Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE

School of Engineering
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Estancia, Iloilo

LEARNING MODULE
of

ME ELECTIVE 3
(ME 428)

by
ENGR. JESHTER P. DE ASIS
 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
Estancia, Iloilo

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

ME 428 – ME ELECTIVE 3
S.Y. 2021-2022

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Module 2, Lesson 1
Calculation & Control
Transfer Pump

Prepared by:

ENGR. JESHTER P. DE ASIS

Instructor
Lecture and Discussions

ORIGIN OF THE HORSEPOWER UNIT

Before steam power became widespread

during the Industrial Revolution, horses were
the main source of energy for applications
like pulling carts, turning grinding mill
wheels, and providing movement to
industrial machines. As the availability of
steam engines increased, a means of
providing understandable power ratings
became important. Comparing the power
output of a steam engine to a corresponding
number of horses was an easy way for
prospective engine owners to understand
and compare power ratings. James Watt, an
engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur of the late 1700s, determined that by recording the distance
a horse traveled in a specific time while pulling a known weight against gravitational force, a
measurement could be made of the power the horse produced. After several observations, Watt
concluded that a strong horse could provide 550 foot-pounds per second of power, or one
horsepower (Figure 1).

WATER AND PUMP HORSEPOWER

To fully understand water horsepower, it is important to understand the terminology involved in
deriving such a unit. The term “energy” is defined as the capacity to do work. “Power” is the rate
at which energy flows or at which energy is used per unit of time; it is also the rate at which work
is performed. In other words, power is the amount of energy that is used to do work or how
quickly work can be done. Water horsepower is the minimum power that is required to move the
water (Figure 2). In other words, it is the power that the pump would require if the pump were
100% efficient. The water horsepower can be determined if the flow rate of the water and the
force (pressure) required to produce that flow are known.

The following formula can be used to calculate water horsepower (WHP).

WHP = HQ / 3960
Where H is the change in pressure measured in height
of water in feet and Q is the water flow rate in gallons
per minute.
This equation was derived knowing that one
horsepower is equal to 550 ft-lb/s.

For example, if an irrigation pump located at ground

level is pumping 460 gallons of water per minute from
a well whose water level is 112 feet below the ground
level and discharging that water at ground level, the
water horsepower that the pump is delivering is:

WHP = (112 x 460) / 3960 = 13.0

So, the pump is providing 13.0 WHP when it lifts water
112 feet at a rate of 460 gallons per minute.
 PUMP EFFICIENCY
No pump can convert all of its mechanical power into waterpower. Mechanical power is lost in
the pumping process due to friction and other physical losses. It is because of these losses that
the horsepower going into the pump must be greater than the water horsepower leaving the
pump. The efficiency of any given pump (η) is a ratio defined as the water horsepower out divided
by the mechanical horsepower into the pump.

η = water hp out / hp into pump 0 < η < 1

If the pump in the last example uses 17.0 HP to provide 13.0 WHP, the pump efficiency is:
η = 13 / 17 = 0.76 or 76%

The pump is 76% efficient, and 24% of the input energy is lost to friction and other losses. Most
modern pumps have an efficiency of 50 to 85%.

When choosing a pump, it is important to consider the relationship between efficiency and overall
cost. More efficient pumps tend to be more expensive. However, with better efficiency comes
lower fuel costs to run the pump. Although more efficient pumps usually come with an increase
in capital cost, the overall fuel consumption will be lower, resulting in lower annual fuel or
electricity costs.

It should also be noted that the discussion in the previous paragraphs was for a pump properly
sized for the application. If the pump does not match the application, it may have to operate in
an inefficient range, and fuel or electricity will be wasted. Consult with a Professional Engineer or
a pump supplier if you have questions about a specific pump or application.

Transfer Pump
A transfer pump is a device that makes it easy to move fluids and other materials. Transfer pumps
create suction, which carries the liquid from one point to another.
Transfer pumps transfer fluids (water and oil) and gases (gasoline, butane gas, oxygen, and
nitrogen). Besides moving fluids from one place to another, transfer pumps are also helpful for
non-liquid materials like dust or sand.
Transfer pumps suit applications where continuous flow helps to remove material from specific
areas or supply material to these areas. It makes them great for large industrial scale uses such
as on a farm.

Different Kinds of Transfer Pumps

There are many types of transfer pumps, and what you need will depend on what you're
transferring and where it needs to go. Typically, these pumps are categorized by their use:
sewage pipes need a sewage pump, water needs a water pump, fuel needs a fuel transfer pump,
and so forth. But they are also organized by their mechanisms. Below is an overview of common
types:
Fuel Transfer Pump
Fuel pumps to transfer fuel from one place to another while
leaving unwanted components behind, using a filtration
method. What these pumps do varies, but they all have one
thing in common: they help you make moving fluids easier.
Some of these transfer pumps can be moved from place to
place, while others are stationary.

Diesel Transfer Pump

Diesel transfer pumps are a convenient tool for
those who need to move diesel fuel from one
place to another. There are different kinds of
diesel transfer pumps, including those that can
be assembled on-site by the user and those that
come pre-assembled.

Water Pump
Water transfer pumps move large volumes of water from
one place to another, be it a well, a reservoir, or even a
fountain. The application of these transfer pumps is
dependent on the specifications needed by their users.

They generally work well with water quality requirements as

they require high pressure. Also, some water transfer pump
applications require electrical energy while others run on
pressure only.

Oil Pump
Oil transfer pumps are also known as oil suction pumps.
These transfer pumps extract oil from one place and transfer
it to another, including stationary ones. Others are movable
by the user.

Sewage Pump
These transfer systems transfer solid waste and liquid from septic
tanks or cesspools into inlets leading to the public sewer system.
 Types of Pumps by Mechanism
Choosing the right industrial pump also depends not only on what's moved but how the pump
moves the fluid around. These are larger than household pumps and can have many moving
parts.
They also do not tend to be very portable and need to be installed in one spot for the duration.
Some of the different types include electric, hand, submersible, centrifugal, and plunger pumps.

Electric Pump
There are many different electric pumps, including air, displacement, and centrifugal. Electric
pumps are ideal for jobs that require continuous flow. These pumps are also quiet, which is
essential for many industrial jobs.

Air Pump
Air pumps move air from a tank to a pressurized area, a compressed air line, a vacuum line, or
an aerosol container. They use the same basic principle as car air conditioning systems: pushing
air through the system and forcing it out of the way (think of your car's A/C system). Because
these are stationary, they only must work while they're in one place.

Displacement Pump
Displacement pumps can move fluids from one place to
another through pipes and hoses. These pumps work by
creating a vacuum with the liquid on one side of the pump
and forcing it to the other side, but not pumping fluids
through pipes.

Centrifugal Pump
These pumps have one moving part called an
impeller. The impeller spins and forces fluids
against a barrier, which creates a centripetal
force that then sends the fluid through pipes or
hoses.

Submersible Pump
These ‘sub pumps” are best for general cleaning, sewage, and
groundwater removal. They require a tight seal around the
pump for water to stay contained inside the unit. They are often
used as basement pups or in boats to remove excess water that
accumulates at the bottom.
Plunger Pump
Plunger pumps use suction to move fluids up and out of wells,
tanks, or other containers. They do this by creating a vacuum
that draws the liquid up through the center hole of its suction
cups and then sends it out through its discharge point.

Hand Pump
A hand pump transfers fluid from a convenient location to the
location where it is needed. It is portable, and the user needs
to move it from one place to another physically. As the name
implies, these manual pumps are operated by hand instead of
a motor.

Drum Pump
Drum pumps are non-electric pumps which are used for
pumping out liquids from barrels and drums. Drum pumps,
or barrel pumps, are manually powered, high-capacity,
positive displacement pumps. They are used to pump
lubricating oils, fuel oil, solvents, waste water and other non-
corrosive fluids, from barrels, tanks and drums. They have
the capability to pump out liquid from any bottom surface of
a drum.
These are just some of the different types of pumps out
there. Always research the type of transfer pump that will
work best for you before you buy it or install it. Consider your specifications and make sure you
consider where the pump needs installing when looking at different manufacturer's products.

End of Module 2, Lesson 1

Prepared by:

ENGR. JESHTER P. DE ASIS

Instructor