Fluid Machine Problems

Centrifugal Pumps

1. When operated at a speed of 1200 rpm, a centrifugal pump gives the following
performance: Discharge of water=400 gpm and discharge head=200 feet. If the pump is
operated to give a discharge head of 500 feet without change of system characteristics.
What must be the speed and volume of water discharged?

Ans. 3000rpm,1000gpm

2.A multi-stage centrifugal pump is to deliver 1000 gpm of water at a total head of 900
ft. Specific speed is 500 rpm and rotative rpm is 600.

a) Determine the number of stages required. Answer=7

b) If a single stage pump is used, what would be the rotative rpm, Ns = 500rpm.
Answer= 2598 rpm

3. A double suction pump is required to deliver 2200 gpm against a total dynamic head
of 300 ft at a speed of 1750 rpm. Specific gravity is 1.2.

a) What horsepower would be required at the pump shaft if the pump is single
stage? Answer= 247 HP

b) If the pump were two stage, what should be the horsepower? Answer=232 HP

4. A 2-stage centrifugal pump delivers 50 gpm of 225°F water against 250 ft. head at
3500 rpm.

a) What is its specific speed? Answer=662 rpm

b) What head could a geometrically similar pump produce if operated at 3000 rpm
at 40 gpm flow? Answer=175.4 feet

5. Calculate drive horsepower for pumping 450 gpm cold water to a tank. Suction of
5”Hg vacuum, delivery at 75 psig, both measured close to pump. Assume that np is
equal to 0.65. Answer=31.28 HP
6. Determine the specific speeds of the following single-stage pumps and specify the
type of pump that would probably be used for each.

PUMP RPM CAPACITY, GPM TOTAL HEAD,

FT
A 1150 3500 100
B 885 12000 15
C 675 20000 50
D 625 9000 18
Answer A=2150 and pump type is francis type

B,C,D=solve on your own

7.A commercial pump is operating at 2150 rpm and delivers 1800 GPM against a head
of 47.03 m. Determine the approximate efficiency based on cengel.

8. A double suction, single stage centrifugal pump delivers 900 m3/hr of sea water (s.g.
= 1.03) from source where water varies 2 meters from low tide to high tide level. The
pump centerline is located 2.6 meters above the surface of the water at high tide level.
The pump discharges into a surface condenser 3 meters above pump centerline loss of
head due to friction in suction is 0.8 m and 3 m at discharge. The pump is directly
connected to a 1750 rpm, 450 volts, 3ⵁ, 60 hz source. Required:

a.) Sketch the installation

b.) Total suction head

c.) Total discharge head

d.) Ns of the pump

e.) BHP if np = 70%

f.) Motor hp if em = 80%