SPECIFIC SPEED

INTRO
One of the common practices of mechanical
engineers is to design prototypes before doing
the final product.
The Engineer has to consider three things:
1. GEOMETRIC SIMILARITY
2. KINEMATIC SIMILARITY
3. DIMENSIONAL SIMILARITY
 What is Specific Speed?
Specific speed, or Ns, is an index of impeller
design that describes the relationship between
the amount of head generated by the rotation
of an impeller relative to the amount of flow
produced by the impeller.
SPECIFIC SPEED
of Pumps
Specific speed is an index used to predict desired
pump or turbine performance.
Pelton Wheel
Francis Turbine
Kaplan Turbine
Centrifugal Pump
Specific speed also determines the shape of the
impeller to be used.
SPECIFIC SPEED FOR PUMP

SPECIFIC DIAMETER
Pump specific speed per region
 A pump is being designed to deliver 320 gpm of
gasoline at room temperature. The required
net head is 23.5 ft (of gasoline). It has already
been determined that the pump shaft is to
rotate at 1170 rpm. Calculate the pump
specific speed in both nondimensional form
and customary U.S. form. Based on your
result, decide which kind of dynamic pump
would be most suitable for this application.

1960, 0.717
Len is asked to design a small water pump for an
aquarium. The pump should deliver 18.0 Lpm
of water at a net head of 1.6 m at its best
efficiency point. A motor that spins at 1200
rpm is available. What kind of pump (centrifu-
gal, mixed, or axial) should Len design? Show
all your calculations and justify your choice.

0.276, Centrifugal
A large water pump is being designed for a nuclear
reactor. The pump should deliver 2500 gpm of
water at a net head of 45 ft at its best efficiency
point. A motor that spins at 300 rpm is available.
What kind of pump (centrifugal, mixed, or axial)
should be designed? Show the specific speeds in
nondimensional, European and US form.

864
Specific Speed of Turbines
SPECIFIC SPEED FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINE
 SAMPLE
A hydraulic turbine with a runner outside
diameter of 4.31 m operates with an effective
head H of 543 m at a volume flow rate of 71.5
m^3/s and produces 350 MW of shaft power
at a rotational speed of 333 rev/min.
Determine, the specific speed and the specific
diameter

0.473, 4.354
AFFINITY LAWS