Pumps in Oil and Gas Industry (Basics)

Presentation Outline
u Pumps Classifications
u Positive Displacement Pumps
v Reciprocating Pumps
v Reciprocating Pumps Components
v Rotary Pumps
u Dynamic Pumps
v Centrifugal Pump Working Principle
v Centrifugal Pump Classifications
v Centrifugal Pump Main Components
v Cavitation Problem
Pumps Classifications
Pumps Classifications

u Positive Displacement Pump (PDP): They displace fixed v High pressure

amount of liquid from suction to discharge. It gives very compare to DP.
high pressure at low flowrate. Example: Fluid power
v Low flowrate
application (pumping oil)
compare to DP.
v Handle heavy liquid
such as oil.
u Dynamic Pumps (DP): They work to increase the
kinetic energy of the flow which is converted to v Low pressure
pressure. It gives vary large flowrate at low pressure. compare to PDP.
Example: Water transportation v High flowrate
compare to PDP.
v Handle light liquid
such as water.
Positive Displacement Pumps

u Positive Displacement Pump (PDP): They transfer fluid by trapping fixed

amount of volume to close cavity and forcing (displacing) that trapped volume
into the discharge.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Reciprocating Pump
u Reciprocating Pumps: They operate with back-and-forth
motion and consequently having fluctuating discharge.
The are highly suitable for precision metering purposes
(because of the close fit).
Positive Displacement Pumps
Reciprocating Pump: Piston Pump
u Piston Pump: It is pump consists of piston which moves in
forth and back motion (reciprocating motion) inside a
cylinder. The pumped fluid is filled in the intake stroke
and discharged in the discharge stroke. It is shown in the
figure below.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Reciprocating Pump: Piston Pump
u Piston Pump: it available in two operating mode which are
single acting and double acting
1. Single acting: discharge on either the forward or return stroke of
the piston or plunger; every cycle of the pump displaces only one
volume of liquid.
2. Double acting: liquid is discharged on both the forward and return
stroke of the piston.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Reciprocating Pump: Plunger Pump
u Plunger Pump: It is pump consists of plunger which moves
in forth and back motion (reciprocating motion) inside a
cylinder. The cylinder is filled with pumped fluid in the
inboard stroke and discharged in the outboard stroke.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Reciprocating Pump: Diaphragm Pump
u Diaphragm Pump: It is pump consists of diaphragms which work with reciprocating
motion. Diaphragms are forced into that motion by mechanical linkage and
compressed air/fluid. The pumped fluid isolated from source of energy which
reduces the possibility of leakage.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Rotary Pump
u Rotary Pumps: they operate on the principle that a rotating vane, screw, or gear
traps the liquid in the suction side of the pump casing and forces it to the
discharge side of the casing. These pumps are self-priming due to their capability
of removing air from suction lines and producing a high suction lift. They work
with minimum clearance between the casing and the rotating parts.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Rotary Pump: Gear Pump
u Gear Pumps: It consists of two meshing gears that rotate inside a
fit casing. As the teeth separate, the space between them
increases and sucks a certain amount of liquid. The trapped liquid
moves with the teeth till they get in contact again and the space
between them become zero. There are two main types:
u External gear pump: turning gears trap fluid between the gear teeth
and casing.
u Internal gear pump: inside the casing are two gears, one rotates within
the circumference of the other gear.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Rotary Pump: Gear Pump
Positive Displacement Pumps
Rotary Pump: Screw Pump
u Screw Pumps: is equipped with screws that mesh together and
rotate within a cylindrical cavity or liner. The fluid enters from the
suction side of the pump and moves linearly along these
intermeshing screws to the discharge side of the pump. The
clearances between the screws and the liner are very small hence
the fluid gains pressure while moving through the pump.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Rotary Pump: Lobe Pump
u Lobe Pumps: It consists of two meshing lobes that rotate inside a fit casing. It is
like the external gear pump in terms of operation. the lobes don’t contact with
each other like what happened in gear pump. Lobe contact is prevented by
external timing gears located in the gearbox.
Positive Displacement Pumps
Rotary Pump: Vanes Pump
u Vanes Pumps: The pump consists of a cylindrically bored housing with a suction
inlet on one side and a discharge outlet on the other. The vanes trap liquid or
gas on the suction side and carry it to the discharge side. There are two main
types:
u Sliding-vane pump: it uses vanes that are held against the casing bore by centrifugal
force when the rotor is turned. Liquid trapped between two vanes is carried around
and forced out the pump discharge.
u Flexible-vane pump: works exactly the same as sliding-vane but the vanes are
flexible.
Dynamic Pumps
u Dynamic Pump (DP): They work to increase the kinetic energy of the flow
which is converted to pressure. It gives vary large flowrate at low pressure.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pumps Working Principle
u Centrifugal Pump: It works to convert the kinetic energy of the fluid to
pressure energy by reducing the area in volute. Impeller works to change the
drive force into kinetic energy then the casing will convert the kinetic energy
into pressure by reducing the area.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pumps Classifications
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pumps Classifications (Based on Position)

u Horizontal Centrifugal Pump: the shaft is the horizontal position.

u Vertical Centrifugal Pump: the shaft is vertical and the suction and discharge
of the pump are inline at same level.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pumps Classifications (Based on Stages)
u Single Centrifugal Pump: it has only one pumping stage to raise the pressure
of the fluid.
u Multi-stages Centrifugal Pump: it consists of more then one pumping stage to
raise the pressure of the fluid.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pumps Classifications (Based on Case split)

u Radial-split case Centrifugal Pump: the casing is split along the radius of the
shaft.
u Axial-split case Centrifugal Pump: the casing is split along the horizontal axis
of the shaft.
 Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
Casing Cover
First Stage Impeller
Axial Thrust Balance
Radial Bearing

Mechanical Seal

Shaft

Thrust Bearing

Barrel
Pump Inner Cartridge Assembly

Impellers & Wear Plate

Diffusers
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Impeller: It works to change the drive force into kinetic energy by the
centrifugal acceleration to the fluid particles.
u Classification based on impeller shape:
1. Closed.
2. Semi-Open.
3. Open.

v Used for large v Used for liquid v Faster than others.

pumps. with solids. v Easy to clean.
v Difficult to clean. v Low efficiency. v Sensitive to wear
v For clean liquid. v Can pass solids.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Impeller: It works to change the drive force into kinetic energy by the
centrifugal acceleration to the fluid particles.
u Classification based on Flow:
1. Axial flow.
2. Radial flow.
3. Mixed flow.

v Right angle to v With angle from v parallel to the shaft.

shaft. 0deg to 90deg. v Low pressure & high
v High pressure & v Mid-pressure & flowrate.
low flow rate. Mid-flowrate.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Impeller: It works to change the drive force into kinetic energy by the
centrifugal acceleration to the fluid particles.
u Classification based on blades curving:
1. Forward curving.
2. Radial.
3. Backward curving.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Casing: it converts the kinetic energy into pressure by reducing the area.
u Classifications based on casing shape:
1. Volute Casing.
2. Circular Casing.

v Used to build v Used for lower

higher head and higher
head/pressure. flow capacity.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Casing: it converts the kinetic energy into pressure by reducing the area.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Volute Casing: is a curved funnel increasing in area to the discharge port . As
the area of the cross-section increases, the volute reduces the velocity and
increases the pressure of the liquid.
u Circular Casing: have stationary diffusion vanes surrounding the impeller
periphery that convert velocity energy to pressure energy. Conventionally, the
diffusers are applied to multi-stage pumps.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
• Wear Ring: Wearing rings are replaceable rings
that are attached to the impeller and/or the
pump casing to allow a small running clearance
between the impeller and the pump casing
without causing wear of the actual impeller or
pump casing material.

• Balance Drum: In any centrifugal pump, each

impeller tends to produces some amount of
thrust because of different pressures and
different geometries on the two sides of the
impeller. In a high pressure multistage pump the
number of impellers is high, thus the net thrust
would be too large. The two main ways to
reduce the net thrust are to oppose the
impellers or to use a balance disc/drum. For axial
split pumps, it is usually most economic to oppose the
impellers, but axial split cases tend to have an upper
pressure limit. So instead, they point all the impellers
in the same direction and use a balance disk or drum
on the end. A balancing line is routed from the other 30

side of the balancing device to the suction of the fist

stage impeller.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
Balance Drum and balance line mechanism

P(Net_Shaft) =P4-P0

P(Net_Drum)
31
=P4-P0
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Shaft and Sleeves: shaft works to transfer energy from motor to impeller. It is
made of high carbon steel or stainless steel. The sleeves carries the
mechanical seal.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Bearings: they work normally to hold the shaft and reduce the friction while
rotating. The bearings in the centrifugal pump hold the shaft which supports
load along the axis of the shaft called thrust loads, and loads along the radius
of the shaft , called radial loads.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Bearings housing: contains the bearings and works to ensure that the bearing
is mounted on the shaft. It also includes oil reservoir for lubrication purposes.
u Oil Ring: metallic ring with bigger diameter than the shaft which is used to
take the oil from underneath oil reservoir and deposits it to the shaft and the
bearings.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Mechanical Coupling: makes a connection between two rotating shafts from
the driver, and the driven, transmitting power and torque to the impeller.
u Classifications :
1. Rigid: are used in applications where there is absolutely no possibility for any
misalignment.
2. Flexible: allows small amount of misalignment. (this one used in pumps)
Coupling Hubs

Coupling Spacer
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
u Stuffing box: encloses packing and mechanical seal.
u Packing: made of woven fiber and some type of lubricant placed around the
shaft to prevent leakage from the stuffing box.
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
Dynamic Pumps
Centrifugal Pump Main Components
Sulzer Crude Oil Export Pump – Cavitation

Cavitation: This process of the formation and subsequent collapse of vapor bubbles.
Types of cavitation:
1. Suction cavitation: When the local pressure dopes below saturation pressure (vapor
pressure), vapor bubbles with high kinetic energy will form. Vapor bubbles swept along
the impeller vanes by the flow of the fluid. When the bubbles enter a region where local
pressure is greater than saturation pressure farther out the impeller vane, the vapor
bubbles abruptly collapse
2. Discharge cavitation: At extremely high discharge pressure, some fluid circulates inside
the pump instead of discharging. Fluid trapped between impeller and housing at very high
velocity cause a drop in pressure, creating the same conditions as for suction cavitation.

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Sulzer Crude Oil Export Pump – Cavitation
Sulzer Crude Oil Export Pump – Cavitation
Sulzer Crude Oil Export Pump – Cavitation

• How to avoid Cavitation? the pressure of the fluid at all points within the pump must remain above
saturation pressure/vapor pressure.
• There are two configuration of centrifugal pump moving liquid from tank:
1. Suction Lift
2. Suction Head
Sulzer Crude Oil Export Pump – Cavitation

• What is Bernoulli principle? The total mechanical energy of the moving fluid comprising the gravitational
potential energy of elevation, the energy associated with the fluid pressure and the kinetic energy of the
fluid motion, remains constant.
• What is Bernoulli equation? It is an equation relates velocity, elevation, and pressure in a flow field. This
equation results from the energy equation.

• Applying Bernoulli equation to Suction lift and Suction head configurations.

Suction Lift Suction Head
Sulzer Crude Oil Export Pump – Cavitation

• What is NPSH? NPSH stands for Net Positive Suction Head, and there is two terms related to it which are
1. NPSHr: Net Positive Section Head Required (the minimum suction head to avoid cavitation).
2. NPSHa: Net Positive Section Head Available (Absolute suction head available at the pump
suction/inlet.

• To avoid Cavitation:
1. Decrease the fluid temperature.
2. Decrease the pipe length from the tank to the pump.
3. Increase the pipe diameter.
4. Increase the suction head and decrease the suction lift.
5. Decrease fittings number.