MPE321

Performance curves
of Centrifugal Pumps
Characteristics of centrifugal pumps

The characteristics of a centrifugal pump is a graphical

representation of its behavior and performance. Characteristics
curves shown monomeric head, shaft power and efficiency of the
pump as ordinates with its discharge as the abscissa.
H
* Eff%

BEP
Q

0.6Q* Q* 1.2Q*
- The head will be decreased as Q is increased.
- Max head is at Q=0 (shut off head)
- This curves will vary with pump diameter or rpm.
- The efficiency of C.P. will change with Q.
- The point which hat max. efficiency is called
Best efficiency point(BEP)
- Rang of operation =0.6Q* to 1.2Q*
Operation of Centrifugal Pump in a System
The operating point of a centrifugal pump in a given installation is
determined by considering the equilibrium between the generation of
head by the pump and loss of head in the system.

The point of intersection of the pump and the piping-system

characteristics, therefore, locates the actual operating point of the pump
when installed in a given system.
A system characteristic between the monomeric head (Hm) and
the discharge to be maintained, Q, is generally expressed as a
parabolic equation, 2
Hm = Hst + K Q
How to know the operating point of a C.P. in a certain system?
Firstly draw pump performance curves(H-Q, Eff.-Q)
Secondly, Draw system curve?
Hsys = Hmd − Hms
Hmd = H s.d + H ld
Ld V 2 V2
H ld = f + Cb
Dd 2g 2g
Vs2
Hms = H ss − H ls −
2g
Ls V 2 Vs2
H ls = f + Cv
Ds 2g 2g
 Ld V 2 V2 Ls V 2 Vs2 Vs2
Hsys = Hst + f + Cb +f + Cv +
Dd 2g 2g Ds 2g 2g 2g
Ld Q 2 Q2 Ls Q 2 Q2 Q2
Hsys = Hst + f 2
+ Cb 2
+f 2
+ Cv 2
+
Dd 2gA 2gA Ds 2gA 2gA 2gA 2
Hsys = Hst + KQ 2
K = system losses System Curve
70
60

Hstat Shl
50
H (m) 40
30
20
10

0 3 6 9 12 15 18
Q (m3 /hr)
FIGURE System curves at different resistance.
System Characteristic Curve
Hsys =H st +  hL
 Pump Characteristic Curves
• Pump manufacturers provide information on the performance
of their pumps in the form of curves, commonly called pump
characteristic curves (or simply pump curves).

• In pump curves the following information may be given:

• the discharge on the x-axis,
• the head on the left y-axis,
• the pump power input on the right y-axis,
• the pump efficiency as a percentage,
• the speed of the pump (rpm = revolutions/min).
• the NPSH of the pump.
 ‫‪H‬‬
‫‪EffOp‬‬
‫‪Hsys‬‬ ‫‪Eff%‬‬
‫‪Effreq‬‬
‫‪a‬‬
‫‪op‬‬
‫‪Hlv‬‬

‫‪b‬‬
‫‪Ha‬‬
‫‪no‬‬
‫‪rD‬‬
‫‪Hb‬‬

‫‪Q‬‬
‫‪Qreq‬‬ ‫‪Qop‬‬
‫‪Operating point (OP):‬‬
‫هى نقطه تقاطع منحنى النظام مع منحنى المضخة وهى التى تعطى عندها المضخة اقصى‬
‫تصرف فى الشبكه وايضا هى النقطة التى عندها علو ضغط المضخة يساوى العلو‬
‫المفقود فى الشبكة بمعنى‬
‫‪Hsys=Hp=Hop‬‬
 Qreq ‫يمكن تشغيل المضخة عند معدل تصرف‬
Hsys<Hp ‫اقل من معدل التصرف عند نقطه التشغيل وفى الحاله‬
Hlv=Ha-Hb
Power losses in valve = ρgQreq Hlv

o / p gQop H op
o = =
I/p S.H.Pop
gQsys H b
sys =
SHPop
gQ req Hlv
SHPlosses =
req
1- A 60 cm diameter. Impeller centrifugal pumps has the following characteristic at 750
rev/min
a) At D1 = 0.6 m, n1 = 750 r.p.m
a) Hst = 0 and Qop = 42 m3/min, Hop=40 m
Req. Power =?
a) Hsys = HST + KQ2 where HSt = 0
Hsys = KQ2, 40 = K (42)2
K = 0.022675 m/(m3/min): Hsys = 0.0226757 Q2
 Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH)

• The required NPSHR is the

value that must be
maintained to avoid
cavitation.
• The available NPSHA
represents the head loss that
actually occurs for the
system.
• (NPSH)A > (NPSH)R

16
‫كيفية التحكم فى معدل التصرف فى مضخات الطرد المركزى‪:‬‬
‫‪ -1‬باستخدام صمام الطرد‬
‫‪-2‬باستخدام مسار اضافى‬
‫‪ -3‬بتغير سرعه المضخة‬
 Similarity Laws:
Affinity laws
• The actual performance characteristics curves of pumps
have to be determined by experimental testing.
• Furthermore, pumps belonging to the same family,
i.e.; being of the same design but manufactured in different
sizes and, thus, constituting a series of geometrically similar
machines, may also run at different speeds within practical
limits.
• Each size and speed combination will produce a unique
characteristics curve, so that for one family of pumps the
number of characteristics curves needed to be determined
is impossibly large.
• The problem is solved by the application of
dimensional analysis and by replacing the variables
by dimensionless groups so obtained. These
dimensionless groups provide the similarity (affinity)
laws governing the relationships between the
variables within one family of geometrically similar
pumps.
• Thus, the similarity laws enable us to obtain a set of
characteristic curves for a pump from the known test
data of a geometrically similar pump.
 (a) Change in pump speed
(constant size)
• If a pump delivers a discharge Q1 at a head H1 when
running at speed N1, the corresponding values when the
same pump is running at speed N2 are given by the
similarity (affinity) laws:

3
Q2 N 2 H2  N 2 
2
Pi 2  N 2 
= =  = 
Q1 N1 H1  N1  Pi1  N1 

where Q = discharge (m3/s, or l/s).

H = pump head (m).
N = pump rotational speed (rpm).
Pi = power input (HP, or kw).
• Therefore, if the pump
curve for speed N1 is
given, we can construct N1
the pump curve for the
speed N2 using previous
relationships. N2

Effect of speed change on pump

characteristic curves.
First case: D1=D2
Given: The pump curves at a certain speed
Req: The new pump curve at a new given speed
Step: 1- Draw the pump curved at n1
2- Calculate H2,Q2 from the affinity law
n2 2
H2 = ( ) H1
n1
n2
Q2 = ( )Q1
n1
Q1
H1
Q2
H2
η1=η2

3-Draw the new pump curve to get the operating

point Qop ,Hop, “intersection with the system
curve)
4- Calculate Q* the similar point to Qop the
old curve to get, η* , η*=η op
“ We do not have to draw ISO-η”
 *

n1 Q op H op
Q =
*
Q op S.H.P =
n2 op
2

1
 Second Case : D1=D2
Given: New operating point Qop, Hop or Qop+
System curve .
Req: The new pump speed to deliver Qop at Hop
Steps: 1-Draw the pump curve at n1
2- Draw the system curve (if Hop is not given)
3-Draw Iso-eff. curve
2
H  Q 
=  
H op  Q 
 op 
H op
H = 2
Q 2

Q op
Q
H

4- get Q*, H*,the intersection b/w ISO- eff. Curve

and the pump curve at n1.
5- Calculate n2
n 2 Qop
= * → n2 = − − −
n1 Q
or
2
 n2  H op
  = * → n1 = − − − − (check)
 n1  H
Qreq n req
= ( )
Q1 n1
Q1,H1
Qreq
n 2 = n1 ( )
Q1
 Q req H req
S.H.P =
1
where 1 = req
 (b) Change in pump size
(constant speed)

• A change in pump size and therefore, impeller

diameter (D), results in a new set of characteristic
curves using the following similarity (affinity) laws:
3 2 5
Q2  D2  H2  D2  Pi 2  D2 
=  =  = 
Q1  D1  H1  D1  Pi1  D1 

where D = impeller diameter (m, cm).

Note : D indicated the size of the pump

Example 4
 Constant- and Variable-Speed Pumps

• The speed of the pump is specified by the angular

speed of the impeller which is measured in
revolution per minutes (rpm).
• Based on this speed, N , pumps can be divided into
two types:
• Constant-speed pumps
• Variable-speed pumps
 Constant-speed pumps

• For this type, the angular speed , N , is constant.

• There is only one pump curve which represents the
performance of the pump

NPSH - m
6
4
NPSH 2
0
70 Pump Curve 80%
60 70%

Efficiency %
50 60%
H (m)

cy
cien

40 50%
effi

40%
30
20
10

0 100 200 300 400

Q (m3/hr)
 Variable-speed pumps

• For this type, the angular

speed , N , is variable, i.e.;
pump can operate at
different speeds.
• The pump performance is
presented by several pump
curves, one for each speed
• Each curve is used to suit
certain operating
requirements of the system.
Solution
8- A centrifugal pump has the following performance
characteristics at 875 r.p.m:
Q(lit/sec) 75 150 225 300 375 450
H(m) 16.5 16.5 15.9 14.6 12.2 8.2

η(%) 38 63 76 83 80 70

1-Draw the performance curves of this pump when runs at

1450 r.p.m consider the efficiency is the same.

2-When the pump running at 875 r.p.m is interposed in a

piping system, which has static lift of 9.8 m ,its maximum
operating discharge was 300 lit/sec. Calculate the pump
speed at which the pump should run to deliver 450 lit/sec in
the same system. Calculate the shaft power for both cases.
Q1 H1 Q2 H2 eff1 Hsys
75 16.5 124.5 45.375 38 10.1
150 16.5 249 45.375 63 11
225 15.9 373.5 43.725 76 12.5
300 14.6 498 40.15 83 14.6
375 12.2 622.5 33.55 80 17.3
450 8.2 747 22.55 70 20.6
525 24.5

Qiso Hiso line line Q2 eff2

450 20.6 352.5 0 124.5 38
375 14.3 352.5 10 249 63
412.5 17.3 352.5 15 373.5 76
337.5 11.5 352.5 20 498 83
352.5 25 622.5 80
352.5 50 747 70
352.5 90