ADDIS ABABA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

COLLAGE OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINNERING

Department of Electromechanical Engineering

Fluid Mechanics Lab Report

EXPERIMENT 9: CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

GROUP MEMBERS ID Number

Date of experiment –
Date of submission – Nov 8, 2019

Introduction:
Pumps fall into two main categories: positive displacement pumps and rotodynamic pumps. In a positive
displacement pump, a fixed volume of fluid is forced from one chamber into another. The centrifugal pump
is, by contrast, a rotodynamic machine. Rotodynamic (or simply dynamic) pumps impart momentum to a
fluid, which then causes the fluid to move into the delivery chamber or outlet. Turbines and centrifugal pumps
all fall into this category.

Centrifugal pumps are widely used in industrial and domestic situations. Due to the characteristics of this type
of pump, the most suitable applications are those where the process liquid is free of debris, where a relatively
small head change is required, and where a single operating capacity or a narrow range of capacities is
required. The general design is usually simple with few mechanical parts to fail, however, and it is possible to
operate a centrifugal pump outside ideal parameters while maintaining good reliability.

The centrifugal pump converts energy supplied from a motor or turbine, first into kinetic energy and then into
potential energy.

The motor driving the impeller imparts angular velocity to the impeller. The impeller vanes then transfer this
kinetic energy to the fluid passing into the center of the impeller by spinning the fluid, which travels outwards
along the vanes to the impeller casing at increasing flow rate. This kinetic energy is then converted into
potential energy (in the form of an increase in head) by the impeller casing (a volute or a circular casing
fitted with diffuser vanes) which provides a resistance to the flow created by the impeller, and hence
decelerates the fluid. The fluid decelerates again in the outlet pipe. As the mass flow rate remains constant,
this decrease in velocity produces a corresponding increase in pressure as described by Bernoulli ’s equation.

Purpose:
To create head, power and efficiency characteristic curves for a centrifugal pump.
Apparatus:
 Centrifugal pump demonstration unit (Figure 1).
 Interface device.
 PC with a suitable software installed.

Figure 1: Centrifugal pump demonstration unit

Theory:
The operating characteristics of a centrifugal pump may be described or illustrated by using graphs of pump
performance. The three most commonly used graphical representations of pump performance are:
• Change in total head produced by the pump, Ht
• Power input to the pump, Pm
• Pump efficiency, E
The change in total head produced as a result of the work done by pump can be calculated as:
Ht = Change in pressure head + change in velocity head + change in elevation = H s + Hv + He
Where:

Where Pin is the fluid pressure at inlet in Pa and Pout is the fluid pressure at outlet in Pa.

Where Vin is the fluid velocity at inlet in m/s and Vout is the fluid velocity at outlet in m/s.
He = Change in elevation= ρgh
The vertical distance between inlet and outlet, which is h= O.075m for the available pump.
The mechanical power input to the pump may be calculated as:
Pm = rotational force x angular distance = 2.π.n.t/60
where n is the rotational speed of pump in revolutions per minute and t is the shaft torque in N .m.
Hydraulic power is given by:
Ph = ρg Ht.Q
The efficiency of the pump may be calculated as:

Where Q is the volume flow rate in m3/s, and Pm is the mechanical power absorbed by pump:
Each of these parameters is measured at constant pump speed and is plotted against the volume flow rate Q
through the pump.
An example of this type of graphical representation of pump performance is given in Figure 3.
 Figure 3: Characteristic curves for a centrifugal pump
Examining Figure 3, the general performance of the pump can be determined.
 The Ht-Q curve shows the relationship between head and flow rate. The head decreases as flow rate
increases. This type of curve is referred to as a rising characteristic curve. A stable head-capacity
characteristic curve is one in which there is only one possible flow rate for a given head, as in the
example here.
 The Pm-Q curve shows the relationship between the power input to the pump and the change in flow rate
through the pump. Outside the optimum operating range of the pump this curve flattens, so that a large
change in pump power produces only a small change in flow velocity.
 The E-Q curve shows the pump capacity at which the pump operates most efficiently. In the example
here, the optimum operating capacity is 0.7 dm 3/s, which would give a head of 0.95m. When selecting a
pump for an application where the typical operating capacity is known, a pump should be selected so
that its optimum efficiency is at or very near that capacity.
Equipment set up:
1. The drain valve was fully closed.
2. The reservoir was filled to 20cm of the top rim.
3. The inlet valve and gate valve were both fully opened.
4. The equipment was connected to the interface device and the interface device was connected to a
suitable PC. The red and green indicator lights on the interface device should both be illuminated.
5. The interface device was connected to an appropriate mains supply, and switched on the supply.
6. the software was run. 'IFD: OK' was displayed in the bottom right corner of the screen and that there
were values displayed in all the sensor display boxes on the mimic diagram.
Procedures:
1. The interface device was switched, then the pump was switched on within the software using the
pump on/standby button.
2. Using the software, the speed seted to 80%. The interface would increased the pump speed until it
reaches the required setting. Allow water to circulate until all air was been flushed from the
system.The inlet valve was closed and opened slightly and gate valve would help in priming the
 system and eliminating any bubbles caught within the valve mechanism. The inlet valve was left fully
open.
3. In the results table, the spreadsheet was renamed (Select Format > Rename Sheet) to 80%.
4. gate valve was closed to give a flow rate Q of 0. (Note that the pump will not run well with the gate
valve closed or nearly closed, as the back pressure produced is outside normal operating parameters.
The pump should begin to run more smoothly as the experiment progresses).
5. We were select the (Go) icon to record the sensor readings and pump settings on the results table of
the software.
6. Gate valve was opened to allow a low flow rate. sufficient time was given for the sensor readings to
stabilize the data and then (Go) icon was selected to record the next set of data.
7. The flow were increased in small increments, allowing the sensor readings to stabilized then recorded
the sensor and pump data each time.
8. Arrow buttons were used on the software display, the pump speed was reduced to 0%. We were
Select "Save" or "Save as…" from the "file" menu and saved the results with a suitable file name.
9. Switch off the pump within the software using the power on/standby button, then switch off the
interface device and close the software.
Data and Results:
The following data was taken from the experiment with pump speed 1440 rpm, pump setting at 80%, pump
mechanical power had been 472.2W, motor torque of 3.16Nm and density of water was 996Kg/m 3
table 1: tabulated as follows.
Pump
Motor 1
Pump Water Inlet Pump 1 Pump 2 Flow
Operating
Sample Setting Speed Temperature Pressure Pressure Pressure Rate
Torque Mode
Number S T P0 P1 P2 Q
t
[%] n [°C] [kPa] [kPa] [kPa] [l/s]
[Nm]
[rpm]
1 80 1440 28.6 -39.4 2.0 0.0 3.16 0.000 Single
2 80 1440 29.0 -35.7 2.9 0.0 3.16 0.170 Single
3 80 1440 29.2 -34.3 4.1 0.0 3.16 0.246 Single
4 80 1440 29.0 -32.8 4.2 0.0 3.16 0.320 Single
5 80 1440 29.0 -28.9 7.2 0.0 3.16 0.434 Single
6 80 1440 28.9 -24.0 10.2 0.0 3.16 0.566 Single
7 80 1440 29.0 -21.3 13.4 0.0 3.16 0.623 Single
8 80 1440 28.9 -15.3 16.5 0.0 3.16 0.697 Single
9 80 1440 28.9 -13.7 16.9 0.0 3.16 0.736 Single
10 80 1440 28.9 -7.2 19.7 0.0 3.16 0.830 Single

Pump 1
Pump 1 Pump 1 Combined Pump 1 Total Pump 1 Pump 1
Density Overall
Outlet Hydrauli Hydrauli Mechanical Efficien
of water Inlet Efficiency
Velocity Total Total c c cy
rho Velocit Egr
Head Head Power Power Power E1
[kg/m³] y [%]
[m/s] [m] [m] [W] [W] [W] [%]
[m/s]
996 0.00 0.00 4.307 4.31 0.0 0.0 477.2 0.0 0.0
996 0.39 0.71 4.041 4.04 6.7 6.7 477.2 1.4 1.4
996 0.57 1.02 4.042 4.04 9.7 9.7 477.2 2.0 2.0
996 0.74 1.33 3.925 3.93 12.3 12.3 477.2 2.6 2.6
996 1.00 1.80 3.882 3.88 16.4 16.4 477.2 3.4 3.4
996 1.31 2.35 3.779 3.78 20.9 20.9 477.2 4.4 4.4
996 1.44 2.59 3.859 3.86 23.5 23.5 477.2 4.9 4.9
996 1.61 2.90 3.624 3.62 24.7 24.7 477.2 5.2 5.2
996 1.70 3.06 3.540 3.54 25.5 25.5 477.2 5.3 5.3
996 1.91 3.45 3.242 3.24 26.3 26.3 477.2 5.5 5.5

The result obtained

The total theoretical head can be calculated

Ht= Hs + Hv + He=(pout-pin)/ ρ g+(Vout-Vin)2/2g+ he.
The mechanical power input to the pump may be calculated as:
Pm = 2.π.n.t/60
Hydraulic power is given by:
Ph = ρg Ht.Q
The efficiency of the pump may be calculated as:

Sample 1 :
Ht=(2+39.4)/996*9.81+(0-0)/2*9.81+0.075=0.079m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*0.079*0=0
E=100*0/476.2=0
Sample 2
Ht=( 2.9+ -35.7)/996*9.81+(0.71-0.39)/2*9.81+0.075=0.0893m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*0.0893*0.17=148.32w
E=100*148.32/476.2=31.14
Sample 3
Ht=(4.1+34.3)/996*9.81+(1.02-0.57)/2*9.81+0.075=0.0892m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*0.0892*0.246=214.4
E=100*214.4/476.2=45
Sample 4;
Ht= (4.2+32.8)/996*9.81+(1.33-0.74)/2*9.81+0.075=0.0965m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*0.0965*0.32=301.8
E=100*301.8/476.2=63.37

Sample 5
Ht=(7.2+28.9)/996*9.81+(1.8-1)/2*9.81+0.075=0.11m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*0.11*0.434=472w
E=100*472/476.2=99.12

Sample 7
Ht=(13.4+21.3)/996*9.81+(2.59-1.44)/2*9.81+0.075=0.137m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*0.137*0.623=834.9
E=100*/476.2=175.3
Sample 9
Ht=(16.9+13.7)/996*9.81+(3.06-1.7)/2*9.81+0.075=1.927m
Pm=2*3.14*1440*3.16/60=476.2w
Ph=996*9.81*1.927*0.736=13862.8
E=100*13862.8/476.2=2911.1

The characterstics curve result from the centrifugal pump

 4.50 35.0

4.00
30.0
3.50
25.0
Total Head Ht[m]

3.00

2.50 20.0
Total Head[m]
2.00 15.0
pump efficiency
1.50 E[%]
10.0
1.00 Output
Power[w]
5.0
0.50

0.00 0.0
0.000 0.100 0.200 0.300 0.400 0.500 0.600 0.700 0.800 0.900 1.000

Flow rate Q[L/s]

conclusion:
From the graph the flow rate is increase from 0 to 0.904l/s, the head loss is decrease from 4.14m to 3.05 m.
there for head loss is inversely proportional to flow rate. When the flow rate increases from 0 to 0.904l/s, the
hydraulic power increases from 0 to 26.9W that means input power is directly proportional to flow rate. The
performance (efficiency) also directly proportional to flow rate.
From the graph indicated, maximum efficiency with maximum flow rate is The point