Centrifugal pumps capacity

During retrofit, it is often required to increase the existing centrifugal pump capacity and/or head. Pump capacity can be increased by impeller replacement (if the pump casing has allowance for a bigger impeller), pump replacement or installation of more pumps in parallel. Pump head can be increased by impeller, pump replacement or installation of more pumps in series. If the pump head and/or capacity are increased, its downstream piping and equipment shall be reviewed for over-pressure protection. 

These booster pump stations usually consist of a centrifugal pump (capacities ranging between 0.6 and 4 mVs) with a diesel or electric drive mounted on a skid or trailer for on land applications or on a pontoon when used over water To avoid the development of a vacuum in the pipeline it is imperative that the position of... 

From the definition of specific speed (eqs. 9 and 10), it follows that reciprocating pumps operate at high pressures and low flow rates. Conversely, centrifugal pumps are appHed at lower pressures and higher flow rates. Many rotary pumps are selected for viscous Hquids having pressures equal to or less than, and capacities lower than, centrifugal pumps. However, these limits are relative and a gray area exists as some pump types cross boundaries into the domain of other types. 

The centrifugal pump is the type most widely used in the chemical industiy for transferring liquids of aU types—raw materials, materials in manufacture, and finished produc ts—as well as for general services of water supply, boiler feed, condenser circulation, condensate return, etc. These pumps are available through avast range of sizes, in capacities from 0.5 mVh to 2 X 10 mVh (2 gal/min to 10 gaJ/min), and for discharge heads (pressures) from a few meters to approximately 48 MPa (7000 Ibf/iu"). The size and type best suited to a particular apphcation can be determined only by an engineering study of the problem. 

Tests conducted to operate centrifugal pumps as hydrauhc turbines throughout the head-capacity-speed range show that a good centrifugal pump generally makes an efficient hydraulic turbine. From theoretical considerations it is possible to state that at the same speed... 

If the suspension is fed to the filter with a reciprocating pump at constant capacity, filtration is performed under constant flowrate. In this case, the pressure differential increases due to an increase in the cake resistance. If the suspension is fed by a centrifugal pump, its capacity decreases with an increase in cake resistance, and filtration is performed at variable pressure differentials and flowrates. 

By virtue of its chemical and thermal resistances, borosilicate glass has superior resistance to thermal stresses and shocks, and is used in the manufacture of a variety of items for process plants. Examples are pipe up to 60 cm in diameter and 300 cm long with wall tliicknesses of 2-10 mm, pipe fittings, valves, distillation column sections, spherical and cylindrical vessels up 400-liter capacity, centrifugal pumps with capacities up to 20,000 liters/hr, tubular heat exchangers with heat transfer areas up to 8 m, maximum working pressure up to 275 kN/m, and heat transfer coefficients of 270 kcal/hz/m C [48,49]. 

Approximate Capacity-Head Ranges For Centrifugal Pumps... 

Figure 3-36A illustrates typical manufacturers performance curves for centrifugal pumps as a function of capacity. 

Mdien dscous liquids are handled in centrifugal pumps, the brake horsepower is increased, the head is reduced, and the capacity is reduced as compared to the performance with water. The corrections may be negligible for viscosities in the same order of magnitude as water, but become significant above 10 centistokes (10 centipoise for SpGr = 1.0) for heavy materials. While the calculation m.ethods are accepta oly good, for exact performance charts test must be run using the pump in the service. 

Figure 3-57. Viscosity performance correction chart for small centrifugal pumps with capacity at best efficiency point of less than 100 GPM (water performance). Note Do not extrapolate. For small centrifugal pumps only, not for axial or mixed flow. NPSH must be adequate. For Newtonian fluids only. For multistage pumps, use head per stage. (By permission. Hydraulic Institute Standards for Centrifugal, Rotary, and Reciprocating Pumps, 13th ed.. Hydraulic Institute, 1975.)...

Suction and discharge heads are determined the same as for centrifugal pumps. Total head and capacity are used in selecting the proper rotary pump from a manufacturer s data or curves. Since viscosity is quite important in the... 

Since centrifugal machines are too big to control by frequent stopping and restarting, some form of capacity reduction must be inbuilt. The general method is to throttle or deflect the flow of suction gas into the impeller. With most models it is possible to reduce the pumping capacity down to 10-15% of full flow. There are no components which require lubrication, with the exception of the main bearings. As a result, the machine can run almost oil-free. 

Brake horsepower, centrifugal pumps, 200 Driver horsepower, 201 Burst pressure, 405, 456 Cartridge filters, 274-278 Capture mechanism, 279 Edge filler, 278 Filter media, table, 278 Micron ratings, 277 Reusable elements, 281 Sintered metal, 280 Types, 276, 277, 279 Wound vs. pleated, 276, 277 Centrifugal pumps, operating characteristics, 177-180 Calculations, see hydraulic performance Capacity, 180... 

The principal types used and their operating pressures and capacity ranges are summarised in Table 10.17 and Figure 10.63. Centrifugal pumps will normally be the first... 

A centrifugal pump with an 8 in. diameter impeller operating at a rotational speed of 1150 rpm requires 1.5 hp to deliver water at a rate of 100 gpm and a pressure of 15 psi. Another pump for water, which is geometrically similar but has an impeller diameter of 13 in., operates at a speed of 1750 rpm. Estimate the pump pressure, flow capacity, and power requirements of this second pump. (Under these conditions, the performance of both pumps is independent of the fluid viscosity.)... 

It is necessary to pump water at 70°F (Pv = 0.35 psia) from a well that is 150ft deep, at a flow rate of 25 gpm. You do not have a submersible pump, but you do have a centrifugal pump with the required capacity that cannot be submerged. If a 1 in. sch 40 pipe is used, and the NPSH of the pump is 15 ft,... 

The total head Ah developed by a centrifugal pump at a particular capacity Q is independent of the liquid density. Thus the higher the density of the liquid, the higher the pressure AP developed by the pump. The relationship between AP and Ah is given by equation 4.10... 

Total head against capacity characteristic curve fora volute centrifugal pump... 

Figure 4.5 shows a typical relationship between the available NPSH in the system and the NPSH required by the pump as the volumetric flow rate of liquid or capacity Q is varied. The NPSH required by a centrifugal pump increases approximately with the square of the liquid throughput. The available NPSH in a system can be calculated from equation 4.9 having substituted for hfs... 

A centrifugal pump will operate normally at a point on its total head against capacity characteristic curve until the available NPSH falls below the required NPSH curve. Beyond this point, the total head generated by a centrifugal pump falls drastically as shown in Figure 4.6 as the pump begins to operate in cavitation conditions. 

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. 

The piping and valves may be arranged to enable two centrifugal pumps to be operated either in series or in parallel. For two identical pumps, series operation gives a total head of 2Ah at a capacity Q and parallel operation gives a capacity of 2Q at a total head Ah. The efficiency of either the series or parallel combination is practically the same as for a single pump. 

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... 

Horizontal centrifugal pumps should provide 150% of the rated capacity at 65% of the rated pressure, with a shutoff head of not more than 120% of the rated pressure. This pump should be used only when suction supply is under a positive head. Suction pipes should be designed to preclude the formation of air bubbles. A characteristic curve for a rated fire water pump is shown in Figure 7-15. 

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