Reciprocating Pump – Useful equations

Discharge

𝐿𝐴𝑁
𝑄 = 60 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝

2𝐿𝐴𝑁
𝑄= 60 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝
Work done by a reciprocating pump per second

𝜌𝑔𝐿𝐴𝑁(ℎs + ℎ𝑑)
𝑊 = 𝜌𝑔𝑄𝐻 = 60 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝

𝑊 = 2𝜌𝑔𝑄𝐻 = 2𝜌𝑔𝐿𝐴𝑁(ℎ"𝑠" + ℎ𝑑)/60 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝

Slip

𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑝 = 𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒 − 𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡

𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒 − 𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡
%𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑝 = ∗ 100
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒

Pressure head due to acceleration in the suction and delivery pipe

𝑙𝑠 𝐴
ℎ𝑎𝑠 = 𝑟𝜔2𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑔 𝑎𝑠
𝑙𝑑 𝐴
ℎ𝑎𝑑 = 𝑟𝜔2𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑔 𝑎𝑑

Pressure head inside the cylinder due to acceleration

Suction Stroke

𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − (ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑎𝑠 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − ℎ𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − (ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑎𝑠 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

Delivery Stroke

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑑 + ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + (ℎ𝑑 + ℎ𝑎𝑑 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + ℎ𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑑 − ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + (ℎ𝑑 − ℎ𝑎𝑑 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

Work done by the pump per second due to acceleration

𝜌𝑔𝐴𝐿𝑁
𝑊= (ℎ + ℎ ), 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝
𝑠 𝑑
60
Loss of head due to friction in the suction and delivery pipe
4𝑓𝑙𝑣2
ℎ𝑓 =
2𝑔𝑑
2
4𝑓𝑙 𝐴
= 2𝑔𝑑 � 𝑟𝜔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃� , 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑙, 𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒)
𝑎
Pressure head inside the cylinder due to acceleration and friction

Suction Stroke

𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − (ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑎𝑠 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑓𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − (ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑓𝑠) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − (ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑎𝑠 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

Delivery Stroke

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑑 + ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + (ℎ𝑑 + ℎ𝑎𝑑 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑑 + ℎ𝑓𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + (ℎ𝑑 + ℎ𝑓𝑑) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒, = ℎ𝑑 − ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

= 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + (ℎ𝑑 − ℎ𝑎𝑑 ) 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒

Work done by the pump per second due to acceleration and friction is given by
𝜌𝑔𝐴𝐿𝑁 2 2
𝑊=

Maximum Speed of a reciprocating pump

Find the speed corresponding to
At the suction side,
suction side as well as delivery
𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 − (ℎ𝑠 + ℎ𝑎𝑠) = ℎ𝑠𝑒𝑝 , 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 side.

Take the minimum speed of the two

At the delivery side,
as the maximum speed at which
𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑚 + (ℎ𝑑 − ℎ𝑎𝑑) = ℎ𝑠𝑒𝑝 , 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 pump can be operated without
separation.

Air Vessel

Mean velocity for a single acting reciprocating pump

𝐴 𝑟𝜔
𝑉� = 𝑎 𝜋

Work done by reciprocating pump with air vessels fitted to the suction and delivery pipes
𝜌𝑔𝐿𝐴𝑁
≈ �ℎ + ℎ +
+ℎ �
ℎ
𝑠 𝑑 𝑓𝑠 𝑓𝑑
60