CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Course Title: Fluid Machinery

Course no.: Txe-317

Ref.: Fluid Mechanics by Modi

www.lightmypump.com
CONTENTS:
1. Definition and types
2. Components of pumps
3. Working principle
4. Priming and priming device
5. Different types of casing
6. Characteristics curves
7. Total Head calculation
8. Inlet and outlet velocity diagram
9. Submersible and turbine pump
PUMP
 The Centrifugal Pump
Since the olden times, the man has been trying to find some convenient
ways of lifting water to higher levels, for water supply or irrigation
purposes. It is believed, that the idea of lifting water, by centrifugal force,
was first given by L. D. Vinci (an Italian Scientist and Engineer) in the end
of 16th century.

In 1689 the physicist Danis Papin invented the centrifugal pump and today
this kind of pump is the most used around the world. The centrifugal pump
is built on a simple principle: Liquid is led to the impeller hub and by means
of the centrifugal force it is flung towards the periphery of the impellers.

The construction is fairly inexpensive, robust and simple and its high
speed makes it possible to connect the pump directly to an asynchronous
motor. The centrifugal pump provides a steady liquid flow, and it can easily
be throttled without causing any damage to the pump.
 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Definition: A pump may be defined as a mechanical device which when interposed in a

pipeline, converts the mechanical energy supplied to it from some external source into
hydraulic energy and transfers the same to the liquid through the pipeline, thereby
increasing the energy of the flowing liquid .

or,
Almost all the pumps increase the pressure energy of the liquid which is subsequently
converted into potential energy as the liquid is lifted from a lower level to higher level.

or,
A centrifugal pump is a machine which converts mechanical energy into kinetic energy
and pressure energy through centrifugal force.
 How does a centrifugal pump produce pressure

Fig. Fluid particle paths in a centrifugal pump

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Fig. Cut-way view of a centrifugal pump

Classify hydraulic pumps

 Pumps may be placed in one of the two general categories.

(i)Dynamic pressure pumps: centrifugal pump, jet pump,

propeller, and turbine.

(ii) Positive displacement pump: Piston plunger, gear, lube,

vane, screw etc.
Type of pumps
Dynamic pumps
How a centrifugal pump works:
Schematic diagram of a centrifugal pump:
Components of a centrifugal pump:
The main components of a centrifugal pump are shown in Fig. and described below:
1.Rotating components : an impeller couple to a shaft
2.Stationary components: casing cover, and bearings.
Fig. Closed and Open Impeller Types
Fig: Cut-away of a pump showing Volute Casing Fig: Solid casing
Explain different types of impellers used in centrifugal pump with neat
sketch.
 Ans. (1) Closed, semi—closed and open impellers in the closed impellers the vanes are covered
with side plates (shrouds) on both sides. The back shroud is mounted into shaft and front shroud is
coupled to the former by the vanes. The arrangement provides a smooth passage for the liquid;
wear is reduced to minimum. This ensures full capacity operation with high efficiency for a
prolonged running period.  

 Semi-open impeller has a plate only on back side. The design is adopted to industrial pump
problems which required a rugged pump to handle liquids containing fibrous material such as paper
pulp, sugar molasses and sewage water etc. in open impeller, no shroud or plate is provided on
either side i.e., the vanes are open on both sides. Such pumps are used where the pump has a
very rough duty to perform i.e. to handle abrasive liquids etc.
(ii) Axial, Radial and mixed flow impellers—In the axial flow pumps, the head
is developed by the propelling or lift action of the vanes on the liquid which
enters the impeller axially and discharges axially

       

In radial flow impellers, the head is developed by the action of centrifugal force upon the liquid
which enters the impeller axially at the centre and flows radially to the periphery. In the mixed flow
impeller there is a combination of axial and radial flows. The head is developed partly by the action
of centrifugal force and partly by axial propulsion.
       
Explain different types of impellers used in centrifugal pump with neat sketch.

Or , Discuss the various method adopted to increase the efficiency of a centrifugal

pump by altering the shape of the casing of chamber surrounding the impeller.

                  

1.Volute casing
Discharge

Fig. Volute Pump

2.Vortex casing

Fig. Volute pump with vortex chamber

3.Diffuser or Turbine pump:

Fig. Diffuser (or Turbine) pump

Volute casing—This is a spiral shaped whose area of cross-section gradually
increases towards the delivery pipe. The velocity of liquid decreases as area
increases along the path of flow. This arrangement converts K.E. into pressure
energy. The efficiency of this casing is less than others. Larger amount of
energy is lost due to formation of eddies.

Vortex casing—When a circular chamber is introduced between the impeller and

casing, the casing is known as vortex casing. In this case, the liquid from the
impeller enters into the vortex chamber and then through the volute chamber, in
this arrangement, the eddy loss is considerably reduced and the efficiency of
conversion from K.E. into pressure energy is increased as compared with volute
casing.

Diffuser—In the diffuser pump, the impeller is surrounded by a series of guide

vanes mounted on a ring called diffuser ring. The diffuser ring and the guide
vanes are fixed in position. The adjacent guide vanes provide gradually
enlarged passages for the flow of liquid. The liquid after leaving the impeller
passes through these passages of increasing area, wherein the velocity of flow
decreases and the pressure increases.
 WHAT IS PRIMING?
PRIMING DEVICE:
Ans. The filling of suction pipe, impeller casing and delivery pipe upto
delivery valve by the liquid from outside source before starting the pump
is known as priming.
The air is removed and that portion is filled with the liquid to be pumped.

1.Small pumps are usually priming by pouring the liquid through a funnel
into the casing from some external source. The air vent provided in the
casing is opened to facilitate the exit of the air. When all the air has been
removed from the suction pipe and the pump casing, the air vent is
closed and the pump is primed.

2.Large pumps are usually primed by evacuating the casing and the
suction pipe with the aid of an air pump or a stream ejector, the liquid is
thus sucked into the suction pipe from the sump.
 WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES OF SINGLE STAGE
CENTRIFUGAL PUMP?
A centrifugal pump works under its maximum efficiency conditions.
However when the pump is run at conditions different from design
conditions, it performs differently. Therefore to predict the behavior of the
pump under varying conditions of speeds, heads, discharges or powers,
tests are usually conducted. So characteristic curves of centrifugal pumps
are defined as those curves which are plotted from the results of a number
of tests on the centrifugal pump. Performance characteristics of a pump fall
into following categories.

1. Main characteristic curves

2. Operating characteristic curves
3. Constant efficiency curves
4. Constant head and constant discharge curves.
Main characteristic curves :
 Operating characteristic curves:
The curves plotted from the results of a number of tests on a pump while running
at its design speed are referred as characteristic curves. Figure shows the
operating characteristic curves of a pump. The curves indicate the rotation
between efficiency, power and head with respect to discharge. These are plotted
for only one speed.

Fig.: Operating characteristic curves of a pump

Constant Efficiency curves:
How to determine friction head

2
f LV
hf 
2g D
 Total Head

V 2

H h  h  h  h  d

2g
m s d fs fd

If the velocity head in the delivery pipe is relatively small it may be neglected

H m
h  h  h  h
s d fs fd

f LV 2

h 
2g D
f
Inlet and outlet velocity diagram
 Tangential momentum of fluid striking the vanes at the inlet
WV
  0 (the liquid enters the impeller radially ,   0,V  0)
w

g
w

Angular Momentum at inlet  0

Tangential momentum of fluid striking the vanes at the outlet
WV
 w1

g
WV
Angular Momentum at outlet  .R w1

g
1

The torque T exerted by the fluid on the wheel to revolve it is

Obtained as

WV
T  w1
R
g
1
 The work done on the wheel per second or the power delivered to
the wheel

 Torque  Angularvelocity  T  
W V
 R .
w1

g
1

But , u   . R
1 1

W V
 w1
.u
g
1

The work done per kN of water=

V u
 w1 1
kN  m
g
Discharge of a Centrifugal pump
Let D = Diameter of impeller at inlet
Vf = Velocity of flow at inlet
b = Width of impeller at inlet, and
D1, b1 and Vf1 = Corresponding values at the outlet

Then the discharge,

Q  DbV f  D1b1V f 1
 Efficiencies
1. Manometric efficiency
2. Mechanical efficiency
3. Overall efficiency
1. Manometric efficiency: The manometric efficiency is defined
as the ratio of the manometric head developed by the pump to the head
imparted by the impeller to the liquid.
H H
  m
 m

 V u  H  Losses in the pump

mano

 w1
 1 m

 g 
 QH Power delivered by the pump
  m

 V u  Pump imparted by the impeller

 Q  w1 1

 g 
Output of the pump

Pump imparted by the impeller
2. Mechanical Efficiency: The mechanical efficiency is defined as
the ratio of the power actually delivered by the impeller to the power supplied
to the shaft by the prime mover or motor.

V u 
 
w1 1

 g 
 
Energy head given to the shaft
mech

V u 
 w1
 1

  g 
V u 
 w1
  mechanical head losses in bearing
1

 g 
3. Overall efficiency: The overall efficiency of the pump is defined as the
ratio of the power output from the pump to the power input from the prime mover
driving the pump.

 QH
  m

Power given to the shaft

o
Problem1: A centrifugal pump is required to lift water to a total of 40 metres at
the rate of 50 litres/sec. Find the power required for the pump, if its overall
Efficiency is 62%.

 QH  QH
  P m m

P 
0
0

9.81 0.05  40
  31.6 kW
0.62
Problem2: Find the power required to drive a centrifugal pump which delivers 40
litres of water per second to a height of 20 m through a 150 mm and 100 m long
Pipeline. The overall efficiency of pump is 70% and Darcy’s f=0.06 for the pipeline.

Q  40 l / sec  0.04 m / sec 3

H  h  h  20m
s s d

d  d  150 mm  0.150 m,  70%

s d 0

0.04
V V   2.264 m / s
 / 4.(0.15)
s d 2

2
V fLV 2
d
 0.26m (h  h )   10.45m
2g 2 gd
fs fd

The manametric head H is m

2
V
H h h h h   30.71m d

2g
m s fs d fd

 .Q.H 9810  0.04  30.71

P  m
 ........kW
 0.70 0
 Prob. A centrifugal pump of 1.5 metre diameter runs at 210 r.p.m. and pumps 180
litres of water per second. The angle which the vane makes, at exit, with the tangent
to the impeller is 25º. Assuming radial entry and velocity of flow throughout as 2.5 m/s,
Determine the power to drive the pump. If manometric efficiency of the pump is 65%,
Find the average lift of the pump.

 .D . N
v  1
 16.5 m / s
60
1

D  1.5m, N  210r. p.m. , Q  180 litres  0.18 m / s From velocity triangles

1
3

  25 ,V  V  25m / s,  0.65

V
0
f f1 mech

V v   11 .1m / s
f

tan 
w1 1

 .Q.V .v
P w1
 33 kW1

g
H
  m
H  12.2 m
mech
V .v
w1 1
m

g
PUMP IN SERIES
PUMP IN SERIES AND PARALLEL
CONNECTION
SUBMERSIBLE PUMP
IMMERSIBLE /TURBINE/VERTICAL
PUMP
A turbine pump is a centrifugal pump that is mainly
used to pump water from deep wells or other
underground and man-made bodes of water to
water distribution systems. A centrifugal pump
consists of a pump shaft, a rotating device known as
an impeller, and a motor or an engine. A turbine
pump may consist of multiple semi-open or
enclosed impellers, also known as "stages." A metal
plate called shroud supports the vanes of the
impeller in an open or semi-open impeller, whereas
in an enclosed impeller, the shroud encloses the
impeller vanes. The turbine pump also consists of a
water intake point and a water discharge point.
The turbine pump motor is usually placed above the
water level, but submersible types are available
depending on the requirement of the application.
The total energy taken by the pump to move water
from the resource, i.e., the supply tank, to the point
of discharge is known as total head. The total head
of a powerful turbine pump can exceed several
hundred feet (over 70 meters).
Main characteristic curves (Performance curves):
The main characteristic curves of a centrifugal pump consist of a variation of head
(Hm), power and discharge with respect to speed as shown in figure (a). For plotting
curves of manometric head versus speed, discharge is kept constant. For plotting
curves of discharge versus speed, manometric head (Hm) is kept constant and for
plotting the curves between power and speed the manometric head and discharge
are kept constant.

Fig.: Main characteristic curves of a pump

 Performance curves:
The curves plotted from the results of a number of tests on a pump while running
at its design speed are referred as characteristic curves. Fig. (b) shows the
operating characteristic curves of a pump. The curves indicate the rotation
between efficiency, power and head with respect to discharge. These are plotted
for only one speed.

Fig.: Operating characteristic curves of a pump