FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

COURSE WATER ENGINEERING LABORATORY

COURSE CODE ECW341
LEVEL OF OPENNESS 1
CATEGORY PARTIALLY OPEN
DEGREE OF OPEN ENDED 33%
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 1 WEEK
LAB NO 3.4
DETERMINATION OF TURBINE PERFORMANCE AND
TITLE
MEASUREMENT OF PUMP EFFICIENCY, HEAD AND DISCHARGE.

INTRODUCTION

In this laboratory activities, students are exposed to the operation of the

Pelton turbine which the most visually obvious example of an impulsive
machine.

Pump is the device used to move liquids or slurries. Pump can be

combined in series or parallel in order to reach their purpose of installation.

OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the operating characteristics of a Pelton turbine at

various speeds.

2. To determine the head / flow rate characteristics and pump

efficiency under single, series and parallel pump operation

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PREAMBLE
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Conduct the determination of turbine performance and

measurement of pump efficiency, head and discharge laboratory
experiment. (CO1 – PO4)
2. Analyze and interpret the data based on obtained data. (CO2 –
PO6)

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

TURBINE
A spear valve directs a jet of water at a series of buckets which are
mounted on the periphery of a rotor. As the water exiting the spear valve
is at atmospheric pressure, the force exerted on the rotor is entirely due to
changes in the direction of the flow of water. The Pelton turbine is therefore
associated with considerable changes of kinetic energy but little change in

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

pressure energy. The performance curves for a turbine can be derived in

the same way as for a pump, though it is usual to treat the speed (RPM)
as the principal variable when plotting power, efficiency, torque and
discharge.
(1.1)
Water power (power input, 𝑃𝑖 ), 𝑃𝑤 = 𝜌𝑔𝐻𝑄

Where

𝜌 = density of water in kgm-3

𝑔= acceleration due to earth’s gravity in ms-2

𝐻= inlet head in m

𝑠= distance between nozzle and plate

𝑄= volume flow rate or discharge in m3s-1

Mechanical or Braking Power (power output, 𝑃𝑜 ), 𝑃𝑚 = 𝑇 𝑥 𝜔 (1.2)

Where

𝑇= Braking Force x Radius (Nm)

2𝜋𝑁
𝜔= 60
𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠 −1

𝑁= Revolutions per minute (RPM)

Turbine efficiency,
𝑃𝑚 𝑃𝑜 (1.3)
𝜂= 𝑃𝑤
𝑥100 or 𝜂 = 𝑃𝑖
𝑥100

Type number or specific speed,

𝑃 1⁄2
𝑁( 𝑜 ) (1.4)
𝜌
𝑁𝑠 = 60(𝑔𝐻)5⁄4

PUMP
Pump is the device used to move liquids or slurries. Pump can be
combined in series or parallel in order to reach their purpose of
installation. If a single pump does not provide enough flowrate for a

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

given application, connecting two pumps in parallel can rectify the

problem. On the other hand, if a single pump does not provide enough
head for a given application, two pumps connected in series can be
remedy. Pumps are used in almost all aspects of industry and
engineering from feeds to reactors and distillation columns in chemical
engineering to pumping storm sewer in civil and environmental
engineering. They are an integral part of engineering and an
understanding of how they work is important.
(a) Single centrifugal pump

Centrifugal pump is one of the most widely used pumps for transferring
liquids. Centrifugal pump operates as follow: As the prime mover rotates
the driveshaft, the impeller fluid is drawn in axially through the centre
opening of the housing. The fluid then makes a 90o turn and flows radially
outward. As energy is added to the fluid by rotating blades (centrifugal
action and actual blade force), the pressure and velocity increase until the
fluid reaches the outer tip of the impeller. The fluid then enters the volute-
shaped housing whose increased flow area causes the velocity to
decrease. This action results in a decrease in kinetic energy and an
accompanying increase in pressure.
(b) Series pump operation
Pump can be combined in series to obtain an increase in head at the same
flowrate as the single pump.

Figure 2.1 Series Pump Curve Characteristics

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

As shown in Figure 2.1, when two pumps having similar head-flowrate

characteristics are operated in series in combined pump head-flowrate
curve is obtained by adding the head of single pump curve at the same
flowrate.
(c) Parallel pump operation
Pumps can be combined in parallel to obtain in increase in flowrate at the
same head as the single pump.

Figure 2.2 Parallel Pump Curve Characteristics

As shown in Figure 2.2, when two pumps having similar head-flowrate

characteristics are operated in parallel the combined pump head-flowrate
curve is obtained by adding the flowrates of the single pumps at the same
head.
Formula for calculation of variables (in accordance with series and parallel
pump test rig model:FM07A-1)

Power (fluid), (2.1)

Volumetric flow rate,

(2.2)

Pump head, (2.3)

Overall efficiency, (2.4)

** Pressure unit (P1, P2) is Pascal. Unit conversion 1 bar = 100000 Pa

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

1. The Pelton turbine is the most visually obvious example of an

impulse machine. A spear valve directs a jet of water at a series of
buckets which are mounted on the periphery of a rotor. As the
water exiting the spear valve is at atmospheric pressure, the force
exerted on the rotor is entirely due to changes in the direction of
the flow of water. The Pelton turbine is therefore associated with
considerable changes of kinetic energy but little changes in
pressure energy. Thus, obtaining efficiency of a turbine at various
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
speeds are vital to obtain efficiency of a Pelton turbine. The group
is required to determine turbine efficiency at a various speed. From
the results obtained, suggest the optimum conditions for the
turbine.

2. Each group is required to determine the maximum flow rate, pump

head and pump efficiency under single, series and parallel pump
operation.

APPARATUS

1. Pelton turbine with water supply pump set and rope brake type
dynamometer
2. Flow measuring unit – Orifice meter and pressure gauge
3. Piping system
4. Storage tank
5. Hand held tachometer
6. Stopwatch

APPARATUS
WAYS AND MEANS
(Refer to Standard Methods for the
Examination of Water and
Wastewater

Figure 1: Pelton Impulse Turbine

PROCEDURE/METHOD

TURBINE

1) Lower the band brake assembly over the brake drum and adjust the
hand brake for a range of readings on the spring balances

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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

2) Record the spring balance and tachometer readings for each hand
brake setting. Measure the flow rate using a timed volume collection,
record the reading form the inlet pressure gauge.
3) Adjust the flow rate using the spear valve, and repeat the experiment.
Continue to do until you have sets of reading for a variety of different
flow rates.
4) For each flow rate, plot graph of rotational speed n against Torque T,
Brake(mechanical) Power, 𝑃𝑏 and Efficiency, 𝜂𝑡

Data required for this experiment are at least 3 different flowrate.

APPARATUS

PUMP
Pump apparatus as shown in Figure 2 will be used to determine head /
flow rate characteristics and pump efficiency and Figure 3 shows process
diagram for series and parallel pump operation.

APPARATUS
WAYS AND MEANS
(Refer to Standard Methods for the
Examination of Water and
Wastewater

Figure 2 Pump Apparatus

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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

Figure 3 Process Diagram for Series / Parallel Pump

PROCEDURES

1) The circulation tank is filled with water.

2) Make sure V5 is fully close position.
3) Switch on the main power supply.
4) Turn on the main switch on the control panel. Ensure all digital
indicators illuminate.
5) Check for the following valve position in Table 1.

Table 1 Valve Position

Pump Running Fully Open Fully Close
operation Pump Valve Valve
Single Pump 2 V2 V1, V3, V4
Series Both Pump V1, V3 V2, V4
Parallel Both Pump V1, V2, V4 V3

6) Turn on the pump and slowly open V5 until maximum flowrate is

achieved. Follow the experiment procedures to determine the
desired flow rate.
7) Use the pump speed selector switch to monitor the pump speed.
Data required for this experiment are at least 5 different flowrate and pump
head for each 3 different cases (single, series and parallel).

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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

The group is required to submit the technical report of the laboratory

results highlighting the apparatus used, the procedures undertaken for the
RESULT, ANALYSIS
test, data acquisition process, analysis carried out and the relevancy of
CONCLUSION
the set-out output to address the given problem. Discuss the result
outcome in the experiment.

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