Pump knowledge

Centrifugal pump part I

What we talk about?
 How many pumps are used?
 Why are pumps necessary?
 Classification of pump
 What does each pump type look like?
 Types of centrifugal pump
 Centrifugal pump assembly
 How a centrifugal pump work?
 Hydraulic terms
 System curve
What we talk about?
 Affinity laws
 Specific speed
 Suction specific speed
 Net positive suction head
How many pumps are used?

Centrifugal pump
68%

Positive
displacement pump
15%

Diaphragm pump
8%
Reciprocating
Other
pump
5%
4%
Why are pumps necessary?

C
B
Why are pumps necessary?

 Move liquid from low pressure area to

high pressure area.
 Move liquid from low elevation to higher
elevation.
 Move liquid from one location to distant
location.
Classification of pump
Pump

Dynamic Positive Displacement

Air operated Diaphragm

Radial flow Hydraulic diaphragm
and Plunger
Axial flow
Vane

Mixed flow Gear

Lobe

screw
What does each pump type look
like?
 Dynamic type – Radial flow
What does each pump type look
like?
 Dynamic type – Mixed flow
What does each pump type look
like?
 Dynamic type – Axial flow
What does each pump type look
like?
 Positive displacement, Air operated
Diaphragm
What does each pump type look
like?
 Positive displacement, Hydraulic
diaphragm and Plunger
What does each pump type look
like?
 Positive displacement, Vane
What does each pump type look
like?
 Positive displacement, Gear
What does each pump type look
like?
 Positive displacement, Lobe
What does each pump type look
like?
 Positive displacement, Screw
Types of centrifugal pumps
There are three main categories of the
pump type according to API610 standard
 Overhung type - OHx
 Between bearing type - BBx
 Vertical type - VSx
Types of centrifugal pumps

 Overhung type - OHx

OH1 OH2

OH3 OH4 OH5 OH6

Types of centrifugal pumps

 Between bearing type - BBx

BB1 BB2

BB3 BB4 BB5

Types of centrifugal pumps

 Vertical type - VSx

VS1 VS2 VS3 VS4 VS5 VS6 VS7

Types of centrifugal pumps
Centrifugal pump assembly
1. Suction
2. Impeller
3. Balance holes
4. Wearing
5. Discharge
6. Casing
7. Shaft
8. Seal
9. Gland
10. Bearing
Centrifugal pump assembly

Types of pump case

 Single volute type
 Double volute type
 Diffuser type
Centrifugal pump assembly

Types of impeller
 Open impeller
 Semi open impeller
 Close impeller
Centrifugal pump assembly

Types of bearing
 Rolling element bearing
 Journal or hydrodynamic bearing
Centrifugal pump assembly

Types of shaft seal

 Gland packing
 Mechanical seal
How a centrifugal pump work?

 Centrifugal force
How a centrifugal pump work?
How a centrifugal pump work?

 Liquid is forced into the pump at the eye

of the impeller by atmospheric pressure
or some upstream pressure.
 As the impeller rotates, liquid moves
toward the discharge side.
 This creates a void or reduced pressure
area at the impeller eye.
How a centrifugal pump work?

 The pressure at the pump casing inlet,

which is higher than this reduced
pressure at the impeller eye, force
additional liquid to the impeller to fill the
void.
 After the liquid leaves the impeller tip, it
enters the casing where an expansion of
cross-sectional area occurs so the
pressure of the liquid increases.
How a centrifugal pump work?
Hydraulic terms

Hydraulic
 The study of fluids at rest or in motion.
 Fluid include both liquid and gas in motion.

 We concern ourselves only with the liquids.

Density
 Sometimes referred to as specific weight.
 The weight per unit volume of a substance.
Hydraulic terms

Specific gravity
 The ratio of its density to that of some
standard substance.
 For liquids, the standard substance is water
at 1 bar and 15 Celsius.
Hydraulic terms

Pressure
 Pressure is the force exerted per unit
area.
 If pressure is applied to the surface of the
liquid, the pressure is transmitted
undiminished in all direction.
Hydraulic terms

Head
 Head is a term of expressing hydraulic
energy.
 Commonly used to represent the vertical
height in meter of static column of liquid.
 Pressure can be convert to head.
System curve
System curve

System curve
 Determined by desired pressure, elevation
change, static head and head losses at a
given flow rate.
 Dependent on type of fluid, size, and
configuration of the suction and discharge
piping, including all pipe, valves and
fittings.
System curve

System curve
 System head curve establishes actual
pump operating point for each system.
 System curve indicates criteria for best
pump selection.
 Total head developed by the pump must
equal the total head required by the
system.
System curve

System head
 The system head is evaluated using the
following equation.

System head = Total discharge head – Total suction head

H = hd - h s
System curve

Total suction head

 The total suction head is evaluated using
the following equation.
hs = hss + hps - hfs

Where:
hs = total suction head
hss = suction static head
hps = suction surface pressure head
hfs = suction friction head
System curve

Total discharge head

 The total discharge head is evaluated
using the following equation.
hd = hsd + hpd - hfd

Where:
hd = total discharge head
hsd = discharge static head
hpd = discharge surface pressure head
hfd = discharge friction head
System curve
System curve

Static head
 The vertical distance between the free
liquid level at the suction/discharge source
and the center line of the pump.
Surface pressure head
 The pressure head of the vapor space
above the liquid in the suction/discharge
vessel. This is the atmospheric pressure if
the vessel is open to atmosphere.
System curve

Friction head
 The friction of piping, valves, and other
fittings inclusive of items from the suction
vessel liquid level to the pump suction
flange or from the pump discharge flange
to the discharge vessel liquid level of a
particular flow rate.
System curve

 System curve with low static head

differential and a high friction head loss
System curve

 System curve with high static head

differential and a low friction head loss
Affinity laws

 System may dictate that the pump

operate at a speed other than the
operating speed on a published
performance curve.
 In this case, performance curves may
be redrawn to reflect another speed by
using relation ships referred to as
“Affinity laws”.
Affinity laws

 Capacity varies directly with the speed

change ratio.

Q2 n2
=
Q1 n1

Where:
Q = capacity
n = speed
Affinity laws

 Head varies with the square of the speed

change ratio.

2
 H2   n2 
  =  
 H1   n1 
Where:
H = head
n = speed
Affinity laws

 Break horsepower varies with the cube of

the speed change ratio.

3
 BHP2   n2 
  =  
 BHP1   n1 
Where:
BHP = break horsepower
n = speed
Affinity laws

 The laws can also be restated as follows to

compare the performance of two different
impeller diameters in the same pump at the
same speed.

 Q2   D2 
  =  
 Q1   D1 
Where:
D = impeller diameter
Affinity laws

2
 H2   D2 
  =  
 H1   D1 
3
 BHP2   D2 
  =  
 BHP1   D1 
Where:
D = impeller diameter
Specific speed

 Specific speed is a dimensionless index

number which is used to relate the hydraulic
performance of a centrifugal pump to the
shape and physical proportion of its
impellers.
Specific speed

0.5
nQ
Ns = 0.75
TDH

Where:
 For double suction impellers, divide the flow by two to determine
specific speed.
 Low specific speed pumps generally produce high heads and low
flows. High specific speed pumps generally produce low heads and
high flows.
 The highest optimum efficiency occurs in the 2,000 to 3,000 specific
speed range.
Specific speed
Suction specific speed

 Suction specific speed is a design index

number which indicates the relative ability of
centrifugal pump to operate under condition
of low available net positive suction head.
Suction specific speed

nQ 0.5
N ss =
NPSH R0.75

Where:
Nss = suction specific speed
Q = capacity, with maximum impeller diameter at best efficiency.
NPSHR = net positive suction head required
Net positive suction head

 Net positive suction head available,

NPSHA
“The different between the total suction head and the vapor
pressure of the liquid at the suction flange”*

“The available absolute total suction head above the saturated

vapor pressure at the pump inlet”**

* Pump specialist level 1, Flowserve Corporation.

** Centrifugal pump applications for oil and gas services, Ebara Corporation.
Net positive suction head

 Net positive suction head required,

NPSHR

“The reduction in total head as the liquid enters the pump”*

“The available absolute suction head above the saturated vapor

pressure necessary for a pump to avoid cavitation”**

* Pump specialist level 1, Flowserve Corporation.

** Centrifugal pump applications for oil and gas services, Ebara Corporation.
Net positive suction head

 Relationship of NPSHA and NPSHR

NPSHA > NPSHR

Compare to NPSHR from the pump performance curve from the

manufacturer.
General guidelines are that NPSH margin should be 5 feet, 1.5
meter, or 20%, whichever is greater.
To be continue on part II

Thank you