0 0.5 0.5 4 7.73 0.5175
3 0 1.0 1.0 4 8.43 0.4745
4 0 1.5 1.5 4 9.73 0.4111
5 0 2.0 2.0 4 12.07 0.3314

6 0 2.5 2.5 4 13.98 0.2861

7 0 3.0 3.0 4 23.74 0.1685

Graph:

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Comments:

The graph shows inverse relation between Pressure difference between suction and
delivery line and Volumetric flow rate.

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