Training

T i i Program
P on
Basic Process Engineering Practices

Pumps

1
 Module - Pump

Contents

• Pump Types and Selection

• Head calculation
• NPSH
• Application

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Pump Types-Comparison and Selection Guide
Parameter Centrifugal Pumps Reciprocating Rotary Pumps
Pumps
Optimum Flow Medium/High Low Capacity, Low/Medium
and Pressure Capacity
Capacity, High Pressure Capacity
Capacity,
Applications Low/Medium /High Low/Medium
Pressure Pressure
Maximum Flow 100,000 also <10,000 <10,000
R t m3/h
Rate, available
il bl
Low Flow Rate No Yes Yes
Capability
Maximum 6 00
6,00 No limit 600
Pressure, kg/cm2
Requires Relief No Yes Yes
Valve
Smooth or Smooth Pulsating Smooth
Pulsating Flow
Variable or Variable Constant Constant
Constant Flow
Self-priming No Yes Yes
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 Pump – Key Parameters

The key
ypparameters for design
g specification
p of a
pump are-

‰ Suction Pressure
‰ Discharge Pressure
‰ Differential Pressure
‰ NPSH
‰ Suction Specific Speed

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Suction Pressure

‰ Suction Pressure is the system pressure available at the pump

centerline of horizontal pumps or at the centerline of the
suction inlet nozzle for vertical shaft pumps.

‰ It involves the summation of the feed vessel’s normal operating

pressure and d the
th static
t ti head
h d less
l th pressure drop
the d i the
in th
suction piping due to friction, inlet-exit, and other losses.

‰ The static head for vertical vessels is calculated from the

bottom tangent line while for horizontal vessels, the bottom
invert line is used.

‰ Usually no credit is taken for the head contributed by liquid

operating levels in a vessel.

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Suction Pressure (Contd.)

‰ An estimate of the total equivalent feet of suction line is

required. In some cases, this may difficult to determine at an early
stage of design. If a piping layout is available, a more precise
determination is possible and must be made.

‰ For critical suction lines such as pumping of high vapor

pressure liquid
li id or boiling
b ili li id The
liquid. Th suction
ti pipe
i f fluids
for fl id att or
near their bubble point will be adequately sized if the pressure
drop is in the range of 0.15 to 0.3 psi/100 ft. Slightly higher
pressure drops may be considered for more expensive alloy
piping.

‰ A quick review of the suction line to the spare pump,

pump if one
exists, is also advisable particularly if it is a common spare. In
this case it may be located at a remote location with respect to
one of the normally y operating
p g ppumpsp and require
q additional
NPSHA calculation.
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Discharge Pressure

‰ Discharge pressure accounts for all static, friction and dynamic

heads which exist between the pump discharge and the point of
delivery.

‰ The calculation sheet often provides for two columns for Normal
and Design flow rate pressure drop effects.

‰ For Design rate pressure drops, multiply by the square ratio of

Design rate over Normal Rate.

‰ Pressure drop safety factors are not generally applied especially

if a capacity safety factor has been taken.

‰ An exception could be pumps in certain services where pressure

surges are normally encountered.

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Shutoff Pressure

‰ The shutoff pressure of a typical centrifugal pump is

approximately equal to the sum of the maximum suction pressure
and 120% of the net differential pressure generated by pump,
based on the maximum anticipated fluid density.

‰ Other pumps with steep H-Q curves such as turbine, multistage

andd mixed
i d flow
fl pumps will
ill have
h hi h shutoff
higher h t ff pressures. It may
influence the design pressure of down stream equipment.

‰ The design pressure of pump’s casing is set by the maximum

discharge pressure. This is the sum of the maximum suction
pressure and maximum differential pressure which usually
occurs at zero flow.
flow In cases where the feed vessel is protected
by a safety relief valve, the maximum suction pressure will be
equal to the sum of the safety valve set pressure and the
maximum static head.

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What are NPSHA and NPSHR?

NPSH (NPSHA) available differs from NPSH (NPSHR) required.

NPSH required is determined during the manufacturers test and
shown on the vendor’s pump curve is based upon a 3% head pump
differential loss.

NPSH available is the excess of pressure over the liquid’s vapor

pressure at the pump suction flange. NPSH available must be large
enough to eliminate head loss.

Centrifugal pumps require the NPSH available to be greater than the

NPSH required to avoid cavitation during operation.

Norms for specifying NPSHA and margin required for

NPSHR?
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 NPSH Concepts-1

What is Cavitation?
Cavitation occurs when vapor bubbles form and then subsequently
collapse
p as they y move along
g the flow path
p on an impeller.
p
‰ NPSHA is defined at the flange A.

‰ There is a pressure drop as the fluid

passes through points B, C to the
center of the impeller point D.

‰ If the fluid is close to it’s equilibrium

Vapor pressure, the pressure drop
will lead to vapor formation at the
Impeller.

‰ The compression of the vapor

b bbles produces
bubbles prod ces a small shock
wave that impacts the impeller.
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 NPSH Concepts-2

Effect of Cavitation?
Loss of Pump Performance –
Both in terms of capacity and
head.
head

Vibration and Damage to the

I
Impeller
ll –
resulting in pump breakdown.

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NPSH Concepts-3

What is NPSH?
NPSH is the minimum
suction condition (pressure)
required to prevent pump
cavitation.

Conceptually, NPSH can be

imagined
g as the …

….pressure drop between

the pump inlet flange and
the point where the fluid
dynamic action, as it leaves
the impeller, causes a
press re rise.
pressure rise

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System Curves and Performance Curves

The calculation
Th l l ti off Total
T t l Head
H d att
different flow rates produces a
plot of Total Head vs. flow that
y
is called the system curve.
For a specified impeller
diameter and speed, a
centrifugal
g pump has a fixed
and predictable performance
curve. The point where the
pump operates on its curve is
dependent upon the
characteristics of the system.

The point of operation is the intersection between system curve

And the performance curve.
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System Characteristic Curves

All Friction – No Head Low Friction – Static Head

14
System Characteristic Curves

Negative Static Head Mostly Lift

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16
Pump Selection

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Superimposition of System Curve - Pump Performance Curve

18
Desirable Pump Selection Area

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 Performance Curves

The head curve for a radial flow pump is For a typical axial flow
relatively flat and that the head decreases pump,
pump the head and
gradually as the flow increases. brake horsepower both
increase drastically near
shutoff as shown.

20
Composite Curve

Tells at a glance what the

pump will do at a given
speed with various impeller
diameters from maximum to
minimum. Constant
horsepower, efficiency, and
NPSHR lines are
superimposed over the
various head curves. It is
made up p from individual
test curves at various
diameters.

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22
Application Guidelines

ƒ Use Centerline pump designs when the pumping temperature

exceeds 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100° C). This design will allow the
wet end of the pump to expand in two directions instead of from the
feet up, destroying the wear rings.
ƒ Do not specify a pump with the largest impeller available. Give
yourself an additional 5% or 10% you might need it.
ƒ Use
U a variable
i bl speed d pump if your head
h d is i mainly
i l system
t h d
head.
Circulating hot or cold water would be typical applications. If you have
a high static or pressure head, as is the case with a boiler feed pump,
the variable speed will not be of much help in keeping you on or near
the best efficiency point.
ƒ Pumps piped in series must have the same capacity (impeller width
and speed)
ƒ Pumps piped in parallel must have the same head (impeller diameter
and speed )
ƒ Use a rotary yppositive displacement
p pump
p p if yyour capacity
p y is g
going
g to
be less than 20 gpm.(4,5 cubic meters per hour)
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Piping Guidelines

ƒ There should be at least 10 diameters of pipe between the suction of

the pump and the first elbow.
ƒ Substituting
S b tit ti a globe
l b valve
l for
f a gate
t valve
l ini a piping
i i system
t i similar
is i il
to adding another 100 feet (31 meters) of piping to the system. On the
g side of the p
discharge pump
p this will cause the p
pump
p to run off of its
B.E.P. with a resultant shaft bending. On the suction side of the pump
it will probably cause Cavitation.
ƒ Use eccentric reducers rather than concentric reducers at the pump
suction. Concentric reducers will trap air. Be sure the eccentric
reducer is not installed up side down.
ƒ Suction piping should be at least one size larger than the suction
flange at the pump.

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Caution!

ƒ Low liquid levels

ƒ Liquid level falling greater than 1 metre/ sec
ƒ There is a large concentration of dissolved gases in the liquid.
ƒ High outlet velocities in pipes leaving vessels. Generally greater than
3 meters/sec.
ƒ Liquids near their vapor point.
ƒ High circulation caused by asymmetrical inlet or outlet conditions.
ƒ Inlet piping too close to the wall or bottom of the tank.
ƒ In a mixer, the liquid level must be at least one and one half diameters
of the blade, above the blade.

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Any Questions ?

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