UCD School of Chemical &

Bioprocess Engineering

CHEN20080

Chemical & Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory

I

Experiment: 11

Title: Centrifugal Pumps

Name: Zhaolyuhe WANG

Group: S

Laboratory Partner: James Clarke

Experiment Performed: November 17,2020

Report Due: November 27,2020

Report Submitted: November 25,2020

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Table of content

Table of content----------------------------------------------------------------------2

Abstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

Material and methods----------------------------------------------------------------4

Results and discussion----------------------------------------------------------------5

Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------------10

Appendix A: raw data----------------------------------------------------------------9

Appendix B: nomenclature----------------------------------------------------------11

Appendix C: reference--------------------------------------------------------------14

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Abstract
This experiment focused on the performance of centrifugal pumps which are used
to transport fluids by the conversion of rotational kinetic energy to the hydrodynamic
energy of the fluid flow. The performance of a single pump was assessed by the head,
flowrate, efficiency and hydraulic power, and the effect of the speed of impellers that
generate rotational kinetic energy on the performance was also investigated.
Additionally, the head of two pumps in both parallel and series was also investigated.
The results showed that the head of the system would decrease, and the hydraulic
power would increase with the increase of the flowrate. The efficiency of the pump
would rise with the flowrate while after having reached the maximum efficiency, it
will decrease with the increasing flowrate. However, the unexpected results seen in
the maximum efficiency regarding the impeller speed may be a result of the flowrate
applied did not allow the pump to reach its maximum efficiency. For two pumps in
parallel, the combined head remain unchanged with increased flow rate. Moreover,
the combined head will be the sum of the individual heads with the same flowrate
when two pumps were put in series.

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Material and method:
This experiment was performed under the guidance of CHEN20080 lab manual
(2020). The apparatus used was an Armfield FM51 “series and parallel” pump unit
(Armfield,2012), consisting of two same centrifugal pumps and pipes which delivers
the water (at ambient conditions) to and from an open reservoir. And the impeller
speeds were controlled by FM51 software and the data was recorded in excel. The
suggestion to improve the experiment was to use a closed tank with an automatic air
release valve or a manual vent to reduce the air bubble in the pipe and avoid air
cavitation instead of an open tank. Also, a thinner pipe with smaller diameter can also
be applied to increase the reliability of the results. There was a potential hazard of slip
due to spillage from the open tank as shown in the safety summary sheet and there
were no other hazards observed.

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Results and discussion:
For single pump investigated:
characteristic curves (impeller speed 1080rpm)
70
60
H(m)/WH(W)/efficiency
50
40 HXQ
30 WH X Q
efficiency X Q
20
10
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph 1: the characteristic curves when the impeller speed is 1080rpm

characteristic curves (impeller speed 1260rpm)
70
H(m)/WH(W)/efficiency

60
50
40 HXQ
30 WH X Q
20 efficiency X Q

10
0
0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2
Flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph 2: the characteristic curves when the impeller speed is 1260rpm

characteristic curves (impeller speed 1440rpm)
70
60
50
40
HXQ
30 WH X Q
20 efficiency X Q

10
0
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
Flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph 3: the characteristic curves when the impeller speed is 1440rpm

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 characteristic curves (impeller speed 1620rpm)
100
90

H(m)/WH(W)/efficiency
80
70
60 HXQ
50
WH X Q
40
efficiency X Q
30
20
10
0
0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3
Flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph 4: the characteristic curves when the impeller speed is 1620rpm

The heads of the pump would decrease as the flow rates increased can be observed
in different impeller speed. This same tendency was also discussed by engineersedge
(2000). Additionally, the hydraulic power would also increase with the rise in
flowrate. The efficiency when the impeller speed was 1080rpm would rise to its
maximum value then decrease, while for other impeller speeds, the efficiency can
only see to be rise with the flowrates only. As Martin (2019) suggested that the curve
of efficiency against flow rate would rise first and decrease after having reached its
maximum value. Therefore, the reason why the same tendencies were not seen in the
rest groups was the flowrate did not allow the system to reach its maximum
efficiency. This can be improved by increase the flow rate investigated by using a
thinner pipe.

H X Q for each N investigated

8
7
6
N=1080rpm
head H(m)

5
4 N=1260rpm
3 N=1440rpm
N=1620rpm
2
1
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph5: characteristic head curves for each speed investigated

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 efficiency X Q for each N investigated
70

60

50
efficiency(%)

40 N=1080rpm
N=1260rpm
30 N=1440rpm
N=1620rpm
20

10

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph 6: efficiency curves for all speeds investigated.

Table 1: the point of maximum efficiency at each impeller speed and the
corresponding parameters.

maximum efficiencies as a function of N

69
68
maximum efficiency (%)

67
66
65
64
63
62
61
1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700
impeller speed N(rpm)

Graph7: maximum efficiencies as a function of speed.

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 To further investigate the effect of rising impeller speed above graphs and table
were introduced.
The heads were seen to increase with increasing impeller speed. And these results
were the same as Ravi (2017) has implied. Furthermore, as shown in graph 6, to reach
the maximum efficiency, the required flow rate was higher when the impeller speed
was larger. And as discussed by Joe (2012), the efficiency would rise with the
increase of impeller speed and this was true especially when the rotational speed was
high. The efficiency of the pumps did not increase with the impeller speed may be due
to the impeller speeds were not high enough to present a rise in the efficiency. The
graph 7 presented an irregular tendency between the maximum efficiency and
rotational speed, which may also be a result of the flow rate range investigated did not
allow the pump to reach its maximum efficiency. To deal with this problem, a pipe
with smaller diameter may be applied to increase the flow rate. Subsequently a more
reasonable results might be obtained.

Concerning two pumps:

characteristic head curves

12

10

8
single pump
Head(m)

6 pumps in series
pumps in parallel
4

0
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2
flow rate Q(L/s)

Graph8: characteristic head curves for different pump settings with same impeller
speed.
By plotting the head against flow rate graph 8 can be obtained. By comparing the
curve of single pump and pumps in series, their maximum flow rate was the same and
the head values of pumps in series were twice that of single pump. And the initial and
maximum flow rate values of pumps in parallel were twice that of single pump, while
the head values were the same when the flow rates of former were twice that of the
latter. And this was the same found by TOPENGINEERINGSOLUTIONS (2014):
when two same pumps are put in series, the head gained was twice that of the single
pump while the flowrate is the same. And when two same are put in parallel, the total
head remain unchanged and twice flow rate was gained.

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 Thus, while performing a process of a single pump, if the flow rate needs to be
unchanged while head increased, another pump can be added in series. If the flow rate
needs to be increased with head unchanged, another pump can be added in parallel.
Though reasonable outcomes could be gained, the value obtained did not exactly fit
the theory, which might arise from pump cavitation.
Pump cavitation occurs when air bubbles were generated in the pump. As suggested
by Mike (2017), cavitation changes in pressure inside the pump turn the liquid into
vapor and, as the pump’s impellers spin, back to liquid again. And the pressure was a
vital parameter in this experiment. The water tank applied was open and the liquid
was directed to the sucking pipe, where this action dragged air into the pump. A
method to deduce the effect of cavitation can be replacing the open tank with a closed
tank equipped with automatic air valve or manual vent.

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Conclusion:
Centrifugal pumps are high efficiency and consume low power, which is important
in commercial purposes. Common uses include water, sewage, agriculture, petroleum,
and petrochemical pumping (prayer Supplies,2018). This experiment showed that the
heads of system would decrease while the hydraulic power would increase with the
increase od flow rates. And the efficiency of the pump would first increase to its
maximum value and then decrease with increasing flow rate. Moreover, increase the
impeller speed of the pump would rise the head and the flow rate needed was larger in
order to reach maximum efficiency. And when two was put in series, the head would
be twice of that for single pump and the flow rate would not change. When put in
parallel, the flow rates would be twice of that in single pump and the heads remain
unchanged. This experiment gave a precise look the characteristic of centrifugal
pumps and the structure of a pump unit.

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Appendix A: Raw Data
Table 2: raw data for single pump

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Table 3: raw data for two pumps

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Appendix B: nomenclature
H head(m)
WH hydraulic power(W)
Q flow rate (L/s)
N impeller rotational speed.

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Appendix C: reference
1. engineersedge,(2000), Operational Characteristics of a Centrifugal Pump.
Available at :
https://www.engineersedge.com/fluid_flow/operational_char_centrifugal_pum
p.htm
2. TOPENGINEERINGSOLUTIONS,(2014), Characteristics of single pump and
pumps in series and parallel use of industry standard software. Available at:
slideshare.net/TOPENGINEERINGSOLUTIONS/characteristics-of-single-pump-and-
pumps-in-series-and-parallel-use-of-industry-standard-software#:~:text=When
%20two%20similar%20pumps%20operate,the%20total%20head%20is
%20increased.&text=When%20two%20pumps%20operate%20in,the%20flow
%20rate%20is%20increased.
3.Martin King,(2019), Operating Efficiency of Centrifugal Pumps, available at:
https://fluidflowinfo.com/operating-efficiency-of-centrifugal-pumps/
4.Joe Evans,(2012), Centrifugal Pump Efficiency — Specific Speed, available at:
https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/centrifugal-pump-efficiency-specific-speed 
5.Ravi Kasundra, (2017), What will happen when we increase the rpm of a
centrifugal pump?, available at: https://www.quora.com/What-will-happen-
when-we-increase-the-rpm-of-a-centrifugal-pump
6.Mike Klimes,(2017), Understanding and avoiding pump cavitation, available
at: https://www.flowcontrolnetwork.com/pumps-motors-
drives/article/15563623/understanding-and-avoiding-pump-cavitation
7.prayer Supplies, (2018), Sprayer Pump Types, Costs, and
Specifications,available at: https://www.sprayersupplies.com/sprayer-pump-
guide

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