UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA

FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

MEC 416 TUTORIALS

PUMPS, FANS, BLOWERS & HYDRODYNAMIC TRANSMISSIONS

1. A single-acting reciprocating water pump, with a bore and

stroke of 150 mm and 300 mm respectively, runs at 0.4 rev/s.
Suction and discharge pipes are each 75 mm diameter. The
former is 7.5 m long and the suction lift is 3 m. There is
no air vessel on the suction side. The discharge pipe is 300
m long, the outlet (at atmospheric pressure) being 13.5 m
above the level of the pump, and a large air vessel is
connected to the delivery line at a point 15 m from the pump.
Calculate the absolute pressure head in the cylinder at
beginning, middle and end of each stroke. Assume that the
motion of the piston is simple harmonic, that losses at inlet
and outlet of each pipe are negligible, that the slip is 2%,
and that f for both pipes is constant at 0.01. (Atmospheric
pressure = 10.34 m water heat).
(Suction: 4.44, 6.88, 10.24 m. Delivery:31.35, 26.48,19.75 m]

2. A reciprocating pump has two double-acting cylinders each 200

mm bore and 450 mm stroke, the cranks being at 90o to each
other and rotating at 20 rev/min. The delivery pipe is 100
mm diameter, 60 m long. There are no air vessels. Assuming
simple harmonic motion for the pistons determine the maximum
and mean water velocities in the delivery pipe and the
inertia pressure in the delivery pipe near the cylinders at
the instant of minimum water velocity in the pipe.
(2.666 m/s, 2.40 m/s, +236.9 kN/m2)

3. The runner of a centrifugal pump has an outlet diameter of

250 mm and runs at 25 rev/s. It has 10 blades each 5 mm
thick; they are backward-facing at 30 to the tangent and the
breadth of the flow passage at outlet is 12.5 mm. Pressure
gauges are fitted close to the pump casing on the suction and
discharge pipes and both are 2.5 m above the water level in
the supply sump. The suction pipe is 120 mm diameter when
the discharge is 0.026 m2/s the gauge readings are
 respectively 4 m vacuum and 16.5 m.
no whirl at inlet and no whirl slip,
efficiency of the pump and the losses
the velocity head at outlet from the
static head in the volute.
Assuming that there is
estimate the manometric
in the runner if 50% of
runner is recovered as
[71.2%, 3.05 m]

4. The impeller of a centrifugal fan has an inner radius of 250

mm and width of 187.5 mm; the values at exit are 375 mm and
125 mm respectively. There is no whirl at inlet, and at
outlet the blades are backward-facing at 70 to the tangent.
In the impeller there is a loss by friction of 0.4 times the
kinetic head corresponding to the relative outlet velocity,
and in the volute there is a gain equivalent to 0.5 times
the kinetic head corresponding to the absolute velocity at
exit from the runner. The discharge of air is 5.7 m 3/s when
the impeller speed is 13.5 rev/s. Neglecting the thickness
of the blades and whirl slip, determine the head across the
fan and the power required to drive it if the density of the
air is sensibly constant at 1.25 kg/m 3 throughout and
mechanical losses account for 220 W.
[58.1 mm water, 5.83 kW]

5. A centrifugal fan, for which a number of interchangeable

runners are available, is to supply 4.5 m3 of the air a
second to a ventilating duct at a head of 100 mm water gauge.
For all the runners the outer diameter is 500 mm, the breadth
180 mm and the blade thickness negligible. The fan runs at
30 rev/s. Assuming that the conversion of velocity head to
pressure head in the volute is counter balanced by the
friction losses there and in the runner, that there is on
whirl at inlet and that the air density is constant at 1.23
kg/m3, determine the most suitable outlet angle of the
blades. (Neglect whirl slip.)
(Backward-facing at 39.5)

6. A centrifugal pump which runs at 16.6 rev/s is mounted so

that its centre is 2.4 m above the water level in the suction
pump. It delivers water to a point 19 m above its centre.
The friction loss in the suction pipe is 68 Q2 m and that in
the delivery pipe is 650 Q2/s is the rate of flow. The
impeller of the pump is 350 mm diameter and the width of the
blade passages at outlet is 18 mm. The blades themselves
 occupy 5% of the circumference and are backward-facing at 35
to the tangent. At inlet the flow is radial and the radial
component of velocity remains unchanged though the impeller.
Assuming that 50% of the velocity head of the water leaving
the impeller is converted to pressure head in the volute, and
that friction and shock losses in the pump, the velocity
heads in the suction and delivery pipes and whirl slip are
all negligible, calculate the rate of flow and the manometric
efficiency of the pump.

[38.23 litres/s 78.6%]

7. A single-stage centrifugal pump is to be used to pump water

through a vertical distance of 30 m at the rate of 45
litres/s. Suction and delivery pipes will have a combined
length of 36 m and a friction factor f of 0.006. Both will
be 150 mm diameter. Losses at valves, etc, are estimated to
total 2.4 times velocity head in the pipes. The basic design
of pump has a `dimensionless specific speed' of 0.074 rev,
forward-curved impeller blades with an outlet angle of 125
to the tangent and a width of impeller passages at outlet
equal to one-tenth of the diameter. The blades themselves
occupy 5% of the circumference. If a manometric efficiency
(neglecting whirl slip) of 75% may be expected, determine a
suitable impeller diameter.
[238 mm - say 250mm]

8. The impeller of a centrifugal pump has a diameter of 250 mm

and an effective outlet area of 17,000 mm2. The outlet blade
angle is 32. The diameters of suction and discharge openings
are 150mm and 125 mm respectively. At 24.2 rev/s and
discharge 0.03m3/s the pressure heads at suction and
discharge openings were respectively 4.5 m below and 13.3
above atmospheric pressure, the measurement points being at
the same level. The shaft power was 7.76 kW. Water enters
the impeller without shock or whirl. Assuming that the true
outlet whirl component is 70% of the ideal, determine the
overall efficiency and the manometric efficiency based on the
true whirl component.

[68.1%, 81.3%]

9. The following duties are to be performed by rotodynamic pumps

 driven by electric synchronous motors (speed 50/n rev/s,
where n is an integer): (a) 1.4 m3/s of water against 1.5 m
head; (b) 11.3 litres of oil per second (relative density
0.80) against 70 kN/m2 pressure; (c) 5.25 litres of water per
second against 5.5 MN/m2. Design of pumps are available of
which the `dimensionless specific speeds' are 0.032, 0.096,
0.192, 0.45, 0.64 rev. Which design and speed should be used
for each duty?
[(a) Kn0.64 rev at 1.28 rev/s; (b) Kn0.192 rev at 50 54v/s (or
Kn0.096 rev at 25 rev/s); (c) Kn0.032 rev/s, 10 stages, at 50
rev/s]

10. During a laboratory test on a pump appreciable cavitation

began when the pressure plus velocity head at inlet was
reduced to 3.26 m while the total head change across the pump
was 36.5 m and the discharge was 48 litres/s. Barometric
pressure was 750 mm Hg and the vapour pressure of water 1.8
kN/m2. What is the value of σc ? If the pump is to give the
same total head and discharge in a location where the normal
atmospheric pressure is 622 mm Hg and the vapour pressure of
water 830 N/m2 by how much the height of the pump above the
supply level be reduced?
[0.0843, 1.637 m]

11. A large centrifugal pump is to have a `dimensionless specific

speed' of 0.183 rev and is to discharge 2 m3 of liquid per
second against a total head of 15 m. The kinematic viscosity
of the liquid may vary between 3 and 6 times that of water.
Determine the range of speeds and test heads for a one-
quarter scale model investigation of the full-size pump, the
model using water.
[14.58 to 29.16 rev/s, 6.67 to 26.67 m]

12. A 500 mm diameter fluid coupling containing oil of relative

density 0.85 has a slip of 3% and a torque coefficient of
0.0014. The speed of the primary is 16.67rev/s. What is the
rate of heat dissipation when equilibrium is attained?

[1.281 kW]

13. A fluid coupling is to be used to transmit 150 kW between an

engine and a gear-box when the engine speed is 40 rev/s. The
mean diameter at the outlet of the primary member is 380 mm
and the cross-sectional area of the flow passage is constant
at 0.026 m2. The relative density of the oil is and the
 efficiency of the coupling 96.5%. Assuming that the shock
losses under steady conditions are negligible and that the
friction loss round the fluid circuit is four times the mean
velocity head, calculate the mean diameter at inlet to the
primary member.
[228.4 mm]

14. A centrifugal blower delivers 11 m3 of air per second against

a head of 50 mm of water, when running at 512 r.p.m.
Estimate the power required if the efficiency is 0.75.
Estimate the discharge of a blower of similar design, 1.5
times diameter when discharging against a head of 60 mm of
water. State the operating speed and calculate the probable
power necessary. ρair = 1.2 kg/m3.
[7.17 kW, 27.l m3/s, 374 r.p.m., 21.2 kW]

15. A centrifugal pump, situated 4.0 above sump level, lifts

water to a tank 36.0 m above sump level. The suction and
delivery pipes are 150 mm diameter and the heads lost are
respectively 2 m and 7 m. The impeller is 400 mm in diameter
and 32 mm wide at the exit; the blade outlet angle is
3950'and N = 1200 r.p.m. If the manometric efficiency is
0.82 and the gross efficiency is 0.71, what power would be
required to drive the pump and what discharge would be
expected? What pressure head would be indicated on gauges
attached at the suction and delivery flanges of the pump?
Neglect the effect of blade thickness and assume radial flow
at inlet.
[65.5 kW, 101.5 dm3/s, -7.69 m, 39.00 m]

16. A centrifugal pump produced the following performance data

when running at 1500 rev/min on a test run.

Flow m3/s 0.075 0.150 0.200 0.250 0.300

Total head m 70 68 64 58 49
Input power kW 97 127 147 163 170

The pump is required to deliver water from a sump to a

reservoir whose level is 60 m above that of the sump.
Suction and delivery pipes of 300 mm dia. will have a
combined length of 120 m (f = 0.006), 12 m of which is on the
suction side, and the pump inlet is 3 m above the water level
in the supply sump. What will be the efficiency and the most
economical speed to operate the pump and what suction head
would occur at the pump inlet under these optimum speed
conditions?
 [85.3 per cent, 0.2 m3/s; 1620 rev/min, 4.3 m]

17. Define the term "specific speed" of a centrifugal pump and

deduce an expression for it in terms of the head H, the
discharge Q and the speed N.
A multi-stage centrifugal pump is required to lift 1.8 m3/min
of water from a mine, the total head including friction being
750 m. If the speed of the pump is 2900 rev/min, find the
least number of stages if the specific speed per stage is not
to be less than 150 in SI units. [10 stages]

18. The plunger dia. of a single-acting reciprocating pump is 115

mm and the stroke is 230 mm. The suction pipe is 90 mm dia
and 4.2 long. If separation takes place at an absolute
pressure of 1.2 mm find the maximum speed at which the pump
will run without separation taking place if the barometer
stands at 10.3 m of water and the water level in the sump is
3 m below the pump cylinder axis. What power is expended in
overcoming friction at this speed, taking f = 0.01?
[83.5 rev/min 5.5 W]

19. A single-acting reciprocating pump has a plunger dia of 250

mm and a stroke of 450 mm. The delivery pipe is 110mm dia and
48 m long. If the plunger moves with s.h.m., find the power
saved in overcoming friction in the delivery pipe by the
provision of a large air vessel on this pipe close to the
cylinder when the pump is driven at 20 rev/min, taking f =
0.01. [215 W]
20. A double-acting single-cylinder reciprocating pump has a
cylinder diameter of 150 mm and 450 mm stroke. The suction
and delivery pipes have lengths and diameters of 100 mm, 6 m
and 75 mm, 60 m respectively. The sump is 4.5 m below and
the reservoir 45 m above the centre-line of the pump. If the
pump runs at 60 rev/min, determine the power of the driving
motor if its efficiency is 0.85. Take f = 0.005 and assume
s.h.m. for the plunger.
[12.6 kW]