TI 2001

2. Hydraulic unit 2006.07.10

dofkabu

Pump, motor and total efficiency M-Technical Dept

Project firms often use their standard spec-sheet when sending out requests for submersible
centrifugal pumps. Very often these spec-sheets specifically ask to enclose efficiency curves or
pump-power curves, because they were once created with the selection of stationary end-suction
pumps in mind (pump and motor as two separate units on a base plate, similar to domestic pump).

For end-suction pumps the power and efficiency curves are important for a correct motor size
selection. One particular pump-end is often used to attend to a wide range of duty points (flow @
head) by selecting a bigger or smaller motor, according to the requirement. Generally power
demand for centrifugal pumps steadily increases with increasing flow (see figure).

So if this pump was selected for a duty Ficticious Stationary End-Suction Pump
=NMM
point of 60 l/s @ 81 meters, the motor
output power should at least be 76 kW. =UM
eÉ~Ç=EãF
The same pump could be used to pump =SM
90 l/s @ 68 meters, but the motor
=QM
should be sized acordingly, at least 102
kW. =OM

=M
=M =OM =QM =SM =UM =NMM
The total energy needed to lift a certain cäçï=EäLëF
ammount of liquid, in a certain time, to a =NOM
mìãé=mçïÉê=mO=EâtF

certain height, irrespective of whether it =NMM

is done by a man carrying a bucket, a =UM

mule carrying a reservoir, or indeed a =SM

pump, is called the hydraulic power P3 =QM

and is calculated as follows: =OM
P3= ρ [kg/l] · Q [l/s]· H [m] · 9,81 , =M
with ρ the specific gravity, Q the flow =M =OM =QM =SM =UM =NMM

and H the head.

So, in our second example: P3=1 (water) · 90 [l/s] · 68 [m] · 9,81 [m/s2] = 60 037 Watt= 60 kW.

Please note that this is significantly less than the power needed by the pump, 102 kW. This is due
to the limited efficiency of the pump. Hydraulic (turbulance) and mechanical (friction) losses in the
centrifugal pump, cause that not every kW delivered to the pump shaft, will be converted in useful
hydraulic power. Only a portion of the power is converted, in this case: P3 / P2 = 60 kW / 102 kW =
0,588 or 58,8 % of the shaft power is =TM
bÑÑáÅáÉåÅó=mP=L=mO=EBF

converted into hydraulic power. This is =SM

called the efficiency of the centrifugal =RM

=QM
pump which mostly depends on impeller =PM
design. The pump efficiency also varies =OM
with flow, reaching its maximum around =NM

what is usually called the BEP or ‘Best =M

=M =OM =QM =SM =UM =NMM
Efficiency Point’. cäçï=EäLëF

The use of P3 and P2 suggests that there must also exist a P1. The same efficiency consideration
applies to electric motors. Not every kW that is supplied to an electric motor, is converted into
usefull shaft power. The related motor efficiency can be expressed as P2 / P1. So sumarizing all
efficiencies schematically:

Electric Power P1 Shaft/Pump Power P2 Hydraulic Power P3

Motor Pump

P2 P3
EffMOTOR = Eff PUMP =
P1 P2
The total efficiency for pump and motor together can be expressed as:
P3 P3 P2
Eff PUMP +MOTOR = = ⋅ = Eff PUMP ⋅ Eff MOTOR
P1 P2 P1

In the case of GRINDEX pumps the pump-part is always directly coupled to the motor and there is
no variation. The same type of pump will always have the same motor, which will be dimensioned
for the entire pump curve that is plotted in the technical information.

So for GRINDEX pumps there is no need for pump efficiency figures or pump power curves,
since the the only power of importance is the absorbed power P1, which is stated in the pump data
sheets.
j~í~Ççê=k=PJéÜ~ëÉ=RMeò

One could draw up total efficiency curves, =QR

=QM
calculating P3 for several points, dividing it =PR

by P1 and sketch the resulting datapoints, eÉ~Ç=EãF =PM

=OR
as done in the lower figure to the right. =OM
=NR
=NM
We strongly discourage our distributors =R

to publish or submit calculated total =M

=M =NM =OM =PM =QM =RM =SM =TM =UM =VM =NMM

efficiency curves. cäçï=EäLëF

^ÄëçêÄÉÇ=mçïÉê=mN=EâtF

=OR

=OM
The reason being that the aforementioned
project firms are used to stipulating minium =NR

pump efficiency requirements, which are =NM

not the same as the calculated total =R

efficiency. =M
=M =NM =OM =PM =QM =RM =SM =TM =UM =VM =NMM
cäçï=EäLëF
For example, if the consulting firm requires =NMM

65% minimum pump efficiency, the Matador

ηãçíçêHéìãé=EBF

=UM
pump from the example on the right would
=SM
be disqualified based on the total efficiency
curve (the customer usually interprets the =QM

total efficiency curve as a pump efficiency =OM

curve, which is not correct). Now, assume =M

=M =OM =QM =SM =UM =NMM
that the electric motor for the Matador pump cäçï=EäLëF
has a 80% efficiency (which is not at all
unrealistic for motors of this size), the real pump efficiency could be obtained:

Eff PUMP +MOTOR EffPUMP +MOTOR

EffPUMP = =
EffMOTOR 0,80
Then the maximum pump efficiency (in the
=NMM
Best Efficiency Point) would be: 0,60 / 0,80 mìãéHjçíçê=ÉÑÑáÅáÉåÅó=mPLmN
mìãé=ÉÑÑáÅáÉåÅó=ïáíÜ=bÑÑãçíçêZUMB
ηãçíçêHéìãé=EBF

= 0,75 or 75% which is actually a lot bettter =UM

than the requirement. =SM

=QM
Since the motor efficiency varies with =OM
load, and we do not have these data for our
=M
electric motors (they are not necessary =M =OM =QM =SM =UM =NMM
cäçï=EäLëF
since we have the P1 curves), we cannot
supply pump efficiency curves.