HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO CENTRIFUGAL PUMP The hydraulic machines which convert mechanical into hydraulic energy are called pumps. If the mechanical energy is converted into the pressure energy by means of centrifugal force on the fluid, the hydraulic machine is called Centrifugal Pump. 1.1.1. PARTS OF A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Fig.1. Parts of a Centrifugal Pump

The following are the parts of centrifugal pump: Impeller: The rotating part of the centrifugal pump is called an impeller. It consists of certain backward curved vanes. The impeller is mounted on a shaft which is connected to the shaft of an electric motor. Casing: The casing of centrifugal pump is similar to the casing of a reaction turbine. It is an air tight passage surrounding the impeller and is designed in such a way that the kinetic energy of the water discharged at the outlet of the impeller is converted into pressure energy before the water leaves the casing and enters the delivery pipe. The following are three types of casings commonly adopted: i. Volute Casing. ii. Vortex Casing. iii. Casing with guide blades.
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

VOLUTE CASING

VORTEX CASING

Fig.2. Casings of Centrifugal Pump

Suction Pipe with a Foot valve and Strainer: A pipe whose one end is connected to the inlet of the pump and other end dips into water in a sump is known as suction pipe.A foot valve which is a non-return valve or oneway type of valve is fitted at the lower end of the suction pipe.The foot valve opens only in the upward direction. A strainer is fitted at the lower end of the suction pipe. Delivery Pipe: A pipe whose end is connected to the outlet of the pump and the other end delivers the water at the require height is known as delivery pipe.

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

In case of a centrifugal pump, the work is done by the impeller on the water. The expression for the work done by the impeller on the water is obtained by drawing the velocity triangles at the inlet and outlet of the impeller as in case of a turbine. 1.1.2. DEFINITIONS OF HEADS AND EFFICIENCIES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Fig3: Different Heads Of Centrifugal Pump

1. Suction Head(hs): It is the vertical height of the centre line of the centrifugal pump above the water surface in the tank or pump from which water is to be lifted.

2. Delivery Head(hd):The vertical distance between the center line of the pump and water surface in the tank to which water is delivered.

3. Static Head(Hs):The sum of suction head and delivery head is known as Static Head. It is written as Hs=hs+hd

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

4. Efficiencies of Centrifugal Pump: In case of centrifugal pump, the power is transmitted from the shaft of the electric motor to the shaft of the pump and then to the impeller, the power is given to the water. The following are the important efficiencies of a centrifugal pump:

i. ii. iii.

Manometric Efficiency. Mechanical Efficiency. Overall Efficiency

1.2 WORKING OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Centrifugal Pumps are the most common type of kinetic pump and are used most often in applications with moderate-to-high flow low head. As the workhorse of many industries it is the most economical to own, operate and maintain.

Fig.4. Simplified Pump Hydraulic Circuit

The centrifugal pump acts as a reverse of an inward radial flow reaction turbine. This means that the flow in centrifugal pumps is in the radial outward direction.

It works on the principle of forced vortex flow which means that when a certain mass of liquid is rotated by an external torque, the rise in the pressure head of the rotating liquid takes place.
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Thus, at outlet of the impeller, where radius is more, the rise in pressure head will be more and the liquid will be discharged at the outlet with a high pressure head. Due to this pressure head the liquid can be lifted to a high level.

1.2.1 Parameters Needed in Specifying The process engineer is responsible for specifying the process requirements of a pump, including the properties and physical conditions of a pump and mostly the flow rate, pressure, density and viscosity. The flow rate determines the capacity of the pump and the head depends on the density and viscosity of the fluid. 1.2.2 Ensuring adequate available NPSH Pump suppliers set the NPSH required (NPSHR) for any pump. The NPSHR takes into account any potential head losses that might occur between pumps suction nozzle and impeller, thus ensuring the fluid does not drop below the vapor pressure. There are two possible ways by which we can increase the NPSH: 1. Static Head. 2. Friction Losses. Static Head can be raised by three methods: i. ii. iii. Raise the elevation of source point. Lower the elevation of pump inlet. Raise the level of fluid in suction vessel.

Friction Losses can be reduced by: i. ii. Increasing the diameter of pump suction-piping. Reducing the equivalent length of suction pipe.

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

There also few other ways by which we can reduce the NPSHR of the pump, which include using a larger, slower speed pump, a double section impeller ,a larger inlet area and an inducer.

1.3 IMPELLERS
An impeller (or impellar) is a rotor inside a tube or conduit used to increase (or decrease in case of turbines) the pressure and flow of a fluid. An impeller is a rotating component of a centrifugal pump, usually made of iron, steel, bronze, brass, aluminum or plastic, which transfers energy from the motor that drives the pump to the fluid being pumped by accelerating the fluid outwards from the center of rotation. The velocity achieved by the impeller transfers into pressure when the outward movement of the fluid is confined by the pump casing. Impellers are usually short cylinders with an open inlet (called an eye) to accept incoming fluid, vanes to push the fluid radially, and a splined, keyed or threaded bore to accept a drive-shaft.

Fig.7: Impeller with its Flow Components 6

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

1.3.1 Types of Impellers The open impeller is nothing more than a series of vanes attached to a central hub for mounting on the shaft without any form of side wall or shroud. This design is much more sensitive to vane wear than the semi or closed impeller. The semi-open impeller incorporates a single shroud at the back of the impeller. This is the most common design used in the United States and the one you find on most ANSI standard pumps. The closed impeller has a shroud on either side of the vanes. This is the most common design found with ISO standard pumps, oil refinery applications and the design you see on double ended pumps. To maintain impeller efficiency you are required to replace the wear rings after the original clearance has doubled. The first problem is to determine when it has doubled, and then you have to take the pump apart to replace them. The result is that timely replacement is seldom done, and pump loss of efficiency with resultant vibration becomes the rule. The impeller specific speed number describes the shape of the impeller. The shape of the head/ capacity curve is a function of specific speed, but the designer has some control of the head and capacity through the selection of the vane angle and the number of vanes. The pump with the highest specific speed impeller, that will meet the requirements of the system, probably will be the smallest and the least expensive. The bad news is that it will run at the highest speed and be subject to maximum wear and damage from cavitations. 1.3.2 Radial Flow Impeller (Low Specific Speed Number) Radial flow impellers impose essentially shear stress to the fluid, and are used, for example, to mix immiscible liquids or in general when there is a deformable interface to

break. Another application of radial flow impellers are the mixing of very viscous fluids.

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

They should be specified for high head and low flow conditions. They seldom exceed 6 inches (150 mm) in diameter and run at the higher motor speeds The casing is normally concentric with the impeller as opposed to the volute type casings normally found in the industry.. These impellers exhibit a flat head/capacity curve from shut off to about 75% of their best efficiency and then the curve falls off sharply. Radial flow impellers are normally started with a discharge valve shut to save start up power.

1.3.3 Axial Flow Impeller (High Specific Speed Number) Axial flow impellers impose essentially bulk motion, and are used on homogenization processes, in which is important to increase fluid volumetric flow rate. They run at the highest efficiency They have the lowest NPSH requirement. They require the highest power requirement at shut off, so they are normally started with the discharge valve open.

Fig.8. Axial and Radial Flow Impeller

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

1.3.4 Applications of an Inducer: The ideal impeller would have an infinite number of vanes of an infinitesimal size. The conventional impeller design with sharp vane edges and restricted areas is not suitable for handling liquids that contain rags, stringy materials and solids like sewage because it will clog. Paper pulp impellers are fully open and non-clogging. The screw conveyer end projects far into the suction nozzle permitting the pump to handle high consistency paper pulp stock. Vortex pump designs have recessed impellers that pump the solids by creating a vortex (whirl pool effect) in the volute and the solids move without ever coming into contact with the impeller. An axial flow impeller called an Inducer (it works like a booster pump) can be placed ahead of the regular pump impeller, on the same shaft, to increase the suction pressure and lessen the chance of cavitations. The total reduction in NPSH required can be as much as 50%.

1.4 CHARACTERISTIC CURVES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Characteristic curves of centrifugal pump are defined as those curves which are plotted from the results of a number of tests on the centrifugal pump. These curves are necessary to predict the behavior and performance of the pump when the pump is working under different flow rate, head and speed. The performance of a centrifugal pump can be shown graphically on a characteristic curve. A typical characteristic curve shows the total dynamic head, brake horsepower, efficiency, and net positive Suction head all plotted over the capacity range of the pump.

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

The following are the three important characteristic curves of the pumps: Main Characteristic Curve Operating Characteristic Curve Constant Efficiency or Muschel Curve.

Main Characteristic Curves: It consist variation of head,power and discharge with respect to speed(N). For plotting curves of manometric head versus speed, discharge is kept constant. For plotting curves of discharge versus speed, manometric head is kept constant. For plotting curves of power versus speed, the manometric head and discharge are kept constant.

Fig.9.Performance Curves of Centrifugal Pump

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Operating Characteristic Curves: If the speed is kept constant, the variation of manometric head, power and efficiency with respect to discharge gives the operating characteristic of the pump. Constant Efficiency Curves: For obtaining constant efficiency curves of a pump, the head versus discharge and efficiency versus discharge curves for different speed are used. By combining the curves a. Head versus Discharge, and b. Efficiency versus Discharge. Constant Efficiency curves are obtained.

Fig.10.Composite Performance Curve

1.4.1 Performance Data

The performance data of a centrifugal pump are described by: The flow rate Q which is normally defined as the useful volume flow through the discharge nozzle. The specific work Y or the head H = Y/g
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

The power consumption P at the pump coupling (brake horsepower) The efficiency at the pump coupling The net positive suction head NPSH at the pump inlet, or the net positive suction energy NPSE = gNPSH.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

CHAPTER 2 2.1 CAVITATIONS Cavitation means the partial evaporation of liquid in a flow system. A cavity filled with vapor is created when the static pressure in a flow locally drops to the vapor pressure of the liquid due to excess velocities, so that some fluid evaporates and a twophase flow is created in a small domain of the flow field.

Fig: Impellar Effected Bt Cavitation

The vapor condenses suddenly (implodes) as soon as it is trans-ported downstream into zones where the static pressure again exceeds the vapor pressure. With increasing extension of the cavitating zone with two-phase flow, the head and efficiency of the pump may be impaired, noise and vibrations excited and components damaged through cavitation erosion under certain conditions.

When using the term cavitation the cavitating flow i.e. the occurrence of local zones with two-phase flow and cavitation erosion or cavitation damage must be well distinguished.

The term hydrodynamic cavitation intensity is used for the totality of the implosion energy of all bubbles. If this exceeds the cavitation resistance, the material will be damaged by cavitations erosion if it is exposed sufficiently long

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

to the attack. The cavitation resistance is a material property which is independent of the flow system. It is defined as the phenomenon of formation of vapor bubbles of a flowing liquid in a region where the pressure of the liquid falls below its vapor pressure and the sudden collapsing of these vapor bubbles in a region of higher pressure.

When the vapor bubbles collapse, a very high pressure is created. The metallic surfaces, above which these vapor bubbles collapse is subjected to these high pressures, which cause pitting action on the surface.

Thus, cavities are formed on the metallic surface and also considerable noise and vibrations are produced.

1.5.1 Cavitations Physics Any substance can exist in the phases solid, liquid and gaseous. The transition from one phase to another (e.g. formation of ice or evaporation) is described through phase equilibriums in a p-T-diagram. Accordingly, the vapor pressure curve pv(T) characterizes the equilibrium (the saturation status) between liquid and vapor from the triple point to the critical point A liquid in condition p1, T1 with p1 > pv(T1) can be evaporated, if it is heated at constant pressure to the saturation temperature Tv(p1) (point V), or expanded to the vapor pressure pv(T1) at constant temperature. During phase conversion from liquid to vapor the evaporation enthalpy must be added. In the reverse process, i.e. condensation, the evaporation enthalpy is liberated.

Fig.11.Phase Equilibrium of Water 14

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

During cavitation a small portion of the liquid is expanded at constant temperature (in Fig. 11 from p1 to K), to the extent that some liquid evaporates. Downstream of the low-pressure zone, the pressure rises again so that the saturation pressure is exceeded and the vapor condenses. This distinguishes cavitation from evaporation by flashing.
The nature of cavitating flows therefore implies that: The static pressure in a system initially drops locally to the vapor pressure as a result of flow acceleration. The flow is decelerated so that the pressure increases and the vapor bubbles implode.

1.5.2 Bubble Dynamics 1.5.2.1 Cavitations Nuclei Cavitations bubbles are generated only when the fluid contains nuclei. These are accumulations of gas or vapor molecules which are present as microscopically small bubbles with diameters in the range of 10-3 to 10-1 mm. Free gas bubbles in a nonsaturated fluid would gradually dissolve in the fluid through diffusion.

The interior of a nucleus contains gas and vapor. The pressure PB in the nucleus corresponds to the sum of the partial pressures of the gas Pg and the liquid Pv. Because of the surface tension ST it is greater than the pressure p of the surrounding liquid: pB - p = pg + pv - p = 2ST/R (R = radius of the nucleus).

A given nucleus contains a certain mass of gas. If the pressure in the bubble changes, the bubble volume follows the law of a perfect gas pV = mRT.

From this and the equilibrium of the forces on the bubble it follows that the radius of the nucleus varies with the surrounding pressure. If a nucleus enters a zone of low pressure for in-stance in the throat area of a nozzle its radius grows

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Since vapor pressure and vapor density are given by the liquid temperature (which re-mains constant), some liquid evaporates. In the process, only nuclei over a certain size are stimulated into growth.

The lower the local pressure drops, the more nuclei are activated. The number of nuclei that can be activated therefore grows with the square of the flow velocity. The longer the low pressure zone and the lower the local pressure drops, the more cavitations bubbles are generated.

1.5.2.2 Bubble Implosion When a vapor bubble is transported by the flow into zones where the local pressure exceeds the vapor pressure, the phase equilibrium according to is disturbed and the vapor contained in the bubble condenses suddenly. Imagine a sphere-shaped bubble whose vapor content suddenly condenses: since the pressure within the bubble collapses in the process, the bubble wall is radialconcentrically accelerated inwards by the higher surrounding pressure.

Fig.12.Bubble Implosion

At the start of the implosion typical bubble diameters in flow systems are in the range of 1 to 5 mm, towards the end of the implosion they are in the order of tenths of millimeters. The diameter of the micro-jet is consequently similar in size.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

High pressure peaks must be expected only in the immediate vicinity of the bubble at the final stage of the implosion. The bubbles must therefore implode very close to the solid surface to be able to attack the material.

Liquid imploding into the cavity during the implosion acts like a piston on the content of the bubble so that non-condensable gases are compressed adiabatically. The bubble content is heated accordingly so that a residual vapor component is also compressed in the final stage of the implosion. As a result of the energy stored in the compressed gas and vapor a bubble is formed again after the implosion (rebound phase). This process is repeated until the energy is dissipated.

At the final stage of the bubble collapse the compressibility of the surrounding liquid also plays a role. The shock waves associated with compressible flows contribute to the possible destruction of the material in addition to the micro-jet.

1.5.3. Influence of Fluid Properties Development and disappearance of cavitations bubbles depend on the gas content and the physical properties of the fluid. These include the surface tension between vapor/gas and liquid as well as the diffusion processes during the dissolution of the gases. In the following we distinguish between: Thermodynamic parameters which determine the energy transport during evaporation and condensation of the bubbles. The influence of dissolved and free gases. The nuclei content.

1.5.4 Cavitations-Induced Noise and Vibrations The implosion of vapor-filled zones (bubbles) generates pressure pulsations which excite vibrations and noise; various mechanisms are responsible for this: The implosion (of small) individual bubbles creates high-frequency fluid-borne noise in the kilohertz range that can be utilized to diagnose cavitations.
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Fluctuations of the cavity are generated by unsteady impeller approach flows caused by circumferentially non-uniform velocities in radial pump inlets, turbulence, unfavorable approach flow conditions and vortex shedding on ribs.

Intense pressure pulsations with frequencies below 10 Hz can occur on suction impellers or inducers with strong part load recirculation at low NSPHA. The mechanism of their creation can be explained in simplified manner as follows: Intense recirculation induces a pre-rotation, generating a roughly parabolic pressure distribution upstream of the impeller.

If the pressure drops below the vapor pressure, a vapor core forms in the center of the suction pipe, which blocks a part of the approach flow cross section. Because of the blockage, the axial velocity in the outer domain of the inlet pipe increases.

As a consequence the approach flow angle increases. This causes the recirculation to collapse and the vapor core to implode. Thus the blockage in the suction pipe center disappears, the approach flow angle diminishes and the cycle is repeated. Low-frequency pulsations of large amplitudes are created through large fluctuations of the cavitations zones. The compressibility of the cavities may result in cavitation surges.

These are not related to instabilities of the Q-H-curve and can thus occur even with steadily falling Q-H-characteristics. Various forms of pulsating cavitations in inducers were discussed in Even rotating cavitations zones with super-synchronous frequency were ob-served near the best efficiency point. Measurements for rotating cavitations in a radial impeller (a design with rear and front shrouds. Problems with rotating cavitations in industrial pump applications have not yet been reported.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

1.5.5 Cavitations Damage: Analysis and Remedies 1.5.5.1 Record Damage and Operations To define suitable measures for solving cavitations problems, a careful analysis of the operating conditions is indicated. It comprises the following elements: Record damage pattern and location: impeller inlet, suction surface, pressure surface, inlet, collector. Intensity of the attack: maximum depth EMax, LDamage measured from leading edge, Lstart, sketch, photo. Operating parameters: Q, H, n, NPSHA = f(Q). System characteristic and maximum flow rate. Operation time at various operating conditions (histogram if required). Pump design data: Qopt, Hopt with applicable speed; characteristics and NPSHcurves (acceptance test). Does NPSH3 increase at part load Material of component: tensile strength; material designation

1.5.6 Cavitations in centrifugal pump

In centrifugal pumps, cavitations occur at the inlet of the impeller of the pump or at suction side of the pumps, where pressure is considerably reduced. Hence, if the pressure at the suction side of the pump drops below vapor pressure of the liquid then, cavitations occurs. The cavitations in the pump can be noted by as sudden drop in the efficiency and head. 1.5.7 Effects of Cavitations The following are the effects of cavitations: The metallic surfaces are damaged and cavities are formed on the surface. Due to sudden collapse of vapor bubbles, considerable noise and vibrations are generated. The efficiency of the turbine decreases due to cavitations.
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

1.5.8 Precaution against Cavitations The following are the precautions that should be taken against cavitations: The pressure of the following liquid in any part of the hydraulic system should not be allowed to fall below its vapor pressure. The special materials or coatings such as aluminum-bronze and stainless steel which are cavitations are resistant materials should be used. Lowering the pump compared to the water level - open systems. Increasing the system pressure - closed systems. Shortening the suction line to reduce the friction loss. Increasing the suction lines cross-section area to reduce the fluid velocity and thereby reduce friction. Avoiding pressure drops coming from bends and other obstacles in the suction line. Lowering fluid temperature to reduce vapour pressure.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH)

WHAT IS NPSH? The NPSH required by a pump is the head of the liquid pumped, measured at the
suction nozzle of the pump, necessary to overcome all energy requirements at the inlet of the pump (these included friction losses, acceleration, P to lift values, heating effect of internally circulated liquid etc.) and thereby avoid any vaporization of liquid in the pump suction. The NPSH required is thus the head of the liquid required at the pump suction nozzle above the vapour pressure of the liquid at that point. For any pump the NPSH required for a design performance is a function of the type of pump, the liquid characteristics, the system pressure-temperature conditions, the capacity and the operating speed.

NPSH REQUIRED (NPSH)R

The NPSH required is expressed in terms of head of liquid pumped, and not pressure. This means that for a pump which requires 5 meters head of water when pumping water requires 5 meter of head when pumping other liquid too at the same capacity and speed. Of course the effect of internal re circulation effect is neglected At any fixed speed, the NPSH required by a centrifugal pump will increase with increase in flow from rated flow. At substantially increased flow from design flow the increase in (NPSH)R is very rapid. Enclosed Fig-8 will illustrate the matter further.

NPSH AVAILABLE (NPSH)a (NPSH)a is the net head of liquid after all losses are considered at the
pump suction nozzle. Above the vapour pressure of the liquid at the pump inlet conditions. (NPSH)a must always be above NPSH (R) of the pump for satisfactory performance of the pump. For the computation of (NPSH)a the points to be considered are: Datam Elevation Liquid head Operating conditions Type of pump

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

(NPSH)a is a function of your system and must be calculated, whereas (NPSH)R is a

function of the pump and must be provided by the pump manufacturer(NPSH)a must be greater than (NPSH)R for the pump system to operate without cavitating.

UNDERSTANDING OF(NPSH)a AND (NPSH)R:

NPSH TESTS
Pump NPSH requirement is established by tests with water. There are three methods available and they are: i) Taking suction from an elevated tank with either the suction is throttled or the water is heated to vary the vapour pressure. ii) For very large pumps the suction is taken from a suction sump with a suction lift such that the suction is throttled or the lift is increased to vary the vapour pressure. iii) The third method is by creating a vacuum in the suction vessel and this method of suppression test is widely used for testing process pumps since pumps in process can also be used for vacuum services. The NPSH value is absolute and always positive. NPSH is stated in meter [m] like the head, see the figure shown below. Hence, it is not necessary to take the density of different fluids into account because NPSH is stated in meters [m]. Distinction is made between two different NPSH values: (NPSH)R and (NPSH)a. in the suction pipe is to vapourisation. NPSHA is defined as

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

The formula for calculating NPSHA:

NPSHA = HA HZ - HF + HF HVP

TERM HA

DEFINATION
The absolute pressure on the surface of the liquid in the supply tank The vertical distance between the surface of the liquid in the supply tank and the centerline of the pump Friction losses in the suction piping Velocity head at the pump suction port Absolute vapor pressure of the liquid at the pumping temperature

HZ HF HF HVP

COMPARISON OF (NPSH)A AND (NPSH)R

All calculated values must be in the same units in m hd. If the NPSHa is greater than the NPSHr cavitation should not occur. If the NPSHr is lower than the NPSHr then gas bubbles will form in the fluid and caviation will occur.

INCREASING THE NPSH AVAILABLE

Many systems suffer from initial poor design considerations. To increase the (NPSH)a consider the following: Increase the suction pipe work size to give a fluid velocity of about 1 m/sec. Redesign the suction pipe work to eliminate bends, valves and fittings where possible. Raise the height of the fluid container. Pressurise the fluid container, but ensure that the pressure in the container is
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

2. INDUCER 2.1. DEFINITION An Inducer is an axial flow impeller with blades that wrap in a helix around a central hub. The inducer rotates in a close-fitting housing to provide a booster effect in front of the main impeller.

Fig.13 Inducer

2.2. DESCRIPTION The inducer pump is the alternative to changing the process design when NPSH (Net Positive Suction Head) availability is low. The inducer boosts the inlet pressure and the risk of cavitations is correspondingly reduced. When the risk of cavitations disappears, so does the risk of a large number of operational disturbances that would otherwise result-such as excessive noise, energy loss, product damage and unnecessary wear on pump. The inducers usually have between 2 and 4 vanes; although there may be more. An inducer invariably has a higher suction specific speed(S) than the adjacent impeller. The inducer is engineered to match the impeller with which it is teamed. So it cannot be used in other pumps.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Usually the inducer is produced in type 316 stainless steel and for most operating conditions this metal is recommended. The inducer like the impeller with which it teams is designed to best function over a specific capacity range.

The inducer is a precision instrument and the clearance tolerances are generally similar to those of an impeller. The inducer is available on the most popular sizes of Pearless end-suction centrifugal process pumps. Both plant and field tests have shown the addition of the inducer causes less than 1% change in pump efficiency and capacity.

High performance inducers for commercial low suction pressure pumps have been designed frequently in the past century. Design methods have been given to guide inducer design.

The inducer is an important part of many industrial pumps for which low inlet pressure is available. In these pumping applications it is necessary to draw fluid into the pump with little ambient pressure and greatly increasing the probability of reduction below the vapor pressure. In these situation cavitations occurs in different modes.

As the pressure is reduced, zone of cavitations increases and blocks the flow in the inducer. This regime increases and at the exit, there is a situation of pump breakdown and pump does not perform its required job. This is the point which has been the main concern for the past few decades.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

2.3. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF DESIGN PROCEDURES A wide variety of parameters must be considered for designing an turbo pump inducer. These include optimum inlet eye diameter, inlet blade angle, design point incidence value, leading edge shape, blade number as well as the blade turning angle. In 1962, Stripling presented calculations related to suction specific speed of an inducer pump versus optimum inlet flow coefficient at various blade angles. He developed a model to establish optimum design criteria to represent blockage at the point of head breakdow

Fig.14.Stripling Conceptual Model: Suction Specific Speed versus Optimum flow Coefficient

The next step was taken by Furst and Desclaux in 1989.Their work presented a relationship for suction specific speed of inducer pump employing a mathematical coefficient. When the relations were employed the following was observed.

In this case empirical coefficient of 1.2 was employed and design coefficient of 0.055 typical of certain turbo pumps was utilized.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Fig.15.Furst and Desclaux Model: Evaluation of suction specific speed as a function of inlet blade angle and impeller flow coefficient

The flow models designed by Stripling, Furst and Desclaux assumed a smooth two dimensional flow along simplified flow lines or pseudo-streamlines parallel to the hub. In this a cavitations region was presumed to be developed and form a thick region. The third approach was a simple one based on old industrial criterion. The criterion was introduced by Dixon in 1978 and expanded by Japikse in 1997.When their relationships was established the curve was much similar to that of Furst and Desclaux one.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Fig.16.Japikse Model: Evaluation of suction specific speed versus flow coefficient at different values of inlet blade cavitations coefficient

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

2.4. DESIGN PROCEDURE OF INDUCER To reduce the required NPSHR of a pump it is possible to install an essentially ax-ial inducer upstream of the actual impeller. An inducer typically allows a reduction in the value of the required NPSHR of a pump to half of the value with-out inducer. The inducer increases the static pressure upstream of the impeller. Cavitations bubble development on the impeller blades is reduced or suppressed accordingly. As a consequence, the pump can be operated at a higher speed or a lower NPSHA than without an inducer, provided that the inducer does require significantly less NPSHR than the impeller. Inducers for industrial application typically reach suction specific speeds of nss = 400 to 700. These high suction specific speeds are achieved by small approach flow angles 1 , thin leading edge profiles with low blade blockage and long channels in which the cavitation bubbles generated in the inducer implode at least partially before the fluid enters the actual impeller. The low approach flow angle and the small flow coefficient .at the inducer inlet require a considerably enlarged inlet area compared with the impeller. This is achieved by reducing the hub ratio and by enlarging the inlet diameter. Inducers with far higher suction specific speeds are employed in the aerospace technology where even two-stage inducers are used at times. The design methods discussed in the following do not fundamentally differ from those of the highperformance inducers. As is evident from the example in Fig., the flow in the inducer is essentially axial. Often the inlet diameter is slightly larger than that of the downstream impeller. The hub diameter at the inducer inlet is designed as small as possible so that the hub contour is generally conical with the hub radius growing towards the impeller inlet. As with axial impellers, the static pressure in the inducer is increased in that the relative velocity is decelerated This must be considered when deciding on one of two possible balding concepts:

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Blades with constant pitch designed as screw surfaces with blade angles 1B = (L) = 2B = constant on cylindrical sections. These blades only generate pressure when the incidence i1 = 1B - 1 is greater than zero or for as long as the flow in the blade channel is decelerated according to w1q < w1. The advantage of this blading is its simple manufacture.

Blades with variable pitch where the angle on cylinder sections grows from the inlet to the outlet as with a propeller pump: 2B > (L) > 1B.

2.4.1 Calculation of Inducer Parameters Determination of main dimensions and inlet conditions: 1. Basis: Known parameters are the pump selected for the relevant application, its speed n, flow rate Qopt, NPSHR curve and the dimensions of the impeller. In addition, the suction specific speed to be achieved by the inducer or its NPSHR is specified. Furthermore, the boundary conditions for the mechanical design must be ascertained. Usually the approach flow angle is 1 = 90 and the axial velocity is assumed as constant over the inlet cross section. 2. Design flow rate: Like axial impellers, inducers have a steep Q-H-curve. The pressure rise therefore drops rapidly to zero above the shock less entry (depending on the type). For this reason, the maximum required flow rate of the pump must be taken into account when determining the design flow rate of the inducer by selecting Qind = (1.1 to 1.15)Qopt . 3. Blade number zVLa: Inducers usually have 2 to 4 blades. 4. Inducer inlet diameter d1: The inlet is designed for the selected suction specific speed. The optimum flow coefficient for the required suction specific speed is selected. The appropriate inlet diameter can then be determined. Alternatively, the optimum inlet diameter can be calculated for selected coefficients w and c . The inlet diameter must also be matched to the inlet nozzle and the downstream impeller, which can imply considerable restrictions on the design options in case of standard pumps.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

5. Inlet diameter at the inner streamline d1i: The lower limit for d1i is obtained from a minimum hub ratio of 1,min 0.15. Smaller values of d1i are unfavorable since excessive blade inlet angles would result at the inner streamline. 6. Blade inlet angle 1B: When the inducer inlet diameter has been determined according to step (4), all quantities of the inlet velocity triangle according to can be calculated. The first section of the inducer blades is designed ac-cording to. The calculation is based on the angle on the pressure surface of the blade 1B = 1B,PS which is obtained from the flow angle plus an incidence of i1 = 2 to 4 from In this way, the flow and blade angles are calculated for outer, mean and inner streamline. When determining the inlet angles, it must be observed that the steep rise of the NPSHR-curve (depending on the blade configuration) occurs near the flow rate of shock less entry. In addition to the design point it is therefore necessary to consider the maximum required flow rate at which the incidence should not drop below one degree to avoid cavitations on the pressure surface of the blades. 7. Inlet throat area A1q: As with impellers the deceleration of the relative velocity vector w1 to the mean flow velocity w1q in the throat area must be limited in order to avoid premature inlet recirculation. Conversely, the fluid must not be accelerated at the maximum flow rate with respect to overload cavitations. The throat area at the inducer inlet must therefore be selected so that the ratio w1q/w1 in the design point is in the range of 0.6 to 0.75 but does not exceed the value w1q/w1 =1 at the intended maximum flow rate. 8. Inducer outlet diameter d2,a and d2,i: The diameters on the outer streamline and on the hub are obtained from the dimensions of the downstream impeller. A conical hub of the inducer with d2i > d1i is favorable since the head is increased through centrifugal forces and since the flow on the hub requires less severe deflection with increasing d2i (lower tendency to stall). If the inducer diameter at the outlet is smaller than at the inlet, d2,a < d1, the first cylindrical part must be designed sufficiently long as to cover at least the throat area of the inducer. The static pressure rise Hp in the inducer is plotted as curve 3. Curve 3 passes through zero at QB. The inducer operates as a pump at Q < QB, but as a brake at Q > QB.If the static pressure rise in the inducer (curve 3) is subtracted from the
31

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

NPSH3,imp of the impeller (curve 1: without inducer), curve 5 is obtained which passes through zero at Qu,. In the domain with Q < Qu, (that is at Hp > NPSH3,imp) curve 5 is situated below the flow rate axis. In this domain the NPSHR of the system inducer/impeller is largely determined by the NPSH3, inducer of the inducer. In the region Qu < Q < QB the control of the NPSHR of the pump passes from the inducer to the impeller which now obtains insufficient pressure. The operating limit is located to the left of curve 5 and left of the point in which curves 1 and 2 intersect. However, it is not easy to accurately predict the steep rise of curves 2 and 5. In brake operation Q > QB, curve 5 is located above curve 1. Here the pump cannot be operated under any circumstances because the impeller receives less inlet pressure than without an inducer. The calculated NPSH requirement NPSH3, inducer of the inducer is plotted as curve 2 while curve 4 constitutes the measured NPSH3 of the system inducer plus impeller.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Table 1: Inducer Design, 1=900

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Fig.16.Inducer Characteristics

These relationships determine the procedure for calculating the inducer outlet as follows: 9. The measured or calculated NPSH3,imp of the impeller (without inducer) is plotted as a function of the flow rate, curve 1. 10. The curve of the required NPSH3,inducer = f(Q) of the inducer is estimated. Compared with other correlations this relationship has the advantage that it produces a steep rise of the curve with increasing flow rate when the incidence tends to zero (the nominator of the term on the right side of this equation then tends to zero). 11. A blade outlet angle 2B on the outer streamline is selected and the static pres-sure rise in the inducer calculated. This is done which can be derived from Table. The head coefficient is calculated on the mean streamline. 12. The rise in the static pressure caused by the inducer must be calculated for the flow rate range between shock less entry or Hp = 0 and the flow rate Qu where Hp is greater than NPSH3,imp of the impeller alone. 13. The difference between NPSH3, La (curve 1) and the static pressure rise HP (curve 3) gives an indication of the maximum flow rate which is definitely to the left of the resulting curve 5.
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

14. To facilitate assessing this limit, the curve NPSH3,inducer = f(Q) of the inducer (curve 2) is also taken into account. 15. If the maximum flow rate does not meet the requirements, the calculation ac-cording to steps (10) to (13) must repeated with another outlet angle. With respect to part load operation, over-sizing should be avoided. 16. When the outlet angle has been established, all parameters of the outlet velocity triangle according to can be determined. To verify the configuration, w2/w1a should be calculated too. To avoid premature flow separation and efficiency loss, the deceleration ratio w2/w1a should not fall below the value of 0.7 (de Haller criterion). The lift coefficient according to should not exceed the value a,a = 0.5 on the outer streamline. 17. The blade angles on the mean and inner streamlines are selected according to ucu = constant while a compromise is made on the hub (if required) to avoid excessive blade angles.

Design and shaping of an inducer

After determining the inlet and outlet diameters as well as the blade angles, the inducer can be designed. Blade profile at inlet: The first section of the blade is usually designed wedge shaped with a leading edge as thin as possible. The minimum required blade thickness is given by blade stresses and natural frequencies. The length of the wedge-shaped portion is between 50 and 80% of the pitch, The wedge angle .k, which makes up the profiling on the suction surface, is selected as k = (0.3 to 0.5)1B,a,PS. The thin inlet profile is important to obtain good suction capability. It also means low cavitation inception coefficients (i . 0.2 to 0.3) in shockless approach flow. However, i increases rapidly even with a minor incidence, as shown in Fig2

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Fig:2
The blade angle 1B is best kept constant over the first part of the blade length, approximately up to x/L = 0.25, in order to produce less deflection of the flow and consequently reduce the low-pressure peak and the generation of cavitation bubbles. A conical hub fosters the pressure build-up in the inducer due to centrifugal forces. At the same time the tendency towards flow separation decreases with the amount of hub taper that can be designed. The blade lengths are selected in a relatively large range L/t = 1 to 2.5. If the overhung of the inducer permits, values in the range of 1.4 to 1.8 should be the target. If the blades are made too short, the pressure rise in the inducer is impaired since the deviation angle increases. Moreover, the suction capability suffers and there is a growing tendency for pressure pulsations at partload. Blades with L/t > 2.5 do not seem to bring about any advantages. The blade outlet angles on the outer streamline generally are below 20, but this depends on the inducer and impeller inlet diameters. The blades are slightly tapered towards the outlet. The outer contour of the inducer is often tapered at the inlet, Fig2.2.. At the inducer inlet there is therefore a large gap between the blades and the casing. This design also reduces the pulsations at low partload and low NPSHA.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Fig2.2

Matching the inducer to the impeller Frequently the inducer is mounted upstream of the impeller of a standard pump
whose NPSHR is unable to satisfy the specific requirements of the application. If an impeller of moderate suction capability is combined with an inducer of high suction specific speed, there is, however, no guarantee that the expected reduction of the NPSHR will actually be achieved. Especially the maximum flow rate can be limited through excessive incidence of the downstream impeller if cavitation occurs on the blade pressure surfaces. To check this, the flow angle 2 at the inducer outlet is calculated from 2 = 2B - 2 with 2 If 2 is larger than the blade inlet angle 1B of the downstream impeller, the blade leading edges of the latter can be adjusted to a certain extent by cutting back the blades and profiling them on the pressure surface. To keep the discharge angle as low as possible, the pressure increase in the inducer should not be chosen unnecessarily large.

37

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Figure shows measured flow velocities and angles at the outlet of an inducer. Characteristically the meridional velocity near the outer streamline is far below the mean value while the circumferential velocity is above average. Consequently, the discharge angles are considerably smaller on the outer streamline and far greater near the hub than would be expected from the calculation.

These three dimensional effects are already pronounced in the design point and are reinforced at part load The deficit in the meridional velocity near the outer streamline is also caused by the tip clearance flow and the boundary layer thickness.

With growing tip clearance the deviation angle or the difference between blade and flow angles increases. Owing to the distorted flow conditions the calculation of the flow angles at the inducer outlet becomes quite uncertain.

Recommendations for inducer application

The large diameter ratio d1/d1i causes part load recirculation to start near the design point. At low flow rates recirculation then becomes very intense inducing a strong swirl in the inlet pipes of end-suction pumps. As a consequence of the rotation a parabolic distribution of the static pressure p(r) builds up at the inducer inlet. At low suction pressures a vapor-filled vortex can be generated in the center of the suction pipe. such vortexes can cause severe pulsations.

38

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

By a suitable design of the inducer it is possible to largely avoid such kinds of pulsations. Favorable in this respect seem to be: long blades (high solidity L/t), variable pitch design, sweep-back and a tapered outer contour of the inducer.

However, it is not yet possible to provide generally valid design criteria for mastering this highly three-dimensional two-phase flow. For this reason it is necessary to prove by way of experiment that no impermissible pulsations and excitation forces occur in the demanded operating range.

To this end, the water in the test circuit has to be largely de-aerated since the pulsations are greatly attenuated in air-saturated water. If at all possible, the test should be done with the same circumferential velocity as in the planned operation.

As a rule, pumps for industrial application are required to operate also at low partload. To be able to satisfy this requirement without excessive recirculation, the suction specific speeds of industrial inducers are limited to approximately nss = 500 to 700.

If this range is markedly exceeded, the NPSH3 at part load increases so that the inducer may no longer satisfy its actual purpose of lowering NPSH3 throughout the operating range.

Obviously the target should be to restrict the part load operation as far as possible and to entirely avoid operation at q* < 0.3 (except during start-up). Major cavitation zones are created in the inducer in most applications.

Despite the low NPSHA i.e. low implosion pressure the implosion energy can therefore be considerable. While hardly any cavitation damage is to be expected when pumping hydrocarbons, the circumferential velocities of the inducers when pumping water have to be limited in order to reduce the risk of cavitation damage For pumping water it is therefore advisable to use high-alloy steels with suitable cavitation resistance.

The limit for the circumferential velocity cannot be determined generally; it may be within a range of 25 to 30 m/s when pumping water and 35 to 40 m/s with hydro carbons. Initial cavitation bubbles (corresponding to NPSHi) are created in the gap between casing and inducer.

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

Inducers are able to some extent to transport gas-laden liquids. Inducers combined with closed impellers are claimed to handle gas fractions of up to 25% of the flow rate at the inducer inlet; combined with semi-open impellers 35 % and with open impellers even 40%. The gas-handling capabilities depend on the geometry and should be confirmed by testing.

The Q-H-curve and the efficiency virtually do not change near the best efficiency point when installing an inducer. Due to the energy transfer in the inducer the circumferential component of the absolute velocity at the inducer outlet is increased, but the downstream impeller has to perform correspondingly less work in accordance with the Euler equation.

The efficiency of the pump tends to fall since the hydraulic losses in the inducer are proportionally slightly higher than in the impeller, but this effect is sometimes hardly measurable.

However, an inducer increases the shut-off head by several percent due to the intense inlet recirculation and the associated rise of the centrifugal head component, In the overload range the head drops slightly compared with the pump without inducer but this is likely to become noticeable only when the inducer operates in the range Hp < 0 Inducers have relatively thin blades with a large blade height.

When the inducers are cast possible blade deformations must be monitored. In particular it should be checked that the desired blade outlet angles are achieved: if 2B is too small, the necessary pressure increase is not attained and the steep rise of the NPSH occurs at too low a flow rate.

The thin blades also require a verification of the natural frequencies and stresses in order to prevent blade fractures. When installing an inducer in an end-suction pump, the impeller overhung increases. This has to be considered when evaluating the shaft deflection and the critical speed.

Also some additional excitation forces in radial direction must be expected. Radial excitation forces can (for instance) be created by the tip clearance flow or through periodically variable flow conditions that might develop in the channels of the inducer as the result of varying cavity volumes.
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

DESIGNING
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Speed = 2880 RPM Flow rate= 114 LPM Head=23 m. CALCULATION
Qind = 1.15*Qopt = 1.15*114 LPM = 125LPM = 1.9*10-3 m3/sec Optimum flow rate = 0.15(nss Ref/nss)0.93 = 0.15(400/600)0.93 Number of blades = Z e=2

INLET VELOCITY TRIANGLE:

U1 = dh n/60 = *0.045*2880/60 = 6.78m/sec A1 = (d12-dh2)/4 = (0.12-0.0452)/4 = 4.2*10-4m2 C1m = Q/A = 1.9*10-3/4.2*10-4
==

4.4 m/sec

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

= Tan-1(C1m / U1) = Tan-1(4.4/6.78) = 33.550

C1u

= C1m/Tan = 4.4/Tan90 =0

W1

= (C1m2+(U12-C1u2)) = (6.782+(4.42-02)) = 8.08m/sec

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

OUT LET VELOCITY TRIANGLE

U2 = d2n/60 = *0.1*2880/60 = 15.1m/sec A2 = *d22/4 = *0.12/4 = 2.64*10-4 m2 C2m = Q/A2 = 2.2*10-3/2.64*10-4 = 7.3 m/sec C2u = (gH/h*U2)+(U1C1u/U2) = (9.81*3/(0.78*15.1))+( 6.78*0/15.1) = 2.5 m/sec Out let Flow coefficient 2 = C2m/U2 = 7.3/15.1 = 0.48 C2 = (C2u2+C2m2) = (2.52+7.32) = 7.72 m/sec W2u = U2-C2u = 15.1-2.5 = 12.6 m/sec

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

W2

= (C2m2 + w2u2) = (7.32+12.62) = 14.56 m/sec

= Tan-1(C2m/w2u) = Tan-1(7.3/12.6) = 22.540

21

= Tan-1(C2m* /w2u) = Tan-1(7.3*1.03/12.6) = 23.10

= Tan-1(C2m/C2u) = Tan-1(7.3/2.5) = 710

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

CALCULATION OF

,e AT DIFFERENT PLANES

AT HUB
d1 U1 = 0.045 m. = d 1n/60 = *0.045*2880/60 = 6.78m/sec A1 = (d12-dn2)/4 = (0.12-0.0452)/4 = 4.2*10-4m2 C1m = Q/A1 = 1.9*10-3/4.2*10-4
==

4.4 m/sec

= Tan-1(C1m / U1) = Tan-1(4.4/6.78) = 33.550

eh 1

= l Sin 1 = 0.157*Sin(33.55) = 0.087 mm = 87mm

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

AT TIP
d2 U2 = 0.1 m = d2n/60 = *0.1*2880/60 = 15.1m/sec A2 = *d22/4 = *0.12/4 = 2.64*10-4 m2 C2m = Q/A2 = 2.2*10-3/2.64*10-4 = 7.3 m/sec 2 = Tan-1(C2m /U2) = Tan-1(7.3/12.6) 2 e2t = 30.80 = l Sin 2 = 0.157*Sin(26.21) = 0.069 m = 69 mm

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

AT FIRST PLANE
d1P U1p = 0.06m = d1Pn/60 = *0.06*2880/60 = 9.05 m/sec A1p = d1P2/4 = *0.062/4 = 2.1*10-4 m2 C1pm = Q/A1p = 2.2*10-3/2.1*10-4 = 7.78 m/sec 1p = Tan-1(C1pm/ U1p) = Tan-1(7.78/9.05) = 40.70 et1P = l Sin 1p = 0.157*Sin(40.70) = 0.085m = 85 mm

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

AT SECOND PLANE
d2P U2p = 0.075m = d2Pn/60 = *0.075*2880/60 = 11.5 m/sec A2
p=

d2P2/4

= *0.0752/4 = 2.26*10-4 m2 C2pm = Q/A2p = 2.2*10-3/2.26*10-4 = 8.4 m/sec 2

p=

Tan-1(C2pm/ U2p)

= Tan-1(8.4/11.5) = 36.170 et2P = l Sin 2p = 0.157*Sin(36.17) = 0.075 m = 75 mm

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

AT THIRD PLANE
d3P U3p = 0.09m = d3Pn/60 = *0.09*2880/60 = 13.57 m/sec A3 = d3P2/4 = *0.092/4 = 2.37*10-4 m2 C3pm = Q/A3p = 2.2*10-3/2.37*10-4 = 8.0 m/sec 3p = Tan-1(C3pm/ U3p) = Tan-1(8.0/13.57) = 30.740 et3P = l Sin 3p = 0.157*Sin(30.74) = 0.072 m = 72mm

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

DRAWING IN DETAIL

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

51

HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

PROFILE DRAWINGS

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

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HYDRAULIC DESIGN OF AN INDUCER FOR CENTRIFUGFAL PUMP

CONCLUSION The inducer is mainly used in aerospace applications and in rockets. We studied the application of inducer for commercial purposes and based on the specifications of a centrifugal pump taken in the Fluid Machinery Laboratory we made a hydraulic design of an inducer for the pump. We have also determined the blade angle at both inlet and outlet; in addition to that we have also drawn the velocity triangles and the blade profile of the inducer. The inducer is designed in such a way that it matches with the eye of the impeller which is an important thing. At the rear end of the inducer we provided threading so that the inducer can be fitted with the impeller. For drawing the blade profile and design we used PRO-E Software.

REFERENCES
1) A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO CENTRIFUGAL PUMP BY JOE EVANS. 2) NPSH A DISCUSSION BY P.L.NARAYANA PILLA 3) A TEXT BOOK ON CENTRIFUGAL PUMP BY GULICH 4) PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF TURBO PUMPS AND RELATEED MACHINERY BY GEORGE F. WISLICENUS (NASA REFERENCE PUBLICATION 1170) 5) OVERVIEW OF COMMERECIAL PUMP INDUCER DESIGN BY Dr. DAVID JAPIKSE 6) ROCKET ENGINES: TURBO MACHINERY BY HANS MARTENSSON , SONNY ANDERSSON, STEFAN TROLLHEDEN, STEFFAN BRODIN UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP OPERATION BY KIMBERLY FERNANDEZ, BERNADETTE PYZDROWSKI,DREW W. SCHILLER AND MICHAEL B. SMITH 7) CAVITATION EROSION TESTING SONICS & MATERIALS. 8) UNDERSTANDING NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD BY RANDALL W. WHITESIDES, P.E. JOHANN FRIEDRICH

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