KUPPAM ENGINEERING COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

VASANTHA KUMARI . B
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
UNIT 5: CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
SYLLABUS
• PUMPS: Introduction, working principle of
centrifugal pump, work done by impeller; heads,
losses and efficiencies; Minimum starting speed;
priming; specific speed; limiting of suction lift, net
positive suction head(NPSH); Performance and
characteristics curves; Cavitation effects;
Multistage centrifugal pumps; troubles and
remedies-Introduction to reciprocating pump.
COMPONENTS
1.IMPELLER:
The rotating part of the centrifugal pump is
called impeller. It consists of a series of backward
curved vanes. The impeller is mounted on a shaft
which is connected to the shaft of an electric
motor.
2.CASING:
Casing of centrifugal pump is similar to
that of reaction turbine. Function of casing is
kinetic energy of the water discharged at the
outlet of the impeller is converted into pressure
energy.
COMPONENTS
3. SUCTION PIPE WITH A FOOT VALVE AND A
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.
Foot value which is non return valve
or one way type of valve is fitted at the lower end
of the suction pipe. The foot valve opens only in
the upward direction.
Strainer is fitted at the lower end of
suction pipe
COMPONENTS
4.DELIVERY PIPE:
A pipe whose one end is connected to the
outlet of pump and other end delivers water at a
required height is known as delivery pipe.
COMPONENTS

IMPELLER
COMPONENTS
• Types of casing:
COMPONENTS
TYPES OF CASING :

1.VOLUTE CASING:
It is of spiral type in which area of flow
increases gradually. The increase in area of flow
decreases the velocity of flow. The decrease in velocity
increases the pressure of the water flowing through the
casing. The efficiency of the pump increases slightly as
a large amount of energy is lost due to the formation of
eddies in this type of casing
COMPONENTS
2. VORTEX CASING:
If a circular chamber is introduced between the
casing and the impeller, the casing is known as vortex
casing. By introducing the circular chamber, the loss of
energy due to formation of eddies is reduced to a
considerable extent Thus the efficiency of the pump is
more than the efficiency when the volute casing is
provided.
COMPONENTS
3. CASING WITH GUIDE BLADES:
In this casing the impeller is surrounded by a
series of guide blades mounted on a ring which is known
as diffuser. The guide vanes are designed in such a way
that the water from the impeller enters the guide vanes
without stock. Also the area of the guide vanes increases,
thus reducing the velocity of flow through guide vanes and
consequently the pressure of water the water from the
guides vanes then passes through the surrounding casing
which is in most of the cases concentric with the impeller.
COMPONENTS

SUCTION PIPE
LOSSES
Centrifugal pump encounters various losses during its
operation. They are
1.HYDRAULIC LOSSES.
2.MECHANICAL LOSSES
3.LEAKAGE LOSSES.
LOSSES
1.HYRAULIC LOSSES:
Losses within the pump consists of shock at entry or
exit of impeller, friction in impeller, friction in guide Vanes
and casing.
2.MECHANICAL LOSSES:
Friction between main bearings and the glands.
Friction between impeller and liquid which tills Space
between impeller and casing
LOSSES
3.LEAKAGE LOSSES:
It is impossible to construct complete water tight
Sealing at suction and delivery pipes. Thus, liquid at high
pressure slips into low pressure Zone. Thus it never
passes through delivery pipe. Thus energy possessed by
the liquid at high pressure zone is wasted due to leakage
losses. This loss of energy is mainly due leakage
impossible to control.
PRIMING
Priming of a centrifugal pump is defined as the operation in
which the Suction pipe, casing of the pump. and a portion of
the delivery pipe up to the delivery value is completely filled up
from outside source with the liquid to be raised by the pump
before starting the these parts of the pump is pump. Thus the
air from these removed and these parts are filled with the liquid
to be Pumped.
SUCTION LIFT
The centrifugal pump lifts a liquid from a sump. The free
surface of liquid is at a depth of hs below the pump axis.
The liquid is flowing with a velocity vs in the suction pipe.
Let hs in the figure be the suction lift.
hs=Ha-Hv-vs2/2g-hfs
Where, Ha=Atmospheric head=pa/ρg
Hv= Vapour pressure head=pv/ρg
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES
Characteristic curves of centrifugal pumps are
defined as those Curves which are plotted from
the results of a number of tests on the centrifugal
pump. These Curves and necessary to predict
the behavior and performance of the Pump when
the pump is working under different flow rate,
head and speed.
1.Main characteristic curve.
2.Operating characteristic curves.
3.Constant efficiency curves.
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES
1.Main characteristic curve:
The main characteristic Curves of a
centrifugal pump Consists of variation of head
(manometric head, Hm.) Power and discharge
with respect to speed.
2. 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
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES

Main characteristic curve

CHARACTERISTIC CURVES
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES
3. Constant efficiency curves:
For obtaining constant efficiency curves for
a pump, the head verses discharge curves and
efficiency verses discharge curves for different
speed are used.
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES

Constant efficiency curves

MULTISTAGE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
For a centrifugal pump consists of two or more
impellers, the pump is called a multistage
centrifugal pump The impellers may be mounted
on the same shaft or on different shafts. A
multistage pump is having the following two
important functions.
1. To produce a high head.
2. To discharge a large quantity of liquid.
MULTISTAGE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
1.Multistage centrifugal Pumps for High Heads :

For developing a high head, a number of

impellers are mounted in Series or on the same shaft as
shown in figure.
The water from the suction pipe enters the 1st
impeller at inlet and is discharged at outlet with increased
pressure. The water with increased pressure from the
outlet of the 1st impeller is taken to the inlet of the 2nd
impeller with the help of a connecting pipe. At the outlet of
the 2nd impeller, the pressure of water will be more than
the pressure of water at the outlet of the 1st impeller. Thus
if more impellers are mounted on the same shaft, the
pressure at the outlet will be increased further.
MULTISTAGE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
2.Multistage centrifugal pumps for high discharge:
For obtaining high discharge, the pumps
should be connected in parallel. Each of the pumps
lifts the water from a Common pump and discharges
water to a common pipe to which the delivery, pipes
of each pump is connected. Each of the pump is
working against the same head.
Total discharge=n x Q
TROUBLES AND LOSSES
S.NO TROUBLES REMEDIES

1. Lack of prime Fill pump and suction pipe completely with

liquid.
2. Loss of prime Check for leaks in suction pipe joints and
fittings; vent casing to remove accumulated
air.
3. Discharge system Check pipe friction losses. Larger discharge
head too high piping may correct condition. Check that
valves are wide open.

4. Wrong direction of Check motor rotation with directional arrow on

rotation pump casing, wrong rotation will cause pump
damage.

5. Impeller completely Dismantle pump or use piping hand hole to

plugged clean impeller.
TROUBLES AND LOSSES
S.NO TROUBLES REMEDIES

6. Suction lift too If no obstruction at inlet, check for pipe

high friction losses. However ,static lift may be
too great. Measure with mercury column or
vacuum gauge while pump operates. If static
lift is too high, liquid to be pumped must be
raised or pump lowered.

7. Speed too low Check whether motor is directly across the

line and receiving full voltage. Alternatively,
frequency may be too low, motor may have
an open phase.
RECIPROCATING PUMP