Experiment 2: Piping Design with a Centrifugal Pump

Object
To determine an optimal pipe size for a given flow rate for a particular system
specified. The system will utilize a Bell & Gossett Model 1510 11/4 AC with 5 5/8 diameter
centrifugal pump. The solution to this problem may require more than one pump. If more than
one pump is required, they could be connected in series or in parallel.

General Design Parameters

As a minimum, the lab instructor will specify the following 1:
a) The pump operation speed:

1500 rpm

b) The pump impeller size:

5 5/8 inch

c) A minimum flow rate between two reservoirs: 0.06 ft3/s

d) Vertical spacing between the fluid level in the reservoirs:
e) Total length of straight pipe:
f)

Number of Elbows:

g) Number of Strainers:

15 feet

150 feet

4
None

h) Number of gate valves:

i)

Number of globe valves:

j)

Working fluid: Water (60oF)

None
1 (wide open)

k) Type of pipe and nominal schedule: Commercial steel, nominal schedule of 40

l)

The number and type of fittings, such as tees, flow meters and other flow restrictions
can be designed, but respective minor losses should be accounted for in the
calculation.

Non-dimensional Pump Curve for Specified Pump Operating Conditions

This experiment will require the use of the non-dimensional head parameter flow
parameter curve that was developed from your centrifugal pump performance experiment.
From the data for your specific problem, and this curve, you should develop a new curve of
pump heat versus flow rate. This new curve will be unique to the impeller size and speed
specified for your problem, and it will be similar in shape to the pump head versus flow curve
that was developed for the centrifugal pump experiment. A typical example of centrifugal
1

Lab instructor may specify different set of the data for your piping design

pump performance curve and the dimensionless characteristic curve is shown in Figure 1.
Draw a vertical line on this curve to represent the specific flow rate for your particular problem.

Figure 1 Typical pump performance curve (a) dimensional; (b) dimensionless

System Head Loss Calculations

The summation of the head loss in a specified system may be obtained from the total
energy equation. These total system losses will be expressed as a function of flow, and
assumed pipe sizes

hL

V22 V12
V2
( z2 z1 )

2g
2g

K
D

where hL = total head loss (ft)

z = reservoir surface elevation (ft)
f = friction factor
V = fluid velocity (ft/s)
D = pipe inner diameter (ft)
L = pipe length (ft)
g = gravitational acceleration (ft/s2)
K = minor loss coefficient for each fitting, valves, etc.
Beginning with a specific pipe size of 1.0 inch nominal schedule 40 pipe, calculate the total
system losses as a function of flow rate. Pipe dimensional data, Moody friction factors, and
fitting loss coefficients may be found from Figure 3 to Figure 8, and Tables 1 and 2. Cross plot
this data on your new curve of pump head versus flow. The point at which the system loss
curve was first selected (1.0 inch nominal schedule 40 pipe). This intersection will show a
lower flow rate (left of the specific flow) or a greater flow rate (right of the specified flow) for
your specific problem.

Repeat this procedure for a larger pipe size, if the intersection point yields a flow that is below
the specified flow rate; or a smaller pipe size if the intersection yields a flow rate that is greater
than the specified flow. The procedure must be repeated until a pipe size is found that will
produce an operating point (intersection of the two curves) slightly greater than the specified
flow rate. Standard pipe sized are the only sizes to be considered in this analysis. This
should require no more than three assumed pipe sizes.
You may find that a single pump will not satisfy the system requirements that have been
specified. In this case two (or more) pumps in parallel or in series must be considered.

Results
For the case in which a single pump can be used, the cross plotted results should appear as
the curve shown in Figure 2

Figure 2 Pump operating condition

There should be a system head loss curve for every pipe size assumed, Each intersection
between the pipe sizes and the pump operating curve represents the point at which the pump
will operate with that particular pipe size. You are to select the pipe size that will provide a
minimum flow rate that was specified for your particular problem.
For the case in which pumps in parallel or pumps in series will be required, the pump curve
as shown in the figure above, will be represented by the combined performance characteristic
pump curve shown in Figure 3.
The Moodys chart and figures for minor loss coefficients can be found in Figures 4 ~ 8 and
Table 1. American standard pipe dimension is shown on Table 2.

Figure 3 Effect of operating pump in (a) series (b) parallel

Figure 4 Friction factor as a function of Reynolds number and relative roughness

Figure 5 Entrance flow conditions and loss coefficients, (a) Reentrant, KL = 0.8; (b) sharpedged KL = 0.5; (c) slightly rounded KL = 0.2; (d) well-rounded KL = 0.04. The loss coefficient
for exit KL = 1.0 disregarding to the flow conditions

(a) Rounded entrance

(c) Sudden expansion

(b) Sudden contraction

(d) Conical diffuser

Figure 6 Loss coefficients for various pipe connections

Figure 7 Loss coefficients in a 90o bend

Figure 8 Loss coefficients in a 90o mitered bend

Table 1

Table 2 American Standard Pipe Dimensions

Pipe

Schedule 10

Schedule 40

Schedule 80

Size
(in)

Nom.
OD
(in)

ID
(in)

Wall
Thick.
(in)

ID
(in)

Wall
Thick.
(in)

ID
(in)

Wall
Thick.
(in)

1/8

0.405

0.307

0.049

0.269

0.068

0.215

0.095

1/4

0.540

0.410

0.065

0.364

0.088

0.302

0.119

3/8

0.675

0.545

0.083

0.493

0.091

0.423

0.126

1/2

0.840

0.674

0.083

0.622

0.109

0.546

3/4

1.050

0.884

0.109

0.824

0.113

1.315

1.097

0.109

1.049

1-1/4

1.660

1.442

0.109

1-1/2

1.900

1.682

2.375

2-1/2

Schedule 160
ID
(in)

Wall
Thick.
(in)

0.147

0.466

0.187

0.742

0.154

0.614

0.218

0.133

0.957

0.179

0.815

0.250

1.380

0.140

1.278

0.191

1.160

0.250

0.109

1.610

0.145

1.500

0.200

1.338

0.281

2.157

0.109

2.067

0.154

1.939

0.218

1.689

0.343

2.875

2.635

0.120

2.469

0.203

2.323

0.276

2.125

0.375

3.500

3.260

0.120

3.068

0.216

2.900

0.300

2.626

0.437

4.500

4.260

0.120

4.026

0.237

3.826

0.337

3.438

0.531

5.563

5.295

0.134

5.047

0.258

4.813

0.375

4.313

0.625

6.625

6.357

0.134

6.065

0.280

5.761

0.432

5.189

0.718

8.625

8.329

0.148

7.981

0.322

7.625

0.500

6.813

0.906