PUMP PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY

AIM:
- To find the performance and efficiency of the pump at different
speeds and outlet pressure.

OBLECTIVE:
-To understand the concept of centrifugal pump.
-To correlate the outlet pressure for each speed and describe the
link between efficiency, head, flow rate and pump speed.

THEORY AND APPLICATION:

-The centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump and a machine from range
of fluid power mechanics. It uses a rotating impeller to push fluids
through its body by increasing the pressure at its outlet. Fluid enters
the pump in an axial direction and leaves in a radial direction.
-Many applications use centrifugal pumps .These includes domestic
central heating systems and appliances (washing machine), low
pressure water irrigation and small scale water and waste pumping
systems. This makes the centrifugal pump one of the most common
machines in the world. Power stations and industry use water turbines
to collect the power from moving water and to turn it into shaft power
to turn electrical generators or machinery.
-The centrifugal pump contains:
1. A compact centrifugal pump. (1)
2. A water reservoir. (7)
3. An instrument frame that holds instruments including a digital
pressure display
4. A venturi to measure flow. (2)
5. Pipe-work with valves.(3 & 4)
-The figure shows the system layout. The reservoir holds water. The
universal dynamometer turns the centrifugal pump to give an increased
outlet and a lower inlet pressure at the pump. Water moves from the
reservoir, through a stainer (filter) and one way valve, up to a pump
inlet valve, then through the pump. The pump pushes water through an
outlet valve and then through a venturi. The venturi works with the

pressure display to measure flow from the pump. The water moves from
the venturi and back down to the reservoir. If u fit an optional turbine,
then water moves from the venturi, through the optional turbine and
back down to the reservoir. The digital pressure display includes four
electronic pressure sensors. One sensor has differential tapping for the
venturi meter and other three have single tapping. Pressure
transducers p2, and p4 connect to the tapping in the pipe-work to give
inlet and outlet pressures of the pump.p3 is not used on this apparatus.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Pump
(1)
Venturi meter
Delivery valve
Inlet valve (4)
Filter/strainer
One way valve
Reservoir (7)

(2)
(3)
(5)
(6)

PROCEDURE:
-Press the start button of the motor drive and adjust the pump speed so
as to conduct the experiment at different pump speed of 2500, 2000
and 1500 rev/min.
- Start the experiment with pump speed of 2500 rpm
- Record all the readings in the observation table
-let the system stabilize at this speed for at least for 5 minutes
-Slowly shut the delivery valve (3) to increase the outlet pressure (p4)
in steps of 0.1 bar until the
flow stops. (At each step the pumping
speed should remain same.)
-Reduce the pump speed down to zero and press the stop button on the
motor drive.
- Repeat the experiment at 2000 rev/min and then 1500 rev/min also.

Calculations:
Head (H) across the pump is the pressure difference change across a
pump (outlet pressure p4 -inlet pressure p2).The relative height of the
water source at the inlet of a pump affects its inlet pressure. The
relative heights and restrictions of the water system that the pump
supplies, affects its outlet pressures.

For head (in Pascals), use the equation:

H= p4-p2
(Pressures measured at the outlet (p4) and the inlet (p2) of the
pump for each set of pump speed).

Hydraulic power (work out put from the pump= W p)

The hydraulic power that the pump adds to the water is a product of
the flow through the pump and the increase in pressure (head) it gives:

= (p4-p2) Q

= H.Q

(Q v is the volumetric flow rate measured in time t, through the venturi

meter for each set of pump speed and P4 and P2 are the output / input
pressures at the pump)
An ideal water pump converts all its input (shaft) power into hydraulic
power in the water. In a real pump, there are losses mainly due to
friction inside the pump.

WD=W p + W L Where WD
= Power input to the pump,
W p = work output from the pump and W L = Friction
loss in the pump body.

Pump Efficiency
It is a simple ratio of hydraulic power output against shaft power
input (Motor Horse Power) given to the pump.
N P =WP/WD * (100), Where Np is the Pump Efficiency
For Calculation of Q V (Volumetric flow rate of the pump), Use
Venturi meter and the equation provided is as under:
QV= C d A 1((2*p1/water density (A12/A22 1)) 1/2
Q v= Volumetric flow rate
C d = Coefficient of discharge (for the venturi) as provided in the
lab data sheet. = 0.97
A1= Area at inlet of venturi= 0.000908 M2
A2= Area at the venturi throat = 0.000314 M2
p1 =Pressure difference across the venturi.
W D = Horse power measured on motor
(The Horse power used for each set of input pressure p2 and output
pressure p4 is taken from the display).

Water density should be taken in 1000 kg/m3

OBSERVATIONS: (Motor rpm-------)

Deliver
y
pressur
e
(p4)

Inlet
pressur
e
(p2)

Head
H= (P4p2)

flow
rate
Qv

p1
across
ventu
ri

Flow
rate

Hydrauli
c power
H (Qv)

Motor
Horse
Power
(WD)

bar

bar

bar

m3/s

bar

l/s

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

C6=
C4 X
1000

C7=C3 X
C6

C8

0.09

-0.42

51

0.003
47

0.57

3.47

176.97

288.23

Efficie
ncy

C9=C7
/C8

61.4

REMARK
S

RESULT:
-After getting observations, correlate them.
-Now we know that efficiency, head, flow rate and pump speed and
Motor Horse power are related with each other.
-Prepare observation tables for each set of Motor rpm and tabulate
them
-Follow the following steps for further depictions.

Pump Performance Curves:

Step-1
Plot the graphs for Motor speed (2500 rpm) as pump performance
curves for
1. Flow rate (in L.S-1) (horizontal axis -X axis) versus
differential pressure H = (p4-p2) in Pa on left Y- axis
2. Flow rate (in L.S-1) (horizontal axis -X axis) versus efficiency
(%) on left Y axis.
3. Flow rate (in L.S-1) (horizontal axis -X axis) versus
Theoretical Horse Power i.e. Motor power on right Y- axis.
4. Flow rate (in L.S-1) (horizontal axis -X axis) versus Calculated
Horse Power i.e. Hydraulic Horse power on right Y- axis.

Step-2
Repeat the experiment for motor speed 2000 and 1500
respectively and plot the performance curves as given in step-1

Step-3
Plot a curve between motor speeds (Motor rpm) at X-axis versus
respective Efficiency ay Y- Axis

Conclusion: Pumps performance (efficiency) is maximum at

-----rpm.