PUMP EFFICIENCY

GORMAN-RUPP 2000
TECHNICAL SESSIONS
MOHICAN LODGE
MANSFIELD, OHIO

MAY 22, 2000

Presented By: Michael J. Gillespie

Envirep, Inc.
HYDRAULIC EFFICIENCY

Most Important
Clean Water
Large Flows
Continuous Operation

Least Important
Wastewater or Sludge
Smaller Flows
Intermittent Operation
When pumping wastewater, or other solids
laden liquids other efficiencies need to be
considered including:

• Non-clogging efficiency
• Unclogging efficiency
• Repair efficiency
• Operational efficiency
“Pump Handbook,” Karassik et al, 1989,
Second Edition, p. 9.29

“Actually, no pump has been developed

that cannot clog, either in the pump or at
its appurtenances. Experience shows that
rope, long stringy rags, sticks, cans, rubber
and plastic goods, and grease are objects
most conducive to clogging.”
 FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION
• Capital Cost
• Hydraulic Efficiency
• Ease of Design
• Hydraulic Characteristics–
Pump Curve, NPSH
• Sphere Size Capability
• Ability to Pass Solids
• Ease of Unclogging
• Ease of Maintenance
• Reliability
• Life Expectancy
• Compatibility with Existing
Equipment
• Availability of Parts
• Cost of Parts
• Availability of Service
• Familiarity of Operators with
Equipment
• Ease of Maintenance
• Hydraulic Flexibility
• Ability to Maintain Efficiency
• Operator Safety
 PUMP EFFICIENCY BASICS
DEFINITIONS
Webster’s Dictionary Definition of Efficiency
Efficiency - 1: the quality or degree of being efficient;
2 a: efficient operation b (1): effective operation as
measured by a comparison of production with cost
(as in energy, time, money) (2): the ratio of useful
energy delivered by a dynamic system to the energy
supplied to it.
 WIRE TO WATER EFFICIENCY
Electric
Meter KW = GPM x TDH, ft x s.g. x .746
3960 x PE x CE x ME x VE x WE
Wiring (WE) 1-3%
Losses

VFD (VE) 2-10%

Losses

Motor (ME) 10-25% Motor Input HP = GPM x TDH, ft x s.g.

Losses 3960 x PE x CE x ME

Coupling (CE) 1-5%

Losses

Pump (PE) 30-60% Brake HP = GPM x TDH, ft x s.g.

Losses 3960 x PE
Hydraulic GPM x TDH, ft x s.g.
Water HP =
Energy
3960
 THEORETICAL VS ACTUAL PUMP
PERFORMANCE CURVE

H
E
A
D

FLOW
CIRCULATORY FLOW IN A CONTAINER
CIRCULATORY FLOW IN IMPELLER
 LOSSES NOT ALWAYS SHOWN ON
MANUFACTURER’S PERFORMANCE CURVES
DRY PIT PUMPS
Suction Elbow

Discharge Increaser

Mechanical Couplings

Bearing Frame

Packing or Mechanical Seal

Pillow Block Bearings on Vertical Open

Shaft Pumps

Water Seal System

Ref: “Don’t Lose The Pump Efficiency Game,” Operations Forum, Earle C.
Smith, May, 1989
 LOSSES NOT ALWAYS SHOWN ON
MANUFACTURER’S PERFORMANCE CURVES
SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS

Friction across Pump Discharge

Connection

Leakage from Pump Discharge

Connection

Motor Efficiency

Power Cable

Ref: “Don’t Lose The Pump Efficiency Game,” Operations Forum, Earle C.
Smith, May, 1989
 OPTIMUM PUMP DESIGN FOR
HYDRAULIC EFFICIENCY
Impeller with many thin vanes
Impeller with sharp vane edges
Enclosed impeller
Impeller and volute designed for specific flow and head condition
Dynamically balanced impeller with no balancing holes
Impeller with smooth surfaces (No pumpout vanes)
Smooth pump interior passages
Minimal bends or angles (Inlet piping straight into impeller eye)
Minimal mechanical friction
Close tolerances
 OPTIMUM PUMP DESIGN FOR
NON-CLOGGING, DURABILITY,
EASE OF MAINTENANCE
SEMIOPEN IMPELLER – Non-Clogging, Ease of Maintenance
CLEANOUT COVER PLATE – Ease of Maintenance
BLUNT LEADING EDGE – Non-Clogging
THICK VANES – Durability
TWO VANES – Non-Clogging, Durability
BLUNT CUTWATER TIP – Non-Clogging, Durability
CLEARANCE BETWEEN CUTWATER TIP AND IMPELLER TIP – Non-
Clogging, Durability
PUMPOUT VANES – Non-Clogging, Durability
SLOPED VANE INLET EDGE – Non-Clogging
SEMIOPEN IMPELLER – Non-Clogging, Ease of Maintenance

Enclosed impellers offer Semi-open impellers offer better

better hydraulic efficiency non-clogging characteristics
and are easier to unclog.
Water Environment Federation, MOP 11,
Operation of Municipal Wastewater
Treatment Plants, 1996, Fifth Edition, p.
197 & 198
“Semiopen impellers are used primarily to pump return
activated sludge or raw wastewater that contain solids of
medium size. Open and semiopen impellers are typically used
to pump raw wastewater and sludges with high solids content.”
“Enclosed, nonclog impellers of two-vane design are the most
common type of pump (80%) for wastewater that contains low
solids concentrations…The closed impeller is the most efficient
impeller in terms of energy transfer.”
"Pump Care Manual", Goulds Pump
Form A395-EL
"The open impeller centrifugal pump offers several advantages.
It is particularly suited but not restricted to liquids which contain
abrasive solids.

Abrasive wear on an open impeller is distributed over the

diametrical area swept by the vanes. The resulting total wear has
less effect on performance than the same total wear concentrated
on the radial ring clearance of a closed impeller. The open
impeller permits restoration of "New Pump" running clearance
after wear has occurred with out expensive parts replacement.

A well designed open impeller pump will feature a simple positive

means for axial adjustment without necessity of disassembling
the unit to add shims or gaskets."
CLEANOUT COVER PLATE – Ease of Maintenance
BLUNT LEADING EDGE – Non-Clogging
THICK VANES – Durability
TWO VANES – Non-Clogging, Durability
BLUNT CUTWATER TIP – Non-Clogging, Durability
CLEARANCE BETWEEN CUTWATER TIP AND IMPELLER TIP –
Non-Clogging, Durability

Model 63A Model 13C

Efficiency = 75% Efficiency = 47%
PUMPOUT VANES – Non-Clogging, Durability

SLOPED VANE INLET EDGE – Non-Clogging

“Pump Handbook,” Karassik et al, 1986,
Second Edition, p. 2.49

“Impeller design with sharp vane edges

and restricted areas is not suitable for
handling liquids containing rags, stringy
materials, and solids like sewage because it
will become clogged. Special nonclogging
impellers with blunt edges and large
waterways have been developed for such
services.”
Water Environment Federation, Manual of
Practice No. 8, 1977, p. 77

“Non-clog impellers are well rounded and

free from sharp corners and projections,
likely to catch and hold rags and stringy
material.”
Centrifugal Pumps and Blowers, Austin H.
Church, John Wiley & Sons, p.174

“The non-clog impeller is extra wide and has

few vanes. This results in low efficiencies as
the liquid cannot be given much guidance,
but efficiency must be sacrificed for the non-
clogging feature.”
“Pump Handbook”, Karassik et al, 1986,
Second Edition, p. 2.205

“It appears that both head and efficiency

increase with decreasing tip clearance and
are quite sensitive to rather small changes in
clearance. Reducing the tip clearance from
about 0.060 to 0.010 may increase the
efficiency by as much as 10%. Abrasive
solids in the liquid pumped probably will
increase tip clearances rapidly.”
“Pump Handbook,” Karassik et al, 1986,
Second Edition, p. 2.50

“The impeller shroud may or may not have

pump-out vanes, which are vanes located at
the back of the impeller shroud. This
function is to reduce the pressure at the back
hub of the impeller and to prevent foreign
matter from lodging in back of the impeller
and interfering with the proper operation of
the pump and of the stuffing box.”
Increased clearance results in the
following:

1) Hydraulic efficiency decreases

2) Power cost increases
3) Pump rate decreases
4) Accelerated rate of wear on impeller and
wear plate (wear ring)
5) Frequency of clogging
“Pump Handbook,” Karassik et al, 1986,
Second Edition, p. 2.204

“It is considered good practice to replace or

repair wearing rings when the nominal
clearance has doubled. The presence of
abrasive solids in the liquid pumped may be
expected to increase wearing-ring clearances
rapidly.”
TPC Training Systems, Trainee’s Guide,
Centrifugal Pumps, 1975, p. 45

“It should be remembered, however, that

wearing rings are subject to wear from gritty
or abrasive materials and eventually have to
be replaced. This replacement may be
necessary in six months, a year, or longer,
depending upon the application and the
material being pumped.”
Pumping Systems: Opportunities for
Power Savings, Water/Engineering &
Management, Robert Deurer, August,
1983
“Restoring internal clearances is another way to cut losses.
The rate of wear of internal clearances depends on many
factors. For example, it increases in relation to the
differential pressure across the clearances. It also increases
if the liquid being pumped is corrosive or abrasive.
“The cost of restoring the internal clearances after wear has
taken place must be compared with the value of the power
savings obtainable by operating with original clearances.
The cost is relatively easy to determine, but the savings are
not the same for every pump.”
 METHODS OF ADJUSTING IMPELLER
CLEARANCES
No adjustment
-Impeller and suction plate or wear rings must be replaced
-Pump needs to be disassembled
Internal adjustment
- Shims behind impeller or wearplate
- Pump needs to be disassembled

186 - Impeller shims

External adjustment
- jacking screws or shims to move shaft and impeller
External adjustment
- shims to move entire rotating assembly

Adjustment shims
 UTILITY RATES

User Charge
Energy Charge
Demand Charge
Power Factor Charge
Pump Station Design, Conference
Proceedings, 1981, Montana State
University, Earle C. Smith, p. 293

“The quest for “efficiency” has often blinded

the designer to the fact that the equipment
must first be capable of operating
continuously with little or no maintenance.”
Fairbanks Morse Hydraulic Handbook,
1988, p.138

“The principal consideration in pumping

sewage is the passing of solids. Hydraulic
performance and efficiency is secondary.”
Pump Selection, A Consulting Engineer’s
Manual, Rodger Walker, P. Eng., p.3

“The overall success of any installation is not

necessarily the lowest initial cost but the
lowest capital and operating cost over the
economic life of the equipment, coupled with
performance, reliability, and freedom from
down time.”
Some Common Misconceptions About
Centrifugal Pumps, The McNally Institute

“High efficiency is desirable, but it will be a

maintenance nightmare. High efficiency
means tight tolerances and smooth passages
…. You will spend a lot of down time and
money trying to maintain those two
requirements.”