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Cavitation in Reciprocating Pumps
Cavitation in Reciprocating Pumps
The net positive suction head Unlike centrifugal pumps they decelerates near the end of this
(NPSH) is defined as the can achieve high pressure at low stroke, the suction valve gradually
difference between suction velocities. returns to its seat. When the
pressure and vapour pressure element stops, the suction valve
measured at the pump suction Another characteristic of a closes.
nozzle when the pump is running. reciprocating pump is that
In a reciprocating pump NPSH is capacity is a function of speed and The pumping element then
required to push the suction valve is relatively independent of reverses and starts on its
from its seat and to overcome the discharge stroke. The liquid
discharge pressure.
friction losses and acceleration trapped in the pumping chamber
head within the liquid end. is compressed until chamber
All reciprocating pumps contain pressure exceeds the discharge
The flow output from a recip- one or more pumping elements pressure by an amount sufficient
rocating pump is unsteady and (piston or plunger) that move into to push the discharge valve away
the pumped fluid is constantly and out of pumping chambers to from its seat.
accelerating and decel-erating. A produce the pumping action.
certain amount of energy, the Each chamber contains at least With a power pump, the velocity
acceleration head, is required to one suction and one discharge of the element (piston or plunger)
produce the acceleration. varies approximately as the sine
valve (Figure 1).
of the angle of the crank throw.
The acceleration head is often so Pressure The velocity of the liquid in the
large that the net positive suction piping is proportional to plunger
As the pumping element is
head required (NPSHR) cannot be velocity.
withdrawn from the pumping
met. The acceleration head can be
chamber, liquid within the
reduced by increasing the pipe
diameter, shortening suction
chamber expands and the Indicator diagram
pressure decreases. Since most
piping, decreasing pump speed or The graph between the pressure
liquids are relatively
using a suction stabilizer. When in the cylinder and volume swept
incompressible, very little
net positive suction head by the piston for one complete
movement of the element is
available (NPSHA) becomes lower revolution is called the indicator
required to decrease the pressure.
than net positive suction head diagram.
When the pressure decreases
required, or very close to it,
sufficiently below suction
cavitation will occur The volume swept by the piston
pressure, the differential pressure
is equal to product of A
(that is, suction pressure —
‘Displacement chamber pressure), pushes open
(cross-sectional area of cylinder)
machine’ and 2x (distance travelled by the
the suction valve. This occurs
piston). Since A remains constant
A reciprocating pump is a when the element is moving
during piston motion, the volume
‘displacement machine’. At slightly, so that the valve
swept by the piston is
constant speed, handling a given opens gradually and smoothly
proportional to x. This means that
liquid, reciprocating pumps as the velocity of the element
we can substitute x for volume
deliver essentially constant flow increases. Liquid then flows
swept by the piston. For hydraulic
regardless of system resistance. through the valve assembly and
pumps it is convenient to take
Volumetric efficiency falls with follows the element on its
pressure head (p/w) in place of
increasing differential pressure. suction stroke. As the element
pressure.
24 0262 1762/06 © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved WORLD PUMPS January 2006
special focus India
Starting from point IDC after time It is clear from these equations hf(max) = [4fls(Arω)2]/2gds
t, the crank and piston are in the that the acceleration head (Equation 14)
position that is shown in the required by the pump is maximum
diagram (Figure 3). Let θ be at the beginning of each stroke Discussion
the regular distance travelled by when θ = 0º, zero in the middle θ = When net positive pressure head
the crank. Then the distance 90º, and a maximum negative at at the inlet falls below vapour
travelled by the piston is given by the end of each stroke, when θ = pressure head (Pv /w) then
Equation 2. 180º. The magnitude of maximum cavitation occurs.
acceleration is:
x = r – rcosθ = r – rcosωt (Equation 2) From the diagram shown in
= (l/g)(A/a)rω2 (Equation 10) Figure 5 we can see that the point
By differentiating x with respect of lowest pressure during suction
to time t we obtain the velocity of that is, when cosωt = 1, (θ = 0º). stroke is a’, that is, at the
the piston (Equation 3).
c'
Rotating speed
had One of the most important
d (max) parameters for power pumps is
had c
(max)
the maximum allowable speed.
d' hd The velocity variation in the
piping for a triplex pump is 25%,
o o' regardless of the pump size or
b'
hs
has
hs speed. For the same capacity, a
pa
w a (max) smaller pump, running faster, will
has
a b produce the same maximum and
(max)
a' minimum flow rates and more
Figure 4. The pulses per second. Since the
indicator diagram Datum
acceleration head increases in
with acceleration.
direct proportion to frequency,
beginning of the suction stroke. normally expressed in pressure doubling the pump speed doubles
Hence, cavitation during the units. For example, if a power the acceleration head, thereby
suction stroke — if it occurs — is pump requires 2 psi of NPSH when reducing NPSHA from the system.
likely to occur at the beginning of pumping water, it will also require Also doubling the speed requires
the suction stroke, and will 2 psi NPSH for propane. a stiffer valve spring, thereby
obviously occur at the highest increasing NPSHR. As previously
point of suction pipe, that is, As the suction valve is kept stated, if NPSHA drops below
where the suction pipe meets the vertical, the valve can operate NPSHR, cavitation will occur.
pump cylinder. without a spring if the pump
speed is kept low. The NPSH The speed of the pump is limited
Net positive pressure head at the by the ability of the suction valve
requirement for a bigger plunger
point a’ is: to ‘keep up’ with the plunger.
and higher speed is greater than
When there is no spring to push
= Pa/w – hs – has(max) (Equation 15) that of a smaller plunger and the
the valve back onto its seat,
lower speed, when tested with
gravity is the only force acting to
the same fluid. 9The speed of the
= Pa/w – hs – ls/g(A/as)rω2 close the valve against the
pump is limited by the ability of existing fluid. If the pump is
(Equation 16)
the suction valve to ‘keep up’ with running too fast the valve will still
the plunger. If a higher speed is be off its seat when the plunger
Cavitation will start to occur when
desired, stiffer springs are reverses and starts to re-enter the
this value falls below vapour
pressure head (Pv /w). This means needed. pumping chamber. The liquid
that cavitation puts a limit on the will then momentarily flow
suction height of pump suction
NPSH test backwards through the seat, and
pipe length and the speed of the Power pump NPSH tests are the valve will be slammed onto its
pump, because acceleration head performed by holding the pump seat, sending a shock wave to the
is proportional to ω2. speed and discharge pressure suction manifold and piping.
constant and varying the NPSHA
in the system. The pressure in the pumping
The principal component of a
chamber will quickly exceed
reciprocating pump’s NPSHR is the
discharge pressure, and the
pressure differential required to The capacity remains constant for
discharge valve will be driven
open the suction valve. Therefore, all NPSHA values above a certain from its seat. A shock wave will be
NPSHR, expressed in pressure point. As NPSHA is reduced below transmitted from the pumping
terms, increases with pump speed this point, capacity begins to fall. chamber, though the discharge
and valve closing force. The net A 3% capacity drop is the criteria manifold to the discharge line.
positive suction head is defined as
for defining NPSHR.
the difference be-tween suction Valve spring factor
pressure and vapour pressure,
Remedies At low speeds (100 rpm or less)
measured at the pump suction
There are a number of ways to the characteristics of the suction
nozzle when the pump is running.
increase NPSHA. These are: valve spring are of little
In a reciprocating pump, NPSH is • enlarge the diameter of consequence, and a low suction
required to push the suction valve suction line; pressure can be tolerated.
from its seat and to overcome the • reduce the length of suction
friction losses and acceleration line by moving the pump closer Many low-speed pumps operate
head within the liquid end. This is to the suction vessel; without the valve spring. The
because, a significant portion of pump suction pressure require-
• install a suction bottle;
the required NPSH is used to open ment depends on the pump speed
• elevate the suction vessel or
the valve (particularly at low and the valve spring rate. The
pump speeds), and because this is level of liquid; and volumetric efficiency of the pump
a pressure rather than a head • reduce the speed of the power improves when the pump is
requirement (NPSHR). For a pump, or select a larger pump running at low rpm and the valve
reciprocating pump this is running at a lower speed. has a higher spring rate.
The higher spring rate increases The stuffing box packing is a that air pockets cannot form in
efficiency at the cost of higher source of air ingress when the the pipe. The suction stabilizer
suction pressure. Lower suction suction pressure is below usually contains internal parts
pressure diminishes the volu- atmospheric pressure. In that case, such as a bladder, diaphragms,
metric effici-ency. A higher valve air is drawn through the stuffing choke tubes or baffles. It is used in
spring rate increases the box packing into the pumping front of the pump to reduce the
efficiency. chamber on the suction stroke. Air pressure pulsation in the pipe and
ingress will cause a drop in acceleration head in the system.
When stiffer springs are added to capacity and make the pump
the suction valves, the spring operate noisily. Suction stabilizer
force and the valve weight must
be overcome to open the suction Suction stabilizers greatly
valve, so NPSHR increases. These Differential pressure decrease the pulsation that is
springs return the valves to their passed on through the piping
When a pump operates with a low
seats quickly so that operation is system, or even the pulsation that
differential pressure the effect of
smooth at higher speeds. Light is reflected back to the pump.
cavitation is difficult to detect.
springs should be used for a low However, when a pump handles
pressure and low speed, while Generally, these are pressurized
liquid with a high discharge
heavy springs should be used for vessels or containers with a
pressure, the effect of cavitation is
a high speed and high pressure. gas–liquid interface. Some have a
more pronounced.
direct interface, others use an
Plunger size elastomeric sheet to keep them
Liquid properties
Generally, in reciprocating pumps separated. The energy from the
When reciprocating pumps are
the size of the plunger can be pressure pluses is partially
used in viscous service, there is a
changed. The larger clearance absorbed and the peaks on the
corresponding decrease in the
that results from using a smaller pulsation curves are reduced.
maximum allowable speed at
diameter plunger lowers which they are able to operate
volumetric efficiency. However, Using a pulsation dampener
satisfactorily. A decrease in the
for the same rotational speed reduces acceleration head and
speed reduces the volumetric flow.
and service conditions NPSHR friction losses (to minimize
This decease limits the flow range.
rises if the plunger size is NPSHA) when installed as a
Increasing viscosity has two suction stabilizer in the suction
increased. effects. Firstly, the motion of the piping. Using a suction stabilizer
valves is impeded. At constant produces steady flow and reduces
Entrained gas speed this leads to greater valve high pressure fluctuations in the
leakage, hence, lower volumetric pipe system.
Reciprocating pumps will com- efficiency. Alternatively, for a
press gas, but the pressure given volumetric efficiency, the
developed is limited by the hfd (max) c'
pump speed must be reduced as had
usually large clearance volume. viscosity increases. (max)
d
Unless the pump can discharge c
some gas during each stroke, it The second effect is increased d'
hd
will not clear itself. head loss through the suction
valve and post, resulting in higher
A second and potentially more NPSHR. The extent of this effect hs b'
serious problem arises if the pump increases with pump design a b
is able to raise the pressure pressure. has
(max) a'
sufficiently to force the gas into e hfs (max)
the liquid solution. Should this Pumps with a high fluid temp-
happen, the sudden change in erature must be run at a reduced
volume can produce a destructive speed in order for them to Conclusion Figure 5. The
indicator
pressure pulsation. operate properly. The NPSHA must be greater than diagram with
the NPSHR, for the pump to acceleration and
When the liquid contains air or is Suction line deliver its rated flow. When the friction.
exposed to gas other than its own The suction line is sized to limit the NPSHA is below the NPSHR, the
vapour, the vapour pressure of the fluid velocity 1-3 ft/s. This low pump’s capacity is reduced. In
solution increases. The Hydraulic velocity reduces the acceleration severe cases, the shocks associated
Institute, based in the USA, head of the system, maximizing with the vapour collapse (a
recommends an NPSH margin of NPSHA of the pump. The long sudden reduction in pumped fluid
3 psi for power pumps in systems radius elbow minimizes pressure volume) can cause major parts of a
where the pumpage has been drop and maximizes the NPSHA. pump to fracture. ■
exposed to a gas other than the CONTACT:
liquid’s own vapour. To minimize The eccentric reducer decreases Trinath Sahoo
the problem of dissolved air, the the line size from the larger Deputy maintenance manager (FOB)
Indian Oil Corp Ltd , Haldia Refrinery
NPSH tests are performed with suction pipe diameter, drawn to
Dist-Midnapore, West Bengal
water near its boiling point, in the the inlet size of the pump. This India, 721606
suction vessel. reducer is orientated in such a way Email: sahoot@iocl.co.in