Basic Pump & Motor Theory

PART1 - Design of Pumps

We will be
starting @1pm
Agenda

• Basic Pump Theory

• What is a pump?
• Power Terms
• Pump Components
• Types of pumps
• Selecting the Right Pump
• Pump performance
• Cavitation & How to reduce it
The centrifugal pump
Casing

• In 1689 the physicist Denis Papin invented

the centrifugal pump

• Mostly used around the world

• Construction is fairly inexpensive, robust

and simple

Impeller
Most Important Characteristic of a Pump

• Flow Rate (m3/h)

• How much water a pump can move in one hour

• Head (m)
• How far a pump can through specific amount of water
What is a pump?

“A pump is a device which helps fluid to move form one to another by mechanical action”

10 m3

Distance (m) Flow rate m3/h

Pump Output

Hydraulic Output (Phyd) = Q x H x  x g (Watts)

Q = flowrate, m3/sec
H = head, m
 = liquid density, kg/m3
g = gravitational constant
= 9.81m/sec2
Pump Output

Hydraulic Output (Phyd) = Q x H x  x g (Watts)

For water (density 1000 kg/m3)

QxH (KW)
Phyd =
367.2

Q = flowrate, m3/h
H = head, m
Electrical Terms

• Power consumption (P)

• P1 The power input from the mains or,

put in another way, the amount of
power the consumer has to pay for

• P2 The power input to the pump or

the power output from the motor.
Often referred to as shaft power

• PH Hydraulic power – the power that

the pump transfers to the liquid in the
shape of flow and head
Power Consumption

P1 Power input from mains

=  3 V I cos (3 phase motors)
= V I cos (1 phase motors)

PN Motor rated power

usually nameplate figure

P2 Motor shaft output

P3 Pump input
P3=P2 incase of direct coupled pumps
P4 Pump output (hydraulic)
=QxHxxg
Components of the Centrifugal pump

• Volute Casing

• Wear Rings

• Impelles

• Shaft

• Compression Packing or Mechanical seal

• Bearings
Volute Casing

• Converts Kinetic Energy to Pressure

Wear Rings

• To reduce Leakage from Discharge to

Suction side of Impeller
Impelles

Eye of Impeller

Open Impeller Semi-Open Impeller Closed Impeller

Shaft
Compression Packing or Mechanical seal
“The mechanical shaft seal is the part of a pump that
separates the liquid from the atmosphere”

The majority of mechanical shaft seals are made according

to the European standard EN 12756

Compression Packing Mechanical Seal

Bearings

• To support shaft and forces

Shaft seal Types

1. Stuffing Box
2. Lip Seal
3. Mechanical Seal
Types of Shaft Seals

Stuffing box

A braided stuffing box packing is the simplest type of

shaft seal.

The packing is placed between the shaft and the pump

housing.

In the stuffing box housing used in figure, a soft packing

ring is axially compressed until it makes contact with the
shaft.

After the soft packing has been exposed to wear, the

stuffing box must be further compressed to prevent
excessive leakage.

Vibrations and misalignment will cause this seal type to

leak.
Types of Shaft Seals

Lip seal

A universal lip seal type is a rubber ring sliding against

the shaft.

This type of seal is primarily used in connection with a

low differential pressure and low operating speed.
Types of Shaft Seals

Mechanical shaft seal

A mechanical shaft seal consists of two main

components:
a rotating part and a stationary part.

The rotating part is axially pressed against the

stationary part.

Commonly used shaft seal

Types of Centrifugal pump

• Radial flow pumps

• Mixed flow pumps

• Axial flow pumps

Head Flow
Single-stage & Multi-stage Pumps

Horizontal Multi Stage Horizontal Single Stage

Head Flow
Long-coupled & Close-coupled pumps
Coupling

“A coupling is a device used to connect two

shafts together at their ends for the purpose
of transmitting power.”
Most common end-suction and in-line pump
types
Pump Curves

• Flow and Head curve

Pump Curves

• Efficiency, the η-curve

𝑃4 𝜌 . 𝑔 . 𝑄 . 𝐻
ɳp= =
𝑃2 𝑃2 . 3600
Pump Curves

• Power consumption
Pump Curves

• NPSH-curve (Net Positive Suction Head)

“Cavitation occurs in a pump when the

pressure on the suction side of the impeller
falls below vapor pressure of the liquid.”

-More details will be in Pump Performance

Complete Pump Curves
SELECTING THE RIGHT PUMP
... a vitally important task
Selecting The Right Pump
... a vitally important task

• Success is often decided at the moment of selection

• Selection depending on end-user requirements/priorities
• What does the end-user value? The buying criteria!
– Cost of investment?
– Running costs?
– Cost of ownership?
– Reliability?
– Something else?
One Required Duty Point
with no other secondary points

• A two - pump pumping station

• Duty/Stand-by
• Pump with best efficiency at DP is selected
• Consider also the price
Selecting The Right Pump
Select duty point preferably in
the region 50% - 125% of BEP

Never select at the extremes of

the curve

80*(50/100) = 40 80*(125/100) = 100

One Main Required Duty Point
together with several other duty points

Q/H curve must pass

through the main DP or
above it
Main DP at pump peak
efficiency or slightly to the
left of it.
Check that secondary
points on pump Q/H curve.
Usually OK if pump curve is
below secondary points
Pump performance
How to Adjust Pump Performance?

50 60
Ways for Performance adjustment

1. Throttle Control

2. Bypass Control

3. Impeller Trimming

4. Speed Control
Throttle Control
Bypass Control
Impeller Trimming
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller dia. on flow, head and power

1) Flow
d2 2
Q2= Q1 x ( )
d1

Flow is proportional to square of diameter

Doubling the dia. will increase the flow by a factor
Of 4
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller dia. on flow, head and power

2) Head
d2 2
H2= H1 x ( )
d1

Head is proportional to square of diameter

Doubling the dia. will increase the head by a factor
Of 4
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller dia. on flow, head and power

3) Power
d2 4
P 2= P 1 x ( )
d1

Power is proportional to 4th power of diameter

Doubling the dia. will increase the power by a factor
Of 16
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller dia. on flow, head and power

18
16 X Q,H,P
P
14
12
10
8
6
Q&H
4
2
0
1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2
x dia
Speed Control
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller speed on flow, head and power

1) Flow

n2
Q2= Q1 x ( )
n1

Flow is proportional to speed

Doubling the speed will double the flow
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller speed on flow, head and power

2) Head

2
n2
H2= H1 x ( )
n1

Head is proportional to square of speed

Doubling the speed will increase the head by a factor
Of 4
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller speed on flow, head and power

3) Power

3
n2 3
P 2= P 1 x ( )
n1

Power is proportional to cube of speed

Doubling the speed will increase the power by a factor
Of 8
Affinity Laws

Influence of impeller speed on flow, head and power

Performance adjustment Summary
Cavitation & NPSH

Cavitation occurs in a pump when the pressure

on the suction side of the impeller falls below
vapor pressure of the liquid.

Cavitation is harmful to the pump and results in:

• Noise & Vibrations (damage to bearings, seals etc.)
• Erosion / damage to impeller
• Reduced pump performance
Effects of Cavitation – Implosion of Bubbles
Hydraulic Terms

• Cavitation
• Cavitation occurs in a pump when the
pressure is lower than the vapor
pressure of the liquid

• Small vapor bubbles form in water due

to low pressure caused due to high
velocity of water

• These bubbles collapse (implode) when

the pressure rises and releases energy
causing erosion.
Pressure Through Centrifugal Pump
Cavitation & Bernoulli’s Equation
Relation between Velocity and Pressure
Bernoulli’s Demonstration

High Pressure Low Pressure High Pressure

Low Velocity High Velocity Low Velocity
Pressure Difference
Calculation of the risk of cavitation
Ways to Reduce Cavitation (Rattling)

1. Reduce Flow through Pump

a) Reduce Speed
b) Throttling Valve
c) Impeller trimming

2. Improve Suction condition

a) No Filter close to suction
b) Minimum number of valves
c) Reduce distance from water source
d) Temperature of Media
Please Do not Forget to fill Questionnaire

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Question & Answers