Hydraulics

Solution Sheet 11 – Pumps and turbines

1. (Douglas, Gasiorek, & Swaffield, Example 23.1, p754) A centrifugal pump with impeller diameter
05 m, when running at 750 revolutions/min, (”rpm”, widely used in English) was tested and gave
the following characteristics:

 m3 /min 0 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56
 ( m) 40.0 40.6 40.4 39.3 38.0 33.6 25.6 14.5 0.0
 (%) 0 41 60 74 83 83 74 51 0

Predict the performance of a geometrically-similar pump of 035 m diameter and running at 1450
rpm at each of those values of discharge. Plot these characteristics on a ( &) figure, and
sketch a smooth curve for each series.
To plot the efficiency curve it will be necessary to assume that for each 2 (of the second pump),
the corresponding efficiency will be equal to the value at the corresponding 1 . This is supposedly
proved in DG&S, p753, but the lecturer believes that their argument is circular and he was unwilling
to include it in the lecture notes. For the purpose of this example, as we have no other information
on efficiency, we will have to assume that (1 ) = (2 ) for every point considered.
We have  3 = constant, hence
2 1
= 
2 23 1 13
µ ¶3 µ ¶3
2 2 1450 035
2 = 1 × × = 1 × ×
1 1 750 05
= 0663 1 
Also we have  2 2 = constant, hence
2 1
= 
22 22 12 12
µ ¶2 µ ¶2 µ ¶2 µ ¶2
22 22 2 2 1450 035
2 = 1 = 1 × = 1 ×
12 12 1 1 750 05
= 183 1
Applying these to the values in the table above, and with 2 =  1 gives with the results shown in

 m3 /min 0 × 0663 = 0 4.64 9.28 13.9 18.6 23. 2 27. 8 32. 5 37. 1
 ( m) 406 × 183 = 73 2 74. 3 73. 9 71. 9 69. 5 61. 5 46. 8 26. 5 0.0
 (%) 0 41 60 74 83 83 74 51 0

the figure below.

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 b
100
c
1
s s r r r
90 2
s
1
c c c sc r s r
80 2
c
c
70
60 s r
s r
c
Head  (m)
50
s rb b
40 b b
Efficiency  (%)
b
b
30 c b

b
20
10
0 rs sc rb
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
 (m3 min)

2. Consider a pump of characteristic diameter  = 04 m and rotational speed 1500 revolutions/min
having the following data:

1 m3 s−1 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.2 0.25

1 ( m) 77.8 71.0 60.0 45.0 18.0
 (%) 66 79 78 60 12

a. Calculate the power required from the motor at each discharge.

b. Predict the performance of a geometrically-similar pump of 075 m diameter and running at
720 rpm.
c. Plot these characteristics on a ( & &) figure, and sketch a smooth curve for each series.
d. A motor of what power would be necessary to drive that pump for a discharge of about
055 m3 s−1 ?
(a) Power input to water  =  , hence power from motor  =  , giving successive
values of 58, 88, 113, 147 and 368 kW.
(b)
µ ¶3 µ ¶
2 2 720 075 3
2 = 1 × × = 1 × × = 316 1 
1 1 1500 04
µ ¶2 µ ¶2 µ ¶ µ ¶
2 2 720 2 075 2
2 = 1 × = 1 × = 081 1
1 1 1500 04
2 = 316 × 0811 = 256 1
(b) Hence we have the following table

1 m3 s−1 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.2 0.25

1 ( m) 77.8 71.0 60.0 45.0 18.0
 (%) 66 79 78 60 12
1 (kW) 58 88 113 147 368
2 m3 s−1 0.16 0.32 0.47 0.63 0.79
2 ( m) 63 58 49 36 15
2 (kW) 148 225 289 376 941

(c)

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 b
100 100
r
×1
90 1 90
b r r s s c
1 +
s
80 80
b
2
2
r s
c
70 2 × 70
60 b r c s 60
c
Head  (m)
b
Power
50 50
Efficiency  (%)  × 10−1 kW
40
+ ×c 40
30 × 30
b
cs
×
×+ r
20 20
10 ++ 10
+
0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
3 −1
 (m s )
(d) From the graph of power required for the second pump, for 055 m3 s−1 , about 300 kW would
be required.

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