FM-II (CH342)

Fluid Machinery
Dr. Hammad Amjad

Faculty of Materials and Chemical Engineering

Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology
Based on impeller type: Classification of Centrifugal pump 2

a) Closed Impeller: It's vanes are enclosed by shrouds (disc) on both sides. the
shrouds direct the flow of liquid between the vanes. Closed impellers are
often used with low viscosity or thin liquids. Liquids that are thick or contain
suspended solids could clog a closed impeller.
b) Open Impeller: With those types of liquids (Liquids that are thick or contain
suspended solids) an open impeller could be used. This impeller has no
shrouds to direct the flow of liquid while this design helps prevent clogging.
It's less efficient at moving liquids than a closed impeller since the flow of
liquid is not directed between the vanes.
Open impellers are used to pump thick liquids or liquids with solids
such as slurries and closed impellers are used to pump thin liquids.
a) Semi-open Impeller: Semi-open impellers can be used for pumping thin
liquids since there is a shroud to direct the liquid between the veins they can
also be used for heavier liquids and slurries since they minimize clogging.
 Classification of Centrifugal pump
Based on suction: 3

Pump impellers can be single or double suction.

▪ For the single-suction impeller the fluid enters through the eye on only one side of the
impeller, whereas for the double-suction impeller the fluid enters the impeller along its
axis from both sides.
▪ Single suction pumps are more common and cost-effective for lower flow rates, while
double suction pumps offer higher flow rates and better hydraulic balance, making
them suitable for larger applications and where high efficiency is crucial.
▪ When the flow requirement of the pump is very high, if it is a single suction pump, it
should have a large inlet and outlet diameter.
▪ If the double suction pump is adopted, the size and weight of the pump can be
relatively reduced, the rotating speed can also be improved, and the volumetric
efficiency can be increased.
▪ The advantage of double suction pump is that under the same speed and flow, and
the pump is not easy to cavitation due to the reduction of inlet flow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYwbk-0sm48
 Classification of Centrifugal pump 4
Based on stages:
Pumps can be single or multistage.
▪ A single-stage pump has only one impeller is mounted on the shaft and is typically
used for applications requiring low to moderate pressure increases. In contrast, a
multistage pump features multiple impellers stacked in series along the same
shaft, The stages operate in series; i.e., the discharge from the 1st stage flows into
the eye of the 2nd stage, the discharge from the 2nd stage flows into the eye of the
3rd stage, and so on.
▪ The flowrate is the same through all stages, but each stage develops an additional
pressure rise by sequentially pressurizing the fluid through each stage. Thus, a
very large discharge pressure, or head, can be developed by a multistage pump.
▪ Single-stage pumps are simpler and more cost-effective for low-pressure
applications, while multistage pumps offer greater versatility and efficiency in high-
pressure scenarios. Multistage pumps are commonly employed in situations
where significant pressure boosts are necessary, such as water supply systems,
boiler feed applications, and high-pressure industrial processes.
 Basic Output Parameters 5

When selecting a specific pump to use for an intended application, an engineer must have some idea about its
performance characteristics. For any given flow, these include the mass flow rate, the actual pump head
(hpump)act, shaft power requirements Wpump, that can be developed, and the pump’s efficiency η.
Capacity:
Capacity means the flow rate with which liquid is moved or pushed by the pump to the desired point in the process.
The mass flow rate (ṁ) of fluid through the pump is primary pump performance parameter. For incompressible
flow, it is more common to use volume flow rate (Q, also called capacity) rather than mass flow rate

Q =V = m ρ ( gpm or m 3
hr )
The capacity usually changes with the changes in operation of the process. The capacity depends on:

1. Process liquid characteristics i.e., density, viscosity. 4. Size and shape of cavities between the vanes

2. Impeller size 5. Pump suction and discharge temperature

3. Impeller rotational speed RPM 6. Pump suction and discharge pressure

Net Pump Head:
▪ The pressure at any point in a liquid can be thought of as being caused by a vertical
column of the liquid due to its weight. The height of this column is called the static
head and is expressed in terms of feet of liquid.
▪ The performance of a pump is additionally characterized by its net head H, defined
as the change in Bernoulli head between the inlet and outlet of the pump (EGLout-
EGLin) relative to some arbitrary datum plane. From General Energy Equ., we have

pin v in pout v out


+ + z in+ hpump = + + z out + hturb + hL
ρg  g ρg  g

 p v   p v 
hA =  + +z  −  + +z  + hL
 ρg  g
 discharge / out  ρg  g  suction / in

 p v   p v 
hA − hL =  + +z  −  + +z 
 ρg  g
 discharge / out  ρg  g suction / in

Hactual / total / net / available = EGLout − EGLin

The dimension of net head is length, and it is often listed as an equivalent column height of water
Input & Output Power: 7

• In pump terminology, external power supplied/required to drive the pump (𝒫𝑝) is known as brake horsepower
(bhp)
PP/pump = bhp = Wshaft = ωTshaft
Pf/fluid
where 𝜔 is the rotational speed of the shaft or shaft angular velocity (rad/s) and
Tshaft is the torque supplied to the shaft. PP/pump = ωTshaft

• Pump head is directly related to the power delivered to the fluid, known as water
horsepower which is
Pf/fluid = ρgQH
Power necessary to run the pump (𝒫𝑝) (bhp), is larger than power delivered to the fluid due to

✓ Mechanical and fluidic frictional losses

✓ Flow separation on impeller blade surfaces

✓ Misalignment of inlet flow velocity with impeller blade geometry

✓ Internal leakage, etc

Pump efficiency: 8

Overall pump efficiency is ratio of power actually gained by the fluid to shaft power supplied.

output power Power delivered by Pump to Fluid

ηpump = =
input power Power required to drive the pump
Wwater horsepower mgH ρgQH
= = =
Wshaft ωTshaft bhp

 = v m  h Efficiency has three components

Volumetric Mechanical Hydraulic

• casing leakages 1. Losses in bearings • Shock
2. Packing glands etc • friction,
• Re-circulation
Q
ηv = Pf hf
Q + QL ηm = 1 − ηh = 1 −
bhp hs
▪ QL is the loss of fluid due to leakage
The designer has to work in all three areas to improve the pump.
▪ hf = Friction Head, hs=theoretical head
▪ Pf = power loss due to mechanical friction
 Pump Performance/ Characteristic Curve 9

▪ To specify fluid machines for flow systems, the designer must know the pressure rise (or head, H), torque,

power requirement P, and efficiency of a machine η, which is closely allied to its power requirement. For a
given machine, each of these characteristics is a function of flow rate; the characteristics for similar machines
depend on size and operating speed.
▪ The determine of pump performance requires extensive testing and it must be set up on an instrumented test
stand with the capability of measuring flow rate, speed, input torque, and pressure rise. Measurements are
made as flow rate is varied from shutoff head (zero flow, Q=0) to maximum delivery (Free delivery, H=0) by
varying the load from maximum to minimum.

• The difference in static pressures between the pump suction and discharge is
used to calculate the head rise produced by the pump.
• Power input to the machine is determined from a calibrated motor or
calculated from measured speed and torque, and then efficiency is computed.
• Finally, the calculated characteristics are plotted in the desired engineering units
or nondimensional.
In the case of an axial-flow pump, the setup is shown in
Fig. where the pump is made to circulate water (or the
intended fluid) from tank A to another tank B through a
constant-diameter pipe. Pressure gages are located on
each side of the pump, and the valve is used to control the
flow, while a meter measures the flow before the water is
returned from B to A.
• Assuming, incompressible steady flow through the pump in which the inlet and outlet diameters are identical,
neglecting frictional losses, v2 = v1 = v, and there is no change in elevation (z2 = z1) and head losses within the
pump are factored in as part of the pressure head, the energy equation can be applied between points 1 (in)
and 2 (out) on the open control surfaces. The energy added by a pump to the fluid (actual head, ha)can be
calculated as:
pin v in pout v out
+ + z in + hpump = + + z out + hturb + hL
ρg  g ρg g

p − p p − p
hpump − hL =  Hactual / available =
ρg ρg
▪ If we continue to change Q in increments, until the pump is running
at its maximum capacity, and plot the successive values of (hpump)act
versus Q, we can determine the relationship between the head
added by a pump, hp, and the volume flow rate through the pump,
Q. Thus, we will produce typical characteristic curve (performance
curve/pump curve/Head available curve) for a centrifugal pump tested
at constant (one) rotational speed (constant speed), blade Pump Performance Curve

geometry.
Figure shows that the head at any flow rate in the real machine may be
significantly lower than is predicted by the idealized analysis as
a) At very low flow rate, some fluid recirculates in the impeller.
b) Friction loss and leakage loss both increase with flow rate.
c) “Shock loss” results from a mismatch between the direction
of the relative velocity and the tangent to the impeller blade
at the inlet.

d) High flow cavitation.

If we continue to change Q in increments, until the pump is running at its maximum capacity and corresponding 12

(hpump)act is calculated, and Q and Wpump are measured, we can then determine the hydraulic efficiency using

Power delivered by Pump to Fluid Phorsepower Pf / fluid ρgQH

ηpump = = = =
Power required to drive the pump Pbrake −horsepower Pp bhp

and plot the successive values of (hpump)act, Wpump, and hpump

versus Q, we will produce three performance curves that look
similar to those shown in Fig. included on this graph is the
straight-line ideal pump head, as established previously in Fig.

Three key parameters of any pump performance curve are the

a) Shutoff head condition, which is head added by the pump
when the discharge is equal to zero,
b) Free delivery, when the pump head is zero, the water
flows at the maximum rate, and
c) Rated capacity, which is the discharge when the pump is
operating its best efficiency point.
 13
• A pump can operate only on its characteristic curve.
• At a given rotational speed (𝜔), impeller dia, hp, a typical centrifugal pump characteristic curve is

Shutoff head Best Efficiency Point (BEP)

• Discharge valve of the (or design point)
pump is closed and 𝑄
= 0, h=hmax ρgQH
ηpump =
• Pump is not doing any
useful work/
bhp
overheating.
Free delivery
• 𝒫𝑓 = 0 & 𝜂 = 0 • There is no load on
the pump and ℎ = 0,
Q=Qmax.
• Pumps are designed to work
• Pump is not doing
at (or close to) their any useful work
maximum efficiency, but this
is not always possible. • 𝒫𝑓 = 0 & 𝜂 = 0

Pump Characteristic Curve

The pump curve describes how a centrifugal pump performs in isolation from plant equipment
▪ The pump curve describes how a centrifugal pump performs in isolation from plant equipment. 14

▪ This maximum height a pump can deliver is called static pressure head/static head/pressure head of a pump.

▪ ‘H’ is almost constant at low flow rates, maximum ‘H’ is at zero flow rate, and Head drops to zero at Qmax.

▪ ‘Q’ cannot be greater than Qmax until ‘N’ and/or impeller size is changed.

▪ Pump input or brake horsepower (bhp) is the actual

horsepower delivered to the pump shaft. Pump output
or hydraulic horsepower (whp) is the liquid horsepower
delivered by the pump.
whp
Pump effeciency = ηpump =
bhp

▪ Efficiency is always zero at Q = 0 and Q = Qmax

▪ η = ηmax is called the BEST EFFICIENCY POINT (BEP) and achieves at roughly Q=0.6Qmax to 0.8Qmax
▪ All the parameters corresponding to hmax are called the design points, and labelled as Q*, H*, P*.

▪ Pumps design should be such that the efficiency curve should be as flat as possible around hmax
 Factors Affecting The Centrifugal Pumps 15

The basic data needed to specify a suitable pump for a given system is the required volume flow rate, called
capacity, and the total head, ha, for the system in which the pump is to operate. Because pump manufacturers
are able to use different impeller diameters and speeds, they can cover a wide range of requirements for capacity
and head with a few basic pump sizes.

Q α ω, h ( p ) α ω  , P α ω3

Effect of Impeller Size Effect of Speed

bhp α D 5 Power Required Efficiency

Net Positive Suction Head Required

“Minimum pressure required at the suction side of a pump to prevent cavitation”
 17

bhp α D 5
 Pump Performance Curves (isocharts) 18

Complete Performance Chart for single stage pump

 19
1. Title Box 5. Horsepower
2. Flow 6. NPSHR
3. Head 7. Efficiency
4. Impeller Trim 8. Minimum Flow
 Pump Performance Curves 20

• Fig. shows family of centrifugal pumps (5 five impeller diameters with identical pump casing) manufactured by
Taco, Inc. As seen, pump manufacturers do not always plot their pumps’ performance curves all the way to
free delivery because the pumps are usually not operated there due to the low values of net head and
efficiency. If higher values of flow rate and/or net head are required, the customer should step up to the next
larger casing size or consider using additional pumps in series or parallel.

• It is also clear from the performance plot that for a given pump casing, the larger the impeller, the higher the
maximum achievable efficiency. Why then would anyone buy the smaller impeller pump? To answer this
question, we must recognize that the customer’s application requires a certain combination of flow rate
and net head. If the requirements match a particular impeller diameter, it may be more cost effective to
sacrifice pump efficiency in order to satisfy these requirements.

• Centrifugal pumps may be combined in parallel to deliver greater flow or in series to deliver greater head. A
number of manufacturers build multistage pumps, which are essentially several pumps arranged in series
within a single casing.
▪ Pumps and blowers are usually tested at several constant speeds. Common practice is to drive machines 21
with electric motors at nearly constant speed, but in some system applications impressive energy savings
can result from variable-speed operation

▪ To present information compactly, it is common practice in the pump

industry that data from tests of several impeller diameters are
plotted on a single graph by the manufacturer, to offer several
choices of impeller diameter for a single pump casing as shown in
Fig. There are several reasons for this:
▪ To save manufacturing costs,
▪ To enable capacity increase by simple impeller replacement, and
▪ To enable reuse of equipment for a different application.

▪ Engineers plot a curve of H as a function of Q for each impeller diameter, then create contour lines of
constant efficiency, by drawing smooth curves through points that have the same value of 𝜂pump for the
various choices of impeller diameter. Contour lines of constant bhp/power-requirement are often drawn on
the same plot in similar fashion. Finally, the NPSH requirements are shown for the extreme diameters.
22
Problem: Pump efficiency and estimate the BEP conditions 23

The performance data for a centrifugal water pump are shown in Table for water at
20°C with ρwater @ 20 oC = 998.0 kg/m3.
a) For each row of data, calculate the pump efficiency (%).
b) Estimate the volume flow rate (Lpm) and net head (m) at the BEP of the
pump.
Solution:
(a) Pump efficiency is
ρgQH
Pump efficiency : ηpump =
bhp

Example case: Q = 6.0 Lpm,

ηpump =
( 998.0 kg m )( 9.81 m s ) ( 6.0 L min)( 46.2 m )  1 m
3 2
  1 min   1 N
3
 1 W 
   2  
142 W  1000 L  60 s  1 kg. m s  1 N .m s 

ηpump = 0.319 = 31.9%

 24
EXAMPLE 14–2 Selection of Pump Impeller Size
A washing operation at a power plant requires 370 gallons per minute (gpm) of water. The required net head is about 24 ft at
this flow rate. A newly hired engineer looks through some catalogs and decides to purchase the 8.25-in impeller option of the
Taco Model 4013 FI Series centrifugal pump of Fig. 14–15. If the pump operates at 1160 rpm, as specified in the performance
plot, she reasons, its performance curve intersects 370 gpm at H = 24 ft. The chief engineer, who is very concerned about
efficiency, glances at the performance curves and notes that the efficiency of this pump at this operating point is only 70%. He
sees that the 12.75-in impeller option achieves a higher efficiency (about 76.5%) at the same flow rate. He notes that a throttle
valve can be installed downstream of the pump to increase the required net head so that the pump operates at this higher
efficiency.
He asks the junior engineer to justify her choice of
impeller diameter. Namely, he asks her to calculate which
impeller option (8.25-in or 12.75-in) would need the least
amount of electricity to operate (Fig. 14–16). Perform the
comparison and discuss.
𝜌water, 70oC = 62.30 lbm/ft3
 25
Basic Output Parameters
 26
SOLUTION:
Given: Qrequired: 370 gallons gpm, Hrequired: ~24 ft, n: 1160 rpm

Requirement: For a given flow rate and net head, we are to calculate which impeller size uses the least
amount of power, and we are to discuss our results

For 8.25-in impeller option:

Q: 370 gallons gpm, H: ~24 ft, ηpump: 70%, bhp: ~3.20 hp

For 12.75-in impeller option:

Q: 370 gallons gpm, H: ~72 ft, ηpump: 76.5%, bhp: ~8.78 hp

Although the larger impeller pump would operate at a somewhat higher value of efficiency, it would deliver about 72 ft of net
head at the required flow rate. This is overkill, and the throttle valve would be required to make up the difference between
this net head and the required flow head of 24 ft of water. A throttle valve does nothing more than waste mechanical energy,
the smaller-diameter impeller option is the better choice in spite of its lower efficiency, because it uses less than half
the power.