AIR VESSELS

An air vessel is a closed chamber containing compressed air

in the upper part and liquid being pumped in the lower part.
One air vessel is fixed on the suction pipe just near the
suction valve and one is fixed on the delivery pipe near the
delivery valve.
Purposes of Air vessel:
1)-To obtain liquid at uniform discharge.
2)-Due to air vessel frictional head and acceleration
head decreases and the work overcoming friction
resistance in suction and delivery pipe considerably
decreases which results in good amount of work.
3)-Reciprocating pump can run at high speed
without flow cavitation or separation.
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF AIR VESSELS
Theoretical discharge of a single acting pump per second is given:

N
Qth = A  S 
60
Mean velocity in the suction or delivery pipe is given by,
A p SN
Q m = A pV p = A sV s = AdV d =
60
2 N 2N 
= → =
60 60 
A p 2RN A p R 2N A p R 
Q m == = = → sin gle acting
60 60 
A p R A p R
Vs = →V d =
As  Ad 
Ls 1 A p  R 2 Ld 1 A p  R 2
hfs = f [ ] hfd = f [ ]
D s 2g As  D d 2 g Ad 
 Double acting
2A p SN
Q m = A pV p = A sV s = AdV d =
60
2 N 2N 
= → =
60 60 
4A p RN 2A p R 2N 2A p R 
Qm = = = → double acting
60 60 
A p 2 R A p 2 R
Vs = →V d =
As  Ad 
Ls 1 A p 2 R 2 Ld 1 A p 2 R 2
hfs = f [ ] hfd = f [ ] → Double acting
D s 2g As  D d 2 g Ad 
Pressure Heads in the Cylinder During Suction Stroke of
a Reciprocating Pump with Air Vessel
1-Suction stroke

H m .s = H cyc = −[H s .s + H is 1 + H fs 1 + H fs 2 ] → ( gauge )

H m .s = H cyc = Hatm − [H s .s + H is 1 + H fs 1 + H fs 2 ] → (abs )

Ls 1 1 A p Ls 1 A p 2
H fs 1 = f [  R sin  ] → H is 1 =
2
 R cos 
D s 2g As g As
Ls 2 1 A p  R 2
H fs 2 =f [ ] → H is 2 = 0.0
D s 2g As 
 Pressure Heads in the Cylinder During Delivery Stroke
of a Reciprocating Pump with Air Vessel

2-deleviery stroke

H m .d = H cyc = [H s .d + H id 1 + H fd 1 + H fd 2 ] → ( gauge )
H m .d = H cyc = Hatm + [H s .d + H id 1 + H fd 1 + H fd 2 ] → (abs )

Ld 1 1 A p Ld 1 A p 2
H fd 1 = f [  R sin  ] → H id 1 =
2
 R cos 
D d 2 g Ad g Ad
Ld 2 1 A p  R 2
H fd 2 =f [ ] → H id 2 = 0.0
D d 2 g Ad 
 S

2 Ls 1 A p 2 Ld 1 A p
H m = H s .s + H s .d + [f ( R ) ] + [ f
2
( R ) 2 ] +
3 2 gD s A s 3 2 gD d Ad
L s 1 A p R 2 L d 1 A p R 2
f ( ) +f ( )
2 gD s A s  2 gD d Ad 
out Q act H m
= =
inp S .H .P
Work Saved Against Friction by Fitting Air Vessel
(i) For single acting reciprocating pump
a)- Without Air vessel
Ap
V =  R sin 
A
L Ap 2 L Ap
Hf = f [  R sin  ] → H fmean = f
2
[  R sin 90]2
2 gD A 3 2 gD A
 ASN 2 L Ap
W1 = f [  R ]2
60 3 2 gD A
A p R L A p R 2
b)-With Air vessel V = → H fmean = f [ ]
A  2 gD A 
L A p R 2
W 2 =  Qf [ ]
2 gD A 
W 1 −W 2 W2 3
%= = 1− = 1 − 2 = 84.8%
W1 W1 2
Work Saved Against Friction by Fitting Air Vessel
(ii) For double acting reciprocating pump
a)- Without Air vessel
Ap
V =  R sin 
A
L Ap 2 L Ap
Hf = f [  R sin  ] → H fmean = f
2
[  R sin 90]2
2 gD A 3 2 gD A
 ASN 2 L Ap
W1 = f [  R ]2
60 3 2 gD A
A p 2 R L A p 2 R 2
b)-With Air vessel V = → H fmean = f [ ]
A  2 gD A 
L A p 2 R 2
W 2 =  Qf [ ]
2 gD A 
W 1 −W 2 W2 12
%= = 1− = 1 − 2 = 39.2%
W1 W1 2
Performance of positive pump
A single-acting reciprocating pump has a diameter (piston) of 150
mm and stroke length 350 mm. The centre of the pump is 3.5 m
above the water surface in the sump and 22 m below the delivery
water level. Both the suction and delivery pipes have the same
diameter of 100 mm and are 5 m and 30 m long respectively. If
the pump is working at 30 r.p.m., determine:
(i) The pressure heads on the piston at the beginning, middle and
end of both suction and delivery strokes.
(ii) The power required to drive the pump.
Take atmospheric pressure as 10.3 m of water.
Solution. Diameter of piston, Dp = 150 mm = 0.15 m
Stroke length S = 350 mm = 0.35 m -Suction head, Hs.s = 3.5 m
Delivery head, Hs.d = 22 m - Diameter of pipes, Ds = Dd = 100 mm
= 0.1 m - Length of suction pipe, Ls = 5 m
Length of delivery pipe, Ld = 30 m - Speed of pump, N = 30 r.p.m.
Atmospheric pressure, Hatm. = 10.3 m
(i) The pressure heads on the piston:
(a) Suction stroke:
The pressure head due to acceleration in suction pipe is given by:
 Ls A p 2
H is =  R Cos 
g As
2 N 2  3.14  30
= = = 3.14rad / sec
60 60
Ap D p2 0.15 2
=( 2)=( ) = 2.25
As Ds 0.1

Ls A p 2 5 0.35
H is =  R Cos  =  2.25  3.14 
2
cos  = 1.978cos 
g As 9.81 2
Ld A p 2 30 0.35
H id =  R Cos  =  2.25  3.142  cos  = 11.87 cos 
g Ad 9.81 2
At suction stroke
H ms = −[H s .s + H is ]
at  = 0
H ms 1 = −[3.5 + 1.97 cos 0] = −5.47 m
at  = 90
H ms 2 = −[3.5 + 1.97 cos 90] = −3.5m
at  = 180
H ms 3 = −[3.5 + 1.97 cos180] = −1.53m
At delivery stroke
H md = [H s .d + H id ]
at  = 0
H md 1 = [22 + 11.87 os 0] = 33.87 m
at  = 90
H md 2 = [22 + 11.87 cos 90] = 22m
at  = 180
H md 3 = [22 + 11.87 cos180] = 10.13m
(ii) Power required to drive the pump, P:
Theoretical discharge of the pump,

A p SN
Q= = 0.00309m / s 3

60
Work done by the pump
= wQ (Hs.s + Hs.d) = 9810 × 0.00309 (3.5 + 22) = 772.98
Nm/s or J/s
∴ Power required to drive the pump, P = 772.98 W (Ans.)
 Example
A single-cylinder single-acting plunger pump is used to
deliver water from a sump to a delivery reservoir as shown
in Figure. The following data is given for the pump and the
piping system:
Plunger diameter = 12 cm, Suction pipe: Ds = 75 mm and Ls = 4m
Length of stroke = 15 cm, Delivery pipe: Dd = 75 mm and Ld = 22m
Length of connecting rod = 22.5 cm
Friction coefficient for all pipes = 0.012
Crank speed = 60 rpm
Vapor pressure = 5.6 kPa abs
NPSHR at 60 rpm = 0.75 m
a. Determine the minimum pressure in the cylinder and state the corresponding crank angle.
b. Determine the maximum pressure in the cylinder and state the corresponding crank angle.
c. What is the maximum permissible depth of water in the sump if cavitation is to be avoided?
d. What is the power required to drive the pump assuming ηmech = 94% and a slip of 2%?
 R =0:075 m,
 R = (2 )  0.075 = 2.96m / s
2 2 2

Ap Ap12 2
= = ( ) = 2.56
A s Ad 7.5
H m .s = H cyc = Hatm − [H s .s + H is + H fs ] → (abs )
Ls A p 2 Ls A p
H m .s 1 = Hatm − H s .s −  R cos  − f [ R sin ]2
g As 2 gD s A s

Suction stroke:
Min pressure at θ=0
=0
101 4
H m .s 1 = − 2.5 − 2.56  2.96 cos 0 − 0 = 4.468m
9.81 9.81
Pcyc 1 = 4.468  9.81 = 43.831kPa
 Delivery stroke: Max pressure at θ=0

H m .d = H cyc = Hatm + H s .d + H id + H fd → (abs )

Ld A p 2 Ld A p
H m .d 3 = Hatm + H s .d +  R cos  + f [ R sin ]2

g Ad 2 gDd Ad
101 22
H m .d 3 = + 20 +  2.56  2.96cos 0 + 0 = 47.28m
9.81 9.81
Pcyc 3 = 47.28  9.81 = 463.9kPa
 ‫التكهف يحدث فى بداية‬ Hfd
Hid

‫مشوار السحب ونهاية مشوار الطرد‬

Hs.d
1-Suction Stroke θ=0
Hs.s

Hatm
Hfs
Hi.s

Hvap

−[ H s .s + H is ]  H v − H atm
H atm − H v − [ H s .s + H is ]  NPSHR
101 5.6 4
− − H s .s − 2.56  2.96 cos 0  0.75
9.81 9.81 9.81
6.635 − H s .s = 0.75 → H s .s = 5.88m
  
A p SN D p2SN (0.12) 2  0.15  60
Qth = = 4 = 4 = 1.696  10−3 m 3 / s
60 60 60
Q
Slip = 1 − act = 0.02 → Q act = 0.98  Qth = 0.98 1.696 10 −3 = 1.66 10 −3 m 3 / s
Qth
2 Ls A p 2 L1 A p
H m = H s .s + H s .d + [f ( R ) ] + [ f
2
( R ) 2 ]
3 2 gD s A s 3 2 gD d Ad
2 4
H m = 2.5 + 20 +  0.012 (2.56  2   0.075) 2 +
3 2  9.81 0.075
2 22
 0.012 (2.56  2   0.075) 2 =
3 2  9.81 0.075
22.5 + 0.0316 + 0.1738 = 22.7 m
out Q act H m 9810 1.66  10−3  22.7
= = =
input S .H .P S .H .P
9810 1.66 10 −3  22.7
S .H .P = = 393.255W = 0.393255kW
0.94
Homework:
A single-cylinder, single-acting piston pump is used to deliver hot oil (S
= 0.85, μ = 0.01 Ns/m2, and pv = 90 kPa abs.) from an open tank A to a
pressurized tank B as shown in Figure. The pump is driven at a crank
speed of 45 rpm. The following data are given for the pump and piping
system:
Piston diameter = 10 cm, Suction pipe: Ds = 80 mm and Ls = 5m,
Length of stroke = 15 cm, Delivery pipe: Dd = 80 mm and Ld = 7m,
Length of connecting rod = 30 cm, Friction coefficient for all pipes =
0.05. NPSHR at 45 rpm = 0.6 m,
a. Determine the minimum pressure in the cylinder and state the
corresponding crank angle.
b. What is the minimum value of the static suction head if cavitation is
to be avoided?
c. What is the power required to drive the pump assuming ηmech = 92%
and S = 3%?