68 COVER SERIES PUMP SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION

10 Things You Need to Know

about NPSH
Because cavitation is unavoidable in pump operations, understanding
how to reduce it using NPSH calculations is necessary to maintain
pump functionality and health.

BY SIMON BRADSHAW
ITT GOULDS PUMPS

U
nderstanding net positive suction head (NPSH)
and cavitation is essential for plant managers,
pump manufacturers and operators. Proper
NPSH calculations are vital for preventing
cavitation and ensuring proper pump functionality.
The following 10 facts about NPSH can help end users
improve system operation and efficiency.
1. Analyzing NPSH margins can help
reduce cavitation.
Cavitation is defined as the partial evaporation of a liquid
in a system. Vapor forms when the static pressure in a
liquid’s flow drops below the vapor pressure of that liquid.
A two-phase flow occurs when a vapor bubble appears and
fluid evaporates. When these bubbles enter a region where
static pressure exceeds vapor pressure, they will implode,
causing cavitation. These bubbles can cause cavities that
impair the head and efficiency of the pump, creating
excessive noise and vibration. Cavitation erosion can be
detrimental to the pump’s head and efficiency. Damage to
ancillary components, such as bearings and seals, from
higher vibration is also likely. The region of the lowest
pressure generally occurs around the leading edge of the
vane, and this is where cavitation will most likely occur.

Figure 1. Cavitation visualization Figure 2. Analyzing NPSH margins can

(Images and graphics courtesy of ITT Goulds Pumps) help reduce cavitation.

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Image 1. Calculating NPSHA

Although cavitation cannot be completely

suppressed in a pump, measuring the required
NPSH (NPSHR) and analyzing NPSH margins
are key to reducing cavitation and keeping the
pump running smoothly.

2. NPSH has two main components.

NPSH distinguishes between the pressure
available to give to the pump (NPSH A) and
the pressure required by the pump (NPSHR)
to limit the reduction of pump head to an
acceptable level.
3. NPSH A
requires an in-depth calculation.
NPSH A is caused by atmospheric pressure, tank elevation
or pressure inside a tank. This measurement must be
calculated by the user. At sea level, the atmospheric
pressure provided is 14.77 pounds per square inch
(psi), or 1 bar, which fluctuates depending on elevation.
Additionally, the fluid vapor pressure will vary with
temperature. With this calculation, the manufacturer
must convert pressure to feet or meters and consider the
fluid temperature and elevation surrounding the pump.
4. Critical tests determine NPSH . R
NPSHR is the minimum amount of pressure required at
the pump impeller to limit the reduction in pump head
to an acceptable level. Instead of using a calculation as
with NPSH A, the manufacturer will run tests to validate
the critical quantity of NPSHR. To do this, the flow is kept
constant, and the NPSH A is reduced. As NPSH A is lowered,
cavitation inside the pump will increase until it begins to
block fluid flow through the pump. These tests must be
repeated until every flow point has been recorded. NPSHR
is commonly called NPSH3, because a three percent head
drop criteria is often used during a NPSHR test.

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70 COVER SERIES PUMP SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION

NPSH40K is the NPSH at which the impeller will have a

5. There are other forms of NPSH. 40,000-hour life. NPSH40K usually can be determined only
Many different forms of and acronyms for NPSH exist.
by the pump supplier, as in-depth knowledge of the impeller
Similar to NPSH3, NPSH1 or NPSH0 results when the pump
geometry and material is necessary. NPSH40K typically is
head is only reduced by 1 or 0 percent, respectively. NPSHi,
used for boiler feed pumps, large critical pumps and for plant
where the “i” stands for inception, is where cavitation
owner/operators who want confidence that the impeller will
first occurs.
not fail between major overhauls.

6. Three methods can be used to

determine NPSH40K .
PROTECT Pump suppliers can determine NPSH40K
using three methods. The first method
involves building a full-size or a scale-
your Pumps, factor test rig of the impeller and recording
subsequent damage after a test run. This
Mechanical process can be costly and time-consuming.
Another is Vlamming, an empirical
method used for stainless steel impellers
Seals and in water. Using certain parameters
associated with the impeller within the
Bearings equation, suppliers determine a value.
Gülich is the third method and is based on
the size of the cavitation bubble, which is
usually determined by computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) and impeller material.

Come See Us at the Free 7. Proper material selection can

Turbo/Pump Symposium Technical Support & reduce NPSH margin.
Booth # 1523 The new Hydraulic Institute (HI) Standard
Used Oil Analysis
9.6.1, released in 2012, provides guidelines
and recommendations for NPSH margins,
Improve pump reliability, MTBF*, reduce downtime and energy how much NPSH A is needed for a given
consumption with Summit Centri‐Pump PPO and SPO Series pump service and what features are needed
synthetic lubricants. Synthetics lubricants are resistant to oxidation, in a pump based on the NPSH A .
Proper material selection in a pump
enhance wear protection, and reduce friction. They keep your can reduce NPSH margin requirements
equipment running cooler, smoother, longer and more efficiently. and, as a result, life cycle cost. During the
process of selecting materials, end users
Summit’s selection of Barrier Fluids provides a wide range of should consider materials less susceptible
viscosities for mechanical seals. All Summit Barrier Fluids are to cavitation damage, which could impact
overall system cost.
NSF H1, Kosher, CFIA and Halal approved products.
8. All pumps have cavitation
Summit
Industrial Products
regardless of NPSH.
Frequently, pump users infer that as
long as NPSH A is above the NPSHR, no
cavitation will occur. This is a common
misconception. For example, in order to
800.749.5823 completely suppress cavitation in a pump
where the NPSH3 occurs at 19 feet, the
www.klsummit.com NPSH1 occurs at 25 feet, the NPSH0 occurs
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 71

at 63 feet and the NPSHi at 107 feet, the NPSH A must be

about 5.5 times the NPSHR. Few, if any, pumps operate with Simon Bradshaw is director of API product
this margin, revealing that all pumps have cavitation. The development & technology for ITT Goulds
only question is whether it is damaging cavitation. Pumps. Bradshaw has more than 20 years of
engineering experience in the pump industry.
9. Specific materials can help prevent cavitation.
Because cavitation is present in every
pump, users must find the right materials
to minimize damage. The leading material
chosen for cavitation resistance is
Martensitic stainless steel, also known
as CA6NM, chrome steel or 13-4. More
resistant materials are available, but they
are less common and more expensive,
making Martensitic stainless steel an ideal
option in freshwater applications.

10. The thermodynamic effect can

affect NPSH.
If a fluid has a high vapor pressure or
temperature, more energy must be
exchanged across the vapor-fluid boundary
and the vapor bubble. This is known as the
thermodynamic effect, or the hydrocarbon
correction factor. Cavitation bubbles
become smaller, and NPSHR is reduced.
If in doubt, consider the critical point
of a fluid. As you get closer to water’s
critical point—374 C or 705 F—the
thermodynamic effect becomes more
pronounced. At this critical point, only
a single phase is present, either a low-
density liquid or a high-density gas, and
because there is no liquid-gas mixture,
cavitation cannot occur. Guidance on this
method can be found in H.I. Standard 1.3.

Conclusion
Cavitation is unavoidable in pump
operations. Understanding how to reduce
it using NPSH calculations is necessary to
maintain pump functionality and health.
Although methods and materials are
available to reduce the effects of cavitation,
the truth is that cavitation will always be
present. Proper management of cavitation
to prevent damage is the end goal.

Read more online at

pumpsandsystems.com/npsh.

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