Subject: Estimating the shutof head of a centrifugal pump.

13-
7
In the ffteenth century the Swiss scientist Daniel Bernoulli learned that
the combination of head and velocity was a constant throughout a
piping system. He then wrote the formula showing the relationship
between this liquid velocity, and resultant head. s many of you !now,
I often quote this formula in my pump and seal schools. "he formula
loo!s li!e this#

V = Velocity or speed of the liquid at the impeller outside
diameter (ft/sec. or meters/sec.)
g = gravity = 32.2 feet / second
2
or 9.8 meters / second
2

$y students have heard me quote this formula as the basis for my
statement that you can estimate the shut o% head of a &'() rpm.
centrifugal pump by squaring the diameter of the impeller. How did I
come to that conclusion * +ets loo! at the formula again, and we will
start by defning velocity#
,elocity is a measurement of speed using distance and time as the
variables. "he terms we use to discuss velocity are feet-second or
meters- second. In the inch system the velocity of the impeller outside
diameter is determined by the following formula#
d = diameter of the impeller

rpm = speed of the impeller outside diameter

2 = t!elve inches in a foot
"# si$ty seconds in a minute
.ow we will solve the formula. Substituting &'() for the rpm we would
get#
/oing bac! to the original formula we will substitute the new value for
0,0
This means that at 175 rpm the shutof head is !" of the
diameter of the impeller s#uared
If you will chec! a typical pump curve as supplied by the pump
manufacturers, you will learn that the shut o% head actually varies
from 1)2 to &&)2 of the diameter of the impeller squared. I elected to
use &))2 because it is a sensible average and in some cases it
accounts for the additional velocity added to the 3uid as it moves from
the impeller eye to the impeller outside diameter.
If we substitute 4()) rpm for the speed, the new numbers would loo!
li!e this
/oing bac! to the original formula we will substitute the new value for
0,0
5e can round out the 4.6 to 7.) and say that at 4()) rpm the shuto%
head equals appro8imately the outside diameter of the impeller
squared, times four.
It is a little tric!ier in the metric system. Instead of using millimeters
when measuring the impeller diameter, move over two decimal places
and use decimeters instead. It will ma!e the calculations a lot simpler
because you will be using more convenient, larger numbers.
Inserting the numbers into the formula we would get a velocity of#
/oing bac! to the head formula we would get#
5e can round this o% to 4d
9
If the pump were running at 91)) rpm you would get

/oing bac! to the head formula we would get#
5e can round this o% to &9d
9
How do we use this information* :ou can combine this formula with
your !nowledge of how to convert pressure to head and come up with
an estimate to see if an operating pump is operating close to its
B;<=best e>ciency point ?. s an e8ample#
In the inch system a pump discharge pressure gage reads &9) psi. "he
pump suction pressure gage reads 9) psi. "he pump is pumping the
di%erence between these readings, so the pump is pumping &)) psi.
t its B;<=best e>ciency point? the pump should be running between
@)2 and @(2 of its shut o% head. &)) psi is @42 of &9) psi. "he
pressure to head conversion is#
"he pump has an @.( inch impeller running at 4()) rpm. "he shuto%
head would be =@.( inches?9 8 7 A 9@@ feet. <retty closeB
In the metric system we can ma!e the calculation for a 91( millimeter
impeller turning at 91)) rpm
"he pump discharge pressure gage reads &) bar "he pump suction
pressure gage reads & bar "he pump is pumping the di%erence
between these readings so the pump is pumping 1 bar
t its B;<=best e>ciency point? the pump should be running between
@)2 and @(2 of its shuto% head. 1 bar is @42 of &).@ bar. "he
pressure to head conversion is#
&)6 meters shut o% head. "he pump has a 91( mm impeller running at
91)) rpm. "he shuto% head would be =9.1( decimeter?
9
8&9 A&)7.7.
<retty closeB


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