TP – CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

I. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

The set-up allows the study of hydraulic circuits with centrifugal pumps. A set of valves makes it possible to use either an isolated
pump or two pumps in parallel or in series (figure 1). The flowrates just downstream each pump are measured with rotameters
(a special type of flowmeters). The pressures are measured by Bourdon gauges. One of the pumps (pump 1) is equipped with a
rotation speed controller with digital display (1% accuracy) and with a balance in order to measure the power consumption.

Fig. 1: schema with the pumps, valves, flowmeters and manometers on the experimental set-up

Connect the main power plug and then turn on the panel by pressing the green button (the white power-on LED should light up).
Pumps 1 and 2 are switched on with spinning switches labelled ‘on / off’. The rotation speed of the shaft of the pump 1 can be
varied with the potentiometer. Finally, to stop the system, close all valves first, stop the pumps and then turn off the electrical
cabinet.

II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

The dynamic head (‘hauteur manométrique totale’) of a pump is defined as

()*+,-./012 3(45-./012
𝐻. 𝑀. 𝑇 = ,
67

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with 𝑃:;<=>?@A (𝑃B or 𝑃C ) the flow’s pressure upstream the pump and 𝑃DEFG<=>?@A (𝑃H or 𝑃I ) the pressure downstream it. 𝜌 is
the density of water (∼ 1000𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚 3C ) and 𝑔 is the modulus of gravity acceleration (9.8𝑚/𝑠 H ). The units of pressure are Pascals
(𝑃𝑎) and for the 𝐻. 𝑀. 𝑇 meters.

Measurement of the motor’s torque.

Diameter of pumps impellers: 𝐷 = 0.104𝑚

𝑋
𝑡𝑔(𝜃) = , 𝐶 = 𝑀𝑔𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃)
𝐻

𝑀 = 695𝑔

𝐶: torque made by the motor’s shaft

𝑀: mass of the block on the lever
𝐿: distance axis-mass
𝜃: angle of the lever

Mechanic power at the end of the shaft: 𝑃A = 2𝜋𝑁𝐶.

Hydraulic power of the pump: 𝑃^ = 𝜌𝑔𝐻𝑀𝑇𝑄` .
Pump’s efficiency: 𝜂 = 𝑃^ /𝑃A .

III. STUDY OF THE PUMP 1 ALONE

The purpose of this part of the TP is to plot the characteristic curve of the pump 1: dynamic head as a function of the flowrate
(𝐻𝑀𝑇(𝑄)), as well as the efficiency curve as a function of the flowrate 𝜂(𝑄). The flowrate is varied for each rotational speed of
the motor.

1 - What are the positions (open, intermediate, or closed) that must be imposed on the different valves?

2 - After positioning the valves, turn on the pump 1. A potentiometer allows the adjustment of the motor speed. The valve 𝑉C
allows to vary the flowrate. For 4 rotation speeds (𝑁 = 2000, 2300, 2600 𝑎𝑛𝑑 2900 𝑟𝑝𝑚), and different flowrate values
(between 0 and 2600𝑙/ℎ), measure the upstream and downstream pressures 𝑃B and 𝑃H , the flowrate 𝑄` and the distance 𝑋.

3 – Plot on the same figure the characteristic curves of the dynamic head as a function of the flowrate (𝐻𝑀𝑇(𝑄` )) for all rotational
speeds 𝑁.

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4 - For each rotation speed, plot the curve 𝐻𝑀𝑇(𝑄` ) and the curve 𝜂(𝑄` ) on the same figure. What is the 𝐻𝑀𝑇 which
corresponds to the maximum efficiency of the pump? Give some practical applications where these pumps may be useful.

5 - We can define a dynamic coefficient 𝜇 and a flowrate coefficient 𝜑:

𝑔𝐻𝑀𝑇 𝑄`
𝜇= H H
; 𝜑 = C
𝐷 𝑁 𝐷 𝑁

The standard operation of turbomachines presupposes the existence of a function 𝜇 = 𝐺(𝜑); 𝐺 being a function to be determined
by experience.

• For all rotational speeds, plot the curves 𝜇 = 𝐺(𝜑) on the same graph.
• Does experience confirm the rules of similarity, that is, the existence of the function 𝐺 represented by a single curve?
• Indicate the practical interest of these similarity laws.

IV. STUDY OF THE PUMP 2 ALONE

The purpose of this part of the lab work is to estimate the rotational speed of the pump 2.

1 - What are the positions (open, intermediate, or closed) that must be imposed on the different valves?
Position the valves and start the pump. 2. Measure the upstream and downstream pressures (𝑃C and 𝑃I ) and the flowrate 𝑄`H .

2- For different flowrates, measure the pressure upstream and downstream (𝑃C and 𝑃I ). Calculate and plot 𝐻𝑀𝑇(𝑞` ).

3 - Compare the results with those of pump 1 alone and deduce the speed of rotation of the pump 2 (assuming that the two pumps
are identical).

V. STUDY OF BOTH PUMPS CONNECTED IN SERIES

The purpose of this section is to check the advantage of coupling pumps in series.

1 - What are the positions (open, intermediate, or closed) that must be imposed on the different valves?
Place the various valves in position, then operate both pumps 1 and 2 at the same rotation speed.

2 – Check the values of the different pressures (𝑃B , 𝑃H , 𝑃C and 𝑃I ) and of the flowrates 1 and 2. Perform several measurements
for different flowrates by manipulating the valve (𝑉w ). Keep both pumps at the same rational speed. Show that this configuration
makes it possible to estimate the errors on the flowrate measurements.

3 - Draw the curves (dynamic head vs flowrate) for the pump 1 (𝐻𝑀𝑇B (𝑄`B )), the pump 2 (𝐻𝑀𝑇H (𝑄`H )) and the two pumps
connected (𝐻𝑀𝑇x (𝑄`= )). Compare these results and show the practical interest of coupling pumps in series; we remark that this
coupling is not widely used, as it is more advantageous to install a multi-cell pump arrays (several impellers in a single pump
body).

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VI. STUDY OF BOTH PUMPS CONNECTED IN PARALLEL

The purpose of this section is to check the advantage of coupling pumps in parallel.

1 - What are the positions (open, intermediate, or closed) that must be imposed on the different valves?
Place the various valves in position, then operate both pumps 1 and 2 at the same rotation speed.

2 - Check the values of the different pressures (𝑃B , 𝑃H , 𝑃C and 𝑃I ) and of the flowrates 1 and 2. Perform several measurements for
different flowrates by manipulating the valve (𝑉w ). Keep both pumps at the same rational speed.

3 - Draw the curves (dynamic head vs flowrate) for the pump 1 (𝐻𝑀𝑇B (𝑄`B )), the pump 2 (𝐻𝑀𝑇H (𝑄`H )) and the two pumps
connected (𝐻𝑀𝑇x (𝑄`= ), check that 𝐻𝑀𝑇x ∼ 𝐻𝑀𝑇B ). Compare these results and show the practical interest of coupling pumps in
parallel.