HARARE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Chemical & Process Systems Engineering

Fluid Mechanics
ECP 214 Lecture Notes
BY F.M. Saziya

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 Lecture 4

PUMPS & PUMPING

SYSTEMS

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 INTRODUCTION

Pumping systems account for nearly 20% of the

worlds electrical energy demand and range from
25-50% of the energy usage in certain industrial
plant operations (US DOE, 2004).
Pumps have two main purposes:
1. Transfer of liquid from one place to another
place (e.g. water from an underground aquifer
into a water storage tank)
2. Circulate liquid around a system (e.g. cooling
water or lubricants through machines and
equipment)

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 There exist a wide variety of pumps that are
designed for various specific applications.
However, most of them can be broadly
classified into two categories: positive
displacement and centrifugal. The most
significant characteristics of each of these are
described below.

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 A. Positive Displacement Pumps
Positive displacement pumps are designed to displace a more
or less fixed volume of fluid during each cycle of operation.
They include piston, diaphragm, screw, gear, progressing
cavity, and other pumps.
The volumetric flow rate is determined by the displacement
per cycle of the moving member (either rotating or
reciprocating) times the cycle rate (e.g., rpm). The flow
capacity is thus fixed by the design, size, and operating speed
of the pump.
The pressure (or head) that the pump develops depends upon
the flow resistance of the system in which the pump is
installed and is limited only by the size of the driving motor
and the strength of the parts.

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 Positive Displacement Pumps

Consequently, the discharge line from the pump should never

be closed off without allowing for recycle around the pump or
damage to the pump could result.
In general positive displacement pumps have limited flow
capacity but are capable of relatively high pressures.
Thus these pumps operate at essentially constant flow rate,
with variable head.
They are appropriate for high pressure requirements, very
viscous fluids, and applications that require a precisely
controlled or metered flow rate.

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 B. Centrifugal Pumps
The term centrifugal pumps is very descriptive, because
these pumps operate by the transfer of energy (or angular
momentum) from a rotating impeller to the fluid, which is
normally inside a casing.
A sectional view of a typical centrifugal pump is shown in Fig. 4-1.

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 Centrifugal Pumps

The fluid enters at the axis or eye of the impeller (which

may be open or closed and usually contains radial curved
vanes) and is discharged from the impeller periphery.
The kinetic energy and momentum of the fluid are increased
by the angular momentum imparted by the high-speed
impeller. This kinetic energy is then converted to pressure
energy (head) in a diverging area (the volute) between
the impeller discharge and the casing before the fluid exits
the pump.
The head that these pumps can develop depends upon the
pump design and the size, shape, and speed of the impeller
and the flow capacity is determined by the flow resistance of
the system in which the pump is installed.

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 Centrifugal pumps operate at approximately constant head
and variable flow rate, within limits, of course, determined by
the size and design of the pump and the size of the driving
motor.
Centrifugal pumps can be operated in a closed off condition
(i.e., closed discharge line), because the liquid will recirculate
within the pump without causing damage.
However, such conditions should be avoided, because energy
dissipation within the pump could result in excessive heating
of the fluid and/or the pump or unstable operation, with
adverse consequences.
Centrifugal pumps are most appropriate for ordinary (i.e.,
low to moderate viscosity) liquids under a wide variety of flow
conditions and are thus the most common type of pump.

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The main components of a pumping system are:

Pumps (different types of pumps)

Prime movers: electric motors, diesel
engines or air system
Piping, used to carry the fluid
Valves, used to control the flow in the
system
Other fittings, controls and
instrumentation
End-use equipment, which have
different requirements (e.g. pressure,
flow) and therefore determine the
pumping system components and
configuration. Examples include heat
exchangers, tanks and hydraulic
machines.

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 1.2 Pumping system characteristics

1.2.1 Resistance of the system: head

Pressure is needed to pump the liquid through the system at a certain
rate. This pressure has to be high enough to overcome the resistance of
the system, which is also called head. The total head is the sum of static
head and friction head:
a) Static head
Static head is the difference in height between the source and destination
of the pumped liquid (see Figure 2a). Static head is independent of flow
(see Figure 2b). The static head at a certain pressure depends on the
weight of the liquid and can be calculated with this equation: =
Static head consists of:
Static suction head (hS): resulting from lifting the liquid relative to the
pump centre-line.
The hS is positive if the liquid level is above pump centreline, and negative
if the liquid level is below pump centreline (also called suction lift)
Static discharge head (hd): the vertical distance between the pump
centreline and the surface of the liquid in the destination tank.

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Figure 2a. Static Head Figure 2b. Static Head Versus Flow

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 b) Friction head (hf)
This is the loss needed to overcome that is caused by
the resistance to flow in the pipe and fittings.
It is dependent on size, condition and type of pipe,
number and type of pipe fittings, flow rate, and nature
of the liquid. The friction head is proportional to the
square of the flow rate as shown in figure 3. A closed
loop circulating system only exhibits friction head (i.e.
not static head)
In most cases the total head of a system is a
combination of static head and friction head as shown
in Figures 4a and 4b.

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 Pump performance curve

The head and flow rate determine the performance of a

pump, which is graphically shown in Figure 5 as the
performance curve or pump characteristic curve.
The figure shows a typical curve of a centrifugal pump where
the head gradually decreases with increasing flow.
As the resistance of a system increases, the head will also
increase. This in turn causes the flow rate to decrease and will
eventually reach zero.
A zero flow rate is only acceptable for a short period without
causing to the pump to burn out.

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 Pump operating point

The rate of flow at a certain head is called the duty point. The
pump performance curve is made up of many duty points.
The pump operating point is determined by the intersection
of the system curve and the pump curve as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6. Pump Operating Point

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 1.2.4 Pump suction performance (NPSH)

Cavitation or vaporization is the formation of bubbles inside the

pump. This may occur when at the fluids local static pressure
becomes lower than the liquids vapor pressure (at the actual
temperature).
A possible cause is when the fluid accelerates in a control valve or
around a pump impeller.
Vaporization itself does not cause any damage. However, when the
velocity is decreased and pressure increased, the vapor will
evaporate and collapse. This has three undesirable effects:
Erosion of vane surfaces, especially when pumping water-based
liquids
Increase of noise and vibration, resulting in shorter seal and bearing
life
Partially choking of the impeller passages, which reduces the pump
performance and can lead to loss of total head in extreme cases.
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 The Net Positive Suction Head Available (NPSHA) indicates
how much the pump suction exceeds the liquid vapor
pressure, and is a characteristic of the system design.
The NPSH Required (NPSHR) is the pump suction needed to
avoid cavitation, and is a characteristic of the pump design.
The NPSH must allow for the fall in pressure occasioned by
the further acceleration of the liquid as it flows on to the
impeller and for irregularities in the flow pattern in the pump.
If the required value of NPSH is not obtained, partial
vaporisation or liberation of dissolved gas is liable to occur,
with the result that both suction head and delivery head may
be reduced. The loss of suction head is the more important
because it may cause the pump to be starved of liquid.
>

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 TYPES OF PUMPS
Pumps come in a variety of sizes for a wide range of applications. They can
be classified according to their basic operating principle as dynamic or
positive displacement pumps (Figure 7).

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 In principle, any liquid can be handled by any of the pump
designs.
Where different pump designs could be used, the centrifugal
pump is generally the most economical followed by rotary and
reciprocating pumps.
Although, positive displacement pumps are generally more
efficient than centrifugal pumps, the benefit of higher
efficiency tends to be offset by increased maintenance costs.

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 2.1. Positive displacement pumps
Positive displacement pumps are distinguished by the way they
operate:
liquid is taken from one end and positively discharged at the other
end for every revolution. Positive displacement pumps are widely
used for pumping fluids other than water, mostly viscous fluids.
Positive displacement pumps are further classified based upon the
mode of displacement:
Reciprocating pump if the displacement is by reciprocation of a piston
plunger.
Reciprocating pumps are used only for pumping viscous liquids and
oil wells.
Rotary pumps if the displacement is by rotary action of a gear, cam or
vanes in a chamber of diaphragm in a fixed casing.
Rotary pumps are further classified such as internal gear, external gear,
lobe and slide vane etc. These pumps are used for special services with
particular conditions existing in industrial sites.
In all positive displacement type pumps, a fixed quantity of liquid is
pumped after each revolution. So if the delivery pipe is blocked, the
pressure rises to a very high value, which can damage the pump.
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 Reciprocating pumps transport fluid by the action of a piston on the fluid
contained in a cylinder. The piston is provided with a reciprocating motion
by means of a connecting rod and crank where the discharge is dependent
on the swept volume and the stroke frequency.
The swept volume is the amount of fluid displaced on each stroke
depending on the cross-sectional area of the cylinder and length of stroke.
Check valve are needed to ensure that flow is in the correct direction.
A reciprocating pump is a positive plunger pump. It is often used where
relatively small quantity of liquid is to be handled and where delivery
pressure is quite large.
They are capable of delivering pressures of several thousand bar and are
only limited by the mechanical strength of the pump system and slight
leakage
They are self priming
The flow is not constant but pulsed but can be smoothened use of
pulsation dampers.
They provide unsatisfactory performance with very viscous liquids due to
slow check valve action, and with suspended solids due to attrition
between piston and cylinder.
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 Reciprocating pumps consists of the following parts:

1. A cylinder with a piston 5. suction pipe

1. Piston rod 6. delivery pipe

1. Connecting rod 7. suction valve

1. crank 8. delivery valve

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 2.2 Dynamic pumps

Dynamic pumps are also characterized by their mode of

operation: a rotating impeller converts kinetic energy into
pressure or velocity that is needed to pump the fluid.
There are two types of dynamic pumps:
Centrifugal pumps are the most common pumps used for
pumping water and other Newtonian liquids in industrial
applications. Typically, more than 75% of the pumps installed
in an industry are centrifugal pumps.
Special effect pumps are particularly used for specialized
conditions at an industrial site.

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 2.2.1 How a centrifugal pump works

A centrifugal pump is one of the most common and simplest

pieces of equipment in any process plant. Figure 8 shows how
this type of pump operates:
Liquid is forced into an impeller either by atmospheric
pressure, or in case of a jet pump by artificial pressure.
The vanes of impeller pass kinetic energy to the liquid,
thereby causing the liquid to rotate. The liquid leaves the
impeller at high velocity.
The impeller is surrounded by a volute casing or in case of a
turbine pump a stationary diffuser ring. The volute or
stationary diffuser ring converts the kinetic energy into
pressure energy.

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Figure 8. Liquid Flow Path of a Centrifugal Pump

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 2.2.2 Components of a centrifugal pump

The main components of a centrifugal pump are shown in

Figure 9 and described below:
Rotating components: an impeller coupled to a shaft
Stationary components: casing, casing cover, and bearings.

Figure 9. Main Components of a Centrifugal Pump

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a) Impeller
An impeller is a circular metallic disc with a built-in passage for the
flow of fluid. Impellers are generally made of bronze,
polycarbonate, cast iron or stainless steel, but other materials are
also used.
As the performance of the pump depends on the type of impeller, it
is important to select a suitable design and to maintain the impeller
in good condition.
The number of impellers determines the number of stages of the
pump.
A single stage pump has one impeller and is best suited for low
head (= pressure) service.
A two-stage pump has two impellers in series for medium head
service.
A multi-stage pump has three or more impellers in series for high
head service.
b) Shaft
The shaft transfers the torque from the motor to the impeller
during the start-up and operation of the pump.
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c) Casing
The main function of casing is to enclose the impeller at suction and
delivery ends and thereby form a pressure vessel. The pressure at suction
end may be as little as one-tenth of atmospheric pressure and at delivery
end may be twenty times the atmospheric pressure in a single-stage
pump. For multi-stage pumps the pressure difference is much higher.
The casing is designed to withstand at least twice this pressure to ensure a
large enough safety margin.
A second function of casing is to provide a supporting and bearing
medium for the shaft and impeller. Therefore the pump casing should be
designed to
Provide easy access to all parts of pump for inspection, maintenance and
repair
Make the casing leak-proof by providing stuffing boxes
Connect the suction and delivery pipes directly to the flanges
Be coupled easily to its prime mover (i.e. electric motor) without any
power loss.
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 4.1 Selecting the right pump

In selecting the pump, suppliers try to match the system curve

supplied by the user with a pump curve that satisfies these
needs as closely as possible.
The pump operating point is the point where the pump curve
and the system resistance curve intersect (as explained in
section1.2.3).
However, it is impossible for one operating point to meet all
desired operating conditions. For example, when the
discharge valve is throttled, the system resistance curve
shifts to the left and so does the operating point (see Figure
13).
Figure 13 below shows a typical vendor-supplied pump
performance curves for a centrifugal pump where clear water
is the pumping liquid.

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 The Best Efficiency Point (BEP) is the pumping capacity at maximum
impeller diameter, in other words, at which the efficiency of the
pump is highest.
All points to the right or left of the BEP have a lower efficiency. The
BEP is affected when the selected pump is oversized.
The reason is that the flow of oversized pumps must be controlled
with different methods, such as a throttle valve or a by-pass line.
These provide additional resistance by increasing the friction.
As a result the system curve shifts to the left and intersects the
pump curve at another point. The BEP is now also lower. In other
words, the pump efficiency is reduced because the output flow is
reduced but power consumption is not.
Inefficiencies of oversized pumps can be overcome by, for example,
the installation of VSDs, two-speed drives, lower rpm, smaller
impeller or trimmed impeller (BEE, 2004).

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34
 Example
a. Describe the essential features and merits and demerits of
centrifugal pumps outlining possible causes for vibration during
operation. [10]

b. Explain what is meant by available and required Net Positive

Suction Head [5]

c. A centrifugal pump is to deliver a liquid of density 970 kgm-3 from

an open storage tank at a rate of 5m3hr-1. The storage tank has a
diameter of 3m and is initially at a depth of 2,5m. The pump is
located at an elevation of 3m above the bottom of the storage
tank and the frictional head loss in the suction pipe is 0,5m. The
vapour pressure of the liquid at the temperature of operation is
18kN m-2 and NPSH is 5m.
Determine the quantity of liquid delivered and the time taken
before cavitation occurs.
Allow for the worst case meteorological conditions. [10]

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 Example: Merits and demerits of centrifugal pumps

Centrifugal pumps are by far the most commonly used type of

pumps due to their versatility and relative low cost.
Suitable for:
Handling suspended solids
Operation not sensitive to partial blockages in the delivery line
Have low maintenance costs
Easily fabricated in a wide range of corrosion resistant materials
Because it operates at high speed, it may be directly coupled to an
electric motor and it will give a high flow-rate for its size.
Disadvantages:
They are unable to develop high heads unless multiple stages are
used
The require priming by ancillary equipment
They offer reasonable efficiency over only a limited range of
conditions
Are not suitable for high viscous fluids

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37
 Merits and demerits of centrifugal pumps

Problems of vibration may occur during operation of

centrifugal pumps due to cavitation in which vapour is
released from solution leading to loss of discharge and
delivery head.
Other causes of vibration are:
Running pump dry
Operating against a blocked or closed delivery line
Shaft being out of alignment
Unbalanced impeller
Poor pipe support
Effects of solids, including foreign bodies in the fluid
and air locks.

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 available and required Net Positive Suction Head
For any pump, the manufacturers specify the minimum value of the
net positive suction head (NPSH) which must exist at the suction
point of the pump.
The NPSH is the amount by which the pressure at the suction point
of the pump, expressed as a head of the liquid to be pumped, must
exceed the vapour pressure of the liquid. For any installation this
must be calculated, taking into account the absolute pressure of the
liquid, the level of the pump, and the velocity and friction heads in
the suction line.
The NPSH must allow for the fall in pressure occasioned by the
further acceleration of the liquid as it flows on to the impeller and
for irregularities in the flow pattern in the pump.
If the required value of NPSH is not obtained, partial vaporisation or
liberation of dissolved gas is liable to occur, with the result that
both suction head and delivery head may be reduced. The loss of
suction head is the more important because it may cause the pump
to be starved of liquid.
>

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 c)

Applying the Bernoulli equation between the free surface of

the liquid (1) and the suction point (subscript s) in the pump:
1 2
+ 1 = + + +
2
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 Rearranging, the suction pressure head is therefore:
1 2
= + 1
2
The minimum suction head before cavitation occurs is
, 2
= +
2
Thus to prevent cavitation
2 1 2
+ = + 1
2 2
Rearranging, and noting that the pressure on the free surface is
taken as 0,94 of the standard atmospheric pressure, the depth that
can be pumped before cavitation occurs is:
1
1 = + + +

180,94 101,3 103
1 = 5 + + 3 + 0,5 = 0,385
970 9,81

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 Corresponding to a volume of:

= 32 2,5 0,375 = 15,02 3
4
The time taken to reach this level is therefore;
15,02 3
= = = 3
5 3 1
The quantity of liquid delivered is therefore
15m3 taking 3 hours before cavitation occurs.

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