Centrifugal pumps

M Fayek
Impellers
Multistage impellers
Specific speed that is used to
classify pumps
n
q
is the specific speed for a unit machine that
is geometric similar to a machine with the head
H
q
= 1 m and flow rate Q = 1 m
3
/s
4 3
q
H
Q
n n =
q s
n 55 , 51 n =
Affinity laws
2
1
2
1
n
n
Q
Q
=
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
1
n
n
u
u
H
H
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
3
2
1
2
1
n
n
P
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Assumptions:
Geometrical similarity
Velocity triangles are the same

Exercise
s m 1 , 1 1
1000
1100
Q
n
n
Q
3
1
1
2
2
= = =
m 121 100
1000
1100
H
n
n
H
2
1
2
1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
kW 164 123
1000
1100
P
n
n
P
3
1
3
1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Find the flow rate, head and power
for a centrifugal pump that has
increased its speed
Given data:
q
h
= 80 % P
1
= 123 kW
n
1
= 1000 rpm H
1
= 100 m
n
2
= 1100 rpm Q
1
= 1 m
3
/s
Exercise
Find the flow rate, head and power
for a centrifugal pump impeller that
has reduced its diameter
Given data:
q
h
= 80 % P
1
= 123 kW
D
1
= 0,5 m H
1
= 100 m
D
2
= 0,45 m Q
1
= 1 m
3
/s
s m 9 , 0 1
5 , 0
45 , 0
Q
D
D
Q
n
n
D
D
c B D
c B D
Q
Q
3
1
1
2
2
2
1
2
1
2 m 2 2
1 m 1 1
2
1
= = =

= =
H
H
=
m 81 100
5 , 0
45 , 0
H
D
D
H
2
1
2
1
2
2
= |
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
kW 90 123
5 , 0
45 , 0
P
D
D
P
3
1
3
1
2
2
= |
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Velocity triangles
Slip angle
Reduced c
u2

Slip angle
Slip
Best efficiency point
Friction loss
Impulse loss
Power
e = M P
Where:
M = torque [Nm]
e = angular velocity [rad/s]
( )
( )
t
1 u 1 2 u 2
1 1 1 2 2 2
H g Q
c u c u Q
cos c r cos c r Q P
=
e =
e o o =
g
c u c u
H
1 u 1 2 u 2
t

=
In order to get a better understanding of
the different velocities that represent the
head we rewrite the Eulers pump
equation
1 u 1
2
1
2
1 1 1 1
2
1
2
1
2
1
c u 2 u c cos c u 2 u c w + = o + =
2 u 2
2
2
2
2 2 2 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
c u 2 u c cos c u 2 u c w + = o + =
g 2
w w
g 2
c c
g 2
u u
H
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
t

=
Eulers pump equation
g
c u c u
H
1 u 1 2 u 2
t

=
g 2
w w
g 2
c c
g 2
u u
H
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
t

=
=

g 2
u u
2
1
2
2
Pressure head due to change of
peripheral velocity
=

g 2
c c
2
1
2
2
=

g 2
w w
2
1
2
2
Pressure head due to change of
absolute velocity
Pressure head due to change of
relative velocity
Rothalpy
Using the Bernoullis equation upstream and
downstream a pump one can express the
theoretical head:
1
2
2
2
t
z
g 2
c
g
p
z
g 2
c
g
p
H
|
|
.
|

\
|
+

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+

=
g 2
w w
g 2
c c
g 2
u u
H
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
t

=
The theoretical head can also be expressed as:
Setting these two expression for the theoretical
head together we can rewrite the equation:
g 2
u
g 2
w
g
p
g 2
u
g 2
w
g
p
2
1
2
1 1
2
2
2
2 2

+

=

+

Rothalpy
The rothalpy can be written as:
( )
t tan cons
g 2
r
g 2
w
g
p
I
2
2
=

+

=
This equation is called the
Bernoullis equation for
incompressible flow in a rotating
coordinate system, or the rothalpy
equation.
Stepanoff
We will show how a centrifugal pump is designed
using Stepanoffs empirical coefficients.

Example: H = 100 m
Q = 0,5 m
3
/s
n = 1000 rpm
|
2
= 22,5
o
4 , 22
100
5 , 0
1000
H
Q
n n
4 3 4 3
q
= = =
1153 n 55 , 51 n
q s
= =
Specific speed:
This is a radial pump
0 , 1 K
u
=
s m 3 , 44 H g 2 K u
H g 2
u
K
u 2
2
u
= =

=
s rad 7 , 104
60
n 2
=
H
= e
m 85 , 0
2 u
D
2
D
u
2
2
2
2
=
e

= e =
We choose:
m 17 , 0 D 5 , 0 D
1 hub
= =
11 , 0 K
2 m
=
s m 87 , 4 H g 2 K c
H g 2
c
K
2 m 2 m
2 m
2 m
= =

=
m 038 , 0
c D
Q
d
d D
Q
A
Q
c
2 m 2
2
2 2
2 m
=
H
=

H
= =
u
2

c
2

w
2

c
u2

c
m2

Thickness of the blade
Until now, we have not considered the thickness
of the blade. The meridonial velocity will
change because of this thickness.
( )
( )
m 039 , 0
c s z D
Q
d
d s z D
Q
A
Q
c
2 m u 2
2
2 u 2
2 m
=
H
=

H
= =
We choose: s
2
= 0,005 m
z = 5
m 013 , 0
5 , 22 sin
005 , 0
sin
s
s
o
2
2
u
= =
|
=
145 , 0 K
1 m
=
s m 4 , 6 H g 2 K c
H g 2
c
K
1 m 1 m
1 m
1 m
= =

=
u
1

w
1

c
1
= c
m1
405 , 0
D
D
2
1
=
m 34 , 0 D 405 , 0 D 405 , 0
D
D
2 1
2
1
= = =
m 09 , 0
c D
Q
d
d D
Q
A
Q
c
1 m m 1
1
1 m 1 1
1 m
=
H
=
H
= =
We choose:
D
hub
m 17 , 0 D 5 , 0 D
1 hub
= =
m 27 , 0
2
D D
D
2
hub
2
1
m 1
=
+
=
Without thickness
Thickness of the blade at
the inlet
m 015 , 0
8 , 19 sin
005 , 0
sin
s
s
o
1
1
1 u
= =
|
=
u
1

w
1

C
m1
=6,4 m/s

s m 8 , 17
2
34 , 0
7 , 104
2
D
u
1
1
= = e =
|
1

o
1
1 m
1
8 , 19
8 , 17
4 , 6
tan a
u
c
tan a = |
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
= |
( )
m 10 , 0
c s z D
Q
d
1 m 1 u m 1
1
=
H
=
m 153
81 , 9 96 , 0
5 , 32 3 , 44
g
c u c u
H
h
1 u 1 2 u 2
=

=
q

=
u
2
=44,3 m/s
c
2

w
2

c
m2
=4,87m/s
|
2
=22,5
o

c
u2

s m 5 , 32
tan
c
u c
c u
c
tan
2
2 m
2 2 u
2 u 2
2 m
2
=
|
=

= |
u
2
=44,3 m/s
c
2

w
2

c
m2
=4,87m/s
c
u2

s m 3 , 21
3 , 44
81 , 9 96 , 0 100
u
g H
c
g
c u
H
2
h
2 u
h
2 u 2
=

=
q
=
q

=
o
2 u 2
2 m
2
9 , 11
3 , 21 3 , 44
87 , 4
tan a
c u
c
tan a ' =

= |
o o o
2 slip slip
6 , 10 9 , 11 5 , 22 ' = = | | = |