SAMPLE

PROBLEMS IN
PUMPS
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 01
Water from a well is to be pumped to a height of 40
meters from the source. The quantity of water to be
delivered is 500 L/s, through a 480 mm pipe. It is
also desired to maintain a 100 kPa pressure at the
summit. The frictional head losses from the suction
and discharge of the pump is equivalent to 2.0
meters. If the pump speed is 850 rpm, determine the
power needed by the pump, in Hp.

ANS: 345.7354 Hp
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 02
A water source with an elevation of 10 m is to be pumped
by a centrifugal pump to an open reservoir at an elevation
of 80 m. The suction pipe and discharge pipe diameter is
255 mm and 200 mm, respectively. The pump centerline is
at 5 m. The head loss at suction pipe is 0.05 m and 0.45 m
at the discharge pipe. The pump delivers water at 15 L/s
and has an efficiency of 75 % while the electric motor is 80
%. Determine: a) Water Horsepower of the pump; b) Brake
Horsepower of the pump; c) Power input to drive the motor,
in kW; d) The pressure gage readings installed before and
after the suction and discharge of the pump in kPag.
2. ANS:

a) 13.9077 Hp

b) 18.5436 Hp

c) 17.2919 kW

d) P1 = 48.5595 kPag and P2 = 740.1643 kPag

 SAMPLE PROBLEM 03
A double suction, single stage centrifugal pump delivers
4000 gpm of water from a well where the water level varies
from 2.5 meters from high tide to low tide. The pump
centerline is measured to be 3 meters above the water level
at high tide. The pump discharges the water to an open
surface condenser located 4.5 meters above the pump
centerline. Head loss due to friction in the suction and
discharge pipe is 1 m and 2.5 m, respectively. The pump is
directly coupled in a motor with 1800 rpm. Determine:
a) Total suction head, m; b) Total discharge head, m; c)
Pump Specific Speed, RPM; d) Impeller diameter, mm
3. ANS:

a) 6.5 m (- 6.5 m)

b) 7 m

c) 4689.5567 RPM

d) 172.6810 mm
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 04
Determine the performance of a centrifugal pump
with initial flow of 150 gpm, at an initial head of 120
ft, and initial power input of 5 Bhp. The speed is
changed from 1700 rpm to 3000 rpm.

Ans: Q2 = 264.7059 gpm

H2 = 373.7024 ft

Bhp2 = 27.4781 Bhp

 SAMPLE PROBLEM 05
Determine the performance of a centrifugal pump
with initial flow of 150 gpm, at an initial head of 120
ft, and initial power input of 5 Bhp. The impeller
diameter is changed from 9.5 inches to 8.0 inches.

Ans: Q2 = 126.3158 gpm

H2 = 85.0970 ft

Bhp2 = 2.9859 Bhp

PROBLEM 06

A double suction centrifugal pumps

delivers 70 ft³/sec of water at a head of
12 m and running at 1250 rpm. What is
the specific speed of the pump?

Answer: 9968.4 rpm

PROBLEM 07

The pump centerline of a centrifugal pump

is located 2.5m above from the high tide
level. The sea water varies two meters from
high tide to low tide level. If friction loss at
the suction is 0.8 m, determine the total
suction head.
Answer: 5.3 m
PROBLEM 08

A centrifugal pump requires 40 ft head to

deliver water from low level to higher level. If
pump speed is 1600 rpm, determine the
impeller diameter of the centrifugal pump in
mm.

Answer: 184.61 mm
PROBLEM 09

The suction pressure of a pump reads 2 in.

of mercury vacuum and discharge pressure
reads 130 psi is used to deliver 100 gpm of
water with specific volume of 0.0163 ft³/lb.
determine the pump work in kW.

Answer: 5.69 kW
PROBLEM 10

In a boiler feed pump, the enthalpy at the

entrance is 765 kJ/kg. If pump has a head
of 900 m, what is the exit enthalpy of the
pump in kJ/kg.

Answer: 773.83 kJ/kg

PROBLEM 11

A pump running at 100 rpm delivers water

against a head of 30 m. If pump speed will
increased to 120 rpm, what is the increase
in head in meters?

Answer: 13.2 m
PROBLEM 12

Water from an open reservoir A at 8 m elevation is drawn by a

motor-driven pump to an open reservoir B at 70 m elevation. The
inside diameter of the suction pipe is 200 mm and 150 mm for the
discharge pipe. The suction line has a loss of head three times
that of the velocity in the 200 mm pipe. The discharge line has a
loss of head twenty times that of the velocity head in the discharge
pipeline. The pump centerline is at 4 m. overall efficiency of the
system is 78%. For a discharge rate of 10 li/sec, find the power
input to the motor in kW

Answer: 7.84 kW