Selecting an appropriate pump motor

As in any other application, a well-chosen pump motor must match the application. Large
centrifugal pumps, however, demand to be known precisely or you may not even be able to start
them

The countertorque from a centrifugal pump is the typical parabolic curve with torque varying as
the square of speed. Inertia (WK2) of most pumps is low; so low, in most cases, that it does not
affect motor design. .

Because induction motors have reasonably high starting and breakdown torques, pump
applications become difficult only in reduced or low-voltage starting conditions. Synchronous
motors accelerate in the same way as induction motors, using their damper bar cages to
produce torque. Hence, you should investigate low-voltage starting of synchronous motors in
the same way you would for induction motors. Typically, when designing a motor to accelerate a
large pump, consulting engineers make the voltage-drop calculations, and the results are
forwarded to the motor manufacturer.

In most situations, you can reduce the pump load on the motor by closing the pump discharge
valve. This method of load torque reduction is almost always needed for acceleration with a low-
voltage requirement.

You should get a load-speed torque curve from the pump manufacturer, showing both the open-
valve and closed-valve speed-torque curves. Figure 1 is an example of such curves, with motor
torque curves superimposed. As the voltage is reduced at the motor terminals for starting, the
motor torques are reduced at a differential slightly greater than that given by the square of
percent voltage.

For example, a motor with 80% rated voltage at the terminals could produce output torques near
64% of full-voltage torques. The true value is slightly less than the square of voltage, depending
on motor design. Figure 1 shows this effect.
In most cases, closed-valve starting is the only means available to let the motor accelerate the
pump at reduced-voltage conditions. The pump valve remains closed only for the time it takes to
accelerate the motor and pump. Then the valve is opened and the pump draws its full load from
the motor. The pump cannot operate with a closed valve for long periods without risk of damage
from excessive heat. Closing a valve for acceleration usually results in pump load torques in the
area of 50 to 60% of full-load torque at full speed.

The uppermost curve in Figure 1 is the motor full-voltage output torque. The second curve from
the top shows the effect of voltage reduction. The bottom curve is the pump speed-torque curve
with a closed valve until the pump accelerates fully. At that time the valve is opened and the
pump requires its full-load torque from the motor.

The “open valve” curve shows how the pump load would look if the valve were not closed for
acceleration. This design motor would not accelerate at reduced voltage — the open-valve
pump curve crosses above the reduced-voltage motor curve. In that zone, the pump demands
more torque than the motor can supply at reduced voltage.

Mixed-flow pump drive

The impeller of a mixed-flow design pump imparts both axial and radial movement to the
pumped fluid. For this type of pump with the discharge valve open, the load as seen by the
motor is much the same as it would be for a centrifugal pump. However, closing the discharge
valve on a mixed-flow pump does not have the significant torque reduction that goes with a
centrifugal pump.

Typically, values of 80% of full-load torque at full-load speed could be expected, Figure 2.

However, there is considerable variance with closed-valve torque requirements for mixed-flow
pumps. Hence, to get the right motor design to accelerate the pump load, it is almost essential
to get the true pump speed-torque curve.
Axial-flow pump drive

The impeller (that is, the propeller) of an axial-flow design pump imparts flow parallel to the
shaft. With this type of pump, closed discharge-valve torque requirements are greater than if the
pump were started with the valve open. If there is a requirement to start the axial-flow pump with
the discharge valve closed, you need the pump speed-torque curve.

Figure 3 shows an application where the required torque at full load is 150% of motor full-load
torque in a closed-discharge situation. It is not unusual for the value to be significantly higher
than that represented in Figure 3.

For you to have the proper analysis for any type of pump, you must give the motor manufacturer
the values for voltage drop and pump inertia, and the pump speed-torque curves for open and
closedvalve conditions.