Dynamic Pumps

I There are three main types of dynamic pumps that involve rotating
blades called impeller blades or rotor blades, for this reason they
are sometimes called rotodynamic pumps
I Impeller blades impart momentum to the fluid.
I Rotodynamic pumps are classified by the manner in which flow exits
the pump: centrifugal flow, axial flow, and mixed flow

Figure 2: Axial flow

Figure 1: Centrifugal flow

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Dynamic Pumps (contd.)

Figure 3: Mixed flow

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Dynamic Pumps (contd.)

I In a centrifugal-flow pump, fluid enters axially (in the same direction

as the axis of the rotating shaft) in the center of the pump, but is
discharged radially (or tangentially) along the outer radius of the pump
casing. For this reason centrifugal pumps are also called radial-flow
pumps.
I In an axial-flow pump, fluid enters and leaves axially, typically along
the outer portion of the pump because of blockage by the shaft, motor,
hub, etc.
I A mixed-flow pump is intermediate between centrifugal and axial,
with the flow entering axially, not necessarily in the center, but leaving
at some angle between radially and axially.

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Dynamic Pumps (contd.)
Centrifugal Pumps
I Centrifugal pumps and blowers can be easily identified by their
snail-shaped casing, called the scroll (also called the volute)
I They are found all around your home—in dishwashers, hot tubs, clothes
washers and dryers, hairdryers, vacuum cleaners, kitchen exhaust hoods,
bathroom exhaust fans, leaf blowers, furnaces, etc.

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)

I A schematic diagram of a centrifugal pump is shown in figure below.

Note that a shroud often surrounds the impeller blades to increase
blade stiffness.
I In pump terminology, the rotating assembly that consists of the shaft,
the hub, the impeller blades, and the impeller shroud is called the
impeller or rotor

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)

I Fluid enters axially through the hollow middle portion of the pump (the
eye), after which it encounters the rotating blades.
I It acquires tangential and radial velocity by momentum transfer with
the impeller blades, and acquires additional radial velocity by so-called
centrifugal forces.
I The flow leaves the impeller after gaining both speed and pressure as it
is flung radially outward into the scroll.
I The scroll is a snail-shaped diffuser whose purpose is to decelerate
the fast-moving fluid leaving the trailing edges of the impeller blades.
I Scroll causes increase in the fluid’s pressure, and helps to combine and
direct the flow from all the blade passages toward a common outlet.

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)

I There are three types of centrifugal pump , based on impeller blade

geometry, as sketched in figure below: backward-inclined blades,
radial blades, and forward-inclined blades.

Backward-inclined blades Radial blades

Forward-inclined blades
Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)
I For any inclination of the impeller blades (backward, radial, or forward),
we can analyze the velocity vectors through the blades. The actual flow
field is unsteady, fully three-dimensional, and perhaps compressible.
I For simplicity in our analysis we consider steady flow in both the
absolute reference frame and in the relative frame of reference rotating
with the impeller.
I A close-up side view of a simplified centrifugal pump is sketched in
figure below, where we define V1,n and V2,n as the average normal
components of velocity at radii r1 and r2 , respectively.
Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)

I The volume flow rate V̇ entering the eye of the pump passes through
the circumferential cross-sectional area defined by width b1 at radius r1 .
I Conservation of mass requires that this same volume flow rate must
pass through the circumferential cross-sectional area defined by width b2
at radius r2 .
V̇ = 2πr1 b1 V1,n = 2πr2 b2 V2,n
r1 b1
V2,n = V1,n
r2 b2
I It is clear from above equation that V2,n may be less than, equal to, or
greater than V1,n , depending on the values of b and r at the two radii
I Now we sketch a close-up frontal view of one impeller blade in figure
below, where we show both radial and tangential velocity components.

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)
I We define leading edge angle β1 as the blade angle relative to the
reverse tangential direction at radius r1 . In like manner we define
trailing edge angle β2 as the blade angle relative to the reverse
tangential direction at radius r2 .
I We assume that the flow impinges on the blade parallel to the blade’s
leading edge and exits the blade parallel to the blade’s trailing edge, his
approximation is sometimes called the shockless entry condition

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)
→
− →
−
I Velocity vectors V 1,relative and V 2,relative are drawn in figure above are
parallel to the blade surface.
→
−
I Since moment of momentum is defined as the cross product → −r × V only
→
− →
−
the tangential components of V 1 and V 2 are relevant to the shaft
torque. These are shown as V1,t and V2,t in figures.

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743

Centrifugal Pumps (contd.)

I It turns out that shaft torque is equal to the change in moment of

momentum from inlet to outlet, as given by the Euler turbomachine
equation (also called Euler’s turbine formula)
Tshaft = ρV̇ (r2 V2,t − r1 V1,t )
I Or, in terms of angles α1 and α2 and the magnitudes of the absolute
velocity vectors
Tshaft = ρV̇ (r2 V2 sin α2 − r1 V1 sin α1 )
bhp = ωTshaft
bhp = ωρV̇ (r2 V2,t − r1 V1,t )
I If there are no irreversible losses, pump efficiency ηpump = 1
Water horsepower = bhp
ρg V̇ H = ωρV̇ (r2 V2,t − r1 V1,t )
ω
Net head H = (r2 V2,t − r1 V1,t )
g

Deepak Maslekar 9404550743