PROCESS EQUIPMENT

DESIGN (CH310)
 NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH)

 For every pump, there is a certain minimum suction

head required for it to operate.

 This is known as (NPSH)required.

 Marginal or inadequate NPSH causes cavitation, i.e.,

formation and rapid collapse of vapour bubbles in the
fluid system.

 Thus, (NPSH)required > (NPSH)available.

 HEAD DEVELOPED BY A PUMP
Example 1:

A pump is discharging water at the rate of 500 m3/h under

a pressure of 4 kgf/cm2. The head developed by the pump is
to be calculated from the following data:

Guage pressure in the suction pipe = 200 mm Hg

Vertical distance between the suction and discharge

pressure gauges = 415 cm

Internal diameter: Suction pipe Discharge pipe

350 mm 300 mm
 HEAD DEVELOPED BY A PUMP

Question 1:

A pump handles a liquid having a density of 960 kg/m3. It

takes its suction from a reservoir at atmospheric pressure
and delivers it to a vessel in which the pressure is 36 atm.
The geometrical height through which the liquid is lifted is
20 m. Determine the total head developed by the pump. The
total resistance of the suction and discharge pipes equals to
65 m.
 MINIMUM SUCTION HEIGHT AT PUMP INLET
Example 2:

From the reboiler of a distillation column, a centrifugal pump

takes its suction and recycles it back to reboiler via a vaporizer
at the rate of 1.53 m3/h.

What should be the minimum height between the liquid level at

the reboiler and the pump suction such that minimum NPSH
of 2.5 m of liquid is maintained at the pump inlet?

Length of the pipe between the reboiler and the pump = 10 m

Internal diameter of pipe = 25 mm

Density of the liquid = 750 kg/m3

Dynamic viscosity of the liquid = 500x10-6 Pa.s

 MINIMUM SUCTION HEIGHT AT PUMP INLET

Question 2:

A centrifugal pump takes its suction from a vacuum condenser

of a steam turbine. The condenser operates under a vacuum of
650 mm Hg. At the rated discharge, the net positive suction
head must be at least 3200 mm while the cavitation vapour
pressure is 700 mm Hg vacuum.

Determine the least height of the liquid level in the condenser

above the pump inlet.

Total losses in the suction pipe account for a head of 1750 mm.
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
 Rate of discharge
For a single acting reciprocating pump (liquid is acting on one
side of the piston or plunger only),

Let L = Length of the stroke

A = Cross-sectional area of the piston or plunger
N = No. of revolutions of the crank per minute

Q = LAN/60

As, Discharge of the liquid in one stroke = LA

Discharge of the liquid in N strokes = LAN
Discharge of the liquid in one second= LAN/60

For a double acting pump,

Q = 2LAN/60
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
 Slip
Difference between theoretical discharge and actual
discharge.
Qtheoritical  Qactual
% slip  100
Qtheoritical

 Efficiency

Efficiency   
Useful work done by the pump
Energy expended in producing the work
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE

 Hydraulic efficiency

Hydraulic efficiency  h  
Actual head pumped
Theoritical head

 Volumetric efficiency

Volumetric efficiency  v  
Actual liquid volume pumped
Theoritical value (based on piston displacement )

 Mechanical efficiency

Mechanical efficiency  m  
Horsepower available
Horsepower of the motor
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
 Specific speed of a centrifugal pump
Speed of a geometrically similar pump that would deliver at the
rate of 1 m3/s against a head of 1 m.

Q  D 2 .v

where D = Diameter of the impeller proportional to sqrt(h)/N

v = Velocity of the flow and is proportional to sqrt(h)

Q  h3 / 2 N 2
Q  k h3 / 2 N 2
When Q = 1 m3/s and h = 1 m,
k  Ns
2

N .Q1/ 2
 Ns 
h3 / 4
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
 Power of a pump motor
The power consumed by the motor of a pump is given by:
W .htot W .htot
i. p.  watt  kwatt
  1000
Q  g htot
i. p.  kwatt
 1000
where i.p. = indicated power of the pump
Q = volumetric discharge
η = Overall efficiency
htot = Total head developed by the pump
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
Example 1:
For a centrifugal pump handling water, its manufacturer supplied
following data:
Pump output = 55 m3/h
Head developed = 40 m
Power requirement = 10 kW
Determine:
a) Pump efficiency
b) Head, output and power consumed at N = 1400 rpm considering
efficiency remains constant.
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
Example 2:
A stepped plunger pump handles a liquid. The diameter of the
plunger is 360 mm. The stroke length of the plunger is 480 mm and
its volumetric discharge factor is 0.86. If the speed of rotation of the
crank is 75 rpm, determine the output of the pump.
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
Example 3:
What will be the power required for a motor to be installed for a
pump of following duty:
Liquid handled = 2.5 m3/min
Liquid’s relative density = 1.2
Total head = 60 m
Pump efficiency = 0.65
Transmission efficiency = 0.96
Motor efficiency = 0.95
Now, installed motor power = φ (i.p.)
where φ = Power reserve factor = 1.5 for i.p. = 1 kW
= 1.5 to 1.25 for i.p.= 1-5 kW
= 1.25 to 1.15 for i.p.= 5-50 kW
= 1.12 for i.p. > 50 kW
 MEASUREMENT OF PUMP PERFORMANCE
Example 4:
A centrifugal pump handles water at a rate of 300 dm3/min and
develops a total head of 20 m. Determine whether this pump will be
suitable for delivering a liquid of relative density 1.16 at a rate of 16
m3/h through a pipe of I.D. 70 mm from a collecting tank at
atmospheric pressure to a vessel showing a guage pressure of 0.35
atm.
Given: Geometrical lifting height = 8 m
Equivalent length of the pipeline = 125 m
Friction factor = 0.03
Also, determine motor power needed if the efficiency of the pump
installation is 0.60.