Equipment for

Fluid Mechanics
Course learning outcome
1. Able to explain the types and selection of pumps (Eg.
NPSH, etc.)
2. Able to calculate the work done by the pump.
3. Describe the types, selection of compressor and design
calculation.
4. Able to calculate the work done by the compressor.

Pump
Very important mechanical devices in
industry, agriculture and in daily live.
Pump has 2 important functions :
a) ability to supply liquid at required rate of
flow.
b) impart energy to the liquid, thereby
increasing the pressure.
Types of pump

DISPLACEMENT PUMP
Piston pump
Diaphragm pump
Rotary pumps
Gear pump
Peristaltic pump
DYNAMIC PUMP
Centrifugal pump
Axial Flow pump
Mixed Flowpump
Pump
Capacity of the pump/Volume flow rate

Performance of the pump is characterize by net head,
H.

m
Q

=
in out
z
g
V
g
P
z
g
V
g
P
H
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
2 2
2 2

Pump
Capacity of the pump/Volume flow rate

Performance of the pump is characterize by net head,
H.

Efficiency




Brake horse power,bhp=

m
Q

=
in out
z
g
V
g
P
z
g
V
g
P
H
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
2 2
2 2

shaft
horsepower water
shaft
horsepower water
pump
T
H V g
bhp
W
W
W
e

= = =
(rad/s)= rotational speed of the shaft
Torque supply to the shaft
shaft shaft
T W e =

Pump performance curve

Free delivery Shut off
Net head, H=0 ; maximum flowrate
through the pump

Net head ,H=max, Q=0
Is achieve when there is no flow
restriction at the pump inlet/outlet-no
load to the pump
Is achieve when the outlet port of pump
is blocked off.
Q is very large, but H=0; the pump
efficiency is zero because the pump did
not do any useful work.
H is very large but Q =0, the pump
efficiency is zero because the pump did
not do any useful work.
For given piping system, major &minor losses, elevation changes
caused the required net head increase with the volume flow rate.
The pump efficiency reach the maximum value between shut off
condition and the free delivery condition. (Note as H*, bhp* and
V@Q *) : BEP=best efficiency point
For steady condition, the pump can operate only along the
performance curve


Pump performance
curves for a
centrifugal pump








.

Required net head of pumps increases with flowrate
Available net head of pumps decreases with flowrate
Operating point of a piping system is established as the
volume flow rate where the system curve and the pump
performance curve intersect.
BEP should be close to operating point for best efficiency
In unfortunate situations the system curve and the pump
performance curve intersect at more than one operating
point.
It can happen when the system curve is almost flat & meet a
pump that has a dip on its net head performance curve.
This situation should be avoided because the system may
hunt for an operating point, leading to unsteady flow
situation
Required net head, H
required



This equation is evaluated from inlet(upstream) to outlet
(downstream).


total L turbine u pump required
h h z z
g
V V
g
P P
h H
, 1 2
2
1 1
2
2 2 1 2
,
) (
2
+ + +

= =
o o

Pump head delivered to the fluids does 4 things:-

1. It increase it static pressure of the fluid from P1 to P2
2. It increases the dynamic pressure of the fluid from P1 to
P2
3. It raises the elevation of the fluid from P1 to P2
4. It overcomes irreversible head losses in the piping
system

Thus at operating point:-

available required
H H =
Ex 1:
A local ventilation system is used to remove air and
contaminated product by dry cleaning operation. The duct
is round and is constructed of galvanized steel with
longitudinal seams and with joints every 0.76m. The inner
diameter (ID) of the duct is D=0.23m, and its total length,
L =13.4m. There are 5 elbows along the duct. The
equivalent roughness height of this duct is 0.15mm, and
each elbow has minor loss coefficient of KL = 0.21.To
ensure adequate ventilation, the minimum required
volume flowrate through the duct is 0.283 m3/s at
25C.From manufacturer list, hood entry loss coefficient is
1.3 based on duct velocity. When the damper is fully
open, its lost coefficient is 1.8.
A centrifugal fan with 0.23 inlet and outlet diameter is
available. Its performance data are shown below.
Predict the operating point of this local ventilation
system and draw a plot of required and available fan
pressure rise as functions of volume flow rate. Is the
chosen fan adequate.

Q cmm (P fan,mm H2O)
0 22.9
7 24.1
14 22.9
21 19
28 10.2
34 0
Pump cavitations & NPSH
When pumping liquids, it is possible for the local pressure
inside the pump to fall below the vapor pressure of the
liquid,

When , vapor filled bubbles called cavitations
bubbles appear. In other words, the liquid boils locally.

After cavitations of bubbles are formed they are
transported through the pump region where the pressure
is higher, causing collapse of the bubble.
v
P P <
v
P P <
This will cause noise, vibration, reduce efficiency and
damage to impeller blades. Repeat collapse leads to
erosion of the blade and causing blade failure.
To avoid cavitations , pressure of the pump should above
vapor pressure.
NPSH- net positive suction head, define as the difference
between the pump inlets stagnation pressure head and
the vapor pressure head.

g
P
g
V
g
P
NPSH
v
inlet pump


|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
2
2
v
P P)
Pump manufacturers test their pump for cavitations in
the pump test facilities by varying the volume flow rate
and inlet pressure.
They publishes performance parameter as required net
positive suction head (NPSH
required
).(minimum NPSH
necessary to avoid cavitations in the pump)
NPSH
required
increases with volume flow rate.






At the point whereby the NPSH and NPSH required
intersect, the maximum volumetric flowrate can be
estimated
To make sure there is no cavitations , actual NPSH should
be higher then NPSC required.
Value of NPSH varies not only with flow rate, but also with
liquid temperature.
It also depend on type of the liquid being pump.

How to increase available NPSH?
Lower the pump/ raised the inlet reservoir level.
Use larger diameter of pipe.
Reroute the piping system such that fewer minor
losses
Shorten the length of the pipe upstream of the
pipe
Use smoother pipe
Use elbow with minor loss coefficient.

Pump in series & parallel
We need to consider pump in series or using larger pump
to increase the volume flow rate / pressure.
Arranging dissimilar pump in series/ parallel may lead a
problem especially when the other pump is larger than
another.
In series
In series-the combine net head is the sum of the net head
of each pump (at given flow rate)

=
=
n
i
i combined
H H
1
Pump 3 is the strongest
and pump 1 is the weakest.
The shut off head of the 3
pumps combined in series
is equal to the sum of the
shut off head of individual
pump.
Net head of the three
pumps in series =
H
1
+H
2
+H
3
.
The individual pump
should be shut off and by
passes at flow rates larger
than that pump delivery.
Parallel
Combine capacity for n pumps in parallel

=
=
n
i
combined
V V
1
1

The free delivery of the
three combined pumps are
equal to the sum of the free
delivery of each individual
pump.
To avoid pump damage and
loss of combined capacity,
any individual pump should
be shut off at net head
larger than that pumps shut
off head.
That pump branch should
be block with valve.
Example
The 11.25 inch impeller option of the centrifugal pump is
used to pump water at 25
o
C from a reservoir whose
surface is 1.2 m above the centerline of the pump inlet.
The piping system from the reservoir to the pump consist
of 3 m cast iron pipe with an ID of 0.1m and an average
inner roughness height of 0.5mm. There are several
minor losses: a sharp edge inlet (KL =0.5), three flange
smooth 90o regular elbow (KL=0.3 each), and fully
open flanged globe valve (KL=6).Estimate the NPSH
when the flowrate is 400gpm.(=1.05)

1