Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH):

Net positive suction head (NPSH) for a pump is the difference between the liquid pressure at the
pumps suction and the vapor pressure of the fluid being pumped. It is the amount of energy available
to exert pressure on the fluid and is expressed in terms of height of a liquid column i.e. in feet (not in
pressure gauge reading).

In hydraulic systems, the NPSH is usually kept positive to avoid the vaporization of fluid, which could
lead to cavitation corrosion and damage to the pump.

Corrosionpedia explains Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH)

The net positive suction head is a measure of the available pressure at any given datum point. This
point can be at the suction nozzle centerline, at the impeller centerline or the top of foundation,
depending on the specific circumstances.

The net positive suction head varies according to the specific operating conditions and application. It
is influenced by:

Friction losses in the suction line

Atmospheric pressure
Fluid temperature
Pressure in the suction tanks
Distance of the suction tank fluid surface from the pump suction

NPSH can be divided into two components:

NPSH Available (NPSHA) - Absolute pressure at the suction port of the pump
NPSH Required (NPSHR) - Minimum suction pressure required by a pump at the impeller
centerline

The NPSHA is a function of the pump system and is usually calculated, while NPSHR is provided by
the manufacturer. For a pump to function properly, NPSHA must be more than NPSHR to provide
sufficient pressure to push a specific amount of flow rate into the impeller and avoid cavitation.
Cavitation occurs when pressure at a pump inlet drops below the liquid's vapor pressure. The liquid
forms bubbles at the inlet, which then move toward the pump's discharge, where they collapse and
take small pieces of the pump.

Insufficient NPSH may lead to cavitation erosion/corrosion and damage to the system as well as
reduced efficiency.

Understanding NPSH helps in avoiding unnecessary noise and system vibration, minimizing impeller
damage and maximizing seal and bearing life. It is important to set the correct value to extend the
systems life and increase productivity and reliability.

Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHR):

Net positive suction head required (NPSHR) is the pressure or energy required for the liquid in a pump
to overcome the friction losses from the suction nozzle to the eye of the impeller without causing
vaporization.
For normal pump operation the NPSHR is usually less than the available NPSH in order to avoid
cavitation erosion and corrosion.

Corrosionpedia explains Net Positive Suction Head Required

(NPSHR)
The net positive suction head required is determined and provided by the pump manufacturer as a
standard performance curve on the gallons per minute range.

NPSHR is unique for each pump and depends on:

Pump design
Pump size
RPM
Operating conditions

The NPSHR is determined in a test rig where a system is run in a closed loop in which the flow, total
head and power consumed are measured. A vacuum pump is used to lower the pressure at the suction
tank so as to provide a low head at the pump suction. The pressure in the suction tank is lowered until
a drop of 3% is measured. At this point the NPSH is calculated and recorded as the NPSHR for that
operating point. This test is done at several operating points and heated coils are used to increase water
temperature and vapor pressure, and hence lower the NPSH as needed.

A 3% total head drop criteria is used to set the NPSHR. For proper pump functioning, the NPSH
available must be higher, and recommended to have a 15% margin or 5 ft of absolute water above the
NPSHR.

If the NPSHR is greater than the NPSHA, the liquid vaporizes. The vapor bubbles collapse (implode)
as they encounter increased pressure when exiting from the impeller, leading to cavitation.

The NPSHR forms the basis of the NPSHA calculations and should be observed in order to avoid:

Cavitation erosion
Noisy and slow operation
Damaged pumps