THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE

PUMPING OF BOILING LIQUIDS

By D. E. RYERSON
Amalgamated Sugar Mills. Pty. Ltd., Pleystowe
Introduction
In the sugar factory we are required to pump streams of boiling or
near boiling liquids. Examples of these are:
(a) Condensates from steam or vapour used for process heating in
pre-evaporators, effets, pans and heaters;
(b) Effet supply juice (ESJ);
(C) Juice being transferred from pre-evaporators to the effets;
( 4 Syrup;
(e) Mud;
(f) Filtrate;
(g) Boiler Feed Water.
In the selection of pumps for this class of duty the phenomenon of
cavitation becomes of major importance. This paper outlines the
procedure most commonly used by pump suppliers to make adequate
allowance for this factor.
What is Cavitation?
Cavitation is the formation and collapse of vapour spaces or cavities
in the liquid entering and passing through the pump impeller. These
cavities are filled with the vapour of the surrounding liquid, caused by
boiling of the liquid.
To make the boiling possible, the latent heat of vapourization
must be obtained from the liquid. This flow of heat, from the liquid,
can only take place when the liquid temperature is above that corres-
ponding to the saturation temperature at the prevailing pressure in the
low pressure cavitation zone, i.e., the pressure in the cavitation region
must fall below the saturation pressure, corresponding to the liquid
temperature.
During cavitation, damage to the pump performance (head,
capacity and efficiency) is caused by the appearance and disappearance
of vapour cavities in the low-pressure zone. These disrupt the dynamic
conditions which exist during normal pump operation, when the flow is
all liquid.
The extent of damage to the head-capacity characteristics of the
pump depends on the amount of liquid vapourized and the vapour
specific volume at the existing pressure in the cavitation zone.
Cavitation causes :
(1) Loss of pump performance, giving decreased head and efficiency
at equal flow rates;
(2) Further loss of performance on increased flow demand and, in
the ultimate, inability to meet the demand;
(3) Noise and vibration of pump and piping;
200 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE 1971

(4) Unstable pump operation, resulting in fluctuating flow;

(5) Mechanical damage to the pump by pitting of the impeller
metal near the suction and discharge tips and pitting of the
pump casing ;
( 6 ) Loss of accuracy in measurement of flow by normal methods.
Although cavitation does cause problems in pump behaviour,
economics may dictate that a pump be selected to operate under condi-
tions of limited cavitation; for example, selection of a smaller pump
running at higher speed, and some cavitation may be well justified when
compared with the cost of a larger pump operating with no cavitation.
Criteria for Cavitation-Available NPSH
NPSH (net positive suction head) is the sum of the kinetic and
potential energy of the liquid entering the pump suction, over and above
the potential energy needed to keep the liquid in a liquid state (i.e.,
above the vapour pressure). It is a measure of the energy available in the
liquid stream to produce the required entrance velocity into the eye of
the pump impeller.
This "available" NPSH (NPSH,) is a characteristic of the liquid
stream and not of the pump. If a pump requires more than the available
NPSH at a given capacity to overcome pressure losses at the pump
entrance, the pressure will fall below the vapour pressure of the pumped
liquid and cavitation will result.

Suction Inlet

Fig. I-Suction conditions for a centrifugal pump

1971 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE 20 1

Referring to Figure 1, the available NPSH in any liquid stream can

be expressed in the form

NPSH,] = Head at suction inlet - head corresponding to the

vapour pressure of the liquid at the pump suction

P, = pressure acting on liquid surface in tank, psia

P, = pressure at pump suction, psia
P, = vapour pressure of liquid at pump suction, psia
v, = liquid velocity at pump suction, ft/sec
Z, = height of the liquid surface above pump suction, ft
p = density of liquid being pumped, lb/ft3
g = acceleration in the gravity field, ft/sec2
g = dimensional constant, 32.2 lb, ft/lbf secZ
fi = friction losses in suction pipework, ft of liquid
Pump manufacturers' curves normally express the head character-
istics of the pump as feet of water.
Therefore, expressing NPSH, as ft of water, we have
NPSHaw = (144: GL + Z, GLg - F G ~ -
g,
) 144Pv CR
P
= (2.31 P, + Z,
gc
1F GL
= 2.31 (P, - P,) +Z, G L g - F GL
gc
Where NPSHaw = available NPSH, ft of water
GL = specific gravity of the liquid
For boiling liquids,
P, = P,
and NPSHaw = Z, ~~g- F GL
g,
For most practical purposes the ratio is unity and can be neg-
g,
lected.

Required Npsh
As available NPSH decreases, a point is reached where cavitation
appears within the pump. The NPSH corresponding to the appearance
or disappearance of the first vapour bubble, i.e., to the first drop in
pump performance, is called the "minimum required NPSH", or
simply "required NPSH" (NPSH,). This measure is a characteristic of
the pump itself.
Pump Curves
Figure 2 shows a typical pump curve as supplied by pump vendors.
The head-flow and required NPSH-flow characteristics are shown for
two impeller sizes.
202 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE

Fig. 2-Typical pump performance curve

The following points are illustrated by these curves:

(1) Required NPSH increases with capacity;
(2) Required NPSH decreases with impeller size;
(3) The effect of cavitation on the pump performance is shown by
curves (c) and (d). These show how, above a certain capacity,
the total head of the pump falls off drastically. i.e., for any
decrease in system head the pump throughput does not increase.
Another important point to note is that the required NPSH of a
pump varies nearly directly as the square of the pump speed.
Some Examples From Pleystowe Mill
(1) ESJ Pumps
At Pleystowe, the ESJ tank (Figure 3) is installed below the effet
floor level.
Z, min = ft) for normal working
Z, max = 9 ft
pI = atmospheric pressure
Assume ESJ temperature = 210°F,
S, gr juice = 1.03
1971 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE 20 3

The calculated friction losses are negligible.

Available NPSH, expressed in ft water
At Z, min, NPSHaw = 2.31 (14.69 - 14.12) +5 X
1.03 - 0
= 6.5 ft water
Similarly at Z, max, NPSHaw = 10.6 ft water.

E.S.J. Pumps
Fig. 3-ESJ pump suction at Pleystowe

(2) Effet Balance Pumps

These pumps are used to transfer juice from the pre-evaporators
to the No. 1 effets.
Pre-evaporator vapour pressure = 8.5 psig
Pre-evaporator working level
above centre line of pump
suction Z, = 13.0 ft
Juice specific gravity = 1.08
Calculated friction losses = 6.0 ft of juice
Assume no temperature losses from the pre-evaporator to the pump
suction.
Then P, = P, = 23.2 psia
and NPSH, = 13 X 1h 8 - 6 X 1.08
= 7.6 ft water
204 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE 1971

(3) Primary Heater Condensate Pumps

The primary heaters, at Pleystowe, were situated at ground level.
Heater vapour pressure = 0 psig
Condensate working level above
centreline of pump suction, Z, = 3 ft
Condensate sp gr = 0.960
Calculated friction losses are negligible
Assume no temperature losses from the heater body to the pump
suction
:. P, = P, = 14.7 psia
And NPSH, = 3 X 0.960 - 0
= 2.9 ft water

(4) Filtrate pump

The filtrate pump on one of the Pleystowe filters is flange mounted
on the side of the filtrate tank. Typical conditions here are:
Tank pressure = 20 in Hg Vac.
Mud temperature = 185°F
Filtrate sp. gr. = 1.03
Tank Working level above centre line of pump suction, Z, = 1 ft.
Here, flashing takes place across the filter medium and in the
filtrate pipes through to the filtrate tank.
Therefore, P, = P, = 20 in Hg Vac.
Assuming friction losses are negligible,
NPSH,, = 1 X 1.03 - 0
= 1.03 ft water.

Discussion
The pumps in the above examples were tested during the 1969 or
1970 crushing seasons. They each exhibited a head-capacity relationship
consistent with Figure 2, curves (c) and (d).
In all cases, where the capacity of one pump should have been
adequate, it was found necessary to run two pumps to maintain mill
crushing rates.
In the case of the ESJ, balance and heater condensate pumps,
increasing mill crushing rates had required increasing pump capacities
and the required NPSH had increased beyond that available in each
system.
The effect of cavitation on ESJ pump operation can be clearly seen
in Figure 4. At low ESJ tank levels, there are large fluctuations in the
ESJ flow rate. As the tank level rises, these flow fluctuations decrease
until flow is almost steady.
The filtrate pump was very badly pitted due to cavitation at its last
inspection and has only a very limited life in its present location. It is
evident that the installation of this pump was made in ignorance of the
available or the required NPSH.
The General Solutions
(1) Increase pump impeller size, decrease pump speed
(2) Eliminate friction losses in suction piping by using larger
diameter pipes with long-radius bends;
(3) Place existing pump down a pit or raise. feed tank to as high a
level as possible;
1971 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE 205

(4) Purchase a new pump with the required NPSH less than the
available NPSH in the plant;
(5) Eliminate the pump altogether.

(at very low level)

(a) Fluctuations in E.S.J. Flowrate at

Low Levels due to Cavitation

E.S.J.
Tank Level

E.S.J.
Flowrate

*,' . -

(b) Fluctuations in E.S.J. Flowrate at

High Tank Leve!s Showing Reduction
in Cavitation

Fig. 4-Fluctuation in ESJ flowrate at various ESJ tank levels

206 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONFERENCE 1971

The Pleystowe Solutions

(1) The ESJ pumps are to be replaced with new pumps of a lower
required NPSH (larger suction diameter, slower speed).
(2) The balance pumps are to be replaced with new pumps of a
lower required NPSH as for the ESJ pumps and the suction
friction losses reduced, by increasing the suction pipe diameter.
(3) The primary heater condensate pumps have been eliminated.
The condensate flows by pressure difference to the effet con-
densate system.
(4) The filtrate pumps will be lowered 15 ft to ground floor level
from filter stage level, to increase the available NPSH.

Conclusions
(1) When considering the installation of a new pump handling
liquid, at or near its boiling point, calculation of the available NPSH
and comparison with the pump required NPSH is essential to ensure the
desired performance is achieved. Internal checks should be made by
mill staff of values used by pump suppliers to ensure they meet the
necessary conditions.
(2) When pumps tested in the factory do not give the performance
indicated by the manufacturer's pump curve, an investigation into the
conditions existing on the pump suction may provide the reason, and a
simple solution may become evident.
Acknowledgment
The author wishes to thank the management of the Amalgamated
Sugar Mills Pty. Ltd. for permission to publish the paper and the
management of Thompsons (Castlemaine) Pty. Ltd., Brisbane, for their
advice on NPSH problems at Pleystowe.

REFERENCES
Stepanoff, A. J. "Pumps and Blowers, Two phase flow", 1966, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Karassik, I. J. and Edwards, T. W. "Approximate Required NPSH", Consulting Engineer,
Sept. 1956.
Salemann, V. "Cavitation and NPSH requirements of Various Liquids", Trans. ASME,
series D, Journal of Basic Engineering, 167-173, 81, 1959,
Thompsons (Castlemaine) Pty. Ltd. Private Communications.