PRESSURE DROP CALCULATIONS AND CALCULATIONS FOR POWER OF PUMP

AT HOME

The apartment I stay in has ​8 floors and the water storage tank is above the 8​th floor, i.e, in the terrace. Water is
pumped from a supply tank at the bottom (which draws groundwater through a pump) to the top storage tank
from which it is distributed to the different apartments. I stay on the ​third floor​.

Now taking the floor to floor height as ​12 foot (although it varies a little as you go from top to bottom), we have
the total height as 12 ｘ9 = ​108 ft​.
We assume that water is stationary in the pipeline.
Therefore, the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the pipe connecting the supply and the storage
tank is given by the expression :
Therefore, ​P = 322.17 kPa. ​(Assuming value of density of water = 998 kg/m​3​)
This is the required ​pressure drop​ between the top and the bottom floors.

CALCULATIONS FOR PUMP

Here for basic calculations, we’re assuming the water storage and distribution occurs according to the following
diagram:
Tank 1 is the tank that is filled by drawing up groundwater. Tank 2 is the overhead storage tank that is filled
with water from tank 1 using a pump.
Now we will be applying Bernoulli’s equation between points 1 and 2 to find out the non-flow work that is done
by the pump and hence its power. Now, before we can apply the equation to this system, we need to make some
assumptions for the sake of simplicity:
1. The flow is in steady state, i.e. the the level in tank 1 is not going down with time. This assumption is a
good approximation when tank 1 is being simultaneously filled at the same rate as the water being
drawn out of it.
 2. Diameter of the pipe connecting the two tanks is negligibly small compared to the diameter of tank 1.
3. The flow is frictionless, i.e there is no energy losses due to friction. (In a real system, there are always
frictional losses whenever there is relative motion)
4. There are no energy losses at the bends of the pipe. (In reality, however, due to the change in momentum
of the fluid there are always energy losses at bends)
5. Pressure at points 1 and 2 are equal to atmospheric pressure. (This is also a very reasonable assumption,
as water storage tanks are rarely made airtight)
6. Additionally, we assume that the pump has unit efficiency.

Also, the pipe diameter = 2 inches and volume of tank 2 = 20 m​3 ​or 20,000 L.
Now, to find the velocity of water at point 2, we need to find the volumetric flow rate of water. We already
know the volume, and on inquiry I found that it takes around 2 hours to completely fill the tank.

Therefore volumetric flow rate =

Velocity of water coming out of the pipe in tank 2 is the volumetric flow rate divided by the cross sectional area
of the pipe.

∴ v​2 =

Hence, ​v​2​ = ​ ​1.37​ ​m/s.

Now, we have all the values that we need to apply Bernoulli’s equation.

Bernoulli’s equation = …….(i)

Where, the symbols on the left hand side have their usual meaning, and W​n.f refers
​ to the non-flow work(​per
unit mass​) and H​f ​ refers to the frictional energy losses.

In our particular case,

I. H​f ​ = 0.
II. Δ(P/ρ) = 0 ​(since pressure at 1 and 2 are both equal to atmospheric pressure)
III. Δ(v​2​) = v​2​2​ ​(i.e the velocity of water coming out of the pipe in tank 2)
IV. Δz = height of the building + height of tank 2
V. W​n.f ​ is the work done by the pump.
Putting the values in equation (i), we have

Therefore, W​n.f ​ = 340.15 J/kg.

Note that this is the work done per unit mass. For finding out the power of the pump, we need the work done
per unit time.
The mass of water flowing through the pump in one second = volumetric flow rate ✕ density of water ✕ 1s
Taking the density of water as 998 kg/m​3​.
Therefore, ​mass = 2.77 kg
Therefore work done per second by the pump, or the power of the pump, P = 340.15 ✕ 2.77 W = ​943.72 W.
P = 1.27 hp.
IMAGES OF THE STORAGE TANK AND VALVES