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System Curves

The document discusses system curves for pumping processes. System curves plot head and capacity and are used to determine the head required by calculating lift and piping losses in the system. Examples of different types of system curves are provided, including curves based on friction loss only, curves with both friction loss and static lift, and curves for multi-pump systems. Variable frequency drives are recommended if the system curve follows friction losses but not for static lift-based curves.

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51 views2 pages

System Curves

The document discusses system curves for pumping processes. System curves plot head and capacity and are used to determine the head required by calculating lift and piping losses in the system. Examples of different types of system curves are provided, including curves based on friction loss only, curves with both friction loss and static lift, and curves for multi-pump systems. Variable frequency drives are recommended if the system curve follows friction losses but not for static lift-based curves.

Uploaded by

dlanoj102999
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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GEDa.

1
mJohnston pump Company
SYSTEM CURVES
by Herman Greutink
Johnston Pump Vice President
Technical Director

Any customer’s pumping process can be expressed with a system curve - head and capacity are
plotted as a pump curve. The head required is calculated from the lift and piping losses in the
system. Piping and fitting losses are obtained from various standards books and added to the lift
to obtain the points for the system curve.

Some examples are given in these two pages.

Friction losses in a piping system increase approximately to the square of a flow increase
therefore, the shape of the system curve is as shown. The system curve, if only based on friction
losses would follow approximately the same path as the best efficiency of a variable speed pump.
Therefore, if variable capacity and head is required, variable frequency motor drive would be
recommended. On the other hand, if the system curve is mainly based on static lift, variable
frequency drive would not be recommended.

Curve A ......... Is a curve based on friction loss only for new piping (C = 140)
See Cameron Book for description and C = 100 for used piping.

Curve B ......... System curve based on friction loss plus static lift for the pump with dip such as
mixed flow or propeller curve. Note that you cannot use the pump with just lift only
the system curve would be flat and would come too close to the dip.

Curve C ......... Multipump on system - at lowest head watch for NPSH (one pump on curve 6) and
at highest head, (three pumps on curve A). Watch for re-circulation or minimum
continuous flow limitations.

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