SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

UNIT IV
TRANSPORTATION OF FLUIDS
PIPES AND TUBINGS:
Pipes:

Heavy valve and relatively lager in diameter and length(6to 12m)

Pipes can be threaded.
Pipe walls are usually slightly rough.
Lengths of the pipes are connected by screw, flanges, welded fittings etc.
Pipes are made by welding, casting etc.

Tubes:

Thin valve and often comes in coils of several hundred feet long.
Tubes cannot be threaded.
Tubes has smooth walls.
Pieces of tubes are connected by compression fittings and soldered fitting.
Tunes are usually extruded or cold drawn.

Both are made from many materials such as wooden, ceramics, glass and various plastics. Most
commonly used material is low carbon steel, wrought iron and cast iron, PVC.
JOINTS AND FITTINGS:

It is used to join pieces of pipe or tubings depend in part on the properties of materials.
Joints such as screw fittings, flanges, welding, belt and spigot joints are used.

Prevention of leakage around moving parts:

Leaks occur in and around moving parts especially joints and valves, shaft of a pump or
compressors. Common devices used for minimizing the leakage are
1. Stuffing box: It provides a seal around rotating shaft and wall of the chamber. The
annular space between the shaft and the chamber is filled with packings. Packings
consist of rope or rings of inert materials like graphite. Packing is compressed by a
follower ring or gland pressed into the box by a flanged gap or packing nut.
2. Mechanical seal: In a rotating or mechanical, seal the sliding contact between a ring of
graphite and a polished metal face usually carbon steel. Fluid in the high pressure zone is
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

kept from leaking out around the shaft by the stationary graphite ring held by the springs
against a face of rotating collar.

Developed head:
Pumps are used for transportation of liquids through pipes and channel.
Pump is installed in a pipeline to provide the energy level required to draw liquid from a
reservoir and discharge at constant volumetric flow rate at the exit.
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Let Zb is above the level of liquid, at the pump level itself liquid enters the suction connection at
station a and leaves the discharge connection at station b. Bernoullis equation can written
between station a and b, since the friction is occurring in the pump itself and it is accounted for
mechanical efficiency , hf is zero therefore Bernoullis equation can be written as

+ Wp =

Za

Wp =

Zb

Zb

+ hfs----------1

Za

------2

Each quantity in equation 2 are called as total head and it is denoted by H

H=

---------3

Wp= Hb-Ha- -------------4

In pumps the difference between heights of suction and discharge connections are negligible
therefore Za and Zb are negligible and it can be dropped out from equation2
Let Ha be the total suction head and Hb be the total discharge head therefore equation becomes.

Wp= Hb-Ha
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Wp=
Wp=

-------------5

The total head H can be written in terms work per unit mass
=

each term has a unit of m

Power requirement:
Power supplied to the pump from an external source is given by
PB= Wp------------6
From equation 5
PB=

-----------------7

is the mass flow rate

Power delivered to the fluid is calculated from the mass flow rate and head developed by the
pump
Pf=

---------------8

Compare 8 and 7
PB= ---------------9
Suction lift and cavitaiton:
From energy consideration it is immaterial whether suction pressure is below atmospheric
pressure or will above the atmospheric pressure as long as the fluid remains liquid. However the
suction pressure is slightly greater than vapor pressure some of liquids may flash into vapor
inside the pump this process called as cavitation which reduces the pump capacity and causes
severe erosion. If suction pressure is less than the vapor pressure there will be vaporization in
the suction line and no liquid can be drawn into the pump.
To avoid cavitation the pressure at the pump inlet must exceed the vapor pressure by a certain
value called Net positive suction head (NPSH)
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

The required value of NPSH is about 3 to 5m for small centrifugal pumps which increases the
pump capacity, impeller speed and discharge pressure and values up to 15m for large pumps.
For a pump taking suction from a reservoir as shown in fig, the net positive suction head is
given by
NPSH=
= is the absolute pressure at the surface of reservior
Pv= vapor pressure
hfs= friction in suction line

Pump effiency:
PB= ---------------9

=
From equation 9 pump effiency is the ratio of fluid power to the total power consumed. The
effiency rises rapidly with the flow rates at low rates, reaches a maximum at or near the rated
capacity then falls at flow rate approaches zero head value.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Classification of pumps
Pumps are a device which moves a liquid by means of suction or pressure from
one location to another.
There are three basic types of pumps
Centrifugal
Rotary
Reciprocrating
A centrifugal pump uses centrifugal force to develop pressure to move a commodity. The
commodity is first drawn into the suction nozzle of the pump and into a high speed impeller
located in the pumps casing. The impeller slings the commodity outwards against the casing and
the commodity exits the pump under greater pressure through the discharge nozzle.
Centrifugal pumps are the most commonly used type of pump. This type of pump is normally
more economical and has a low initial cost.
The centrifugal pump is characterized by its smooth flow.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Impeller - The Heart of Centrifugal Pumps Centrifugal pumps are used to induce flow or raise
pressure of a liquid. Its working is simple. At the heart of the system lies impeller. It has a series
of curved vanes fitted inside the shroud plates. The impeller is always immersed in the water.
When the impeller is made to rotate, it makes the fluid surrounding it also rotate. This imparts
centrifugal force to the water particles, and water moves radially out. In Figure this process is
illustrated.

Fig. The rotating impeller imparts a centrifugal force to the water particles and the water moves
radially out
Since the rotational mechanical energy is transferred to the fluid, at the discharge side of the
impeller, both the pressure and kinetic energy of the water will rise. At the suction side, water is
getting displaced, so a negative pressure will be induced at the eye. Such a low pressure helps to
suck fresh water stream into the system again, and this process continues.
From foregoing discussions it is clear that, the negative pressure at the eye of the impeller helps
to maintain the flow in the system. If no water is present initially, the negative pressure
developed by the rotating air, at the eye will be negligibly small to suck fresh stream of water. As
a result the impeller will rotate without sucking and discharging any water content. So the pump
should be initially filled with water before starting it. This process is known as priming. The
impeller is fitted inside a casing. As a result the water moves out will be collected inside it, and
will move in the same direction of rotation of the impeller, to the discharge nozzle
Types of Impeller
The impeller type we have used for the discussion so far is called as an enclosed type. Here
vanes are closed from both the ends with shroud plates. Other types of impeller which are used in
industry are Semi open and open impellers. If the working fluid is cloggy in nature it is preferred
to use an open kind of impeller. But they are slightly less efficient.
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Fig. Types of impellers used in centrifugal pumps : Enclosed, Semi-Open and Open

Use of the Casing

From the illustrations of the pump so far, one speciality of the casing is clear. It has an
increasing area along the flow direction. Such increasing area will help to accommodate newly
added water stream, and will also help to reduce the exit flow velocity. Reduction in the flow
velocity will result in increase in the static pressure, which is required to overcome the resistance
of pumping system.
Advantage: Small in size, space saving & less capital costs Easy for maintenance No danger
creates if discharge v/v is closed while starting Deal with large volume Able to work medium to
low head Able to work medium to low viscous fluid.
Disadvantage: Extra priming requires. Cannot be able to work high head. Cannot deal with high
viscous fluid.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Rotary-type
Internal gear, screw, shuttle block, flexible vane or sliding vane, circumferential piston, helical
twisted roots (e.g. the Wendelkolben pump) or liquid ring vacuum pumps
Positive displacement rotary pumps are pumps that move fluid using the principles
of rotation. The vacuum created by the rotation of the pump captures and draws in the liquid.
Rotary pumps are very efficient because they naturally remove air from the lines, eliminating the
need to bleed the air from the lines manually. Positive displacement rotary pumps also have their
weaknesses. Because of the nature of the pump, the clearance between the rotating pump and the
outer edge must be very close, requiring that the pumps rotate at a slow, steady speed. If rotary
pumps are operated at high speeds, the fluids will cause erosion. Rotary pumps that experience
such erosion eventually show signs of enlarged clearances, which allow liquid to slip through
and detract from the efficiency of the pump. Positive displacement rotary pumps can be grouped
into three main types. Gear pumps are the simplest type of rotary pumps, consisting of two gears
laid out side-by-side with their teeth enmeshed. The gears turn away from each other, creating a
current that traps fluid between the teeth on the gears and the outer casing, eventually releasing
the fluid on the discharge side of the pump as the teeth mesh and go around again. Many small
teeth maintain a constant flow of fluid, while fewer, larger teeth create a tendency for the pump
to discharge fluids in short, pulsing gushes. Screw pumps are a more complicated type of rotary
pumps, featuring two or three screws with opposing thread that is, one screw turns clockwise,
and the other counterclockwise. The screws are each mounted on shafts that run parallel to each
other; the shafts also have gears on them that mesh with each other in order to turn the shafts
together and keep everything in place. The turning of the screws, and consequently the shafts to
which they are mounted, draws the fluid through the pump. As with other forms of rotary pumps,
the clearance between moving parts and the pump's casing is minimal. Moving vane pumps are
the third type of rotary pumps, consisting of a cylindrical rotor encased in a similarly shaped
housing. As the rotor turns, the vanes trap fluid between the rotor and the casing, drawing the
fluid through the pump.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Reciprocating-type
Positive displacement pumps have an expanding cavity on the suction side and a decreasing
cavity on the discharge side. Liquid flows into the pumps as the cavity on the suction side
expands and the liquid flows out of the discharge as the cavity collapses. The volume is constant
given each cycle of operation. The positive displacement pumps can be divided into two main
classes
Reciprocating pump
Reciprocating pumps are those which cause the fluid to move using one or more
oscillating pistons, plungers or membranes (diaphragms). Reciprocating-type pumps require a
system of suction and discharge valves to ensure that the fluid moves in a positive direction.
Pumps in this category range from having "simplex" one cylinder, to in some cases "quad" four
cylinders or more. Most reciprocating-type pumps are "duplex" (two) or "triplex" (three)
cylinder. Furthermore, they can be either "single acting" independent suction and discharge
strokes or "double acting" suction and discharge in both directions. The pumps can be powered
by air, steam or through a belt drive from an engine or motor. This type of pump was used
extensively in the early days of steam propulsion (19th century) as boiler feed water pumps.
Reciprocating pumps are now typically used for pumping highly viscous fluids including
concrete and heavy oils, and special applications demanding low flow rates against high
resistance.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Typical reciprocating pumps are:

Plunger pumps - a reciprocating plunger pushes the fluid through one or two open valves, closed
by suction on the way back.
Diaphragm pumps - similar to plunger pumps, where the plunger pressurizes hydraulic oil which
is used to flex a diaphragm in the pumping cylinder. Diaphragm valves are used to pump
hazardous and toxic fluids.
Piston pumps displacement pumps - usually simple devices for pumping small amounts of liquid
or gel manually. The common hand soap dispenser is such a pump.
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES: HEAD- CAPACITY RELATION
The plots of actual, total power consumption and efficiency versus volumetric flow rate are
called the characteristic curves of a pump. Such curves are illustrated schematically in the below
figure. In fig.a , the theoretical head flow rate relation is a straight line : the actual developed
head is considerably less and drops precipitously to zero as the rate increased to a certain value
in any given pump. This known as the zero head flow rate, it is the maximum flow the pump can
deliver under any conditions. The rated or optimum operating flow is of course less than this.
The difference between the theoretical and actual curves results primarily from circulatory flow,
Other contributing factors to the head loss are fluid friction in the passages and channels of the
pump and shock losses from the sudden change in direction of the liquid leaving the impeller
and joining the stream of liquid leaving the impeller and joining the stream of liquid travelling
circumferentially around the casing. Friction is highest at the maximum flow rate and become
greater as the flow rate is increased or decreased from the rated value.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY

II YEAR / SEMESTER III

SCH1203- FLUID MECHANICS

UNIT IV

Prepared by : Dr. B.S. NAVEEN PRASAD

Fans, Blowers and compressors:

Fans discharges large volume of gas(air) into open spaces or ducts it generates low pressure of
0.4 atm.
Blowers are a high speed rotary device that develops a maximum pressure of 2 atm.
Compressors discharges pressure from 2atm to several thousand atmosphere in fans there is no
change fluid density but in the case blowers and compressors has a huge change in density.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SATHYABAMA UNIVERSITY