ENGR 120 Using Pump Curves to Select Pumps

Lets close the loop.

How does the pump testing that you have
done connect to real-world engineering?
Motor
Pumps come in a variety
of configurations of configurations.
Here are a few examples
of centrifugal pumps
Drive shaft connected Pump
of centrifugal pumps.
Pump
to tractor PTO
This is a submersible pump consisting of
4 stages connected in series. Each stage
Water out
is a centrifugal pump in itself. The entire
pump is submerged under water.
Pump stages
In this submersible pump water flows from
one stage to the next. The pressure (or head)
p g
increases as water moves through the pump,
but the discharge remains constant.
This is analogous to batteries connected
i i Th l l i h f in series. The total voltage is the sum of
the voltage from each battery, but the current
remains constant.
Water in
Procedure for Selecting a Pump
(1) Calculate the system head curve (1) Calculate the system head curve
(2) Select the design discharge for the pump
(3) Check pump manufacturers catalogs and select a pump that
will operate at maximum efficiency near the design discharge.
System Head Curve
(1) Static lift vertical distance between the static water surface
and the ground surface
(2) Static discharge vertical distance between the ground surface
and the ultimate point of use
(3) Well drawdown decrease in water level in the well in response
to pumping
(4) Friction loss in the system head loss due to friction as water (4) Friction loss in the system head loss due to friction as water
flows through the pipe, valves, bends, etc.
(5) Operating head pressure (or head) required at the point of use. ( ) p g p ( ) q p
For example, irrigation sprinklers require a certain amount of
pressure to operate correctly; a well system for a home typically
pumps water into a pressure tank which then supplies water to the
house house.
These are all dynamic they increase with
increasing discharge from the pump.
System Head Curve
,

H

(
f
t
)
Operating Head
o
t
a
l

H
e
a
d
,
Friction Loss
Well Drawdown
T
o
Well Drawdown
Static Discharge
Static Lift
Discharge, Q (gpm)
Operating head is determined by whatever is required at
the ultimate point of use (sprinkler, pressure tank, etc.)
Friction loss, h
f
, can be calculated from the Darcy-Weisbach equation
where
Well drawdown, s, can be calculated from the J acob equation
where
Select a submersible pump that will deliver 900 gpm to a water tank.
Static lift = 20 ft
St ti di h 30 ft
SE
Static discharge = 30 ft
Dynamic head is discussed on the next slide.
Static
Discharge
motor
Static lift
Drawdown
pump
Lets assume we are able to calculate the friction loss, h
f
, from the
Darcy-Weisbach equation. Note that h
f
varies with velocity of the water.
This means it also varies with pump discharge, Q.
where where
We can also calculate drawdown s fromthe J acob equation Note that We can also calculate drawdown, s, from the J acob equation. Note that
this also varies with pump discharge, Q.
where where
We calculate and plot the total system head curve as
the sum of static lift, static discharge, well drawdown,
friction loss and operating pressure The systemhead friction loss and operating pressure. The system head
curve will be a function of pump discharge.
Lets assume we have done these calculations and
plotted the system head curve as shown of the following
graph.
System
Head Curve
Now we superimpose this curve on the pump
curves obtained from the pump manufacturer.
Static Lift + Static Discharge
The pump curves from the manufacturer were determined in
essentially the same way you determined your pump curves.
System
Head Curve Head Curve
Static Lift + Static Discharge
Operating Point
If we operate this pump at 1600 RPM, it will deliver 900 GPM
against a total system head of 120 ft.
Efficiency is 71% (slightly less than peak efficiency of 72%.)
System
Head Curve Head Curve
Static Lift + Static Discharge
What will happen if we operate the pump at 1200 RPM ?
New Operating Point
The total system head drops to 75 ft, and the pump will
deliver only 550 GPM. The efficiency drops to 69%.