GOLDEN GATE COLLEGES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

TESTING OF SERIES AND PARALLEL PUMP

SUBMITTED BY:
AUMENTADO, EUTIQUIO
BAUTISTA, MARWIN
CABENIAN, TOM JERICK

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. NOEL BONOT

2015 MARCH 19
 INTRODUCTION

Centrifugal pumps are often used together to enhance either the flow rate or
the delivery pressure beyond that available from the single pump. For some piping
system designs, it may be desirable to consider a multiple pump system to meet the
design requirements. Two typical options include parallel and series configurations of
pumps which require a specific performance criteria. In serial operation the heads of
the pumps are added and in parallel operation the flow rates (capacities) of the pumps
are added.

A centrifugal pump converts the input power to kinetic energy in the liquid by
accelerating the liquid by a revolving device ‐ an impeller. Fluid enters the pump
through the eye of the impeller which rotates at high speed. The fluid is accelerated
radially outward from the pump chasing. A vacuum is created at the impellers eye that
continuously draws more fluid into the pump.

The energy created by the pump is kinetic energy according the Bernoulli Equation.
The energy transferred to the liquid corresponds to the velocity at the edge or vane
tip of the impeller. The faster the impeller revolves or the bigger the impeller is, the
higher will the velocity of the liquid energy transferred to the liquid be. This is
described by the Affinity Laws.

it is important to understand that the pump will pump all fluids to the same height if the
shaft is turning at the same rpm.
Objective

To draw the performance characteristics of

• single pump
• pumps combination in series
• pumps combination in parallel

Apparatus

• Centrifugal pump apparatus bench

• Stop watch

Procedure

First of all, operation was done for single pump. A pump was operated with control rate of
flow taken for 0, 10, 15, 30, 30 liters per minute observed in V notch. To assure the exact flow
rate, pipe reading with stop watch was taken for each case. Correspondingly, measurements
of pressures were taken for suction and delivery side. Also corresponding power was
observed.

Similar operations were done for two pumps arranged in series as well as parallel.

Theory

A centrifugal pump converts the input power to kinetic energy in the liquid by accelerating the
liquid by a revolving device ‐ an impeller. Fluid enters the pump through the eye of the
impeller which rotates at high speed. The fluid is accelerated radially outward from the pump
chasing. A vacuum is created at the impellers eye that continuously draws more fluid into the
pump.

The energy created by the pump is kinetic energy according the Bernoulli Equation. The
energy transferred to the liquid corresponds to the velocity at the edge or vane tip of the
impeller. The faster the impeller revolves or the bigger the impeller is, the higher will the
velocity of the liquid energy transferred to the liquid be. This is described by the Affinity
Laws.

it is important to understand that the pump will pump all fluids to the same height if the shaft
is turning at the same rpm.

Centrifugal Pumps are "constant head machines".

The head of a pump in metric units can be expressed in metric units as:
h = (p2 ‐ p1)/(ρ g) + v22/(2 g) (1)
where
h = total head developed (m) p2 = pressure at outlet (N/m2) p1 = pressure at inlet (N/m2
ρ = density (kg/m3)
g = acceleration of gravity (9.81)
m/s2 v2 = velocity at the outlet
(m/s)

Energy Usage

The energy usage in a pumping installation is determined by the flow required, the height
lifted and the length and characteristics of the pipeline. The power required to drive a pump
(Pi), is defined simply using SI units by: by:

where:

Pi is the input power required

(W) ρ is the fluid density
(kg/m3)
g is the gravitational constant (9.81
m/s2) H is the energy Head added to
the flow (m) Q is the flow rate (m3/s)
η is the efficiency of the pump plant as a decimal

The head added by the pump (H) is a sum of the the static lift, the head loss due to friction and
any losses due to valves or pipe bends all expressed in metres of water. Power is more
commonly expressed as kW (103 W) or horsepower (multiply kW by 0.746). The value for the
pump efficiency η may be stated for the pump itself or as a combined efficiency of the pump
and motor system.

The energy usage is determined by multiplying the power requirement by the length of time
the pump is operating.

Performance curve:

The performance curve is the easiest and most satisfactory way to show graphically the
relationship between head, capacity, horsepower, etc., of any pump. For a given rotational
speed and impeller size, the performance of a pump can be represented on a head‐capacity
curve of total developed head in feet of water versus flow in gallons per minute.

Total dynamic head (TDH) is the difference between suction and discharge pressure and
includes the difference between the velocity head at the suction and discharge connection.
The lines sloping downward from left to right represent the varying quantities of water
delivered by the pump with variations in head or pressure for a given impeller size.

The intersection of this line with zero delivery line shows the “shut‐off head”, which is the
pressure developed by the pump when the discharge valve is shut.
Starting from the shut‐off head, as the pump delivers more water, the mechanical efficiency of
the pump increases until a “best efficiency point” (BEP) is reached. Increasing the flow further
decreases the efficiency until a point known as “end of curve” where the manufacturer no
longer publishes the performance. As the impeller gets smaller, the pump efficiency also
decreases.

The power requirements are also shown on the performance curve. The horsepower line that
does not cross the pump curve is called “non‐overloading” horsepower because operation at
any point on the published pump curve will not overload the motor.

Parallel Operation

The primary purpose of operating pumps in parallel is to allow a wider range of flow than
would be possible with a single fixed speed pump for systems with widely flow demand.

Usually there are no more than three or four pumps operating in parallel.

The combined parallel pump curve can be drawn holding the head constant and adding the
flow. Fig. shows a combined pump curve of a system with three identical pumps operating in
parallel.

Curve A represents the head‐flow curve for any one of the pumps. Curve B is the combined
pump curve for two pumps operating at the same time in parallel and curve C represents the
combined performance for the three pumps. Notice that at any head value, the flow on curve B
is twice the flow at the same head on curve A. Likewise, flow on curve C is three times the flow
on curve A for the same head value. Curve X represents the system head curve. Points a, b, and
c represents the flow that is delivered by the pumps at the three operating conditions which
are: a single pump, two pumps and all (three) pumps operating at the same time.
Series Operation

In series operation, the discharge of one pump feeds the suction of a second pump (Fig 97).
Unlike parallel operation, series pump curve can be drawn holding the flow constant and
adding the head. Series operation allows that commercially available equipment can be used in
a particular system because sometimes a single pump operation would result in a pump with an
extremely high head and thus an equally high horsepower. For example, distributing pumping
schemes applied in chilled water plants avoid using to big pumps for chilled water circulation
that create unnecessary overpressure at the buildings close to the plant. Small pumps situated
just at the building they feed mitigate the overpressure problem and at the same time save
considerable pumping energy. Such schemes are based on the series pumps operation
principles.
Observation

Single centrifugal pump

Pump speed: 70 rps

S.N Volume flow Inlet Outlet Electric power Head Pump

rate pressure pressure input (m) Hydraulic
(Q
liters/min) (bar) (bar) (watt) power
(Wh watt)
1 0 0 0.6 90 6.11 0
2 8.05 0 0.5 110 5.09 8.313667
3 12.5 0 0.48 118 4.89 11.9805
4 21.42 0 0.38 142 3.87 12.642
5 28 0 0.3 155 3.05 15.94133

Centrifugal pumps in parallel combination

S.N Volume flow Inlet Outlet power input Head Pump

rate pressure pressure (watt) (m) Hydraulic
(Q liters/min) (bar) (bar) power
(Wh watt)
1 0 0 0.6 190 6.11
2 8.57 0 0.53 225 5.4
3 15.65 0 0.51 232 5.19
4 21.17 0 0.50 250 5.09
5 36 0 0.49 295 4.99

Pumps in series combination

S.
N Volume flow Inlet Outlet power input Head Pump
rate pressure pressure (watt) (m) Hydraulic
(Q
liters/min) (bar) (bar) power
(Wh watt)
1 0 0 0.6 210 6.11
2 8.57 0 0.55 235 5.6
3 15 0 0.50 250 5.09
4 18 0 0.49 300 4.99
5 32.72 0 0.2 390 2.03
Analysis

From the experiments, characteristics of pumps ran at different conditions are observed and
drawn in graphs. These characteristics curves are essential in defining the properties of a
pump, since only size and shape cannot be sufficient to select a pump for certain purpose.
Standard test were done according to the procedures defined by the lab manual and
characteristics curves are drawn.

Initially, we study the variation of head available with change in flow rate. With pumps in
parallel we can increase the flow almost twice for the same head delivered, while head
delivered can be increased twice by arranging pumps in series. Hence, where a single pump is
inappropriate for large flow rate or high head, pumps can be arranged in series and parallel or
combination of both to suite our requirement.

we see that overall efficiency of the pumps against flow rate. It should be efficiency of pumps
in combination is higher than a single pump. Even, efficiency of pumps in series is higher than
that in parallel. More closely, we can also see that efficiency of pumps in series is better in
lower flow rate ie at higher head delivered and pumps in parallel is better for higher flow rates
and low head delivered.

The hydraulic power produced by pumps against flow rate are drawn. In case of series
connection the hydraulic power produced by a pump is higher than that of parallel
connection at lower flow rates. At higher flow rates we can predict that curve of pumps in
parallel will cross that of in series.

As the pumps are connected in series or parallel, the input power to the pumps increases than
that of a single pump.

In case of field operation to select a particular type of pump or a particular combination of

the pump, first of all the characteristics curves, provided by manufacturer, should be studied
carefully and then only it should be use in field.

The main aim of the practical was to drawn up the characteristics curve. With the help of
characteristics curve and the actual field conditions (ie. Head available, input power required,
required flow rate). We should have to compromise in efficiency for the fulfillment of the actual
field condition situations. So the characteristics curve helps to optimize the field conditions and
to select a particular type of pump or a combination of pump for a particular site.