Pump Selection Procedure (from Applied Fluid Mechanics by R. Mott, 5th ed.

) Sample Design Problem: Figure 1 shows a system in which a pump is required to deliver at least 225 gal/min of water at 60F from a lower reservoir to an elevated tank maintained at a pressure of 35.0 psig. Design the system and specify a suitable pump. Then determine the operating point for the pump in the system you have designed and give the performance characteristics for the pump at the operating point. Step 1. Propose the general layout of the system. This is completed for the sample problem as shown in Figure 1. The following are its primary features. The pump is placed near to the source and located below the level of the fluid in the reservoir. This eases the ability of the pump to draw fluid without priming and it should maintain a relatively high pressure at the pump inlet to decrease the probability of Figure 1. System for the Sample Design Problem creating cavitation in the pump. The suction line is a total of 8.0 feet long. A fully open gate valve is placed in the suction line before the pump to permit the inflow to be shut off when the pump is not in operation. It may also facilitate service or replacement of the pump. In the discharge line a check valve is placed. It prohibits the backflow of fluid from the upper tank when the pump is not operating. A fully open butterfly valve beyond the check valve is also included. The butterfly valve can be shut off to isolate the pump for service or replacement. It could also be used as well for a modest throttling (purposely adding resistance to the flow to control the amount of fluid delivered) to fine tune the delivery of water. The discharge line contains two standard elbows and a total of 360 feet of pipe. Step 2. Specify the sizes for the pipes. Refer to the attached tables for guide (Tables 1.1 and 1.2 Pipe size selection based on flow velocity). A 3 -inch Schedule 40 steel pipe is suitable for the suction line, giving a velocity of approximately 7.5 ft/sec. Its flow area is 0.06868 ft2 and its inside diameter is 0.2957 ft. The actual flow velocity is

Using a 2 -inch Schedule 40 steel pipe for the discharge line will result in a velocity of approximately 15 ft/s. Its actual flow area is 0.03326 ft2 and its inside diameter is 0.2058 ft. The actual flow velocity is

Step 3. Using the energy balance equation, determine the equation for the total head on the pump at the desired operating conditions. First specify the reference points in the system that encompass all of the work the pump is required to do. For this problem, point 1 is taken at the surface of the lower reservoir where the pressure is 0 psig. Point 2 is taken at the surface of the upper tank where the pressure is 35.0 psig and the velocity is very nearly zero. The difference in elevation between these two points is 80 points. Then using the equation for the Total Dynamic Head (TDH), we have

hS = 80 ft hv = 0 hF = ? hP = TDH = 160.77 ft + hF Step 4. Evaluate all energy losses at the desired flow rate. You may choose to use a spreadsheet similar to that in Figure 11.3 in Chapter 11 (Mott) for this part of the process. Total energy lost as computed is 299.8 ft when the flow rate is 225 gal/min. This is the desired operating point for the pump. Step 5. Specify a suitable pump. For this problem, let us inspect the pump curves shown in Figures 2 to 8. The 2 x 3 10 pump operating at 3500 rpm shown in Figure 2 is suitable. The desired operating point lies between the curves for the 8-inch and 9-inch diameter impellers. We must choose the 9-inch impeller to deliver at least the desired 225 gal/min flow rate. Table 2. System Curve Step 6. Create the system curve and determine the actual operating Q (gpm) Q (cfs) TDH (ft) point for the pump. 0 0 160.8 The system curve is a plot of the total head (TDH) versus the 25 0.056 162.9 flow rate for the proposed system. The same spreadsheet used for 50 0.111 168.6 the calculation of energy losses may be used for this. (We vary the 75 0.167 177.6 flow rate from 0 to 275 gal/min and solve for the corresponding TDH. 100 0.223 189.9 The values are recorded in Table 2. Figure 9 shows the graph of the 125 0.278 205.4 system curve. 150 0.334 224.1 175 0.390 246.1 Step 7. Determine the operating point for the selected pump by 200 0.445 271.3 superimposing the pump rating curve (the 9-inch impeller diameter 225 0.501 299.8 curve) on the system curve and observing where they intersect. 250 0.557 331.4 Figure 10 is a graph showing the operating point. 275 0.612 366.3

Step 8. Determine the performance of the pump at the operating curve. The results for this problem are listed below, found by referring to the full chart of pump performance in Figure 8. 2 x 3 -10 Flow rate (Capacity): Total head: Efficiency: Input power: NPSH required: Centrifugal pump with a 9-inch impeller operating at 3500 rpm 240 gal/min 320 ft 57% 33 hp 8.0 ft

Step 9. If necessary, provide a means of connecting the selected pipe sizes to the connections for the pump if they are of different sizes. Connections are required in this design. We have selected a 3 -inch suction line and the pump has a 3inch suction port. A reducer is required. Also, an enlargement is required to mate the 2-inch discharge port of the pump to the 2 -inch discharge pipe. Gradual reducers and expanders are recommended to minimize the energy losses added to the system by these elements. For the gradual reducers and expanders the K-factor for each is typically much less than 1.0 and the added energy loss should have negligible effect on the operating point of the pump.

Table 1.1 Pipe Size Selection based on Flow Velocity (English units) Suction Lines Flowing to the Inlet to a Pump Recommended Range of Velocity: 3 to 20 ft/s Volume flow rate (gal/min) for given velocity Pipe Size Flow Area Velocity (ft/s) Sch 40 1/2 3/4 1 1 1/4 1 1/2 2 2 1/2 3 3 1/2 4 5 6 8 10 (ft2) 0.00211 0.00370 0.00600 0.01039 0.01414 0.02333 0.03326 0.05132 0.06868 0.08840 0.1390 0.2006 0.3472 0.5479 3 2.84 4.98 8.08 14.0 19.0 31.4 44.8 69.1 92.5 119 187 270 468 738 7.5 7.11 12.5 20.2 35 47.6 78.6 112 173 231 298 468 676 1,169 1,845 10 9.47 16.6 26.9 46.7 63.5 105 149 230 308 397 624 901 1,559 2,460 15 14.2 24.9 40.4 70 95.2 157 224 346 463 595 936 1351 2,338 3,690 20 18.9 33.2 53.9 93.3 127 210 299 461 617 794 1,248 1,801 3,118 4,920

Pipe Size

Discharge Lines Flowing from the Outlet of a Pump Recommended Range of Velocity: 10 to 30 ft/s Volume flow rate (gal/min) for given velocity Flow Area Velocity (ft/s) 25 23.7 41.5 67.4 116.6 159 262 373 576 771 992 1,560 2,252 3,897 6,150 30 28.4 49.8 80.8 140 190 314 448 691 925 1,191 1,872 2,702 4,677 7,380

Sch 40 (ft2) 10 15 20 1/2 0.00211 9.47 14.21 18.9 3/4 0.00370 16.61 24.9 33.2 1 0.00600 26.9 40.4 53.9 1 1/4 0.01039 46.7 70 93.3 1 1/2 0.01414 63.5 95.2 127 2 0.02333 104.8 157 210 2 1/2 0.03326 149.3 224 299 3 0.05132 230 346 461 3 1/2 0.06868 308 463 617 4 0.08840 397 595 794 5 0.1390 624 936 1,248 6 0.2006 901 1,351 1,801 8 0.3472 1,559 2,338 3,118 10 0.5479 2,460 3,690 4,920 Reference: Applied Fluid Mechanics by Robert Mott, 5th Ed., p.153

Table 1.2 Pipe Size Selection based on Flow Velocity (SI units) Suction Lines Flowing to the Inlet to a Pump Recommended Range of Velocity: 1.0 to 6.0 m/s Pipe Size Sch 40 1/2 3/4 1 1 1/4 1 1/2 2 2 1/2 3 3 1/2 4 5 6 8 10 Flow Area (m2) 1.960E-04 3.437E-04 5.574E-04 9.653E-04 1.314E-03 2.167E-03 3.090E-03 4.768E-03 6.381E-03 8.213E-03 0.01291 0.01864 0.03226 0.05090 Volume flow rate (m3/hr) for given velocity Velocity (m/s) 1 0.71 1.24 2.01 3.47 4.73 7.80 11.1 17.2 23.0 29.6 46.5 67.1 116 183 2.25 1.59 2.78 4.52 7.82 10.6 17.6 25.0 38.6 51.7 66.5 105 151 261 412 3 2.12 3.71 6.02 10.4 14.2 23 33 51 69 89 139 201 348 550 4.5 3.18 5.57 9.03 15.6 21.3 35.1 50.1 77.2 103 133 209 302 523 825 6 4.23 7.42 12 20.8 28.4 46.8 66.7 103 138 177 279 403 697 1,099

Discharge Lines Flowing from the Outlet of a Pump Recommended Range of Velocity: 3.0 to 9.0 m/s Pipe Size Flow Area Volume flow rate (m3/hr) for given velocity Velocity (m/s) 7.5 5.29 9.28 15.1 26.1 35.5 58.5 83.4 129 172 222 349 503 871 1,374 9 6.35 11.1 18.1 31.3 42.6 70.2 100 154 207 266 418 604 1,045 1,649

Sch 40 (m2) 3 4.5 6 1/2 1.960E-04 2.12 3.18 4.23 3/4 3.437E-04 3.71 5.57 7042 1 5.574E-04 6.02 9.03 12 1 1/4 9.653E-04 10.4 15.6 20.8 1 1/2 1.314E-03 14.2 21.3 28.4 2 2.167E-03 23.4 35.1 46.8 2 1/2 3.090E-03 33.4 50.1 66.7 3 4.768E-03 51.5 77.2 103 3 1/2 6.381E-03 68.9 103 138 4 8.213E-03 88.7 133 177 5 0.01291 139 209 279 6 0.01864 201 302 403 8 0.03226 348 523 697 10 0.05090 550 825 1,099 th Reference: Applied Fluid Mechanics by Robert Mott, 5 Ed., p.154

Figure 2. Composite rating chart for a line of centrifugal pumps.

Figure 3. Illustration of pump performance for different impeller diameters.

Figure 4. Pump performance for 2 x 3 10 centrifugal pump operating at 1750 rpm.

Figure 5. Pump performance for different impeller diameters with power required. Performance chart for 2 x 3 10 centrifugal pump at 3500 rpm.

Figure 6. Pump performance for different impeller diameters with efficiency. Performance chart for 2 x 3 10 centrifugal pump at 3500 rpm.

Figure 7. Pump performance for different impeller diameters with net positive suction head required. Performance chart for 2 x 3 10 centrifugal pump at 3500 rpm.

Figure 8. Composite performance chart for 2 x 3 10 centrifugal pump at 3500 rpm.

Figure 9. System curve for the Sample Design Problem.

Figure 10. Operating point for the Sample Design Problem. Figure 11 shows one method for deciding what type of pump is suitable for a given service. Some general conclusions can be drawn from such a chart, but it should be emphasized that boundaries between zones are approximate. Two or more types of pumps may give satisfactory service under the same conditions. Such factors as cost, physical size, suction conditions, and the type of fluid may dictate a particular choice. In general: 1. Reciprocating pumps are used for flow rates up to about 500 gal/min and from very low heads to as high as 50,000ft of head. 2. Centrifugal pumps are used over a wide range of conditions, mostly in high capacity, moderate head applications. 3. Single-stage centrifugal pumps operating at 3500 rpm are economical at lower flow rates and moderate heads. 4. Multistage pumps are desirable at high head conditions. 5. Rotary pumps (e.g., gear, vane) are used in applications requiring moderate capacities and high heads or for fluids with high viscosities. 6. Special high speed centrifugal pumps operating well above the 3500-rpm of standard electrical motors are desirable for high heads and moderate capacities. Such pumps are driven by steam turbines or gas turbines. 7. Mixed flow and axial flow pumps are used for very high flow rates and low heads. Another parameter that is useful in selecting the type of pump for a given application is the specific speed, defined as:

where

N = rotational speed of the impeller (rpm) Q = flow rate through the pump (gal/min) H = total head on the pump (ft)

The specific speed is often combined with the specific diameter to produce a chart like that shown in Figure 12. The specific diameter is given by

where

D is the impeller diameter in inches.

From Figure 12, we can see that radial flow centrifugal pumps are recommended for specific speeds from about 400 to 4,000. Mixed flow pumps are used from 4,000 to about 7,000. Axial flow pumps are used from 7,000 to over 60,000.

Figure 11. Pump selection chart.

Figure 12. Specific speed versus specific diameter for centrifugal pumps. (Excerpted by Mott with special permission from Chemical Engineering, April 13, 1978. Copyright 1978 by McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, N.Y. 10020.)