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Effects of Pump Oversizing
Effects of Pump Oversizing
HANDBOOK
Effects of Oversizing
BY: IGOR J. KARASSIK
O
FIGURE 1
of power waste is the prac- head-capacity curve
tice of oversizing a pump with the system-
by selecting design condi- head curve, as long H – Q Curve
tions with excessive margins in as the available System-
Head Curve
both capacity and total head. It is NPSH is equal to or
strange on occasion to encounter a exceeds the required
great deal of attention being paid NPSH (Figure 1).
to a one-point difference in effi- To change this op-
Head
ciency between two pumps while erating point in an
at the same time potential power existing installation
savings are ignored through an requires changing
overly conservative attitude in either the head-
selecting the required conditions capacity curve or
the system-head Capacity
of service.
curve, or both. The Pump H-Q curve superimposed on system-head
POWER CONSUMPTION first can be accom- curve
After all, we are not primarily plished by varying
interested in efficiency; we are the speed of the
more interested in power con- pump (Figure 2), or FIGURE 2
sumption. Pumps are designed to its impeller dia-
Head-Capacity
convert mechanical energy from a meter while the at Full Speed
(N1)
driver into energy within a liquid. second requires System-
Head Curve
This energy within the liquid is altering the friction Head-Capacity
at Full Speed H1
needed to overcome friction loss- losses by throttling (N2)
Head-Capac
es, static pressure differences and a valve in the pump ity at Full Sp
eed (N ) H2
3 H
discharge (Figure
Head
% Efficiency
us about 4% margin in capacity,
160 which is sufficient. To limit the
flow to 2700 gpm, we will still
140 have to throttle the pump slightly
90 and our system head curve will
become curve C. The power con-
Static Head
sumption at 2700 gpm will now be
200 80
only 145 bhp instead of the 165 bhp
required with our first overly con-
180 70 servative selection. This is a very
er
lle
r
mp
lle
pe
3 / 4"
Im no longer need a 200 hp motor. A
Q1
4
4 3/
14
150 hp motor will do quite well.
η−
Q
η−
Q1
140 er 50
ell
η−
B.H.P.