Pump Selection and Pipe Sizing

Steffe and Morgan (1986) discussed in detail the selection of pumps and the sizing of pipes for non-Newtonian fluids. Preliminary selection of a pump is based on the volumetric pumping capacity only from data provided by the manufacturers of pumps. 

Effective viscosity r/e was defined by Skelland (1967) as the viscosity that is obtained assuming that the Hagen-Poiseuille equation for laminar flow of Newtonian fluids is applicable  

An alternate form of Equation 8.17 in terms of the mass flow rate, m, and the friction fector, /, is 

In calculating t]e from Equation 8.19, either the port size of a pump or the dimensions of the assumed pipe size can be used. Based on the magnitude of rje, the suitability of the pump volumetric size must be verified from plots of effective viscosity versus volumetric flow rate. It is emphasized that a pump size is assumed based on the volumetric pumping requirements and the assumption is verified by performing detailed calculations. 

The discharge pressure of the pump can be calculated by applying the MEB equation between the pump dischaige and the exit point of the system so that the upper seal pressure limits are not exceeded. The MEB equation for this purpose can be written as  

---