ME401A LAB REPORT

Experiment Number : 2
Group Number : B2
Names : Ritik Rohit 160576
Rochak Ranjan Parida 160578
Rohit Narayani 160587
Saboo Mahesh Satish 160595

Date experiment was done on : 08/08/2019

Date of submission of report : 19/08/2019

Series and Parallel Pumps

OBJECTIVE:
1. To investigate the results on discharge and total head of pumps operating in single, series
and parallel configurations at a constant speed.
2. To obtain Head vs Flow Rate characteristics of a centrifugal pump at fixed speed.
INTRODUCTION:
Pump is a machine or mechanical equipment which is required to lift liquid from low
level to high level or to flow liquid from low pressure area to high pressure area or as a booster
in a piping network system. Pumps can be used in process operations that requires a high
hydraulic pressure. This can be seen in heavy duty equipment’s. Often heavy duty equipment’s
requires a high discharge pressure and a low suction pressure. Due to low pressure at suction side
of pump, fluid will lift from certain depth, whereas due to high pressure at discharge side of
pump, it will push fluid to lift until reach desired height.
Pumps generally fall into two categories - Centrifugal pumps and Positive Displacement
pumps. We will use centrifugal pump in the experiment. Centrifugal pumps uses centrifugal
force to develop velocity in the liquid being handled. The velocity is then converted to pressure.
As kinetic energy is decreased, pressure is increased. This pressure difference drives the fluid
through the system or plant.

Schematic diagram of a centrifugal pump

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:
● For single pump:-
In single pump arrangement, the inlet of the pump is connected to the reservoir and the
outlet of the pump feeds the water back to the reservoir. The schematic diagram of single
pump arrangement is shown below, where Q is the Volumetric flow rate.

Schematic diagram of single pump arrangement

● For pumps in series:-

In series operation the discharge of one pump feeds the suction of the second pump. Q
(Volumetric flow rate) remains the same in both pumps and the combined head of the
two pumps is sum of the individual heads of each pump. Series pumps allows for a high
head at comparatively low horsepower.

Schematic diagram for series pump arrangement

 ● For pumps in parallel:-
In parallel operation the flow from the reservoir is divided and fed at two separate inlets
of the pumps. Here the combined head of the pumps is the average of individual heads of
each pump.

Schematic diagram for parallel pump arrangement

WORKING PRINCIPLE:
Centrifugal pumps convert energy supplied from a motor, first into kinetic energy and then into
Potential energy. The motor driving the impeller imparts angular momentum to the fluid passing
Through the impeller vanes in the centrifugal machine. Kinetic energy of the fluid increases at
The outlet due to the spinning of the impeller. This Kinetic energy is then converted into
potential energy (increases head) as the fluid exits the impeller vanes and undergoes diffusion
in the annular area between the impeller and the casing. As the mass flow rate remains constant,
This decrease in velocity produces a corresponding increase in pressure as described by
bernoulli’s equation.
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

● Single Pump:
From the graphs above, we can infer the following conclusions. Total head decreases non
linearly with increase in volume flow rate. Mechanical Power increases with increase in
flow rate initially. It attains a maxima and then start decreasing. Efficiency increases with
increase in flow rate but at later stages, it starts decreasing.

● Series Pumps:
From the graphs above, we can infer the following conclusions. Total head decreases non
linearly with increase in volume flow rate, but total head is more than that in the case of
single pump. Mechanical Power increases with increase in flow rate initially. It attains a
maxima and then start decreasing. Power is greater than a single pump operation.
Efficiency increases with increase in flow rate but at later stages, it starts decreasing.

● Parallel Pumps:
From the graphs above, we can infer the following conclusions. Total head decreases non
linearly with increase in volume flow rate. For the same head, the volume flow rate is
more than that of the single pump operation. Mechanical Power increases with increase in
flow rate initially. It attains a maxima and then start decreasing. Power is least in this case
for the same flow rate. Efficiency increases with increase in flow rate but at later stages,
it starts decreasing.

CONCLUSION
● It is clear that the pumps arrangement as single, series and parallel mode produces
different total head, consumes different mechanical power and exhibits different
efficiencies.
● The advantages of single pump arrangement is that its establishment cost is least, as only
one pump is required.
● The advantages of series arrangement is the high total head it produces.
● The advantages of parallel arrangement is the high efficiency it exhibits.