Engineering Paper

ITT Flygt Corporation

Number
Revison
Sign
Dept
Date
Page:

Contents
DEFINING OFF-PEAK PUMP
PERFORMANCE AOR AND POR..1
Introduction........................................ 2
Defining AOR and POR .................... 4
Calculating AOR and POR ................ 4
Special Considerations ................... 7
Conclusions........................................ 8

EPFUS003
1
MTJ
SE
2003-09-02
1 (9)

Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

Author: Mark Jaminet Systems & Applications
Engineer, ITT Flygt Corporation, U.S.A.
Abstract: In todays competitive pump market, Life
Cycle Costs and reliable long-term operation are a
focus for end users and manufacturers alike. Cost
savings through higher operating efficiencies and
lower maintenance costs are critically important.
However, far too little attention has been paid to the
limits at which a pump should be operated away from
the best efficiency point to maintain proper operation
and a long service life. Operating as close as possible
to best efficiency is the best way to reduce operating
costs, minimize repairs and down time and ensure
long pump life.
The further a pump is operated from the flow at best
efficiency, the more detrimental to the pumps operation, not just in operating efficiency but also wear and
tear. A pumps life can be shortened considerably
when operating outside the region recommended by
the manufacturer. This can be due to a many factors,
including rough operation, cavitation, flow recirculation and increased radial loads causing shortened
bearing and seal life. Special consideration must be
given to pumps operating at varying speeds.
By defining an Allowable Operating Region (AOR)
and a Preferred Operating Region (POR), it becomes
very clear when a pump has been properly applied.
Selecting and operating the pump within these regions will provide the owner with confidence that his
investment will perform reliably and efficiently for
many years to come.
Key words: Allowable Operating Region, Preferred
Operating Region, best efficiency point, NPSH,
cavitation, recirculation, suction energy, radial load.

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 2 (9)

Introduction
Every centrifugal pump has a specific flow rate that provides the peak hydraulic
efficiency for the impeller and the least amount of wear on the pumps rotating parts.
Because this is the point of the pumps greatest hydraulic efficiency, this point is
called the Best Efficiency Point or BEP.
The BEP for any pump also correlates to the point at which the lowest radial loading
on the impeller occurs. At BEP, the radial loads on the impeller are balanced all the
way around the impellers circumference, resulting in the least amount of radial
force, and consequently, shaft deflection and vibration. The further from BEP the
pump operates, the more unbalanced the loading on the impeller. The unbalanced
loading on the impeller results in greater levels of vibration and wear on the pump
rotating parts, especially bearings and seals. While the magnitude of the unbalanced
force varies with the operating heads and the type of pump, the relative magnitudes
compared to the flow across the pump curve are similar for all centrifugal radial flow
impellers.

Relative Radial Load vs Pump Flow

BEP

Figure 1. Relative radial load (F) as a function of pump flow (Q) for radial flow
impellers

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 3 (9)

Operating a pump at either end of the performance curve has many consequences.
Not only are radial forces increased, but other adverse hydraulic conditions will also
occur. For flows far to the right of BEP, the brake horsepower (BHP) of the pump
will increase (for radial flow and mixed flow pumps), increasing power draw and
possibly motor size. Also, NPSHR will increase resulting in a greater risk of cavitation. Finally, higher flow rates result in higher suction energy levels and velocities
that exacerbate any type of poor hydraulic conditions such as poor flow approach
into the pump suction.
Pump operation to the left of BEP will result in excess radial loads as shown above,
and may result in clogging, a greater degree of recirculation, and increased BHP for
axial flow pumps. Clogging of pumps can occur at low flows due to low velocities
within the adjacent piping. Recirculation is an adverse operating characteristic (flow
separation) that results in reduced efficiency, noise and possibly cavitation. 1
As indicated above, operation far away from the flow at BEP can result in many
detrimental effects to the pump. In fact, the further away from BEP, the more costly
the pump will be to operate. Costs increase not just due to lower operating efficiency, but in increased maintenance and repair.

Figure 2: The effect of distance from BEP on pump maintenance costs

Reference pump: ANSI 334-10 Stainless Steel Single-Stage, Horizontal Pump, with
Dual Pressurized Seal, Running at 1750 RPM in a Mildly Corrosive Service
(Courtesy Judy Hodgson, Pump Consultant, E.I. DuPont)
____________________
1. For further discussion on the topics of NPSHR, suction energy, approach flow, sedimentation
and recirculation, consult ITT-Flygt or refer to the ANSI/HI standards for centrifugal pumps.

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 4 (9)

Unfortunately, there is no specific location on any pump performance curve that can
indicate if and when these effects will become excessive or when maintenance costs
will be too high. Therefore, since centrifugal pumps can rarely be selected to operate
exactly at their BEP flow rate, it is important to clearly identify ranges of pump
operation that are appropriate for long pump life and stable operation. There are two
ranges of operation for all centrifugal pumps that will identify the best pump operation for a given application. They are the Allowable Operating Region (AOR) and
the Preferred Operating Region (POR).

Defining AOR and POR

POR defines the range where pump flow is well controlled, i.e. uniform and free
from separation. The POR for any pump is the more restrictive operating region.
According to ANSI/HI standard 9.6.3, the POR for most centrifugal pumps is the
range of flow between 70% and 120% of the flow at BEP. For vertical (axial flow)
pumps with specific speeds greater than 4500 (US units), the POR is more narrow,
80% to 115% of flow at BEP. The POR is smaller for these types of pumps due to
their sensitivity to adverse hydraulic conditions. Operation within POR will ensure
that the pump will have its intended service life and will operate as smoothly as
possible.
AOR defines a wider operating range and is the range of flow where pump operating
life is not significantly reduced, as determined by the pump manufacturer. There is a
greater risk of adverse conditions in this region, such as increased shaft loading,
noise and vibration. As a result, the life of a pump operating in this region is expected to be slightly lower than that of a similar pump operating within the POR.
However, the pump manufacturer takes the responsibility to define this region in
such a manner as to provide an operating life that is satisfactory to both manufacturer
and customer alike. ITT-Flygt defines the AOR for the majority of their submersible
centrifugal wastewater pumps to be between 50% and 125% of flow at BEP.

Calculating AOR and POR

When a pump is being considered for a given application, a quick and simple check
of pump operation relative to AOR and POR is recommended. Pump selection for a
particular application is typically performed with the software provided by the pump
manufacturer. This software will provide an indication of both operating flow and
BEP flow. The given design operating condition (duty point) is entered in the software with any additional selection criteria and the software will provide the user with
a list of potential pumps. Depending on the shape and slope of both system curve
and pump curve, the actual operating flow may differ from the design flow. If so,
operating flow should be used when calculating AOR and POR. Alternatively, pump
operating flow and BEP flow can be selected by hand from the pump manufacturers
published performance data.

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 5 (9)

Once the operating flow and BEP flow are determined, the operating flow is divided
by the flow at BEP and multiplied by 100 to obtain a percentage of BEP flow (1).
(1) QOP / QBEP x 100 = % BEP flow
Where:
QOP = flow at operating point
QBEP = flow at pump best efficiency
The % BEP flow is then compared to the limits defined previously for AOR and
POR. If % BEP flow is greater than 50% but less than 125%, the pump will be
operating within the AOR. If % BEP flow is greater than 70% but less than 120%,
the pump will be operating within the POR. These relationships are summarized in
equations (2) and (3).
(2) AORLL < % BEP flow < AORUL
(3) PORLL < % BEP flow < PORUL
Where:
AORLL = lower limit of allowable operation to remain within AOR (50%)
AORUL = upper limit of allowable operation to remain within AOR (125%)
PORLL = lower limit of allowable operation to remain within POR (70%)
PORUL = upper limit of allowable operation to remain within POR (120%)
A standard method for presentation of the relationship between pump operating
point, AOR and POR is offered here. Data for this example are taken from an actual
pump installation in the Northeast region of the USA. Pump flows and heads are
taken from the pump performance curve and entered into a spreadsheet see Figure
3. For added detail, brake horsepower (BHP) and pump efficiency are also entered.
The pumps BEP and operating point (OP) must be two of the points. Other points
shown on the table are the upper and lower limits of both AOR and POR. An additional point from the pump curve is shown for added definition at lower flows. The
spreadsheet is then used to calculate % BEP using formula (1). The pump and system curves are plotted on a graph for visual effect Figure 4.

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 6 (9)

Figure 3. Table used to calculate % BEP for a given pump operating point

Figure 4. Graph of pump performance and system curve

The design condition in this example is 2100 gpm at 61 feet TDH. Actual pump
operation based on the sample system curve data will be 2114 gpm at 61.9 feet. BEP
flow rate is 4115 gpm, therefore % BEP flow is 2114 / 4115 x 100 = 51.4%. This
pump will operate just within the limit of AOR.

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 7 (9)

It is not always possible to select a pump that will operate within the AOR for a
given application. It is important to remember that flow as a function of BEP is not
the only determining factor in estimating a pumps operating life. Other factors,
such as quality of inflow, installation, maintenance, the type of liquid being pumped
and pump operating cycle time can have a significant effect on pump life. Similarly,
pump operating life may not be the defining criteria for pump selection. If % BEP
flow falls outside the AOR, or if a more detailed discussion of a particular application is necessary, it is always best to consult the pump manufacturer for advice.
Equation (4) summarizes this relationship.
(4) % BEP flow < AORLL or % BEP flow > AORUL

Special Considerations
Applications for pumps used with Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) present additional
concerns. When making pump selections, an evaluation of pump operation relative to
AOR and POR at reduced speeds is necessary to identify potential problems. This is
also an invaluable tool when evaluating existing operational problems.
The spreadsheet in Figure 2 can be modified to show how the pump operation relative to AOR and POR changes as the speed changes. Using the affinity laws, the full
speed pump performance curve is re-calculated to show expected operation at reduced speed (or frequency). Since system curves do not normally follow the lines of
constant efficiency for pump curves, the relationship between the pump operating
point and the best efficiency point changes with the speed. The results are shown in
Figure 5. F1, f2 and f3 in this table represent the varying frequencies of the pump.

Figure 5. Table used to calculate % BEP for multiple frequencies in a variable speed
application

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 8 (9)

Presentation of AOR and POR in this manner will also allow for a graphical representation of the relationship between pump operation and BEP at various speeds.
This graph is shown in Figure 6. Varying pump curves corresponding to varying
speed are graphed on the same table as the system curve. Lines are drawn through
the variable speed curves to indicate upper and lower limits of AOR, POR, and BEP.

Figure 6. Graph of variable frequency pump performance and system curve with operating
region limits

As the pump in the above example slows down, the operating point moves to the left
on the pump curve relative to BEP. In other words, % BEP flow goes down as the
pump speed goes down. In many applications such as this one, % BEP flow drops
outside the AORLL with only a small change in pump speed. Also, the desired minimum speed operation is frequently well below the lower limit of AOR. In the above
example, the poor operation of the pump at minimum speed (OP = 503.5 gpm @
18.1 ft) caused excessive internal recirculation and unwanted noise and vibrations.

Conclusions
Without a preliminary check of the pump operating point relative to AOR, many
types of mechanical and hydraulic problems are possible. At a minimum, operating
a pump outside the AOR will result in reduced life. Selecting a pump for operation
within the AOR whenever possible is good standard practice.

Engineering Paper
Defining Off-Peak Pump Performance AOR and POR

ITT Flygt Corporation

Page: 9 (9)

It is especially important to consider AOR when evaluating variable speed applications since the pumps will typically operate at reduced speeds under normal conditions. Unfortunately, reduced speed operating conditions are sometimes neglected
since the limiting factor in pump selection is usually the maximum condition. In
addition, system curves or reduced speed operating conditions are frequently unknown. If these conditions are not initially provided, this information should be
requested for evaluation in any and all variable speed applications.
After considering this information, low speed operation outside of AOR may be
unavoidable due to limited choices for pump selection or broad operating ranges.
Operation outside AOR at low speed may also occur in existing installations that
were not properly designed prior to installation. In these cases, the cost impact and
the amount of effort that is necessary to rectify the situation should be evaluated
closely and compared to the impact of the operating point on pump life.
If the pump is outside AOR only at reduced speeds, modification to the pump or
alternate pump selection may not be the best solution. At low operating speeds,
velocities and head within the pump are lower, and consequently the energy released
by the hydraulic disturbance is much lower. Therefore, these hydraulic disturbances
and the radial loading caused by operating far from BEP will have reduced negative
impact on the pumps mechanical components. Particularly for dry installations,
noise from the pump may be objectionable. However, the actual wear or damage
imparted to the pump and motor may be minimal. The effects of the disturbance on
the pump can be estimated from the known head pressure and % BEP flow, but only
after operating the pump in the installation in question can the impact be truly measured. With input from the pump manufacturer, it will ultimately be the customers
decision whether or not to accept the increased noise and potential for wear over the
cost of reducing or eliminating these effects.
In summary, pump operation with respect to the limits of the AOR and POR is very
simple to calculate, whether by hand or with spreadsheet software. This simple
calculation can prevent excessive wear, pump failure and a dissatisfied customer.
Operation within POR is always preferred as this will provide maximum pump life.
A greater frequency of service calls can be expected for operation within AOR relative to POR, but these repairs and expected pump life are still deemed to be acceptable. Operation outside AOR may be acceptable under limited conditions. The pump
manufacturer should be consulted if there are any concerns regarding the suitability
of a particular pump.