Pumps, centrifugal system curves

For a given centrifugal pump operating at a constant speed, the flow rate through the pump is dependent upon the differential pressure or head developed by the pump. The lower the pump head, the higher the flow rate. A vendor manual for a specific pump usually contains a curve of pump flow rate versus pump head called a pump characteristic curve. After a pump is installed in a system, it is usually tested to ensure that the flow rate and head of the pump are within the required specifications. A typical centrifugal pump characteristic curve is shown in Figure 21.3. 

Actually, everything we said about bearings, mechanical seals, piping, TDH, system curves and mating the pump curve to the system curve, the affinity laws, cavitation, horsepower and efficiency arc as applicable to PD pumps as centrifugal pumps. 

The pumps can be either centrifugal or positive displacement types. The centrifugal pumps should have a head curve continuously rising toward the shut-off point. The standby pump should be piped into the system in a manner that permits checking of the pump while the main pump is in operation. To achieve this, a restriction orifice is required with a test bleeder valve piped to the return oil line or the reservoir. 

The Operating System. Regardless of calculated centrifugal compressor performance, the machine will operate only on or along its operating curve to fit the system of which it is a part. This is quite similar to the system performance of a centrifugal pump. Friction, other pressure drops of the system, and how friction varies with operating conditions determine machine performance. 

It is important to recognize that a centrifugal pump will operate only along its performance curve [10, 11]. External conditions will adjust themselves, or must be adjusted in order to obtain stable operation. Each pump operates within a system, and the conditions can be anticipated if each component part is properly examined. The system consists of the friction losses of the suction and the discharge piping plus the total static head from suction to final discharge point. Figure 3-51 represents a typical system head curve superimposed on the characteristic curve for a 10 by 8-inch pump with a 12-inch diameter impeller. 

Total head, centrifugal pumps, 180, 183 Discharge, 205 Head curve, 198 Suction head, 184, 186 Suction lift, 184, 186 Type, 184 Tubing, 63, 64 Two-phase flow, 124 Calculations, 125-127 Flow patterns, chart, 124 System pressure drop, 125 Types of flow, 124, 125 Utilities check list, process design, 34 Vacuum,... 

The static pressure difference will be independent of the fluid flow-rate. The dynamic loss will increase as the flow-rate is increased. It will be roughly proportional to the flow-rate squared, see equation 5.3. The system curve, or operating line, is a plot of the total pressure head versus the liquid flow-rate. The operating point of a centrifugal pump can be found by plotting the system curve on the pump s characteristic curve, see Example 5.3. 

When selecting a centrifugal pump for a given duty, it is important to match the pump characteristic with system curve. The operating point should be as close as is practical to the point of maximum pump efficiency, allowing for the range of flow-rate over which the pump may be required to operate. 

In a particular system, a centrifugal pump can only operate at one point on the Ah against Q curve and that is the point where the pump Ah against Q curve intersects with the system Ah against Q curve as shown in Figure 4.4. 

System total heads should be estimated as accurately as possible. Safety factors should never be added to these estimated total head values. This is illustrated by Figure 4.8. Suppose that OAi is the correct curve and that the centrifugal pump is required to operate at point A. Let a safety factor be added to the total head values to give a system curve OA2. On the basis of curve OA2, the manufacturer will supply a pump to operate at point A2. However, since the true system curve is OA, the pump will operate at point Ai. Not only is the capacity higher than that specified, but the pump motor may be overloaded. 

A centrifugal pump operates in this particular system with a total head against mean velocity curve represented by the equation... 

Two centrifugal pumps are connected in series in a given pumping system. Plot total head Ah against capacity Q pump and system curves and determine the operating points for... 

Figure 7.17. Operating points of centrifugal pumps under a variety of conditions, (a) Operating points with a particular pump characteristic and system curves corresponding to various amounts of flow throttling with a control valve, (b) Operating point with two identical pumps in parallel each pump delivers one-half the flow and each has the same head, (c) Operating point with two identical pumps in series each pump delivers one-half the head and each has the same flow.

Figure 2.119 illustrates the typical pump curve of a single impeller pump. It shows both the head-capacity curve of a centrifugal pump and the system... 

Turbine pumps mix features of a simple propeller (axial flow) pump with a centrifugal pump and are often referred to as units with mixed flow. A simple turbine pump carries curved vanes on a central rotating spindle. Such pumps are often immersed in the liquid and find use in closed-loop circulation systems, in condenser circulating water, and in sumps and wells. Turbine pumps have noteworthy pumping capacity, and like positive displacements pumps are often used for heads up to about 100 ft/stage with capacities of up to several hundred gallons/minute. 

Plot the effect of pump wear. When a pump wears, there is a loss in capacity and efficiency. The amount of loss depends, however, on the shape of the system-head curve. For a centrifugal pump (Fig. 6.30), the capacity loss is greater for a given amount of wear if the system-head curve is flat, as compared with a steep system-head curve. 

---