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in the early 1900s and improved in the late 1950s and early 1960s,
is a little-known type of centrifugal pump in the low-specificspeed (SS) classification. Pitot tube pumps have been used in
various industries for relatively low-flow, high-head applications.
A pitot tube pump, also called a rotating casing pump, comprises a closed rotating casing assembly with a stationary pitot
tube, also known as the pickup tube (FIG. 1). The liquid enters
the rotating casing along the axis of rotation, and momentum
increases as it passes through the channels of the rotating casing
and then jets into the pickup tube. The pitot is positioned near
the periphery of the rotating casing, where the rotational velocity
of the liquid mass is the greatest. The liquid then flows through
the internal passageway of the pitot tube and is discharged.
The total head developed by this type of pump is the sum of
both the centrifugal head and the velocity head; in total, it is approximately 1.6 times the head produced by a single-stage centrifugal pump of the same size, if operating at the same speed.
The total maximum head (ignoring hydraulic losses) can be approximated by the following equation:
Ht = (r 2 N 2) 423,452 [Ft]
where:
r = Centerline radius of pitot tube inlet, in., as shown in FIG. 2
N = Pump casing rotational speed, rpm.
The effective conversion of velocity to pressure head by the
pitot tube, and the much lower friction between the rotating
casing and the liquid inside it, results in much higher heads at
relatively moderate speeds and at good overall efficiencies.
The pump capacity can be changed by changing the size of
the pitot tube, and the change in the head developed by varying the speed at which the pump is operated. When an electric
motor is the prime mover, the speed may be increased by the
FIG. 1. Pitot tube pumps main parts and its flow path.9
Hydrocarbon Processing|DECEMBER 201563
Rotating Equipment
Curves shape comparison. The capacity-head curves of pitot tube pumps are similar to conventional centrifugal pumps.
The curve rise is quite modestbelow 50% of the best efficiency point (BEP). FIG. 3 shows the typical performance
curves of the pitot tube pump and the HS centrifugal pump
with an open radial vane impeller (24 vanes).
make it well suited for many systems where the flow requirement continually varies, or for applications where the pump is
needed to operate against a closed valve, with a minimal bypass
flow, for an extended period of time.
Typical applications for pitot tube pumps include boiler
feed and desuperheating, hydrocarbon processing plants, oil
production units, hydraulic systems, nitrogen oxides (NOx )
control and others.
Key features of pitot tube pumps include:
Wide operating range with low minimum flow. The
pitot tube pump has a wide stable operating range over
its entire head capacity curve, from maximum flow to
low minimum flow. It can operate at minimum flow
continuously. These pumps are not sensitive to off-peak
160
120
Head, %
Impeller NPSH
required
80
BEP
40
NPSH available
Inducer NPSH required
0
0
40
80
Flow, %
64DECEMBER 2015|HydrocarbonProcessing.com
120
140
Q
Rotating Equipment
Isolated bearings and gear unit. The bearings and the
gear unit are isolated from the pumped fluid chamber. In
the HS pump, if the liquid enters the gear side, the oil layer
is broken between the gears and vibration will increase.
Key features of HS pumps include:
Small footprint. This type of pump requires much
less floor space compared to the pitot tube pump with
external gear unit.
Reduced size and weight. The pump casing and its
impeller are relatively small, with reduced weight, due
to the high operating speed. As a result of this, the shaft
overhung ratio is minimized, leading to a smaller shaft
and low bearing loading.
Less sensitive to out-of-balance. These pumps are less
sensitive to out-of-balance vibration because of their
much lower rotor mass. The ratio of the impeller mass
to the total mass of the pump assembly is much lower in
comparison with the ratio of the pitot tube pump rotating
casing to the entire pump assembly.
API standard compliance. These pumps are used in both
API Standard 610 and general industrial applications. API
610, OH6-type pumps are used for heavy-duty or critical
services. However, some manufacturers also design heavyduty pitot tube pumps in accordance with API 610 for
critical services, with some exceptions to API 610 because
of their special designs.
Higher suction pressure capability. This pump type is
for six cases. The speed, efficiency and NPSH r data, as indicated
in TABLE 2, were extracted from available pump family performance curves based on liquid with a specific gravity of 1, a power of 50 Hz and HS pumps with closed impellers.
Note: For a number of given sets of head-flowrate points, generally an HS pump may show efficiency advantage over a pitot
tube pump, due in part to the ability to run at a higher speed and
higher SS. However, for some given head-flowrate points, a pitot
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Rotating Equipment
tube pump may show an efficiency advantage over an HS pump,
largely due to its lower disc friction effect and diffusion losses.
Obviously, the efficiency of a specific pump type varies depending on the pump manufacturers design, model and specifications.
Lifecycle cost evaluation. Lifecycle cost (LCC) is a critical de-
Flowrate,
US gpm
Total
head, ft
HS
Up to 400
Up to
6,300
7,000 to
25,000
Up to 65
150850
(radial open);
8501,860
(closed Francis)
Up to 400 Up to
(newly 800) 5,500
2,950 to
6,400
Up to 65
50360
Pitot
tube
Speed,
Maximum Impeller-type
rpm
efficiency, % SS, US units
Flowrate,
m3/h
Total
Speed,
head, m Pump type
rpm
215
1,253
10
1,083
11.5
405
36
593
64
392
,
%
NPSHr ,
m
HS
10,655
17
Pitot
3,550
33
HS
15,467
26
Pitot
5,673
46
1.5
HS
15,467
27
Pitot
5,443
38
1.75
HS
13,670
42
2.7
Pitot
3,395
50
1.8
HS
17,521
59
11
Pitot
4,205
57
HS
10,655
61
3,913
59
11
Pitot
66DECEMBER 2015|HydrocarbonProcessing.com
Rotating Equipment
of the pitot tube pump; consequently, a temperature
rise occurs and, as a result, available NPSH is reduced.
Therefore, if available NPSH is not sufficiently higher
than required NPSH, cavitation occurs. To prevent this
potential problem, a high minimum flowrate and/or a
special seal design or cooling is required.
Vibration. The ratio of the rotating casing weight of a
pitot tube pump to the total pump weight is greater than
that of a conventional centrifugal pump with equivalent
duty; therefore, any out-of-balance condition of the pitot
tube pump needs a precise dynamic balance of the pump
casing assembly.
Good results have been achieved by balancing the pump
casing below both API and ISO G 0.4 levels. The pump
should be balanced while filled with a liquid of specific
gravity that is almost equal to that of the pumped liquid.
Solid particles handling. The pitot tube pump has a
very limited solid handling capability and must be applied
with a great deal of caution when solids are present in the
pumped liquid. The solid particles can cause erosion and
an out-of-balance condition.
o The pitot tube is susceptible to erosion due to the high
speed of the fluid, which impacts the orifice of the pitot
tube. However, specific gravity, shape, size, hardness,
the amount of particles present in the fluid and the
material of construction of the pitot tube can affect the
level of abrasive wear.
o As long as solids are in suspension in the pumped
liquid, there would not be an out-of-balance condition
on startup. However, when the pump is shut down and
the solids come out of suspension and settle on the
bottom of the pump casing, then the pump is started
back up, an increased vibration may occur for a short
time. After startup, as soon as the solids come into
suspension through the mixing action of the rotating
casing, the vibration is decreased to the normal level
and the normal balance is resumed. Furthermore,
if the pump shuts down and the solids come out of
suspension and adhere to the inside wall of the rotating
casing, and do not come into suspension on startup,
an increased vibration will occur and will continue. In
such a situation, the pump will need to be shut down
and the rotating casing will need to be flushed out.
Note: When the HS pump type is chosen, some considerations should also be made to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the pump. However, the discussion of these considerations is beyond the scope of this article.
Takeaway. The pitot tube pump is a type of centrifugal pump
within the low SS classification (50 to 360 US units) and is suitable for low-flow, high-head applications. It has a simple design,
a wide stable operating range, few moving parts and a lowered
spares inventory. Pitot tube pumps are not sensitive to off-peak
flow or upset conditions, and are capable of operating continuously at the minimum flow. They are especially suited for applications where the required flow may continually vary.
The key features of pitot tube pumps, along with a comparison with HP pumps, have been discussed. Some evaluation steps have also been highlighted for pump type selection.
Initial costs
Maintenance costs
Energy costs
Other costs
FIG. 5. Typical
for acosts
medium-size
industrialindustrial
pump.10 pump
TypicalLCC
life cycle
for a medium-sized