A five stage centrifugal pump delivers 120 lit/sec against a net pressure rise of 51 kg/ cm2.

Determine its specific speed if it rotates at 1450 rpm. What type of impeller would be
selected for the pump?
SOLUTION.

No. of stages = 5
P = 51 kg/cm2
N = 1450 rpm
P = gh

So,

h=

P 51 100 100 9.81

=
g
1000 9.81

h = 510m of water
Head developed per impeller =
Specific speed (Ns) =
=

510
= 102m of water
5

N Q
H 3/ 4

1450 0.12
= 15.65 units
(102) 3 / 4

A radial impeller will suit this specific speed.

A centrifugal pump lifts water under a static head of 36 m of water with 4 m suction lift.
Suction and delivery pipes are both 150 mm in diameter. The head loss in suction pipe is
1.8 m and in delivery pipe it is 7.0 m. The impeller is 380 mm in diameter and 25 mm wide
at mouth and rotates at 1500 rpm. Outlet blade angle is 35. If the manometric efficiency of
the pump is 82%, determine the discharge and the pressure at the suction and delivery
branches of the pump.
SOLUTION. Manometric head (Hm) = H stat . + H L
= 36 + 1.8 + 7
= 44.8m of water

At outlet blade velocity (u2) =

=

D2 N

Vr1

60

0.38 1200
60

u 2 = 23.9m / sec .

u1

1=90

V1=Vf

Fig. 3.33

Assume flow at the inlet to be radial.

From the inlet velocity triangle
Vu1 = 0
H th =

And

Hm
Manometric efficiency =
Vu 2 u 2

Vu 2 u 2
g

= 44.8 = 0.82
Vu 2 23.9

9.81

Vu 2 = 22.4m / sec

V2

Vr2
Vf2

Now, from outlet velocity triangle

tan 2 =

tan 35 =

V f2

Vu2

u 2 Vu 2
V f2

Fig. 3.34.

23.9 22.4

V f 2 = 1.05m / sec .
Q = (D2 B2 )V f 2

= 0.38 0.205 1.05

= 0.0314m 3 / sec

Velocity in suction or delivery pipe

Vd = V s =

d2

0.314

(0.15) 2

Vd = Vs = 1.78m / sec .
Velocity head =

Vd2 (1.78) 2
=
= 0.161m of water.
2 g 2 9.81

Total effective pressure head on delivery side

= H d + H Ld +

Vd2
2g

= 32 + 7 + 0.161

= 39.161m of water.
Pressure on the suction side = H s + H Ls +

Vs2
2g

= 4 + 1.8 + 0.161
= 5.961m of water vacuum
Or, 10-5.961 = 4.039 m of water absolute.
Show that the pressure rise in the impeller of a centrifugal pump is given by

V f 2 + u 22 V f 2 2 cos ec 2 2
1
provided the frictional and other losses in the impeller are
2g

neglected.
SOLUTION. Applying Bernoullis equation between the inlet and outlet tips of the impeller.
2
2
V u
P1 V1
P2 V2
+
=
+
+ u2 2
g 2 g g 2 g
g

For radial entry V1 = V f

2

2
V u
P2 P1 V f
V
=
2 + u2 2
g
2 g 2g
g

Vf

2g

V2
V V
+ u2 2
2g
g

Vr2
From the outlet velocity triangle
V r 2 = (U 2 V f 2 cot 2 )
2

V2 = V f 2 + V r 2

u2

V22 = V f 2 + u 2 + V f 2 cot 2 2 2u 2V f 2 cot 2

2

Since 1 + cot 2 2 = cos ec 2 2

2

Vf2

= V f 2 + (u 2 V f 2 cot 2 ) 2

V2

= u 2 + V f 2 (1 + cot 2 2 ) 2u 2V f 2 cot 2
= u 2 + V f 2 cos ec 2 2 ) 2u 2V f 2 cot 2

Fig. 3.36.

u 2 (u 2 V f 2 cot 2 )
P2 P1 V f1
=
+
g
g
2g
2

V f 2 cos ec 2 + u 2 2u 2V f 2 cot 2
2g
2

2
P2 P1 V f 1 + u 2 V f 2 cos ec 2
=
2g
g

Examle 5. A centrifugal pump has to discharge 225 lit/sec against a head 25 m when the
impeller rotates at a speed of 1500 rpm. Determine (a) impeller diameter, (b) blade angle at
the outlet of the impeller. If mano = 0.75, the loss of head in pump in meters due to fluid
resistance is 0.03 V22 , where V2 m/s is the velocity of water leaving the impeller, area of
outlet surface is 1.2D22 , where D2 is the impeller diameter in m, and water enters the
impeller without whirl.

SOLUTION. mano

Hm
=
Vu 2 u 2

Vu 2 u 2 =

= 25 = 0.75
Vu 2 u 2

25
9.81
0.75

Vu 2 u 2
= 33.33m
g

Manometric head (Hm) =

V2

Vr2
Vf2
2

Vu 2 u 2 ( H th )
-losses in pump section
g

u2
Fig.3.37.

25= 33.33 head losses in pump

head losses in pump = 8.33 m
0.03 V22 = 8.33
V2 = 16.66 m/sec
And flow rate (Q) = A V f 2

V f2 =

225 10 3
A

225 10 3
=
D22
V f2 =

u2 =

0.188
D22

D2 N

60

D2 1500

= 78.54D2

60

Vu 2 u 2
= 33.33
g

Vu 2 u 2 = 33.33 9.81
Vu 2 78.54 D2 = 33.33 9.81

33.33 9.81 4.16

=
Vu 2 =
78.54 D2 D2
Now from velocity triangle

V f 2 = V22 Vu 2
0.188
D2

4.16

= (16.66)
D2

278D42 17.31D22 0.035 = 0

D2 = 253.4mm
V f2 =

0.188
0.188
=
= 19.90m / s
2
D2
(0.2536) 2

V f 2 = 19.90m / s

Vu 2 =

4.16
D2

tan 2 =

4.16
= 16.42m / s
(0.2536) 2

V f2
u 2 Vu2

tan 2 = 0.8420

2 = 406

2.93
19.90 16.42