CENTRIFUAGAL PUMPS

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

• IMPELLER – attached to the rotating shaft – blades (vanes)
• CASING, HOUSING, VOLUTE – stationary
• Impeller rotates - fluid sucked in through the eye of the
casing – fluid flows radially outward
• Energy added to the fluid by rotating blades – pressure
and absolute velocity are increased from the eye to the
periphery of the blades
• Simple pump – Fluid discharges from the blades to the
volute casing
• Casing shape – reduce the velocity – convert K.E. into
increase in pressure
• Volute casing shape – increasing area in the direction of
flow – uniform velocity distribution as the fluid flows
around the casing into the discharge opening
• Large pump – Diffuser guide vanes surround the impeller
– Diffuser pump Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
 Open impeller
Enclosed impeller

Single suction – Fluid enters only one side of the impeller

Double suction – Fluid enters the impeller along its axis from
both sides – inlet flow area is large – inlet
velocities are reduced
Single stage – one impeller mounted on the shaft
Multistage – several impellers are mounted on the shaft
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
Flow rate is same – each stage develops additional head
Principle – work is done on the fluid by the rotating blades
(centrifugal action and tangential blade force acting on the
fluid over a distance) creating a large increase in the kinetic
energy of the fluid flowing through the impeller.
This kinetic energy is converted into an increase in the
pressure as the fluid flows from the impeller into the casing
enclosing the impeller

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

Tshaft  m  r2 V 2  r1 V 1    Q  r2 V 2  r1 V 1 
U 1  r1 U 2  r2
W shaft  Tshaft    Q  r2 V 2  r1 V 1 
W shaft   Q  U 2 V 2  U 1 V 1  .......... .......... .......... ....( 1 )
W shaft   Q ghi .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......( 2 )
hi  Maximum head rise possible
Neglecting the head loss ( hL  0 )
hi  velocity head  pressure head  elevation head
Comparing ( 1 ) and ( 2 )

hi 
 U 2 V 2  U 1 V 1 
g
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
 INLET VELOCITY TRIANGLE OUTLET VELOCITY TRIANGLE
W1 W2
V1 V2
Vr1 Vr2
1 1 2 2

V1 U1 V2 U2

V22  V22  Vr22  Vr22  V22  V22

V  W  U 2  V 2
2
r2 2
2
  2
 V V2
2 2
2 2
2

 W  U 2  V 2  2


V22  V22  W 22  U 22  V22  2U 2V 2 
V22  V22  W 22  U 22  V22  2U 2V 2
1 2

U 2V 2  V2  U 22  W 22
2

 U 2 V 2  U 1 V 1 
1 2

U 1V 1  V1  U 12  W12
2
 hi 
g
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
hi 
 U 2 V 2  U 1 V 1 
g
U 2V 2
1 2
 
1 2
 V2  U 2  W2 & U 1V 1  V1  U 12  W12
2
2 2

2
 
hi 
1
2g
  
V22  V12  U 22  U 12  W 22  W12   
V 2
2
 V12   Increase in K.E of the fluid – Dynamic head
2g change
U 2
2  U 12   Pressure head rise developed across the
2g impeller due to the centrifugal effect (change in
static head )
W 2
2
 W12  Diffusion of relative flow in the blade passages
2g (change in static head)
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
THEORETICAL HEAD CAPACITY RELATIONSHIP V2
U2
BACKWARD SWEPT VANES 2 2
W2 W2 Vr2
V2 V2
Vr2
2 2

V2 U2

hi 
 U 2 V 2  U 1 V 1 
g
If the fluid has not tangential
component of velocity V1, or swirl, as it enters the impeller
U 2 V 2
hi  Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
g
Vr 2 U  V 2
Tan  2   cot  2  2  V 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2
U 2  V 2 Vr 2
 U 2 V 2 V 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2
hi 
g
U 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2  U 22 U 2Vr 2 cot  2
hi   
g g g
Q
Q  2 r2 b2Vr 2  A2Vr 2  Vr 2 
A2

U 22 U 2 cot  2
hi   Q
g A2 g H
 2 < 90o
hi  K 1  QK 2

U 22
K1  ; K 2  U 2 cot  2 Q
g A2 g
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
RADIAL VANES U 2 V 2 U 22
hi  
U2 = V2 g g
2
Vr2=W2 2 hi  K 1  QK 2  hi  K 1
V2
U 22 U 2 cot  2
K1  ; K2 
g A2 g


H  2 = 90o

Q
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
FORWARD SWEPT VANES
V2 V2
U2 U 2 V 2
W2 Vr2 hi 
2 2 2 2 g
Vr2 W2 U2
V2
V2

Vr 2
 Tan  180   2  
V 2  U 2
V 2  U 2
cot  2 
Vr 2
V 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2

U 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2  U 22 U 2Vr 2 cot  2

hi   
g g g
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
 U 22 U 2Vr 2 cot  2
hi  
g g
Q
Q  2 r2 b2Vr 2  A2Vr 2  Vr 2 
A2

U 22 U 2 cot  2
hi   Q
g A2 g

H  2 > 90o
hi  K 1  QK 2

U 22 U 2 cot  2
K1  ; K2 
g A2 g
Q
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
 BASIC FEATURES OF RADIAL FLOW PUMPS

2 > 90o - Forward vanes

H
2 = 90o- Radial Vanes
Shut off
head 2 < 90o – Backward vanes

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

Water is pumped at the rate of 0.09 m3/s through a centrifugal
pump operating at a speed of 1750 rpm. The impeller has a
uniform blade height of 50.8 mm with inner radius of 48.3
mm and outer radius of 178 mm and the exit blade angle 2
is 23o. Assume ideal flow conditions and that the tangential
velocity component of the water entering the blade is zero.
Determine
a. Tangential velocity component at the exit
b. Ideal head rise
c. power transferred to the fluid

W2
V2
Vr2
2 2

V2 U2
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
  D2 N   2  178  10 3  1750
U2    32.62 m / s
60 60
Q 0.09
Q  2 r2 b2Vr 2  Vr 2  
2 r2 b2 2 ( 178  10  3 ) 50.8  10  3
Vr 2  1.584 m / s V 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2  32.62  1.584 cot 23  28.89 m / s

hi  K 1  QK 2 V2  Vr22  V22  1.584 2  28.89 2  28.93 m / s

2
U 22 32.62
K1    108.467 BACKWARD SWEPT VANES
g 9.81
U 2 cot  2 32.62 cot 23
K2    137.879
A2 g  
2 178  10 50.8  10  9.81
3 3

hi  K 1  QK 2  108.467  137.879( 0.09 )  96.06 m

W shaft   Q  U 2V 2    Q  ghi   gQhi
W shaft   g Q hi  1000  9.81  0.09  96.06  84.8 kW
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
RADIAL VANES
V2
U 2  32.62 m / s Vr 2  1.584 m / s Vr2=W2
2 2
hi  K 1 U2 = V2

2
U 22 32.62
K1    108.467
g 9.81

K2  0

hi  K 1  108.467 m
W shaft   Q  U 2V 2    Q  ghi   gQhi

W shaft   g Q hi  1000  9.81  0.09  108.467  95.77 kW

V2  Vr22  U 22  32.62 2  1.584 2  32.66 m / s

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
 FORWARD VANES
Q  0.09 m 3 / s
V2
Vr 2  1.584 m / s ; U 2  32.62 m / s
W2 Vr2
2 2 V 2  U 2  Vr 2 cot  2 ;  2  180  23  157 o
U2 V 2  32.62  1.584 cot 157  36.35 m / s
V2
2
U 22 32.62
K1    108.467
g 9.81
U 2 cot  2 32.62 cot 23
K2    137.879
A2 g  
2 178  10  3 50.8  10  3  9.81

hi  K 1  QK 2  108.467  137.879( 0.09 )  120.88 m

W shaft   g Q hi  1000  9.81  0.09  120.88  106.72 kW

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

 Backward Radial Forward
V2 = 28.93 m/s 32.66 m/s 36.35 m/s
hi = 96.06 m 108.467 m 120.88 m
Wsh = 84.8 kW 95.77 kW 106.72 kW
Q = 0.09 m3/s 0.09 m3/s 0.09 m3/s
High outlet kinetic energy is seldom required and its
reduction to static pressure by diffusion in a fixed casing
is difficult to perform efficiently in a reasonable size of
casing
Except where rotor diameter is limited and high head is a
major factor, pumps and compressors normally have
backward swept vanes, majority of pumps for example
have a outlet blade angle of 20o – 25o
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
Radial vanes
Advantages
• High speed compressors where high pressures are
required
• compromise between low energy transfer and high
absolute outlet velocity
• Impellers are highly stressed and are machine from
forgings, so radial vanes are relatively easy to
manufacture and introduce no complex bending
stresses

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

 ENERGY LOSSES ON H-Q CHARACTERISTICS

ACTUAL PUMP PERFORMANCE

IS PREDICTED BY EXPMTS

LOSSES
Frictional losses hf ~ Q2 Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

Pressure losses
Impeller Blade casing clearance losses
 PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Head rise gained by the fluid flowing through the pump

P2  P1 V22  V12 Dia same  V1  V2

ha  hi  hL   z 2  z1 
g 2 Neglecting Elevation difference
P2  P1
ha  hi  hL 
g Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

Power gained by the fluid = P =  g Q ha

Overall Efficiency
Power gained by fluid  g Q ha
 
Shaft power driving the pump P

Efficiency is affected by hydraulic losses

and mechanical losses in pump

   m h

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

 TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Best efficiency point

Select a pump – near its best efficiency point  g Q ha


Two curves are sufficient to get the third one P
Ex: for a given flow rate, if actual head and efficiency is known, then input
power can be computed Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
Performance characteristics for a two stage
centrifugal pump operating at 3500 rpm

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

 SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS AND PUMP SELECTION

hp   z 2  z1   h L hp – actual head gained by the fluid from the pump

 L
h ~ Q 2
 Major and Minor losses

hp   z 2  z1   KQ 2
K    D , L, f , K L 
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
Utilization of the system curve and the pump performance
curve to obtain the operating point for the system

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

 3.048 m
D = 152.4 mm
L = 60.96 m
f = 0.02; Fluid -
water

P1 V12 P2 V22 fLV 2 V2

  z1  hp    z2    KL
 g 2g  g 2g 2 gD 2g
P1  P2  0 ;V1  V2  0 ;
0.02  60.96V 2 V2
h p  3.048     0.5  1.5  1.0 
2  9.81  152.4 e  3 2  9.81
h p  3.048  0.407747V 2  0.1529V 2
Q2
h p  3.048  0.560652V  3.048  0.560652
2
2


  152.4  10 
3 2 

h p  3.048  1684.899Q 2 4 
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
 system
Q (m /s)
3
H (m)  (%) head (m)
0 27.432 0 3.0480
0.012618 26.8224 18 3.3163
0.025236 26.2128 30 4.1210
0.037854 25.908 42 5.4623
0.050472 24.384 54 7.3402
0.06309 23.7744 65 9.7545
0.0757 21.9456 72 12.7033
0.088 21.34 80 16.0959
0.101 19.8 85 20.2357
0.113562 18.3 88 24.7770
0.12618 15.85 85 29.8739
0.1388 13.7 80 35.5083
0.1515 10.67 70 41.7202

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

 

Head
System
Characteristic

Operating
point

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

DIMENSIONLESS PARAMETERS AND SIMILARITY LAWS

gha  f 1  D , L ,  , Q , ,  ,  
W sh  f 2  D , L ,  , Q , ,  ,  
  f 3  D , L ,  , Q , ,  ,  
gha  L2T 2 DL L L Q  L3T 1
  T 1   ML 1T  1   ML 3
W  ML2T  3
sh

Repeating variables - , , D
 1  gha  A B D C
M LT  LT
0 0 0
 2 2
 ML
1
T  T   L
1 A 1 B C
gha
0A 1  2 2
0  2  2A C Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai  D
0  2  A  B A  0 ; C  2 ; B  2
 2  L A B D C
M LT 0 0 0
  L   ML 1
T 1 A
 T   L
1 B C
L
0A
2 
0  1 A C
D
0  A B A  0 ; C  1; B  0
 3   A B D C
M LT 0 0 0
  L  ML 1
T 1 A
 T   L
1 B C

0A 3 
0  1 AC D
0  A B A  0 ; C  1; B  0
 4  Q A B D C
M LT  LT
0 0 0
 3 1
 ML 1
T  T   L
1 A 1 B C
Q
0A
4 
0  3 AC Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai D 3

0  1  A  B A  0 ; C  3 ; B   1
  5   A B D C
M L T  ML
0 0 0
 3
 ML
1
 T   L
1 A 1 B C
D 2
5 
T
0  1 A
0  3  A  C

0  A B A  1 ; C  2 ; B  1

 6  W sh  A B D C
M L T  ML T
0 0 0
 2 3
 ML
1
 T   L
1 A 1 B C W sh
T
6 
0  1 A
0  2 AC
 D
2 3

0  3  A  B A  1 ; C  3 ; B  2

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai

HEAD RISE COEFFICIENT
gha  L  Q D 2 
C H  2 2  1  , , , 
 D  D D D
3
 

POWER COEFFICIENT

W sh  L  Q D  2
CP    2  , , , 
 D
3 5
 D D D
3
 

EFFICIENCY
gQha  L  Q D 2 
    3  , , , 
 D D D  
3
W shaft
Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
D 2
 form of Re ynolds number

When the pump involves high Reynolds number, experience has
shown that effect of Reynolds number can be neglected

For simplicity, L ,  can also be neglected.

D D

gha  Q 
C H  2 2  1  3 
 D  D 
W sh  Q 
CP   2  3 
 D
3 5
 D 
gQha  Q 
   3  3 
W shaft  D 
Q
CQ   Flow Coefficient Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
D 3
These three equations provide the desired similarity relationships
among a family of geometrically similar pumps
 Q   Q 
 3 
 3 
 D  1  D  2
It then follows that

 gha   gha 
 2 2  2 2
  D 1   D  2
 W sh   W sh 
   
5 

  3
D 1   3
D 5
2
 gQha   gQha 
     1   2
 W   W 
 shaft 1  shaft 2
Subscripts 1 and 2 refer to any two pumps from the family of
geometrically similar pumps Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai
Typical performance data for a centrifugal pump

12 inch centrifugal pump operating at 1000 rpm

Prof S VPrabhu, IITB, Mumbai