POLITEKNIK SULTAN ABDUL HALIM MUADZAM SHAH, JITRA

DCC50222 HYDRAULIC NOTE

CHAPTER 3 : PUMP

LEARNING OUTCOMES: CLO1CLO2 : determine the principles of hydraulic engineering in pumps and fluid
flow (C3, PLO2)

Assessment in this topic: Assignment 1 (15%)

DISTRIBUTED BY RAHIMAH BINTI RAMLI

3.1 Introduction

A pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids, gases or slurries.

A pump displaces a volume by physical or mechanical action. Pumps fall into three major
groups: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps. Their names describe the method for
moving a fluid. Though there are many types of pumps these days, yet the following two are
important from the subject point of view:

a) positive displacement pump

b) Centrifugal pump

3.2 Centrifugal Pumps are classified into three general categories:

CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

RADIAL FLOW MIXED FLOW AXIAL FLOW

a) Radial Flow - a centrifugal pump in which the pressure is developed wholly by

centrifugal force. Often simply referred to as centrifugal pumps. The fluid enters
along the axial plane, is accelerated by the impeller and exits at right angles to the
shaft (radially). Radial flow pumps operate at higher pressures and lower flow
rates than axial and mixed flow pumps.
 Radial flow pump

b) Axial Flow - a centrifugal pump in which the pressure is developed by the

propelling or lifting action of the vanes of the impeller on the liquid. Axial flow
pumps differ from radial flow in that the fluid enters and exits along the same
direction parallel to the rotating shaft. The fluid is not accelerated but instead
"lifted" by the action of the impeller. They may be likened to a propeller spinning
in a length of tube. Axial flow pumps operate at much lower pressures and higher
flow rates than radial flow pumps.

c) Mixed Flow - a centrifugal pump in which the pressure is developed partly by

centrifugal force and partly by the lift of the vanes of the impeller on the liquid.
Mixed flow pumps, as the name suggests, function as a compromise between
radial and axial flow pumps, the fluid experiences both radial acceleration and lift
and exits the impeller somewhere between 0–90 degrees from the axial direction.
As a consequence mixed flow pumps operate at higher pressures than axial flow
pumps while delivering higher discharges than radial flow pumps. The exit angle
of the flow dictates the pressure head-discharge characteristic in relation to radial
and mixed flow
3.3 Characteristic of Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps are specified by four characteristics.

1. Capacity/ discharge/flow rate

This is defined as the quantity of liquid which is discharged from the pump in a given time.
Capacity is expressed in 'm3/hr', 'gal/min', ..etc. The capacity of a pump is governed by the
'Head', the 'Speed' and the 'Size' of the pump.

2. Total Head:
The total head of a pump is the difference between the pump suction and discharge pressures -
expressed in terms of metres or feet head :
Suction Head :
This is the vertical distance, in feet or metres, from the centreline of the pump to the level
of liquid in the vessel from which the liquid is being pumped.

Discharge Head:
Is the discharge pressure of the pump, expressed in feet or metres of liquid.
Total Head: = Discharge head -Suction head

3. Power:
This is the energy used by the pump in a given time. Its unit is 'Horsepower' (HP). 1HP is
equivalent to 0.746 kilowatt. (kW). There are two types of power. There are power input (Pi) and
power output (po)

Power input (Pi) = Tw Where, T – Torque and w – angle velocity

Power output (Po) = ρghQ

4. Efficiency:
This is a percentage measure of the pump's effectiveness in transferring the power used into
energy added to the pumped liquid.

The formula for calculation of efficiency is :

Efficiency = (Output power)/(Input power)X 100%

Example 3.3(a): A centrifugal pump operate with 1500 rpm was pumped a water with 0.8 m3/s
and the head obtained is 6.4m. The torque of pump is 420N. Calculate the pump efficiency.

Q = 0.8 m3/s ; H = 6.4m ; T = 420N ; w = (2π x 1500)/60 = 157 rad/saat

 η = po/pi

ρgHQ 1000 x 9.81 x 6.4 x 0.8

= = = 76.17 %
Tw 420 x 157

Example 3.3(b):A power of pump is 1.46kW was in operation of 25m head and flows the air at
3.1 m3/s. Determine the efficiency of the pump is density of air is 1.25 kg/m3.

Pi = 1.46 x103 watt ; H = 25m ; Q= 3.1m3/s ; ρair = 1.25 kg/m3 ; η=?

po
Η =
pi

ρgHQ 1.25 x 9.81 x 25 x 3.1

= = = 65 %
pi 1460

3.4 Characteristic of Pump Curve

Relationship between pump parameters with discharge is known as ‘characteristic of pump curve’.

Pi , H, η maximum efficiency

Pi

Optimum power input

Optimum head

Optimum discharge

Q (m3/s)

Characteristic Pump Curve

Pump is designed to perform maximum efficiency. Power, head and discharge at maximum
efficiency is known as optimum power, optimum head and optimum discharge

3.5 Pump System

In water distribution system, normally water was pumped from lower reservoir to high reservoir.
Different height between this reservoir is known as static head.Different water level between
this reservoir is head losses. Sum of static head and head losses is system Head. Crossing point
between system head curve and head of pump is operation point. All data from this point will
used to analysis the pump system.

H(m), η(%)

H system

Operation point

H pump

Q(m3/s)

Operation Point

3.6 Pump Configuration

i- Single pump

ii- Pump in series

iii- Pumps in parallel

i- Single pump

Example 5.2 (c): A centrifugal pump has a perform data as table below, when it was operating at a
required speed 1500 rpm. This pump is used to deliver water 8 m high. The total length of pipeline is
900m and using 20 cm diameter pipe. By assuming there is no minor losses in the pipeline and
coefficient friction, f is 0.004 ;

Q 0 16 25 30 35 40.8
(liter/sec)
H(m) 10.2 9.6 8.8 7.5 6.2 1.0
 η(%) 0 86 96 90 81 48

a) Plot the graph of the pump systems.

b) Determine the flow rate and efficiency for this single pump
c) Find the power of pump at the operating point.
d) Find the optimum head and optimum flow rate for this system.

ii) Pumps in Serial - Heads Added

When two (or more) pumps are arranged in serial, their resulting pump performance curve is
obtained by adding their heads at same flow rate as indicated in the figure below.

Q series = Q1 = Q2

H series = H1 +H2

H
η series = ( H 1/η1 )+( H 2/η 2)

Centrifugal pump in series are used to overcome larger system head loss than one pump can
handle alone. For two identical pumps in series the head will be twice the head of a single pump
at the same flow rate. With constant flow rate the combined head moves from 1 to 2. In practice
the combined head and flow rated moved along the system curve to 3.
If one of the pumps stops, the operation point moves along the system resistance curve from point
1 to point 2 - head and flow rate are decreased.

Series operation of single stage pumps is seldom encountered - more often multistage centrifugal
pumps are used.

Example 5.2d : Table below shows the data of a centrifugal pump working at

a speed of 1500 rpm.

Q 0 0.070 0.152 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

(m3/s)

H (m) 17 18 20 16 12 8 5

η(%) 0 25 61 78 70 57 46

This pump is used to deliver 12m high. The total length op the pipeline is 100m and using
25cm diameter pipe. By assuming is no minor losses in the pipeline and coefficient friction is
0.0056, find the flow rate, efficiency and head of pump. If a similar pump is fitted in series with
the existing pump, get a flow rate and power required for this system.

Example 5.2 d -1 : According to the data below, calculate the total head and pump efficiency
when the pump is assembled is series connection. Draw the graph of efficiency and total head
versus flow rate for series pump. Determine the discharge , head and efficiency of pump at
optimum point from the graph

Q (liter/s) Ha Hb ηa ηb

0 80 134 0 0

250 82 136 15 18

650 83 136 32 39

950 82 135 42 51

1450 79 132 54 65

1800 77 130 58 68
 2000 75 128 60 70

2150 72 126 59 69

2500 68 122 57 68

3050 61 116 42 54

i) Pumps in Parallel - Flow Rate Added

When two or more pumps are arranged in parallel their resulting performance curve is obtained
by adding their flowrates at the same head as indicated in the figure below.

Qparallel = Q1 +Q2

Hparallel = H1 = H2

Q
η parallel = (Q 1/η1 )+(Q 2/η 2)

Centrifugal pumps in parallel are used to overcome larger volume flows than one pump can
handle alone. For two identical pumps in parallel the flow rate will double (moving from 1 to 2)
compared to a single pump if head is kept constant. In practice the combined head and volume
flow moves along the system curve as indicated from 1 to 3.

If one of the pumps in parallel or series stops, the operation point moves along the system
resistance curve from point 3 to point 1 - the head and flow rate are decreased.
Example 5.2 e : Table shows the data of a centrifugal pump working at a speed of 2000 rpm.

Q (m3/s) 0 0.07 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

H (m) 15 16 18 14 10 6 3

η(%) 0 25 60 75 70 55 45

This pump is used to deliver water 10m high. The total length of pipeline is 150m and
using 20cm diameter. By assuming no minor losses, and coefficient of friction is 0.006,
determine the flow rate, efficiency, head and power of pump at operating point. If a similar pump
is fitted in parallel with the existing pump, get the flow rate, head , efficiency and power required
for this new system.
 5.3 Cavitation
Cavitation means that cavities or bubbles are forming in the liquid that we're pumping. These
cavities form at the low pressure or suction side of the pump, causing several things to happen all
at once:

 The cavities or bubbles will collapse when they pass into the higher regions of pressure, causing
noise, vibration, and damage to many of the components.
 We experience a loss in capacity.
 The pump can no longer build the same head (pressure)
 The pump's efficiency drops.

Cavitation damage the pump impeller

There two types of cavitation in pump,

(i) Suction Cavitation

Suction Cavitation occurs when the Net Positive Suction Head Available to the pump is less
than what is Required.

NPSHA < NPSHR.

SYMPTOMS CAUSES REMEDIES

1. The pump sounds like it is 1. Clogged suction pipe 1. Remove debris from suction line
pumping rocks. 2. Suction line too long 2. Move pump closer to source
2. High Vacuum reading on 3. Suction line diameter too small tank/sump
suction line. 4. Suction lift too high 3. Increase suction line diameter
3. Low discharge pressure/High 5. Valve on Suction Line only 4. Decrease suction lift
flow partially open requirement
5. Install larger pump running
slower which will decrease the
Net Positive Suction Head
Required by the pump(NPSHR)
6. Increase discharge pressure
7. Fully open Suction line valve

(ii) Discharge Cavitation

Discharge Cavitation occurs when the pump discharge head is too high where the pump runs at or
near shutoff.

SYMPTOMS CAUSES REMEDIES

1. The pump sounds like it is 1. Clogged discharge pipe 1. Remove debris from discharge
pumping rocks. 2. Discharge line too long line.
2. High Discharge Gauge reading 3. 3. Discharge line diameter 2. Decrease discharge line length
3. Low flow too small 3. Increase discharge line diameter
4. 4. Discharge static head too 4. Decrease discharge static head
high requirement
5. Discharge line valve only 5. Install larger pump which will
partially open maintain the required flow
without discharge cavitating
6. Fully open discharge line valve
NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD REQUIRED

The pump manufacturer's specified margin of suction pressure above the boiling point of the
liquid being pumped, is required to prevent cavitation. This pressure is called the 'Net Positive
Suction Head' pressure (NPSH).

In order to ensure that a NPSH pressure is maintained, the Available NPSH should be higher than
that required. The NPSH depends on the height and density of the liquid and the pressure above
it.