CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

FUNDAMENTALS
December 12, 2021

Frank Drzal P.E.

 Introduction

Pump Fundamentals
Centrifugal Pumps
Positive Displacement pumps

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 Centrifugal Pump Fundamentals

Basic Pump Configuration

Common Terms
Pump Performance and Characteristics
Pump Head and Capacity
NPSHa vs. NPSHr
Pump Curves
Pump Seals
Recirculation
Affinity Laws
Power Plant Applications
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 Basic Pump Configuration

Discharge

Bearings Gland Casing

Suction

Impeller

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 Common Pump Terminology

Capacity
Total Head (H)
Shutoff Head
Rise to Shutoff
Minimum Recirculation
Best Efficiency Point
Runout
Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH)
Brake Horsepower
Suction Specific Speed

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 Typical Pump Curve

Shutoff Head

Best Efficiency Point

Brake Horsepower

Rise to Shutoff

System Curve
Runout

Minimum Recirculation

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 Pump Range Chart

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 Pump Head
and Capacity

Pump Head = H static + H friction

Hs

Hf

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 Typical Pump Curve

Hf

Hs

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 Net Positive Suction Head - NPSH

Cavitation – Formation and

subsequent collapse of vapor filled
cavities due to dynamic action.
NPSH available is a measure of the
fluids capacity to resist boiling or
cavitation
NPSHrequired = Losses in pump suction

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 Net Positive Suction Head - NPSH

NPSH available
NPSHa = Patmos+Pstatic–(Pfriction+Pvap)

Pvap = Saturation Pressure at the operating

temperature of the fluid

Patoms or absolute pressure in

vesselP
static
Pfriction

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 NPSH required

Hf

Hs

NPSHr at runout

NPSHr at rated condition

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 Second Pump Start

New Operating Point

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 Suction Specific Speed

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 Typical Horizontal Pump
Configurations

End Suction
Horizontal Split Case
Multi-Stage

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 Typical End Suction
Pump

Discharge
Gland
Bearings Casing

Suction

Impeller

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 End Suction Pumps

Standards (API 610 vs. ANSI B73.1)

ANSI B73.1
Standard Dimensions
Standard Stuffing Box
Foot Mounting
API 610 (American Petroleum Institute)
Centerline Mounting
More rugged design
Higher Flow, Pressure & Temperature
Wider variety of alloys available
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 Typical ANSI B73.1
Pump

7400 gpm
700 ft

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 Typical API 610 Pump

9000 gpm
1100 ft

850°F

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 End Suction Pumps

Typical Power Applications

General Water Service
Fuel Oil Forwarding
Heater Drips

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 Horizontal Split
Case Pumps

High Capacity
Typical Power Applications
Closed Cycle Cooling Service
Auxiliary Cooling
Service Water

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 Typical Horizontal Split Case Pump

Discharge

225,000 gpm
900 ft

Impellers

Suction
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 Horizontal Multi-Stage

High Head and Capacity

Boiler Feed Pumps
Types
Barrel
Horizontal Split Case
Segmental Ring
NPSH Considerations
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 Barrel Type Boiler Feed Pump

23000 gpm
14000 ft
480°F

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 Horizontal Split Case Feed Pump

13000 gpm
7000 ft

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 Segmental Ring Pump

2700 GPM
4800 Ft

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 Vertical Pump Types

Vertical Turbine
Vertical Mixed Flow
Vertical Sump Pump
Submersibles

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 Vertical Can Pump

 Typically used for

condensate service
 Low NPSH Application
(specify to inlet flange)
 60,000 gpm
 700 ft head

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 Vertical Mixed Flow

 Circulating Water
 500,000 gpm
 110 ft Head
 120 inch Discharge
 Inlet modeling

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 Vertical Sump Pumps

Single Stage
Vertical Shaft
5000 gpm
300 ft

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 Vertical Cantilever Pump

Slurry Applications
1000 GPM
110 ft Head
11 Ft Length

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 Submersible
Pump

Sump Pump
Solids Handling
Slide Rail Mounting

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 Submersible Installation

Pre-Fabricated Sump
Pump Removal Chain
Slide Rail
Discharge Line
Submersible Pump

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 Pump Sealing

Packing
Mechanical Seals

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 Packing

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 Insertion of Packing

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 Mechanical Seals

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 Materials of Construction

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 Double Mechanical Seal

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 Piping Considerations

Suction Piping
NPSH and Cavitation
<5 ft/sec piping velocity
5 Diameters straight length (Swirling)
Minimize elbows
Minimum submergence
No air pockets
Flow Straighteners
Anti-Vortex Baffles
Strainers
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 Flooded Suction

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 Suction Piping

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 Sump Suction

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 Piping Considerations

Discharge Piping
Check Valves
Automatic Recirculation Valves
Don’t recirculate into pump suction
Discharge into tanks below the
water line to minimize air
entrainment
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 Recirculation Valves

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 Typical Recirculation Valve

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 Recirculation Considerations

Recirculation Valve Pressure Drop

Need Pump Curve

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 Vertical Pump Suction

Hydraulic
Institute
Standards

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 Hydraulic Institute Standard
Arrangements
(Available online at Tech Street)

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50 December 12, 20
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 Helpful Formulas

BHP = GPM * H * Sp. Gr.

3960 * Pump Eff.
GPM = [LB/HR] * Sp. Gr.
500
Head = 2.31 * psi
SP. GR.

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 Affinity Laws

 Q1 N1
Q = Flow, gpm
Q2 N2
2
 H1 N1 N = Speed, rpm
H2 N2
 H1 D1
2 H = Head, ft
H2 D2
D = Impeller
Diameter, in

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 Typical Pumping System Margins

5% Flow & 5% Friction Head

Pump Wear
Final piping configuration
10-15% Flow if large multi-branch
system requiring balancing

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 Positive
Displacement Pumps

TYPES
Screw
Progressive Cavity
Rotary Vane
Rotary Gear
Uses
Fuel Oil
Slurry
Non-Newtonian Fluids
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 Rotary Screw Pump

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 Progressive Cavity Pump

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 External Gear Pump

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 Peristalic Pump

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 Pump Drivers

 Electric motors
 Variable Speed Drives
– Steam Turbines
– Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
– Fluid Couplings

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 Electric Motors

 Common Drive speeds are 900, 1180, 1750, and 3600

 Motors need to be sized to be non-overloading over the
entire pump curve
 Service Factors 1.0 and 1.15
 Motors normally sized for 480v/3ph/60hz up to 250 hp,
then use 4160v/3ph/60hz
 Typical enclosure types include open drip proof, totally
enclosed fan cooled (TEFC), Weatherproof I and II (WP I
and WP II), and totally enclosed non-ventilated (TENV)

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 Variable Speed Drives

 Advantages of Variable Speed

– Pump operates at optimal efficiency while varying flowrate and
head
– Can minimize pump wear by operating at lower speed
– Lowers operating cost

 Disadvantages of Variable Speed

 Higher initial cost
 Added complexity

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 The End

December 12, 2021