3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow

Michelle Goldsmith (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/author/michelle/), January 14, 2014 (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-

curves-6-minimum- ow/), Pump school (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/category/pump-school/), Reliability

(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/category/reliability/), Technical (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/category/technical/), 0 

(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum- ow/#comments)

(/#linkedin) (/#twitter) (/#facebook) GO

(https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pumpindustry.com.au%
 pump-curves-6-minimum- FEATURED VIDEO 
ow%2F&title=Understanding%20pump%20curves%20%236%20%3A%20Minimum%20
Pump Characteristic Curve
Part Two : Suction Speci c Speed

By Ron Astall, United Pumps Australia (http://www.unitedpumps.com.au)

In our last discussion we looked at what happens when a pump is operated in an off design condition; in particular; low
ows. See Fig 1.

To recap, Fig 1 is generalised but provides a convenient overview of the symptoms associated with low ow operation
issues such as:  
• Increased internal turbulence

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 1/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

• Recirculation

• Increased pressure uctuations

• Increased vibration due to the above

• Increased axial thrust – depending on pump hydraulic balance method

• Increased radial thrust; particularly with single volute casings

• Temperature rise due to high internal energy loss

In this article we will look at the parameter “Suction Speci c Speed” (NSS) and how it in uences low ow stability in a
centrifugal pump.

Flow reversal and vortexing at low ow

(http://pipecouplingsandclamps.com.au/)
Again, from our last discussion, Fig 2 shows a simpli ed representation of smooth ow at BEP versus the sort of ow
disturbances that occur at reduced ow.

The degree of turbulence and associated vibration and buffeting depends on the hydraulic design and on the energy levels 
in the pump. The effects are generally worse for impellers with relatively large entry diameters. In larger higher energy READ THE LATEST ISSUE ONLINE
pumps, vortexing (recirculation) can be so severe that cavitation like effects ensue.

“Suction Speci c Speed” (NSS) is a design parameter that can be used to predict how susceptible a pump may be to
recirculation and instability at low ows and also at high ows.

NSS gives an indication of the priority given to suction performance for a given impeller.

It is calculated as follows :

Where N is the running speed in rpm, Q is the ow per impeller eye at best e ciency and using the NPSHR at best
 
e ciency ow.

Pumps designed for very Low NPSH

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 2/11
 3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

For a given ow, a higher value of NSS denotes improved suction performance (low NPSHR). Fig 3 shows the typical
SPONSORED CONTENT
variation between a low NSS impeller and a high NSS impeller. The high NSS impeller has a much larger eye diameter,
which reduces velocities and thus entry losses for improved NPSHR. Optimising water and wastewater
treatment with clari ers
Trade Offs Clari cation processes are commonly used in
various stages of solids separation...

Unfortunately, by virtue of this larger eye diameter, this type of impeller is much more prone to ow instability and (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/optimising-water-
recirculation when operating at ows away from best e ciency. Considerable research has shown that the range of stable and-wastewater-treatment-with-clari ers/)
operation is dramatically reduced at higher values of NSS. This is shown graphically in the hydraulic stability guidelines in
g. 4 (US units). Hydro Innovations 10th anniversary
Hydro Innovations has now been offering quality
Gorman-Rupp pumps and parts for ...
The primary problem created is recirculation which can occur at the pump inlet and at the outlet of the impeller at partial
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/hydro-
ows and, less frequently, at high ows.
innovations-10th-anniversary/)
This recirculation can produce high vibration levels, surging, axial shuttling of the shaft and mechanical damage to the
impeller and casing. When severe at low ows, recirculation cavitation like damage will be evident on the pressure (non Hydro ux Paci c helping Fiji to protect
coral reef
visible) side of the impeller eye vanes. Starting the International Year of the Reef, the Prime
Minister of Fiji, Frank B...
This should not be confused with classic cavitation damage due to inadequate NPSHA which will appear on the visible low (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/hydro ux-paci c-
pressure side of the impeller vanes. The noise from recirculation will be similar to cavitation noise but is more random in

helping- ji-to-protect-coral-reef/)
character. Typically, recirculation noise will reduce as the ow is increased, whilst classic cavitation noise will normally
increase with higher ows. These problems will impact on other areas of the pump affecting the reliability of seals and The experience and capability of a world-
bearings in particular. leading pump manufacturer
Ebara is known worldwide as one of the largest and
most diverse manufacturers o...
Research by J. L. Hallam, studying 480 pumps and 1881 failures over a ve year period in the re ning industry concluded
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/the-experience-and-
that pumps with high values of NSS (above 12,800 in metric units or 11,000 in US units) had a failure rate approximately
capability-of-a-world-leading-pump-manufacturer/)
double that of lower NSS pumps.

This has resulted in many Oil Industry speci cations applying arbitrary limits on NSS.
 

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 3/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

Overall, this is not a bad thing, but it is important to remember that it was a statistical survey and such an arbitrary A Water Corporation project supported
approach may reject a few perfectly good pumps that have tested out as smooth units despite having a high NSS. It is by AVK
Water Corporation is in the practical completion
also important to remember that a well selected pump with a higher value of NSS will still be a better proposition than a stage on a major upgrade for th...
pump with low NSS selected near minimum ow. (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/a-water-corporation-
project-supported-by-avk/)
The bene t of this knowledge is as a tool to predict the likely NSS requirement for the pumps at the system design stage.
This gives the designer the option to raise vessels etc. if it looks like the original system NPSHA will result in the need for
pumps with a narrow hydraulic stability range.

Impact on Minimum Flow RECENT TWEETS

Most commercially available pumps now comply with the upper limit of NSS as a matter of routine, but there may be some Improve you knowledge of irrigation pumps at a 2-day training
course in Prospect, Tasmania, running 20-21 March.…
pumps in the eld with high numbers for this parameter due to suction constraints. Pumps with a High vale of NSS will
https://t.co/vAiWwcuR4M (https://t.co/vAiWwcuR4M) 11:26:00 AM
probably be much more sensitive to low ow operation and additional care will be required, such as setting higher February 23, 2018
minimum ow values for these units. ■ (http://twitter.com/pumpmag/statuses/966831472194871296)
from TweetDeck (https://about.twitter.com/products/tweetdeck)
Next article: Are your pumps running too slowly? Reply (http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
in_reply_to=966831472194871296)Retweet
(http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?
 tweet_id=966831472194871296)Favorite 
(http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=966831472194871296)

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has committed funding

for a feasibility study investigating whether a disuse…
https://t.co/g4wfWH9vkC (https://t.co/g4wfWH9vkC) 03:30:00 PM
February 21, 2018
(http://twitter.com/pumpmag/statuses/966168101388804097)
from TweetDeck (https://about.twitter.com/products/tweetdeck)
Reply (http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
in_reply_to=966168101388804097)Retweet
(http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?
tweet_id=966168101388804097)Favorite
 
(http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=966168101388804097)

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has announced funding to

EnergyAustralia for the next stage of the seawater…

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 4/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

https://t.co/Z8pwpHnpG6 (https://t.co/Z8pwpHnpG6) 01:51:40 PM

February 21, 2018
(http://twitter.com/pumpmag/statuses/966143355150204928)
from TweetDeck (https://about.twitter.com/products/tweetdeck)
Reply (http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
in_reply_to=966143355150204928)Retweet
(http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?
tweet_id=966143355150204928)Favorite
(http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=966143355150204928)

The South Australian Government is taking a new approach to

salinity management, making it easier for irrigators al…
https://t.co/p7ALM56GzC (https://t.co/p7ALM56GzC) 01:50:42 PM
February 16, 2018
(http://twitter.com/pumpmag/statuses/964331174163181573)
from TweetDeck (https://about.twitter.com/products/tweetdeck)
Reply (http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
in_reply_to=964331174163181573)Retweet
(http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?
tweet_id=964331174163181573)Favorite
(http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=964331174163181573)

(https://pumpindustry.com.au/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fig-1.jpg)
 An new project to improve the water supply for a regional 
Figure 1. community in WA will include the construction of two boos…
https://t.co/xVebxjxc9C (https://t.co/xVebxjxc9C) 01:00:03 PM
February 14, 2018
(http://twitter.com/pumpmag/statuses/963593649090105344)
from TweetDeck (https://about.twitter.com/products/tweetdeck)
Reply (http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
in_reply_to=963593649090105344)Retweet
(http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?
tweet_id=963593649090105344)Favorite
(http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=963593649090105344)

Follow @pumpmag

1,384 followers


https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 5/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

EVENTS
AOG 2018

(HTTPS://WWW.PUMPINDUSTRY.COM.AU/EVENT/AOG-

2018/)
March 14 - March 16
IRRIGATION PUMPS COURSE – TASMANIA

(HTTPS://WWW.PUMPINDUSTRY.COM.AU/EVENT/IRRIGATION

PUMPS-COURSE-TASMANIA/)
March 21 - March 22
IRRIGATION PUMPS TRAINING COURSE – VICTORIA

(HTTPS://WWW.PUMPINDUSTRY.COM.AU/EVENT/IRRIGATION

PUMPS-TRAINING-COURSE-VICTORIA/)
March 27 - March 28
(https://pumpindustry.com.au/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fig-2.jpg) IRRIGATION PUMPS TRAINING COURSE – WA
 
Figure 2. (HTTPS://WWW.PUMPINDUSTRY.COM.AU/EVENT/IRRIGATION

PUMPS-TRAINING-COURSE-WA/)
April 9 - April 10
WIOA NSW

(HTTPS://WWW.PUMPINDUSTRY.COM.AU/EVENT/WIOA-

NSW-2/)
April 11 - April 12

View All Events

 
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/events/)

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 6/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

(http://pumps.asn.au/)

(https://pumpindustry.com.au/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fig-3.jpg)
 
Figure 3.

 

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 7/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

(https://pumpindustry.com.au/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/fig4.jpg)

 

Related articles
Suction speci c speed and vibration performance (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/suction-speci c-speed-and-
vibration-performance/) (3)
Measuring pumping costs for electric irrigation pumps (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/measuring-pumping-
costs-for-electric-irrigation-pumps/) (3)  
Join a registered list of pump experts (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/join-a-registered-list-of-pump-experts/)
(3)

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 8/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

Suction speci c speed and vibration performance #2 (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/suction-speci c-speed-

and%e2%80%a8-vibration-performance-part-2/) (3)
How important is the reliability of your pumping system? (https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/how-important-is-the-
reliability-of-your-pumping-system/) (3)

SHARE THIS

 0 likes
 (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?
u=https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum- ow/)
 (https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-
curves-6-minimum- ow/)
 (https://plus.google.com/share?url=https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-
pump-curves-6-minimum- ow/)
  (http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/? 
url=https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-
ow/&media=&description=Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow)
 (https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?
url=https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum- ow/)

R E L AT E D A RT I C L E S

 

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 9/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

E ciency and ow monitoring

(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/e ciency-
and- ow-monitoring/)


(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/can- Some studies have shown that 30 to 50 (https://www.pumpindustry.co

you-give-me- ve-good-reasons-why-using- per cent of the energy consumed by in-industrial-applications-big-c
a-progressive-cavity-pump-should-be- pump systems could be... tasks-need-e cient-fans/)
considered-over-other-designs/)
Fans in industrial applica
Ask an expert: what are ve (https://www.pumpindus
good reasons why using a in-industrial-applications
progressive cavity pump should cooling-tasks-need-e c
be considered over other fans/)
 
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/ken-kugler/)
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/a-new-lease-on-life-for-historic-steam-powered-pumping-engines/)

IMPORTANT LINKS VISIT OUR OTHER SITES CONTACT SOCIAL

About
Energy magazine If you’d like to nd out more about us,
(https://www.energymagazine.com.au/) please get in touch – we’d love to hear
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/about/)
Infrastructure from you.
Digital Magazine (http://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/) P: +(03) 9988 4950  
Utility (https://utilitymagazine.com.au)
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/magazine/digital- E: info@pumpindustry.com.au
edition/)

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 10/11
3/3/2018 Understanding pump curves #6 : Minimum Flow | Pump Industry Magazine

Advertise
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/about/advertising-
rates/) (https://twitter.com/
Contact
(https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/contact/) (https://www.linkedin
industry/)

(http://monkeymedia.net.au)

©2018 Pump Industry. All rights reserved

 

 

https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/understanding-pump-curves-6-minimum-flow/ 11/11