MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AT LAGUNA

Academic Year 2019-2020

Mechanical Engineering Laboratory 2

Section A39

Final Individual Report 3

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP TEST

Bea Therese S. RADUBAN

August 27, 2019

 ABSTRACT

This experiment focuses on the operation of a centrifugal pump. A compact centrifugal

pump test set is used to have a demonstration of the basic working principle of a centrifugal pump.

Parameters such as current, waterpower, pressure drop, and pump efficiency are required to be

obtained in the course of the experiment. Using those parameters, it is also required to create a

performance curve. The group was successful in fulfilling the objectives of the laboratory activity.

I. INTRODUCTION

Pumps are machines that are used to add energy to a liquid in order to transfer the liquid

from one point to another point of higher energy level. There are two classification of pumps,

dynamic and displacement pump. Dynamic pumps are pumps in which energy is continuously

added to increase the fluid velocities within the machine to values greater than those occurring

at the discharge so subsequent velocity reduction within or beyond the pump produces a pump

pressure increase. On the other hand, displacement pumps are pumps in which energy is

periodically added by application of force to one or more movable boundaries of any desired

number of enclosed, fluid-containing volumes, resulting in a direct increase in pressure up to

the value required to move the fluid through valves or port into the discharge line.

A centrifugal pump falls under the dynamic pumps. Centrifugal pumps are the most widely

used type of pump for transferring of fluids. This pump uses a rotating impeller to move the

fluid by using centrifugal force. Centrifugal pumps are generally designed and are suitable for

liquids with relatively low viscosity, also are very useful since they can generally handle large

quantities of fluids.

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 Listed and defined below are the basic parts of a centrifugal pump:

• Impeller – imparts velocity to the liquid, resulting from centrifugal force as the

impeller is rotated.

• Casing – gives direction to the flow from the impeller and converts this velocity

energy to pressure energy that is usually measured in feed of head.

• Shaft – transmits power from the driver to the impeller.

In fluid dynamics, pump operation is defined by different pump parameters such as

the total head, fluid flow rate, waterpower, power input, and pump efficiency. These

parameters can be graphed against the fluid flow rate of the system. By using these graphs

together, the ideal flow rate can be found in the intersection of the head versus flow rate

and efficiency versus flow rate.

Moreover, the power law states that the power of the electricity flowing in a circuit

can be determines from the product of its voltage reading and its current reading in DC.

However, in AC, the power factor must be multiplied to the product of the voltage and the

current shown in the formula.

𝑃 = 𝑉𝐼𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑉𝐼(𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟)

where: V = voltage, I = current

Other parameter of pump is called the waterpower, where it is the mechanical

energy that the pump transferred to the water that flows through it, therefore increasing its

flow rate.

𝑊𝑃 = 𝛾𝑄𝐻

where: γ = specific weight, Q = volumetric flow rate, H = dynamic head

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 II. OBJECTIVES

1. To identify the performance curve of the centrifugal pump.

2. To determine the current, pressure drop, the total dynamic head, and the waterpower

for varying flow rates in the centrifugal pump.

3. To familiarized with the use of the centrifugal pump.

III. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1. Dry hands are a must whenever plugging and unplugging the apparatus.

2. Make sure that the valves are closed when starting the experiment.

3. Keep a keen eye when doing the experiment as the apparatus both function with water

and electricity which are both hazards.

4. At the end of the experiment, recheck the valves for the safety of the next group.

5. Pay attention to the instructor to avoid possible mishaps.

6. Take extra precaution when measuring the current as electrical shock can occur.

IV. APPARATUS

1. Compact Centrifugal Pump Test Set – a compact, mobile, and fully-contained

centrifugal pump test set that allows students to find the characteristics of a centrifugal

pump.

2. Clamp Meter – an electrical device with jaws which open to allow clamping around an

electrical conductor.

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 V. PROCEDURE

1. Plug the centrifugal pump to the power source.

2. Turn on the centrifugal pump to allow the water to flow in the system, with the gate

valve fully open.

3. Record the flow rate using a water meter.

4. Record the pressure head in the suction and discharge of the pump using the pressure

gauge.

5. Record the current using the clamp meter.

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for other trials in which the flow rate of the water is varies by turning

the gate valve. (Decrement of one turn for each trial.)

7. Turn off the centrifugal pump test set to stop the water flow.

VI. DATA AND RESULTS

Flow Input
Current P1 P2 H Waterpower Efficiency
Trial Rate Power
(A) (kg/cm ) (kg/cm2)
2
(m) (W)
(m3/s) (W)
1 0.37 8.4x10-4 -0.025 0.21 2.35 19.36 701.335 3.76%

2 0.39 1.13x10-3 -0.027 0.22 2.47 27.43 739.245 3.71%

3 0.31 1.76x10-4 -0.027 0.28 27.70 47.83 587.605 8.14%

4 0.32 6.87x10-4 -0.027 0.30 3.27 22.04 625.515 3.52%

5 0.30 1.69x10-3 -0.026 0.40 4.27 70.79 568.65 12.45%

6 0.19 1.24x10-3 -0.012 0.85 8.67 105.45 360.145 29.28%

Table 1. Data obtained from the trials in the centrifugal pump test set.

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 Graph 1. Performance Curve

VII. ANALYSIS

The group conducted six trials using the compact centrifugal pump test set. Each trial has

distinct valve conditions. The first trial is fully open and for the consecutive trials, the valve is

turned for 1 revolution at a time until it is fully closed. During the laboratory activity, the group

was able to gather data on pressure drops and volumetric flow rates. From the obtained data from

the centrifugal pump test set, those were used to compute the head loss, waterpower, input power

and the efficiency of the centrifugal pump. Observing the calculated values, it is determined that

the pressure difference and the current are inversely proportional to each other. When the current

increases, the pressure head decreases. Pressure head and efficiency are directly proportional to

each other. Fully open shows low efficiency, but pressure head is high, and vice versa.

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 VIII. DISCUSSION

The group conducted six trials that are based on the available revolutions of the valve. The

parameters needed in characteristics curve specifically the head, flow rate, current, voltage,

waterpower, input power, and the efficiency. The water head was measured by the difference

of the pressure in the suction and the discharge pressure gauges situated on the tubes. The flow

rate was measured using a water flow meter installed by setting a constant time of 10 seconds

each trial. The current is measured using the clamp meter where it is et to measure the current

then the jaws of the clamp meter must surround the wire and it automatically measures the

current. The other parameters were calculated by using set of formulas. The calculated and

measured parameter are then plotted in a performance curve with their comparison and

relationship.

IX. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, all the objectives were achieved however there were just few discrepancies

on the data obtained. The performance curve was obtained, and the relationship of each parameters

were identified. Errors may be a reason in some discrepancies with the values obtained and

resulting to not accurate results.

X. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

An artificial heart is a prosthetic device that is implanted into the body to replace the

original biological heart. It is distinct from a cardiac pump, which is an external device used to

provide the functions of both the heart and the lungs. Thus, the cardiac pump need not be connected

to both blood circuits. Also, a cardiac pump is only suitable for use not longer than a few hours,

while for the artificial heart the current record is 17 months. This synthetic replacement for an

organic mammalian heart (usually human), remains one of the long-sought goals of modern
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medicine. Although the heart is conceptually a simple organ (basically a muscle that functions as

a pump), it embodies complex subtleties that defy straightforward emulation using synthetic

materials and power supplies. The obvious benefit of a functional artificial heart would be to lower

the need for heart transplants, because the demand for donor hearts greatly exceeds supply.

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 REFERENCES

Artificial Heart. (n.d.). Retrieved from Science Daily:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/artificial_heart.htm
Centrifugal Pumps - Working, Applications & Types. (n.d.). Retrieved from Poower Zone
Equipment, Inc.: https://www.powerzone.com/resources/glossary/centrifugal-pump
Franciso, J. R. (2005). Guidebook in Fluid Machinery.
What is a centrifugal pump? (n.d.). Retrieved from Intro to Pumps:
https://www.introtopumps.com/pumps-101/what-is-a-centrifugal-pump/

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