ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC)

MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT (MCE)
MCE 4392, BASIC MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAB, Credit: 0.75, Credit hour: 0-0-1.5

Experiment No: 03

Name of the Experiment: Study and Performance test of a Centrifugal Pump.

1. OBJECTIVES
i) To learn about the working principle of Centrifugal Pump.
ii) To draw overall efficiency (  0 ) vs Flowrate (Q) curve as well as overall efficiency
( 0 ) vs Head (H) curve.

2. APPARATUS
Compact Centrifugal Pump Unit.
3. THEORY
3.1 TURBOMACHINES

Turbomachines are mechanical devices that either extract energy from a fluid (i.e. turbine) or
add energy to a fluid (i.e. pump) as a result of dynamic interactions between the device and the
fluid. In a turbomachine, energy is supplied or extracted by a rotating shaft. A group of blades
moving with or against a lift force is the essence of a turbomachine.
Turbomachines can be broadly classified into two categories:
• Power Producing Turbomachines
• Power Absorbing Turbomachines
A very well example of Power Producing Turbomachines is a turbine. Example of Power
Absorbing Turbomachines includes pump, fan, blower, compressor etc. Energy is supplied to
these devices and they transfer most of that energy to the fluid, usually via a rotating shaft. The
increase in fluid energy is usually felt as an increase in the pressure of the fluid.

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3.2 ‘PUMP’ VS ‘FAN’ VS ‘BLOWER’ VS ‘COMPRESSOR’

Pump is a Power Absorbing Turbomachine which is used to handle incompressible fluids

(liquids). On the other hand, fan, blower, compressor handle compressible fluids (such as gas);
in other word these devices can be considered as Gas Pumps.
A fan is a gas pump with relatively low pressure rise and high flow rate. Examples include
ceiling fans, house fans, and propellers. A blower is a gas pump with relatively moderate to
high pressure rise and moderate to high flow rate, in a sense blower may be considered as a
more powerful fan. Examples include centrifugal blowers and squirrel cage blowers in
automobile ventilation systems, furnaces, and leaf blowers. A compressor is a gas pump
designed to deliver a very high pressure rise, typically at low to moderate flow rates. Examples
include air compressors that run pneumatic tools and inflate tires at automobile service
stations, jet engine compressor and refrigerant compressors used in heat pumps, refrigerators,
and air conditioners and so on.

ASME* has given clear guidelines about the difference among Gas Pumps depending on the
Specific Ratio* and Rise in System Pressure.
Equipment Specific Ratio Pressure Rise (mmWC*)
Fan Up to 1.11 1136
Blower 1.11 to 1.20 1136 to 2066
Compressor More than 1.20 More than 2066
Table 1: Difference among fan, blower and compressor

Fan (propeller) Leaf Blower Gas Turbine Compressor

Figure 1: Typical examples of Fan, blower and compressor

*ASME = American Society of Mechanical Engineers. *mmWC = millimetres water column

*Specific Ratio = the ratio of the discharge pressure over the suction pressure

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3.3 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

One of the most common radial-flow turbomachines is the centrifugal pump. This type of
pump has two main components: an impeller attached to a rotating shaft, and a stationary
casing, housing, or volute enclosing the impeller. The impeller consists of a number of blades
(usually curved), also sometimes called vanes, arranged in a regular pattern around the shaft.
A sketch showing the essential features of a centrifugal pump is shown in Figure 2. As the
impeller rotates, fluid is sucked in through the eye of the casing and flows radially outward.
Energy is added to the fluid by the rotating blades, and both pressure and absolute velocity are
increased as the fluid flows from the eye to the periphery of the blades. For the simplest type
of centrifugal pump, the fluid discharges directly into a volute-shaped casing.

Figure 2: Schematic diagram of basic elements of a centrifugal pump

The casing shape is designed to reduce the velocity as the fluid leaves the impeller, and this
decrease in kinetic energy is converted into an increase in pressure. The volute-shaped casing,
with its increasing area in the direction of flow, is used to produce an essentially uniform
velocity distribution as the fluid moves around the casing into the discharge opening.
Impellers are generally of two types. For one configuration the blades are arranged on a hub or
backing plate and are open on the other (casing or shroud) side. A typical open impeller is
shown in Figure 3(a). For the second type of impeller, called an enclosed or shrouded impeller,
the blades are covered on both hub and shroud ends as shown in Figure 3(b).

(a) (b)
Figure 3: (a) Open impeller, (b) enclosed or shrouded impeller

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 Figure 4: Motor-Pump Assembly

Figure 5:Cut-away view of a Centrifugal Pump

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 Figure 6: Cut-away view with labelled components

Pumps can be single or multistage. For a single-stage pump, only one impeller is mounted on
the shaft, whereas for multistage pumps, several impellers are mounted on the same shaft. The
stages operate in series, that is, the discharge from the first stage flows into the eye of the
second stage, the discharge from the second stage flows into the eye of the third stage, and so
on. The flowrate is the same through all stages, but each stage develops an additional pressure
rise. Thus, a very large discharge pressure, or head, can be developed by a multistage pump.
Centrifugal pumps come in a variety of arrangements, but the basic operating principle remains
the same. Work is done on the fluid by the rotating blades (centrifugal action and tangential
blade force acting on the fluid over a distance), creating a large increase in kinetic energy of
the fluid flowing through the impeller. This kinetic energy is converted into an increase in
pressure as the fluid flows from the impeller into the casing enclosing the impeller.

Basic working principle of the centrifugal pump is opposite to the turbine principle. Here at
first the electrical power ( Pe ) is converted into mechanical power/shaft power ( Pm ) by an
electric motor which is connected with the pump. The shaft of the motor is coupled to the
impeller of the pump hence the mechanical power is transferred to the pump. The pump then
converts this mechanical power into hydraulic power/water power ( Ph ).
Hydraulic
Mechanical/shaft power/water power
Electrical Power power
ELECTRIC
PUMP
MOTOR

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3.3.1 ENERGY ADDED BY THE PUMP ( H p )

A centrifugal pump basically increases the energy of the fluid (water). This increase in energy
can be expressed in terms of increase in water head. The water head added by the pump ( H p )
can be measured by measuring the difference of heads of water at the inlet and outlet of the
centrifugal pump. The formula provided below for calculating H p has been developed by
applying Bernoulli’s equation between inlet and outlet.

P2 − P1 V2 2 − V12
Hp = + + ( Z 2 − Z1 ) <1>
 
Where,
P1 = Pressure at the pump inlet/suction side (Pa).
P2 = Pressure at the pump outlet/discharge side (Pa).
 = Specific weight of water = 9810 N/m 3 .
V1 = Velocity of water at inlet/suction side (m/s).
V2 = Velocity of water at outlet/discharge side (m/s).
Z 2 − Z1 = Elevation Difference between discharge side and suction side respectively (m).

Velocity at the inlet and outlet can be calculated from flow-meter (Rotameter here) reading
and known suction pipe area as well as discharge pipe area.

Q
Vi = <2>
Ai
Where,
Q = Flow-meter reading ( m 3 / s ).

Suffix i = 1 for inlet and i = 2 for outlet.

3.3.2 HYDRAULIC POWER ( Ph )

This is the power of water which has been developed due to energy addition by pump.

Ph = Q H p <3>

Where,
Q = Flow Rate ( m 3 / s ).
 = Specific weight of water = 9810 N/m 3 .
H p = Water head developed by pump (m).

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3.3.3 ELECTRICAL POWER ( Pe )

The electrical power is provided to the motor coupled to pump to produce mechanical or
rotational power. The power is:

Pe = VI (Watt) <4>
Where,
V = Input Voltage (volts)
I = Input Current (ampere)

3.3.4 OVERALL EFFICIENCY

Hydraulic Power Output Ph 

o = =  <5>
Electrical Power Input Pe 

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4. DATA TABLE

Diameter of the suction pipe, d1 =

Diameter of the discharge pipe, d 2 =
Elevation of suction side from datum line, Z1 =
Elevation of discharge side from datum line, Z 2 =

Pressure Gage Reading

No. of Flow Rate, Q Voltage, V Current, I
Observation Suction, Discharge, (m 3 / h) (Volts) (amp)
P1 (bar) P2 (bar)

01

02

03

04

05

06

5. RESULT TABLE

Area of the suction pipe, A1 =

Area of the discharge pipe, A2 =

Pump
No. of 3 V1 V2 Head, Ph Pe o
Q (m / s)
Observation (m/s) (m/s) H p (m) (W) (W) (%)

01

02

03

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 Pump
No. of 3 V2 Head, Ph Pe o
Q (m / s) V1 (m/s)
Observation (m/s) H p (m) (W) (W) (%)

04

05

06

6. CALCULATION (add additional paper if needed)

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7. PLOTS
Scale:
Along Horizontal Axis:

Along Vertical Axis:

(%)
Overall Efficiency,

Flowrate, Q (m3 / s)

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Scale:
Along Horizontal Axis:

Along Vertical Axis:

(%)
Overall Efficiency,

Head, H (m)

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8. DISCUSSIONS (add additional papers if needed)
The following points must be discussed:
▪ The plots and the relationship between the plot variables.
▪ Errors in results (if any) and their possible causes.

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9. ASSIGNMENT (add additional papers if needed)
Draw a simple figure of a Centrifugal Pump Identifying its distinct features.
What is NPSH of a pump and its significance? Why is it important to consider for
pump selection process?
Why Priming is necessary for a centrifugal pump?
What is the purpose of increasing the casing area in the direction of the flow, in case of
a centrifugal pump?
State the benefits and demerits of closed impeller design and open impeller design.
Suppose you are an "applications engineer" at Shell - Aviation Fuel process division.
Shell is going to acquire some industrial pumps for one of its oil refinery plants. You
and your team are assigned with the task of choosing between an open impeller design
or a closed impeller design. In a meeting it was decided that since your products are
explosive and hazardous any sort of "possible contact" of moving parts with the volute
casing must be avoided to prevent sparks. Using a non-sparking material for the casing
was also not an option since the materials are too soft for the abrasives in the refinery
application. Which type of impeller design do you propose for the mentioned
application?

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10. Sample Calculation (not for students)
*The values used here have been taken from a previous lab report.
Measured data,
Diameter of the suction pipe, d1 = 2 inch = 5.08 10−2 m

Diameter of the discharge pipe, d 2 = 1.5 inch = 3.8110−2 m

Elevation Difference, Z 2 − Z1 = 0.25 m
Suction Pressure, P1 = -0.15 bar = -0.15* 105 = -15000 Pa
Discharge Pressure, P2 = 0.9 bar = 0.9* 105 = 90000 Pa
−3
Flowrate Q (from rotameter) = 6.1 m / h = 1.69 10 m / s
3 3

Voltage, V = 140 Volts

Current, I = 7 amp

Constants
 = Specific weight of water = 9810 N/m 3 .

Calculations

Area of the suction pipe, A1 =  d12 = 2.03 10 −3 m 2
4

Area of the discharge pipe, A2 =  d 2 2 = 1.14 10 −3 m 2
4
Q
V1 = = 0.83 m/s
A1
Q
V2 = = 1.48 m/s
A2
P2 − P1 V2 2 − V12
Pump Head, H p = + + ( Z 2 − Z1 ) = 10.95 m
 
Hydraulic Power, Ph = Q H p = 181.54 W

Electrical Power, Pe = VI = 980 W

Ph
Overall efficiency, o = = 18.52%
Pe

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