AIT-EBARA Training Course in 2017

“Pump Technology for Waterworks”

- Essentials and Applications of Pump -

1. Classification of Pump
2. Essentials of Pump Technology
3. Pump Performance Curve & Operation Point
4. NPSH & Cavitation
5. Water Hammer Phenomena & Countermeasure
6. Application for Water Works
7. Site Selection and Pump House Design
8. Determination of Pump Requirement
9. Electric Equipment and Control
10. Operation and Control
11. Case Study 1 - Save Energy
12. Case Study 2 - Planning of Raw Water Pump Facility

4-1 Copyright © 2013 EBARA CORPORATION All Right Reserved

1 Cavitation and Suction Performance

PROGRESS OF
PUMP CAVITATION
OBJECTIONABLE NOISE
Reduction in NPSHA

・
VIBRATION
・
DROP IN PERFORMANCE
・
EROSION / CORROSION

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Evaporation in a flowing fluid creates voids (cavities).
While operating a pump, fluid pressure drops at the entrance of the
impeller due to: friction between fluid and blades, impact force of fluid on
blades and eddy currents. Then, when the fluid pressure drops below the
saturated vapor pressure, the fluid boils and generates minute vapor
bubbles.

Cavitation development

- Vapor bubbles hinder the fluid flow path, lowing efficiency and total head
⇒ Impossible to pump up.
- Vapor bubbles diminish at high pressure locations
⇒ Generating noises and vibrations.
- Impulse pressure occurs when vapor bubbles diminish
⇒ Eroding inside surfaces of the impeller and casing,
damaging the pump.

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 P = 101.3 kPa P = 4.2 kPa
Vacuum pump

HA = 10.33 m HA = 0.43 m

T = 100 Co T = 30 Co

1 mH2O = 9.8 kPa

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 φ=cmo/ut
ψ=H/ut2/2g
μ=102Lp/(ρ/2)Aout33
σs=Hsv/H

(a) Centrifugal Pump (b) Axial Flow Pump

Fig. 1 Pump Performance Affected by Cavitation
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At rated capacity

At overcapacity

Cavitation in a
centrifugal pump
impeller

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 Cavitation on Axial Flow Impeller

Erosion on Impeller Blades

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 Conditions under which no harmful cavitation occurs:
Available NPSH－Required NPSH ＞ 1 m
Available net positive suction head (available NPSH) should be
larger than the pump's required net positive suction head
(required NPSH). Source: Design Guideline of Water Supply Facilities (in Japanese), p.p. 546

Required NPSH: A unique value for a pump indicating the head that can prevent
fluid pressure from dropping below the saturated vapor pressure at the entrance of
the impeller.

To prevent cavitation, the suction side should have a pressure higher than required
NPSH.

Available NPSH: The pressure that works on the suction side of the pump. It is
calculated from the installation elevation of the pump and suction water level. It is
called available NPSH because the pressure is available for use.
4-8 Copyright © 2013 EBARA CORPORATION All Right Reserved
 Equation: hsv = HA - hv＋hs－hl
HA: Atmospheric pressure.

hl hv
Generally applied: 10.33 m (when altitude is 0 m)
HA

Suction
water level
hv: Saturated vapor pressure of water. Generally applied
0.323 m (when water temp. is 25℃).
Suction pond
hs: Static suction head
hsv
(+)
hs

= Suction water level ー Center of the pump (Reference

plane)
Center of
the pump Note: When the reference plane is below suction water
Net positive suction head hsv (when
boosting)
level (boosting): positive
When the reference plane is above suction water
hl hv

level (suctioning): Negative

Reference
plane Reference
plane
hsv
HA

Reference
Suction plane
Center
water of the Reference
hs

level pump <Pump's reference plane> plane

Suction pond

Net positive suction head hsv

hl: Suction pipe head loss
(when suctioning)

4-9 Copyright © 2013 EBARA CORPORATION All Right Reserved

Source: Design Guideline of Water Supply Facilities (in Japanese), p.p. 546
 Hsv=hsv

Hsv=hsv
(a) Pump above Suction Water Level (b) Vertical Wet Pit Pump

Fig. 2 Net Positive Suction Head

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 Vacuum

hv
hl
Fig. 2 (a)

v2/2g
Net Positive

Hsv = hsv
Suction Head
HA

v
hs

Pump

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 (b) Vertical Shaft Wet Pit Pump
Vacuum

hv
hl

v2/2g
HA

Hsv = hsv

Fig. 2 (b)
M
Net Positive
hs

P
Suction Head
v

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 Table 61 Atmospheric Pressure Head versus Altitude
Altitude (m) 0 200 400 800 1000 1500 2000 3000
Pressure (mH2O) 10.33 10.20 9.85 9.38 9.17 8.64 8.12 7.16

Table 72 Saturated Vapor Pressure (Water)

Temp. (oC) 0 10 20 30 40 60 80 100
Press. (mH2O) 0.06 0.13 0.24 0.43 0.75 2.03 4.83 10.33

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 Saturated Vapor Pressure and Temperature for H2O
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 Atmospheric Pressure Head vs. Altitude’
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 ① Using an equation

N = Pump revolution speed (min-1)

Q = Pump discharge capacity (m3/min) ⇒ For a double-
suction pump, Q/2
S: Suction specific speed
Ｓ＝N・Q1/2／Hsv3/4
The value is obtained based on the assumption that "If shapes of entrance of impeller and water flowing into the
impeller are similar, the locations where cavitation occur are the same regardless of the external dimensions of impeller
or head of the pump."

Arbitrary
Discharge discharge rate
Suction specific speed: S

Suction specific speed: S

Suction specific speed: S

rate Specified
discharge rate

Specific
Discharge Specific discharge rate
rate discharge rate

S for a volute pump S for a mixed-flow pump S for an axial-flow pump

Copyright © 2013 EBARA Source: Design Guideline of Water Supply Facilities (in Japanese), p.p. 546
4-16 CORPORATION All Right Reserved Design Guideline of Liftiang/Drainage Pumping Facility (Draft) and Its Details (in Japanese)
 ② Using design performance curves
When discharge is very low or in
Ebara MS420-type multistage volute pump excess, required NPSH is large. Volute

Design performance curve Mixed-flow

Productname
Frequency Output
Motor rating The No. of poles 4Ｐ
Synchronous speed 1500 min-1
Output Axial-flow
Handled fluid: tab
water Density Fluid temp. Viscosity:1.0cP
Min.flow rate ????

Required NPSH
Discharge capacity

Total head Efficiency Figure 1.31 Rep.NPSH by Ns of pump

Required NPSH
Total head
Available NPSH

Cavitation judgment
Available NPSH＞Required NPSH ⇒ ○
Available NPSH＜Required NPSH ⇒ ×

4-17 Copyright © 2013 EBARA CORPORATION All Right Reserved

 SUPPRESSION / AVOIDANCE OF
CAVITATION EFFECTS
1. INCREASE NPSH AVAILABLE
- Reduce suction head loss (Use of larger pipe).
- Lower pump elevation w.r.t. suction water level.
(Increase submergence for vertical pumps.)
2. LOWER NPSH REQUIRED
- Make pump unit capacity smaller.
(Increase number of pumps).
- Apply double suction pump.
- Lower pump speed.
- Specify low NPSH design.
- Suction inducer.
- Use of erosion resistant materials.
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