CH3

Fundamentals of Energy Transfer

in Centrifugal Pumps
IBL

1
Objectives:
Introduce the losses in the pump and their direct effect on the pump
overall efficiency.
Introduce the main pump components of centrifugal pumps and the
details of energy transfer from the pump impeller to the fluid.
Introduce various means for improving the overall pump efficiency.

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Introduction
Recall: The main function of a pump is to increase the energy content of the
pumped fluid in the form of increasing pressure, kinetic energy, or both.
Where in the pump the energy transfer occurs ?
The only place where energy is added to the fluid is inside the impeller through the
work done by the impeller vanes to rotate the fluid.
The number and shape of these impeller vanes have direct effect on the pump
performance characteristics and its overall efficiency.
The energy loss in the pump depends on 5 things list them?
The amount of energy loss occurring inside the pump depends on the fluid
properties (mainly m, r, s), pump size and geometry, pump speed, and flow rate.
These losses are divided into three main types: hydraulic, leakage, and mechanical.

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Watch the video and comment
Centrifugal pumps
Guide vane

4
Main Components of the Centrifugal Pump
High
The pump shaft is an essential pressure
component and is used for transferring
mechanical power from the prime mover
to the pump and also for supporting the
impeller.
The pump impeller is the component
that converts the input mechanical
power to fluid power through the work
done on the fluid.
The fluid gains higher pressure and
higher kinetic energy during its course of Possible leakage path
motion through the impeller
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Main Components of the Centrifugal Pump

Bearing in the back so it does not Possible leakage path

block the inlet

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Shroud: The front and/or back of an impeller
Impellers may be single-shrouded, double-shrouded, or with no
shrouds
In the case of no shrouds, the vanes are structurally weak since they
are mounted on the hub without enough support from the front and
back sides.
b2

b1

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The local pressure drop at vane inlet is relatively high, resulting in
higher values of NPSHR (net positive suction head, required). Such
impellers cannot easily get clogged and accordingly are suitable for
handling liquids with suspended materials/solids.
The double-shrouded impellers provide maximum support to the
vanes and are widely used for pumping liquids with less suspended
solids.
The use of doubles shrouded impellers results in higher pump
efficiency and lower NPSHR.
The pump impeller may be single suction (suction from one side) or
double suction (suction from opposite sides)to cancel or minimize the
axial thrust in case of high pressure pumps

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 Types of impellers

open impeller Semi-open impeller Closed impeller

offer higher rotational The back wall offers have walls (shrouds) on
speed but has the increased strength, it both sides and as such the
lowest efficiency of all has higher efficiency most durable and most
three types, but it’s the than the open impeller, efficient of the three, clear
best when used with a but has less resistance liquids are the most suitable
liquid with solid waste to impurities and for this impeller as liquids
as this type has the viscous liquids. with solid impurities will
smallest surface area. increase the frequency of
maintenance needed for it.
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Sectional views of single- and double-
suction impellers

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The impeller
The most important elements in the pump.
The work done on the fluid and the energy transfer from mechanical
power to fluid power only occur because of the vanes.
The pump performance characteristics and the overall efficiency
depend mainly on the vane shape and number of vanes.
List the three possible shapes of vanes in pumps
Vanes shape includes:
Backward curved
Radial (b =90o)
Forward curved

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The impeller vanes
List the three possible shapes of vanes in pumps
Vanes shape includes:
Backward curved (b2 < 90o)
Radial (b2 =90o)
Forward curved (b2 > 90o) (b2 > 90o) (b2 =90o) (b2 < 90o)

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The pump casing
The pump casing is an essential part of the pump.
Important not only for housing the impeller(s) and sealing the
system, but also for supporting the suction and delivery nozzles.
The casing is used for collecting the fluid discharging from the
impeller and conveying it to the delivery nozzle
The shape of the casing differs from one pump to another depending
on the design requirements:
Concentric volute, semi-concentric volute, and spiral volute
Single or double volute
The casing used for a multistage pump (sometimes called a barrel casing) has
a special design to enable the pumped fluid to move from one stage to
another with the minimum amount of loss while maintaining compact design
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Different shapes of the volute
casing

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5. The pump suction nozzle: is used to direct the fluid from the suction
pipe until it enters the impeller.
These nozzles may have single entry or double entry
 May have an axial inlet or a side inlet

a suction nozzle with double entry

Axis of
symmetry

 The suction nozzle may also be equipped with inlet guide vanes
that are used for flow rate control.
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Suction Nozzle Configurations

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6. The Discharge Nozzle
The discharge nozzle directs the fluid from the casing to the discharge
pipe.
It also acts as a diffuser that converts the fluid’s high velocity into
pressure.

7. The Bearings
Bearings are needed for supporting the pump shaft. Various types
are used such as journal bearings, ball and roller bearings, and
thrust bearings.
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 8. The seals
Very important for every pump since they prevent the pumped fluid
from leaking out of the pump.
The type of seal depends on the pumped fluid.
For example, a stuffing box with compression packing is commonly
used in water pumps, while mechanical seals are widely used in
pumps handling toxic or flammable liquids, in order to avoid fire and
environmental hazards
Gland nut allows the packing material to be compressed to form
watertight seal and prevent the water from leaking

Typical stuffing box with compression packing

Gland packing
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9. Wearing rings
Commonly used for reducing internal fluid leakage from the high
pressure side (volute casing) to the low-pressure side (suction nozzle).

on-metallic wear ring

materials option:
include polytetrafluoroethyle
ne (PTFE) based
compounds, as well as
thermoset plastics

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Without Seal
With Seal

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With Mechanical Seal: two rotating discs with controlled metal to metal contact with
lubricant
 O-ring seal

Mechanical Seal Secondary seal for the

stationary part

Stationary
Rotating sealstationary
Screw: seal (ring) seal cover
(ring)
rotating (with pump
ceramic
with casing)
shaft
spring
Spring
ring
Fixed
with Primary seal
the
shaft
Pump shaft

Lubricant oil very

O-ring seal small gap
Secondary seal
for the
rotating part
 Concept of mechanical seals
The mechanical seal is mainly used to control the leakage of the
pump by having extremely low clearance with the shaft, the seal
is attached to the cover of the pump casing.

Mechanical seals piping plans are used for various purposes :

 a plan used for seal chamber heat removal, flushing the seal from pump
discharge.
 a plan used for seal cooling and reducing fluid temperature, flushing the seal
from pump discharge through cooler.
 a plan used for efficient seal cooling with low cooler duty, flushing the seal
from internal pumping device through cooler.

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o Single seal
 Plan 11: a recirculation of high pressure product to seal.
used to
1. Remove heat from the seal chamber.
2. Venting seal chamber on horizontal pumps.
3. Increase seal chamber pressure and fluid vapor margin.
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Plan 21: Recirculation from a high pressure region of the pump
through a flow control orifice and cooler, then into the seal
chamber. Used to

1. Cooling the seal

2. Reduce fluid temperature to increase vapor margin
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Concept of mechanical seals…
The control of the leakage is made possible by having
an extremely small tolerance between the rotating
part (ring) and the stationary part (ring).
While the pump is operating constant cooling and
lubrication must be applied to prevent wear between
the two parts.
Metal to metal contact with very small clearance

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10. diffusing vanes
Some pumps contain diffusing
vanes in addition to the volute
casing
The main function of these
vanes is to streamline the flow
at the impeller exit and convert
the high velocity into pressure.
This will lead to a reduction of
friction losses in the volute
A pump volute casing equipped with diffusing vanes
casing.

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Energy Transfer from the Pump Rotor to the Fluid
The energy is added to the fluid only by the impeller, which conveys
the shaft power to the fluid via the work done by the impeller vanes.
The fluid leaves the impeller with higher pressure and higher kinetic
energy.
The detailed analysis of energy transfer depends on the application of
the angular momentum conservation equation.
Starting from the control volume Eq. (Reynolds transport theorem,
RTT)
Substitute and by noting that
dBsys  
d B=Angular Momentum= r  mv
  bdV   bV  dA
dt dt cv cs
which implies b=r x v
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Where Hsys is the total angular momentum = d r  mv  d H sys 
 M  dt  dt
r x mv
Where SM represents the summation of all
external moments acting on the body and
dH/dt is the rate of change of angular
momentum.
For steady flow, the integral term vanishes
The angular momentum becomes

Assuming one-dimensional steady flow through

a c.v. with one inlet and one exit, and making
use of the mass conservation principle
where m dot is the mass flow rate.
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Application of Angular Momentum Equation to the
Centrifugal Pump Impeller
Apply the angular momentum equation considering the c.v. to occupy
the space inside the impeller.
To find the relationship between the torque applied to the impeller
(driving torque) and the flow velocities at the impeller inlet and exit
sections
Assume one-dimensional flow through the impeller
The main dimensions of a typical radial-type impeller are:
The vane inlet and exit vane angles (b1 and b2).
The velocity of the fluid relative to the vane (Vr) is tangential to the vane
(shockless flow) at inlet when operating at the design point.
The whirl component (V) (tangential to impeller circumference)
Flow component Y of the flow velocity ( normal to impeller circumference)
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The whirl component (or swirl component), V,: is a measure of the
flow rotational velocity, it is the Tangential component of U (absolute
velocity)
the flow component (Y): is the component of the velocity normal to
the area (i.e. in the radial direction) and gives a measure of the flow
rate. It is the axial component in case of axial machines, and radial
component in case of radial machines
Y
Angles are
measured from
the tangent to
V impeller
circumference

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Velocity diagram

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Velocity diagram
The whirl
component (V),
tangential
[contribute to the
torque]
The flow
component (Y) is
the flow radial
velocity

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 
Vr 2 
Y2
u2
Household Fan 
U2

Absolute velocity is the vector

sums of relative and blade
velocities.

The blade velocity u = ωr=Nr


The absolute velocity U seen by a person u1
sitting stationary at the table on which the 
U1
fan rests.
Y1

The relative velocity seen by a person riding on the fan blade Vr

 
U  u  Vr

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 Angular momentum Equation between the impeller
inlet and exit sections to get the driving torque T
The moment is about the center of the
impeller.
The only component that has a moment is
the tangential component ( radial passes
through the center)
Angular momentum equation can be
simplified to
where T is the impeller driving torque
It is important here to mention that we have assumed a shockless flow at the vane inlet and exit
(i.e. Vr is tangential to the vane at inlet and exit).
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The moment is about the center of the impeller.
The only component that has a moment is the tangential component
( radial passes through the center) Angles are
measured from
Y2 the tangent to
impeller
U2 circumference

V2
Y1

V1

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Angular momentum Equation between the impeller
inlet and exit sections to get the driving torque T…
T is the impeller driving torque
P is the power input to the impeller velocity of the impeller vane (u = ωr)

For an ideal case in which there are no

energy loss anywhere in the pump 
the input mechanical power = the
output fluid power
where He is the theoretical head
developed by the impeller
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Pump theoretical head, He Eq. (3.9)

The term He obtained from Eq. (3.9) represents the ideal value of the
impeller input head (the highest head you can get from an impeller)
It is called the Euler head.
In most cases, the fluid enters the impeller with no whirl component
(i.e. V1 = 0) when the pump operates at its design point (BEP).
Then the ideal or Euler head can be written as

 In this case U1 = Y1

V1=0

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Angular momentum Equation
The previous Equations are the basic governing equations for pumps or turbines
whether the machines are radial, mixed, or axial-flow devices and for
compressible and incompressible flows.
Another useful but more laborious form written based on the velocity triangles at
the entrance or exit.

U
Vr Y

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 useful but more laborious form

U 2  Y 2 V 2  Y 2  U 2 V 2 -------(1)
(u  V ) 2  Y 2  Vr 2 -------(2)
(u-V)
Substitute 1 in 2 and simplify (3)
(u  V ) 2  U 2  V 2  Vr 2 -------(3)

(u  2uV  V )  U  V  Vr
2 2 2 2 2 u 2  U 2  Vr 2
 uV -----(4)
2

Substitute 4 in the power equation

 u2 2  U 2 2  Vr 2 2 u12  U12  Vr12 

P  Q    -----(5)
 2 2 

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 useful but more laborious form

 u2 2  U 2 2  Vr 2 2 u12  U12  Vr12 

P  Q    -----(5)
 2 2 
Simplify 5

 (U 2 2  U12 )  (u2 2  u12 )  (Vr 2 2  Vr12 ) 

P  Q  
 2 

 (U 2 2  U12 )  (u2 2  u12 )  (Vr 2 2  Vr12 ) 

P  m  
 2 

Turbomachine work or power is related to changes in absolute,

blade, and relative velocities (kinetic energy).

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Pump flowrate
The relationship between the
radial velocity components Y1 and
Y2 and the flow rate, Q, can be
obtained from the continuity
equation as

The effect of the vane thickness

on the impeller inlet and exit
areas is neglected in this
equation.
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 Example 3.1
A centrifugal pump has an impeller with an external diameter of 250 mm and an internal diameter
of 150 mm. The impeller width at inlet is 15 mm. The vanes are backward curved and have
an angle of 45 deg. at exit. The fluid enters the impeller with no prerotation (no whirl) and the radial
velocity component is constant throughout the impeller. The flow rate is 2.7 m3/min, when the
speed of rotation is 1100 rpm.

a. Calculate the vane angle at inlet.

b. Determine the theoretical head developed by the pump (neglect all losses).

Inlet with whirl component (V) Inlet without whirl component (V =0) Exit with whirl component (V)
and Y1=Y2
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Solution

From the velocity diagram

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Solution

From the velocity diagram

(u2-V2)
𝑢 2 −𝑉 2
cot ( 𝛽 2 )=
𝑌2

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 This is the actual H-Q curve obtained
experimentally:
Question: How can
we get this curve or
similar curve
theoretically
“Theoretical
Characteristic Curve”
?
Please search for an
answer to be discuss
next class?
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 Theoretical Characteristic Curve (Performance
Curve)
The pump theoretical characteristic curves (H–Q and BP–Q) can be deduced for any
impeller vane shape using the laws of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, and
utilizing the inlet and exit velocity diagrams.
Assume one-dimensional steady flow and neglect friction and other losses.
The pump performance is always presented for a constant speed.
From pumps manufacturer

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BBL/D (Capacity barrels per day)
Exit velocity diagrams for different vane shapes
(u2=V2) & (Vr2
=Y2 in this
case

a) Forward curved vanes (β2 > 90°) b) Radial vanes (β2 = 90°) c) Backward curved vanes (β2 < 90°)

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Theoretical H-Q Characteristics
Theoretical (Euler) head (Eq. (3.9))

No whirl component at inlet V1=0

Velocity diagram relationship (Eq.(3.12)

Continuity Equation (Eq. (3.11))

We need He VS. Q theoretical characteristic curve

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Theoretical H-Q Characteristics
Note: friction and other losses
are neglected

51
Theoretical H-Q Characteristics with no inlet whirl
component

If the fluid enters the impeller with no prerotation (V1 = 0).

Eq. (3.14)

If the fluid enters the impeller with prerotation (V1 ≠ 0).

Eq. (3.15)

H-Q curve always generated for constant

N always i.e. u1 and u2 =constants 52
He–Q characteristics for the case of no prerotation at inlet when using
(a) forward curved vanes (b2 > 90), (b) radial vanes (b2 = 90), and (c)
backward curved vanes (b2 < 90) based on Eq. (3.14).
forward

Radial
(V2=u2)

Cot(90) =0 radial backward

Cot( >90) = negative forward

Cot( <90) = positive  backward

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As you can see forward curved vane has the maximum
head ? Then why do we use backward curved vane ?
Question? Why the backward
curved vane is better than the
forward even though the head
developed by the forward is
higher? Think of an answer ?

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He–Q characteristics for the case of no prerotation at inlet when using (b) radial
vanes (b2 = 90), and (c) backward curved vanes (b2 < 90) based on Eq. (3.14) solid
line. And the case with a prerotation when both b1 and b2 are less than 90 ( the
dotted line Eq. (3.15)).

Eq. (3.15) Eq. (3.14)

Dashed line ----------- solid line _____

Shifted downward

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 The point of intersection of the solid and dotted lines exists at Q1

Set Eq.(3.14) = Eq.(3.15) to get the intersection point , i.e. Q1

Substitute back in V1 equation the tangential component or the whirl component at the inlet

Substitute 2πr1b1=
Q1/(u1tanβ1)

Simplifying:

when Q < Q1, V1 becomes positive, and when Q > Q1, V1 becomes negative

negative values of V1 result in higher theoretical head He

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The velocity diagrams for the three cases of Q < Q1, Q = Q1, and Q >
Q1 for the same values of u1 and b1

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Although the performance of impeller type forward curved vanes
( b2>90) provides maximum head for all flow rates, such impellers
are rarely used because of their low efficiency and unstable
performance especially at low flow rates. Search for approve to this
statement?
Practically, top efficiencies are obtained by using type backward
curved vanes (b2<90) impellers

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Relationship between Impeller Vane Shape
and Pump Efficiency
The energy added to the fluid by the
impeller is a combined effect of
velocity head increase and pressure
head increase.
This energy addition occurs between
the vane inlet section (1) and the
vane exit section (2), Absolute velocities at inlet and exit
The head developed by the impeller sections of a typical vane

can be divided into two main parts

which are Note: pressure has no losses associated with it
however, velocity has many losses associated with
it

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Relationship between Impeller Vane Shape
and Pump Efficiency… Bernoulli’s

we can express He as

But the total velocity vector is
the tangential + the normal
component
Subtract the magnitudes
In most impeller designs, the
radial velocity component (Y) is
almost constant and, assuming
no prerotation at inlet (V1 = 0),
Pressure head Hp, and total
head is He or simply H 60
Pump Degree of Reaction, λ
Pump degree of reaction: the ratio of the pressure to total i.e. Hp/H =
Hp/(Hp+Hv) where Hv is the velocity head
H is the total head and Hp is the pressure head
Let H be the He (Euler without losses) then pump degree of reaction
will be

Assuming no swirl at inlet and using

The speed of the impeller

u2 is a crucial parameter
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Pump Degree of Reaction
Assuming no swirl at inlet and using

Using

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Pump Degree of Reaction
 the relationship between the impeller vane shape (represented by the vane angle
β2) and the impeller degree of reaction, l.
R: Cot(90) =0
F: Cot( >90) = negative
B: Cot( <90) = positive

 The increase of Hv means an increase of the fluid velocity at the impeller exit,
which leads to a higher level of turbulence and accordingly higher friction losses (
i.e mixer)
 On the other hand, increasing pressure is the main objective of the pump, and this does not
cause any losses
 The better (more efficient) impeller is the one that develops higher Hp and lower Hv, which means a
higher degree of reaction which is the backward vane
63
Pump Degree of Reaction
It is clear from Eq. (3.17) that using backward curved vanes (b2 < 90) tends
to produce a higher degree of reaction and accordingly higher efficiency
(due to lower hydraulic losses) in comparison with radial or forward curved
ones ( since cot <90 is positive)
a smaller value of b2 results in higher degree of reaction (cotb2 increases).
The value of b2 normally ranges from 15 to 35o;
higher values of b2 are sometimes used for developing higher heads and
flow rates.
decreasing b2 to values much less than 15o leads to a higher degree of
reaction but very small flow rates.
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Degree of reaction…
It is clear from the figure that
the flow rate supplied by this
impeller will be very small since
the flow component of the
velocity (Y2) becomes very
small.
the exit velocity diagram for a radial-type
impeller equipped with backward-curved vanes
having a very small exit vane angle, β2

65
3.3.3 Theoretical Relationship between Impeller Vane Shape
and Pump Power Consumption
The effect of vane shape on the pump P–Q curve can be deduced
based on the assumption of no losses.
In this case (no losses), the pump output power (fluid power) will be
exactly the same as the pump input power (brake power).
The relationship between the fluid power, Pf, and the flow rate, Q, at
a constant speed of rotation, N, can be written as

(Pf)th = γ Q He
.

And by using Eq. (3.14a) for the Euler head with no prerotation at inlet i.e. V1=0

66
 3.3.3 Theoretical Relationship between Impeller Vane Shape
and Pump Power Consumption
(Pf)th = γ Q He
.

And by using Eq. (3.14a) for the Euler head with no prerotation at inlet i.e. V 1=0

Substitute 

The variation of (BP)th. with Q is presented graphically next for the three cases of
forward-curved (b >90), radial (b=90) , and backward-curved vanes (b<90 degree)

67
There is an upper limit to Cot(b) -ve
(BP)th. in the case of using Cot(b)= 0
backward-curved vanes—
impeller type (c)—
there is no upper limit in the
two cases of radial and
forward-curved vanes. Cot(b) +ve

forward
K1Q+K2’Q2 (a)
radial (b)
K 1Q
backward K Q-K Q2 (c)
1 2*

This is a second advantage of using backward-curved vanes since the engineer can select a
prime mover (e.g. electric motor) and guarantee that it will never be overloaded.
68
Search for three excellent features that
make the impeller equipped with backward
curved vane better than the forward and
radial

69
 3.4 Deviation from Theoretical Characteristics
Theoretical Performance of a centrifugal
Why the actual performance of a centrifugal pump
pump differs from the theoretical
performance

Actual Performance of a centrifugal pump

VS.
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