HYDRAULIC CONSTRUCTION 1:

PUMP STATION

PhD Peruzzo P.(1) – PhD Crestani E. (2)

e-mail address:
(1) paolo.peruzzo@dicea.unipd.it
(2) elena.crestani@dicea.unipd.it

ENSTP – Yaoundé, Cameroun

April-May 2014
GENERAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM (1)

H
2

pump

Suction pipe d1, L1, v1 It’s not necessary that the two pipes have the
Delivery pipe d2, L2, v2 same characteristics

H2-H0=geodetic head ΔH=loss of energy

H2-H0+ΔH= pump head Hp (total dynamic head to obtain the system curve)
GENERAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM (2)

H2-H0=geodetic head ΔH=loss of energy

H2-H0+ΔH= pump head Hp (total dynamic head to obtain the system curve)

 L1  v12  L2  v22

ΔH = loss of energy =  Ki   nKc    K s   nKc 
 d1  2g  d2  2g

• Power of the pump Pu = γ ∙ Q ∙ Hp

• Pump efficiency η = Pu / Pa <1 with Pa real power required

• Can we increase infinitely Hp for example by increasing ΔH?

No, there is a theoretic limit related to the cavitation problem
 NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH) (1)
• Cavitation: formation of vapor bubbles in liquid where the pressure falls below its
vapor pressure.
In pumps, it causes serious damages of the component and loss of energy. Indeed, when
the cavitation bubbles collapse, they force the liquid into very small volumes, thereby
creating spots of high temperature and emitting shock waves. Highly localized collapses
can erode metal.

• Cavitation has to be avoided in pumps.

• At this purpose, the Net positive suction head (NPSH) is defined.

• NPSH: absolute pressure, expressed in meters, at the entrance of the pump, to which the
vapor pressure is subtracted, in working condition (temperature, altitude..). Note that the
cavitation happens in the impeller but it is almost impossible to estimate the pressure
inside the pump because of, e.g., the strong loss of energy, the high velocity and so on.

Pa  Pvap v12  L1 

NPSHa   H 0  H1   ki   1
w 2g  d1 
 NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH) (2)
• NPSHa has to be compared with the NPSHr that is a value provided by the builder of
the pump at which, in standard condition, the cavitation happens. It is then the value of
absolute pressure measures at the entrance of the pumps in laboratory test at which there
is cavitation (i.e., the vapor pressure is reached in the impeller).

• NPSHa  NPSHr  0.5

being 0.5m a safety factor

• If valves, flowmeters, …, have to be used, it is better to put them in the delivery pipe
because of the loss of energy they cause (i.e., reduction of NPSHa, if placed in the
suction pipe).
CAVITATION EFFECT IN PUMPS
CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS (AXIAL, MIXED, RADIAL) (1)
Centrifugal pumps are classified
considering the alignment of the flow in
respect to the motor shaft.
There are pumps:
• radial: usually for high head and low
flow rate
• axial: small head and high rate flow
• Mixed (semi-axial): intermediate
operating conditions

The pumps may be identified through the

pump number:

ns  n Q /(gH )3 / 4
n = revolution of the engine
CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS (AXIAL, MIXED, RADIAL) (2)
Qualitative trend of the pump curve (head – rate flow) for radial, mixed, axial pumps
RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (1)
RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (2)
VELOCITIES TRIANGLE (1)

ω = radial velocity of the pump impeller

u = blade velocity
v = absolute velocity of the fluid (fixed observer)
w = relative velocity of the fluid (the observer is moving with u)
 RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (3)
VELOCITIES TRIANGLE (2)
M   wQ(r2v2 cos 2  r1v1 cos1 ) moment of momentum relative to the
center of rotation O

P  M   wQH Power of the pump

r  u

H ( D2v2 cos 2  D1v1 cos1 )
2g
1   / 2 nD2  Q 
H  nD2  
g  D2 atg 2 
Q  D2 a(u2  v2 cos 2 )tg 2 Relation among the three fundamental
pump parameters (Q, H, n) in relation to
the geometric characteristics of the
pump (D2, a, β2)
 RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (4)
nD2  Q 
H  nD2   PUMP CURVE
g  D2 atg 2 
Linear (theoretical) relation between Q and H. It has to be corrected to consider the loss of
energy
RADIAL FLOW PUMP ELEMENTARY THEORY (5)
EXAMPLE OF PUMP CURVE FOR RADIAL PUMP
Revolution per minute
H
efficency
power
 DESIGN POINT OF THE SYSTEM (1)
• System curve  depends only on the system
 gives the hydraulic head that the pump needs to move
• Pump curve  depends only on the pumps and its characteristics

H Pump curve

Sistem curve

Design point: point of equilibrium

H* between what is required to the
H* pump and what the pump can
provide

System curve when a loss of

energy is added (for example if we
need to pump a lower Q)
Q* Q* Q
 DESIGN POINT OF THE SYSTEM (2)
IN SERIES PUMPS

- Each pump has the same Q

- The head is different

H1+H2 - The system with in series

P1+P2(series) pumps works with the
same Q and a head H that
P2 is (for each Q) the sum of
H1
P1 the head of the pumps, i.e,
H*=H1+H2 for each Q
DESIGN POINT OF THE SYSTEM (3)
IN PARALLEL PUMPS

- Each pump has the same H

- The Q is different
- The system with in parallel
pumps works with the
same H and a Q that is (for
each H) the sum of the Q
of the pumps, i.e,
Q*=Q1+Q2 for each H
ESTIMATION OF THE TANK VOLUME FOR PUMPS (1)

Sequence 1 Sequence 2
level 3 start P3 start P3

stop P3
level 2 start P2
start P2

stop P2
level 1 start P1
start P1
stop P1 stop P1-P2-P3
level 0

 One pump: Qin  Q1 0   1

dTc this is the worst condition

first pump: V  T Q1 It comes from 0 for the pump. It gives the
d
1 c1
4 volume that minimizes the
cycle time
ESTIMATION OF THE TANK VOLUME FOR PUMPS (2)
V2 V2
S1: Tc2  
second pump:
Qin  Q1 Q2  (Qin  Q1 )
V V2 V1  V2
S2: Tc2  1  
Qin Qin  Q1 Q2  Q1  Qin

 Scheme and comparison between S1 and S2:

n. equal
pumps
S1 S2
S1

S2

n. equal pumps
 Note: V0 is the “dead volume”, necessary to ensure a good operation. h0 value depends on
the pump (e.g., 30-50 cm)
 TYPICAL PUMP STATION

WET STATION
DRY ROOM STATION
WET STATION

WET STATION SCREW STATION

DRY STATION
TYPICAL PUMP STATION