2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system

http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 1/15
CENTRIFUGALPUMPSYSTEMTUTORIAL
previous
Whatisfrictioninapumpsystem(cont.)
Anothercauseoffrictionisallthefittings(elbows,tees,y's,etc)requiredtogetthe
fluidfrompointAtoB.Eachonehasaparticulareffectonthefluidstreamlines.For
exampleinthecaseoftheelbow,thefluidparticlesthatareclosesttothetightinner
radiusoftheelbowliftofffromthepipesurfaceformingsmallvorticesthatconsume
energy.Thisenergylossissmallforoneelbowbutifyouhaveseveralelbowsand
otherfittingsthetotalcanbecomesignificant.Generallyspeakingtheyrarely
representmorethen30%ofthetotalfrictionduetotheoverallpipelength.
GetPumpQuotes
PumpFundamentalsinvitesyoutogetquotes
fromourpartnerPumpScout.com.
Select Industry
Select Pump Type
GetQuotes
Figure9
Energyandheadinpumpsystems
Energyandheadaretwotermsthatareoftenusedinpumpsystems.Weuseenergytodescribethemovementofliquidsinpump
systemsbecauseitiseasierthananyothermethod.Therearefourformsofenergyinpumpsystems:pressure,elevation,friction
andvelocity.
Pressureisproducedatthebottomofthereservoirbecausetheliquidfillsupthecontainercompletelyanditsweightproducesa
forcethatisdistributedoverasurfacewhichispressure.Thistypeofpressureiscalledstaticpressure.Pressureenergyisthe
energythatbuildsupwhenliquidorgasparticlesaremovedslightlyclosertoeachotherandasaresulttheypushoutwardsin
theirenvironment.Agoodexampleisafireextinguisher,workwasdonetogettheliquidintothecontainerandthento
pressurizeit.Oncethecontainerisclosedthepressureenergyisavailableforlateruse.
Elevationenergyistheenergythatisavailabletoaliquidwhenitisatacertainheight.Ifyouletitdischargeitcandrive
somethingusefullikeaturbineproducingelectricity.
Frictionenergyistheenergythatislosttotheenvironmentduetothemovementoftheliquidthroughpipesandfittingsinthe
system.
Velocityenergyistheenergythatmovingobjectshave.Whenabaseballisthrownbyapitcherhegivesitvelocityenergyalso
calledkineticenergy.Whenwatercomesoutofagardenhose,ithasvelocityenergy.
HOME
TUTORIALS
VIDEOS
HOWTOBOOK
FAQ
MICROHYDRO
TURBINE
VISUAL
GLOSSARY
FREE
SOFTWARE
ONLINE
CALCULATIONS
PUMP
SEARCH
MORE
INFO
FORUM LINKS
TROUBLE
SHOOTING
Tableofcontents
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 2/15
Figure9a
Inthefigureaboveweseeatankfullofwater,atubefullofwaterandacyclistatthetopofahill.Thetankproducespressureat
thebottomandsodoesthetube.Thecyclisthaselevationenergywhichhewillbeusingassoonashemoves.
Asweopenthevalveatthetankbottomthefluidleavesthetankwithacertainvelocity,inthiscasepressureenergyisconverted
tovelocityenergy.Thesamethinghappenswiththetube.Inthecaseofthecyclist,theelevationenergyisgraduallyconverted
tovelocityenergy.
Thethreeformsofenergy:elevation,pressureandvelocityinteractwitheachotherinliquids.Forsolidobjectsthereisno
pressureenergybecausetheydontextendoutwardslikeliquidsfillingupalltheavailablespaceandthereforetheyarenot
subjecttothesamekindofpressurechanges.
Theenergythatthepumpmustsupplyisthefrictionenergyplustheelevationenergy.
PUMPENERGY=FRICTIONENERGY+ELEVATIONENERGY
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 3/15
Figure9b
Youareprobablythinkingwhereisthevelocityenergyinallthis.Welliftheliquidcomesoutofthesystemathighvelocitythen
wewouldhavetoconsideritbutthisisnotatypicalsituationandwecanneglectthisforthesystemsdiscussedinthisarticle.
Thelastwordonthistopic,itisactuallythevelocityenergydifferencethatwewouldneedtoconsider.Infigure9cthevelocities
atpoint1andpoint2aretheresultofthepositionofthefluidparticlesatpoints1and2andtheactionofthepump.The
differencebetweenthesetwovelocityenergiesisanenergydeficiencythatthepumpmustsupplybutasyoucanseethe
velocitiesofthesetwopointswillbequitesmall.
Nowwhatabouthead?Headisactuallyawaytosimplifytheuseofenergy.Touseenergyweneedtoknowtheweightofthe
objectdisplaced.
ElevationenergyE.E.istheweightoftheobjectWtimesthedistanced:
EE=Wxd
FrictionenergyFEistheforceoffrictionFtimesthedistancetheliquidisdisplacedorthepipelengthl:
FE=Fxl
Headisdefinedasenergydividedbyweightortheamountofenergyusedtodisplaceaobjectdividedbyitsweight.For
elevationenergy,theelevationheadEHis:
EH=Wxd/W=d
Forfrictionenergy,thefrictionheadFHisthefrictionenergydividedbytheweightofliquiddisplaced:
FH=FE/W=Fxl/W(seeFigure9b)
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 4/15
ThefrictionforceFisinpoundsandWtheweightisalsoinpoundssothattheunitoffrictionheadisfeet.Thisrepresentsthe
amountofenergythatthepumphastoprovidetoovercomefriction.

Iknowyouarethinkingthisdoesntmakesense,howcanfeetrepresentenergy?
IfIattachatubetothedischargesideofapump,theliquidwillriseinthetubetoaheightthatexactlybalancesthepressureat
thepumpdischarge.Partoftheheightofliquidinthetubeisduetotheelevationheightrequired(elevationhead)andtheotheris
thefrictionheadandasyoucanseebothareexpressedinfeetandthisishowyoucanmeasurethem.
Figure9c
Statichead
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 5/15
Webstersdictionarydefinitionofheadis:abodyofwaterkeptinreserveataheight.
ItisexpressedintermsoffeetintheImperialsystemandmetersinthemetricsystem.Becauseofitsheightandweightthefluid
producespressureatthelowpoint.Thehigherthereservoir,thehigherthepressure.
Theamountofpressureatthebottomofareservoirisindependentofitsshape,forthesameliquidlevel,thepressureatthe
bottomwillbethesame.Thisisimportantsinceincomplexpipingsystemsitwillalwaysbepossibletoknowthepressureatthe
bottomifweknowtheheight.Tofindouthowtocalculatepressurefromheightgototheendofthisarticle.
Whenapumpisusedtodisplacealiquidtoahigherlevelitisusuallylocatedatthelowpointorclosetoit.Theheadofthe
reservoirwhichiscalledstaticheadwillproducepressureonthepumpthatwillhavetobeovercomeoncethepumpisstarted.
Todistinguishbetweenthepressureenergyproducedbythedischargetankandsuctiontank,theheadonthedischargesideis
calledthedischargestaticheadandonthesuctionsidethesuctionstatichead.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 6/15
Usuallytheliquidisdisplacedfromasuctiontanktoadischargetank.Thesuctiontankfluidprovidespressureenergytothe
pumpsuctionwhichhelpsthepump.Wewanttoknowhowmuchpressureenergythepumpitselfmustsupplysothereforewe
subtractthepressureenergyprovidedbythesuctionhead.Thestaticheadisthenthedifferenceinheightofthedischargetank
fluidsurfaceminusthesuctiontankfluidsurface.Staticheadissometimescalledtotalstaticheadtoindicatethatthepressure
energyavailableonbothsidesofthepumphasbeenconsidered.
Sincethereisadifferenceinheightbetweenthesuctionanddischargeflangesorconnectionsofapumpbyconventionitwas
agreedthatthestaticheadwouldbemeasuredwithrespecttothesuctionflangeelevation.
Ifthedischargepipeendisopentoatmospherethenthestaticheadismeasuredwithrespecttothepipeend.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 7/15
Sometimesthedischargepipeendissubmerged,thenthestaticheadwillbethedifferenceinelevationbetweenthedischarge
tankfluidsurfaceandthesuctiontankfluidsurface.Sincethefluidinthesystemisacontinuousmediumandallfluidparticles
areconnectedviapressure,thefluidparticlesthatarelocatedatthesurfaceofthedischargetankwillcontributetothepressure
builtupatthepumpdischarge.Thereforethedischargesurfaceelevationistheheightthatmustbeconsideredforstatichead.
Avoidthemistakeofusingthedischargepipeendastheelevationforcalculatingstaticheadifthepipeendissubmerged.
Note:ifthedischargepipeendissubmerged,thenacheckvalveonthepumpdischargeisrequiredtoavoidbackflowwhenthe
pumpisstopped.
Thestaticheadcanbechangedbyraisingthesurfaceofthedischargetank(assumingthepipeendissubmerged)orsuctiontank
orboth.Allofthesechangeswillinfluencetheflowrate.
Tocorrectlydeterminethestaticheadfollowtheliquidparticlesfromstarttofinish,thestartisalmostalwaysattheliquidsurface
ofthesuctiontank,thisiscalledtheinletelevation.Theendwilloccurwhereyouencounteranenvironmentwithafixed
pressuresuchastheopenatmosphere,thispointisthedischargeelevationendoroutletelevation.Thedifferencebetweenthe
twoelevationsisthestatichead.Thestaticheadcanbenegativebecausetheoutletelevationcanbelowerthantheinlet
elevation.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 8/15
Flowratedependsonelevationdifferenceorstatichead
Foridenticalsystems,theflowratewillvarywiththestatichead.Ifthepipeendelevationishigh,theflowratewillbelow(see
Figure10).Comparethistoacyclistonahillwithaslightupwardslope,hisvelocitywillbemoderateandcorrespondtothe
amountofenergyhecansupplytoovercomethefrictionofthewheelsontheroadandthechangeinelevation.
Figure10
Seethisvideofortheeffectofstaticheadandfriction .
Iftheliquidsurfaceofthesuctiontankisatthesameelevationasthedischargeendofthepipethenthestaticheadwillbezero
andtheflowratewillbelimitedbythefrictioninthesystem.Thisisequivalenttoacyclistonaflatroad,hisvelocitydependson
theamountoffrictionbetweenthewheelsandtheroadandtheairresistance(seeFigure11).
Figure11
InFigure12,thedischargepipeendisraisedverticallyuntiltheflowstops,thepumpcannotraisethefluidhigherthanthispoint
andthedischargepressureisatitsmaximum.Similarlythecyclistappliesmaximumforcetothepedalswithoutgetting
anywhere.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 9/15
Figure12
Ifthedischargepipeendislowerthantheliquidsurfaceofthesuctiontankthenthestaticheadwillbenegativeandtheflowrate
high(seeFigure13).Ifthenegativestaticheadislargethenitispossiblethatapumpisnotrequiredsincetheenergyprovided
bythisdifferenceinelevationmaybesufficienttomovethefluidthroughthesystemwithouttheuseofapumpasinthecaseof
asiphon(seepumpsystemglossary).Byanalogy,asthecyclistcomesdownthehillhelooseshisstoredelevationenergywhich
istransformedprogressivelyintovelocityenergy.Thelowerheisontheslope,thefasterhegoes.
Figure13
Pumpsaremostoftenratedintermsofheadandflow.InFigure12,thedischargepipeendisraisedtoaheightatwhichtheflow
stops,thisistheheadofthepumpatzeroflow.Wemeasurethisdifferenceinheightinfeet(seeFigure13a).Headvaries
dependingonflowrate,butinthiscasesincethereisnoflowandhencenofriction,theheadofthepumpisTHEMAXIMUM
HEIGHTTHATTHEFLUIDCANBELIFTEDTOWITHRESPECTTOTHESURFACEOFTHESUCTIONTANK.
Sincethereisnoflowthehead(alsocalledtotalhead)thatthepumpproducesisequaltothestatichead.
Figure13a
Inthissituationthepumpwilldeliveritsmaximumpressure.IfthepipeendisloweredasinFigure10,thepumpflowwill
increaseandthehead(alsoknownastotalhead)willdecreasetoavaluethatcorrespondstotheflow.Why?Let'sstartfromthe
pointofzeroflowwiththepipeendatitsmaximumelevation,thepipeendisloweredsothatflowbegins.Ifthereisflowthere
mustbefriction,thefrictionenergyissubtracted(becauseitislost)fromthemaximumtotalheadandthetotalheadisreduced.
Atthesametimethestaticheadisreducedwhichfurtherreducesthetotalhead.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 10/15
Whenyoubuyapumpyoudontspecifythemaximumtotalheadthatthepumpcandeliversincethisoccursatzeroflow.You
insteadspecifythetotalheadthatoccursatyourrequiredflowrate.Thisheadwilldependonthemaximumheightyouneedto
reachwithrespecttothesuctiontankfluidsurfaceandthefrictionlossinyoursystem.
Forexample,ifyourpumpissupplyingabathtubonthe2ndfloor,youwillneedenoughheadtoreachthatlevel,thatwillbe
yourstatichead,plusanadditionalamounttoovercomethefrictionlossthroughthepipesandfittings.Assumingthatyouwant
tofillthebathasquicklyaspossible,thenthetapsonthebathwillbefullyopenandwillofferverylittleresistanceorfriction
loss.Ifyouwanttosupplyashowerheadforthisbathtubthenyouwillneedapumpwithmoreheadforthesameflowrate
becausetheshowerheadishigherandoffersmoreresistancethanthebathtubtaps.
Luckily,therearemanysizesandmodelsofcentrifugalpumpsandyoucannotexpecttopurchaseapumpthatmatchesexactly
theheadyourequireatthedesiredflow.Youwillprobablyhavetopurchaseapumpthatprovidesslightlymoreheadandflow
thanyourequireandyouwilladjusttheflowwiththeuseofappropriatevalves.
Note:youcangetmoreheadfromapumpbyincreasingitsspeedoritsimpellerdiameterorboth.Inpractice,homeowners
cannotmakethesechangesandtoobtainahighertotalhead,anewpumpmustbepurchased.
Flowratedependsonfriction
Foridenticalsystems,theflowratewillvarywiththesizeanddiameterofthedischargepipe.Asystemwithadischargepipe
thatisgenerouslysizedwillhaveahighflowrate.Thisiswhathappenswhenyouputalargepipeonatanktobeemptied,it
drainsveryfast.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 11/15
Figure14
Thesmallerthepipe,thelesstheflow.Howdoesthepumpadjustitselftothediameterofthepipe,afterallitdoesnotknow
whatsizepipewillbeinstalled?Thepumpyouinstallisdesignedtoproduceacertainaverageflowforsystemsthathavetheir
pipessizedaccordingly.Theimpellersizeanditsspeedpredisposethepumptosupplytheliquidatacertainflowrate.Ifyou
attempttopushthatsameflowthroughasmallpipethedischargepressurewillincreaseandtheflowwilldecrease.Similarlyif
youtrytoemptyatankwithasmalltube,itwilltakealongtimetodrain(seeFigure15).
Lateroninthetutorial,achartwillbepresentedgivingthesizeofpipesforvariousflowrates.Oryoucanjumptoitrightaway
andcomebacklater.
Figure15
Ifthepipeisshortthefrictionwillbelowandtheflowratehigh(seeFigure16).
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 12/15
Figure16
andwhenthedischargepipeislong,thefrictionwillbehighandtheflowratelow(seeFigure17).
Figure17
Howdoesacentrifugalpumpproducepressure
Fluidparticlesenterthepumpatthesuctionflangeorconnection.Theythenturn90degreesintotheimpellerandfillupthe
volumebetweeneachimpellervane.Thisanimationshowswhathappenstothefluidparticlesfromthatpointforward.
Figure19
AmoredetaillookatamorerealisticcrosssectionofaclosedimpellerpumpcanbeseeninFigure19a
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 13/15
Figure19a
Acentrifugalpumpisadevicewhoseprimarypurposeistoproducepressurebyacceleratingfluidparticlestoahighvelocity
providingthemwithvelocityenergy.Whatisvelocityenergy?It'sawaytoexpresshowthevelocityofobjectscanaffectother
objects,youforexample.Haveyoueverbeentackledinafootballmatch?Thevelocityatwhichtheotherplayercomesatyou
determineshowhardyouarehit.Themassoftheplayerisalsoanimportantfactor.Thecombinationofmassandvelocity
producesvelocity(kinetic)energy.Anotherexampleiscatchingahardbaseballpitch,ouch,therecanbeallotofvelocityina
smallfastmovingbaseball.Fluidparticlesthatmoveathighspeedhavevelocityenergy,justputyourhandontheopenendofa
gardenhose.
Thefluidparticlesinthepumpareexpelledfromthetipsoftheimpellervanesathighvelocity,thentheyslowdownastheyget
closertothedischargeconnection,loosingsomeoftheirvelocityenergy.Thisdecreaseinvelocityenergyincreasespressure
energy.Unlikefrictionwhichwastesenergy,thedecreaseinvelocityenergyservestoincreasepressureenergy,thisisthe
principalofenergyconservationinaction.Thesamethinghappenstoacyclistthatstartsatthetopofahill,hisspeedgradually
increasesashelooseselevation.Thecyclistselevationenergywastransformedintovelocityenergy,inthepumpscasethe
velocityenergyistransformedintopressureenergy.
Trythisexperiment,findaplasticcuporothercontainerthatyoucanpokeasmallpinholeinthebottom.Fillitwithwaterand
attachastringtoit,andnowyouguessedit,startspinningit.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 14/15
Figure20
Thefasteryouspin,themorewatercomesoutthesmallhole,thewaterispressurizedinsidethecupusingcentrifugalforceina
similarfashiontoacentrifugalpump.Inthecaseofapump,therotationalmotionoftheimpellerprojectsfluidparticlesathigh
speedintothevolumebetweenthecasingwallandtheimpellertips.Priortoleavingthepump,thefluidparticlesslowdownto
thevelocityattheinletofthedischargepipe(seeFigures18and19)whichwillbethesamevelocitythroughoutthesystemifthe
pipediameterdoesnotchange.
Howdoestheflowratechangewhenthedischargepipeendelevationischangedorwhenthereisanincreaseordecreasein
pipefriction?Thesechangescausethepressureatthepumpoutlettoincreasewhentheflowdecreases,soundsbackwards
doesntit.Wellitsnotandyouwillseewhy.Howdoesthepumpadjusttothischangeinpressure?Orinotherwords,ifthe
pressurechangesduetooutsidefactors,howdoesthepumprespondtothischange.
Pressureisproducedbytherotationalspeedoftheimpellervanes.Thespeedisconstant.Thepumpwillproduceacertain
dischargepressurecorrespondingtotheparticularconditionsofthesystem(forexample,fluidviscosity,pipesize,elevation
difference,etc.).Ifchangingsomethinginthesystemcausestheflowtodecrease(forexampleclosingadischargevalve),there
willbeanincreaseinpressureatthepumpdischargebecausethereisnocorrespondingreductionintheimpellerspeed.The
pumpproducesexcessvelocityenergybecauseitoperatesatconstantspeed,theexcessvelocityenergyistransformedinto
pressureenergyandthepressuregoesup.
AllcentrifugalpumpshaveaperformanceorcharacteristiccurvethatlookssimilartotheoneshowninFigure21(assumingthat
thelevelinthesuctiontankremainsconstant),thisshowshowthedischargepressurevarieswiththeflowratethroughthepump.
2014 4 30 HOW TO design a pump system
http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/tutorial2.htm#head11 15/15
Figure21
Sothatat200gpm,thispumpproduces20psigdischargepressure,andastheflowdropsthepressurewillreachamaximumof
40psig.
Note:hisappliestocentrifugalpumps,manyhomeownershavepositivedisplacementpumps,oftenpistonpumps.Thosepumps
produceconstantflownomatterwhatchangesaremadetothesystem.
seetheeffectofstaticheadonflowrateinactioninthisvideo
continue