`

`University of Nizwa

College of Engineering

Department of Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering

Fluid Mechanics Laboratory

Single Pump and Parallel Pump Operation

Student’s name:

Student’s ID:

Group No.:

Date of Experiment:

Date Submitted :

Signature :

Objective
 Measurement of pump head, discharge and power characteristics of a
single centrifugal pump.
 Study the operation and performance of two similar centrifugal pumps
connected on parallel.
 Equipment Required :
Hydraulic bench, centrifugal pump, stopwatch
Summary

This experiment will investigate the measurement of pump head, discharge and
power characteristics of a single centrifugal pump. Also it will discuss on the
performance of two similar centrifugal pumps connected on parallel.

The performance of centrifugal pump can be evaluated by measuring three common

characteristics , pump head, discharge and power
 Introduction

When two or more pumps are arranged in parallel their resulting performance curve is
obtained by adding their flowrates at the same head as indicated in the figure below.

Figure 1

Centrifugal pumps in parallel are used to overcome larger volume flows than one
pump can handle alone. For two identical pumps in parallel the flowrate will double
(moving from 1 to 2) compared to a single pump if head is kept constant. In practice
the combined head and volume flow moves along the system curve as indicated from
1 to 3.

If one of the pumps in parallel or series stops, the operation point moves along the
system resistance curve from point 3 to point 1 - the head and flow rate are decreased
[1].
 Apparatus
Outlet gage

Centrifugal
pump

Inlet gage

Figure 2.

Procedure
Data and Computation for single Pump

Motor Discharge Volume Time to Inlet head Outlet Pump Flow rate Total Pump Efficiency
speed control of water collect h1(m head ho(m power Qt (l/s) Head power µ%
valve V (m3) water) water) input V/t H(m output
Hz water) Wo (watts)
Wi (KW)
H=ho-h1 Wo=H*Qt*ρ µ =Wo/ Wi
50 1 0
2 0.005 57 -1 13.5 0.53 8.771E-5 14.5 1.27 0.239
3 0.005 21 -1.3 11.5 0.54 2.380E-4 12.8 3.04 0.562
4 0.005 8 -2 8.5 0.56 6.25E-4 10.5 6.56 1.7
5 0.005 7 -2.6 8 0.57 7.142E-4 10.6 7.57 1.328
40 1 0.005 0 0 9 0.33 0 9 0 0
2 0.005 35 -1 0.85 0.34 1.4285E-4 1.85 0.26 0.076
3 0.005 24 -1 0.8 0.36 2.0833E-4 1.8 0.374 0.103
4 0.005 16 -1 0.7 0.35 3.125E-4 1.7 0.5312 0.151
5 0 12 -1 0.6 0.36 0 1.6 0 0
30 1 0.005 0 0 5 0.21 0 5 0 0
2 0.005 25 0 4 0.21 2E-4 4 0.8 0.38
3 0.005 20 0 3.5 0.21 2.5E-4 3.5 0.875 0.416
4 0.005 12 -1 2 0.22 4.166E-4 3 1.24 0.563
5 0 10 -1 1 0.22 0 2 0 0
Data and Computation for parallel pump

Motor speed :50 Hz

Motor Discharg Volume Time Inlet Outlet Out let Datum Pump Flow Total Pump Efficiency
speed e control of to head head head head power rate Head H(m power µ%
valve water V collect h1(m ho(m correction correction input Qt water) output
Hz (m3) water) water) hd (m) Hd (m) (m3/s) Wo (watts)
Wi V/t H=Hd+
(KW) (hm-h) Wo=H*Qi*ρ µ =Wo/
Wi

50 1 0 0 0.02 19.5 0.960 0.94 0.33 0 20.46 0

2 0.005 27 0.02 19 0.960 0.94 0.34 1.85E- 19.96 3.69 1.085
4
3 0.005 8 0.02 17 0.960 0.94 0.35 6.25E- 17.96 11.22 3.2
4
4 0.005 6 0.02 15 0.960 0.94 0.35 8.33E- 15.96 13.29 3.797
4
5 0.005 4 0.02 11.5 0.960 0.94 0.36 1.25E- 12.46 15.57 4.325
3
Figures to be prepared

For single pump:

1. Pump characteristic curve – Plot the total head H m, in y-axis Vs Volume

Flow rate Qi .1/s in x –axis
2. Pump characteristic curve – Pump input power, KW in y –axis Vs
Volume Flow rate Qi .1/s in x –axis
3. Pump characteristic curve – Overall Efficiency % in y –axis Vs Volume
Flow rate Qi .1/s in x –axis

8.00E-04 Flow rate Vs Total head

7.00E-04

6.00E-04

5.00E-04

4.00E-04
Flow rate (m3/s)

3.00E-04

2.00E-04

1.00E-04

0.00E+00
10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13 13.5 14 14.5 15
Total Head

Figure 1
 Pump input power KW VS volume flow rate
(m3/s)
0.37
0.36
0.36
0.35
0.35
0.34
KW input
0.34
0.33
0.33
0.32
0.32
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
flow rate (m3/s)

Figure 2

Overall effecincy Vs flowrate

1.8
1.6
1.4 At 50 Hz speed Polynomial (At 50 Hz
speed)
1.2
Polynomial (At 50 Hz At 40 Hz speed
1 speed)
Overall effeciency %
0.8 Polynomial (At 40 Hz At 30 Hz speed
0.6 speed)
0.4 Logarithmic (At 30 Hz Polynomial (At 30 Hz
speed) speed)
0.2
0
0
Flow rate m3/s

Figure 3.
For parallel pump:

1. Parallel pump operation – Plot the h and Qt of single pump Vs Dual

pump 50Hz.

Parallel pump operation

25

20

15

Total head (m)

10

0
0.00E+00 2.00E+02 4.00E+02 6.00E+02 8.00E+02 1.00E+03 1.20E+03
Flow rate (m3/s)

Figure 4.
Discussion :

1. Determine the effect of increasing the pump discharge ( volume flow

rate ) with the total at different speeds
2. What is the effect of increasing the pump discharge with the pump
power.
3. What is the best efficiency point (BEP) in the experiment ,what is the
significance of knowing (BEP) in engineering design and operation
4. Make an analysis of the graph single Vs dual pump connected in
parallel. Comment on the graph ,should the pump be connected in
parallel or series.