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How to Make a Pump Selection

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Just pick the pump with the highest e ciency! Right?” That’s the line of reasoning most novice pump professionals will follow.
E ciency is king! The most e cient pump will use the least amount of power, and run the best! All of that is true. Except when it
isn’t.

This article is part of Pumps 101, an eleven-part series of articles designed as an introduction to the fundamentals of centrifugal pump design,
selection, and application. To get the most out of Intro to Pumps check out the full series:

1. What is a Centrifugal Pump

2. Volutes, Casings, and Impellers
3. Parts of a Centrifugal Pump
4. Centrifugal Pump Designs
5. How to Read a Pump Curve
6. How to Make a Pump Selection

7. Understanding NPSH
8. How to Size an Electric Motor
9. Using a Pump with a VFD
10. Materials of Construction
11. Pump System Installation

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Sometimes the Design Condition Should NOT Fall at BEP

Sometimes the design condition we’re provided isn’t actually the condition where the pump is expected to operate the majority of
the time. This can be frustrating at times, but it happens because most pump systems are designed around a maximum capacity
requirement. Typically the design condition is a re ection of the maximum capacity. However, for the most part, the maximum
capacity will not be very close to the average or most typical operating conditions.

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In most applications the pump will be expected to operate against a range of heads and not just at a single head condition. A well-
intentioned pump professional selecting a pump on the basis of a single operating condition might pick the most e cient
selection only to nd that it is a terrible t for the customer’s system. Hopefully this will be discovered before the pump is
purchased, and not after a poorly-selected pump has already been installed.

Consider the Entire Pump System

Limiting your pump selection criteria to a single operating condition means taking a huge risk. It’s important to take a “system
approach” to pump selection. What this means is that when making a pump selection realize that every pump operates within a
system that is constantly changing. As a result, no pump operates at a single condition all of the time (except in some rare closed-

loop applications – but we’re going to focus on the other 99.9% of applications).

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In the vast majority of applications the head that the pump will be operating against will change. As a result, the operating point

will change, and the pump will be pumping at a different head and ow than the one for which it was selected. So what can you
do? How do you pick the right pump?

The rst thing to do when provided a single design condition and no additional information is to demand more information. Insist
on knowing the full range of heads and ows that the pump will be expected to produce. In cases where you get pushback to this

request, insist on getting as much information as possible. You’re protecting yourself and your customer by requiring this
information.

Base a Pump Selection on the Most Frequently Encountered Pumping Conditions

Next you need to know the average or most typical operating condition. Where will the pump operate the vast majority of the time?

This is the point that needs to fall at the highest e ciency, and as close to the pump best e ciency point as possible.

Finally, you need to know the range of operating heads that the pump is expected to operate against continuously. What is the

complete range of heads that the pump will be required to pump against? Take the maximum and minimum values and make sure
they fall within the allowable operating range as de ned by the pump manufacturer.

Once you locate a selection that puts the average condition near pumps best e ciency point and keeps the maximum and

minimum head values within the allowable operating range you’ve just made the RIGHT pump selection.

Disaster Averted

Once you’ve made the right pump selection you will still need to verify that you have adequate suction pressure (NPSHa), that

you’ve selected the right pump design for the application, and that the pump is a good t for other application speci cs. Once

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you’ve covered all of these bases you are well on your way to avoiding the mistake of picking the wrong pump.

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Pumps 101 Lessons

What is a Centrifugal Pump

Volutes, Casings, and Impellers

Parts of a Centrifugal Pump

Centrifugal Pump Designs

How to Read a Pump Curve

How to Make a Pump Selection

Understanding NPSH

How to Size an Electric Motor

Use a Pump with a VFD

Materials of Construction

Pump System Installation

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