Pump Curves

Pump Curves

What we will cover this session

Static Head

Dynamic Head

Operating Point

Effect of Varying Flow Rate / Head

Pumps in Parallel

Pumps in Series

NPSH

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Definitions
HEAD A measure of pressure or force exerted by the fluid

Expressed in Metres or Feet of Water Column

This resistance can be due to

the fact that the fluid has to be lifted from a lower level to a higher
level (against gravity)
The fact that the surface used for transporting the fluid is offering
resistance to fluid (friction)

(Friction itself is a function of the velocity of travel / flow rate /

properties of the fluid / properties of the material used for transport)

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Definitions
CAPACITY The rate of liquid flow that can be carried
Height of the Hill and Weight of the Rock
For a given energy level you could climb a taller
hill with a lighter rock or a shorter hill with a
heavier rock
Flow Rate : The flow of fluid per unit time.
Expressed in M3/Hr / L/s (or US GPM)

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 The Pump Curve
The Plot of Head Vs Capacity

For a specific impeller

diameter and speed, a
centrifugal pump has a
fixed and predictable
performance curve. The
Point where the Pump
Head

operates on its curve

depends on the
characteristics of the
system on which it is
operating
Capacity

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 The Pump Curve
The Plot of Head Vs Capacity The pump duty is often
described as a certain
Not Here Operatin flow in litres per second
g Zone
(gallons per minute) at
20% 40%
70%
75%
85%
a specific head in
55%
72%
80%
75% Meters (feet)
80% 60%

70% Carry Out Pump is

Head

50% operating at the far right of

Not Here its curve, where the
efficiency is poor
Pump Efficiencies -%
Churn A pump is said to
be in churn when it is
operating at shut off head
Capacity or no flow

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 The System Curve
The Plot of Head Vs Capacity

System Curve

Relationship between
flow and Hydraulic
losses. Since friction
losses vary as a square
Head

of the flow rate, the

system curve is
parabolic in nature

Capacity Flow Rate

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 The Operating Point
The Plot of Head Vs Capacity
By Plotting the system
The point at which the system
curve meets the pump curve is curve and the pump
the OPERATING POINT
curve together, it
can be determined

1) Where the pump will

operate on its curve
Head

2) What changes will

occur if the system
curve or the pump
performance curve
changes
Capacity Flow Rate

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

DETERMINING PUMP HEAD
(With suction reservoir below pump centerline)

Suction head (total of):

P2
Static suction head
Suction line friction losses
Any positive pressure (P1) that exists on the
Static reservoir
Discharge
Total Discharge head (total of):
Head
Head Static discharge head
Discharge friction losses
Any positive pressure (P2) that exists on the
Static reservoir
Suction
P1
Head

Total pump head = suction head plus discharge head

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

DETERMINING PUMP HEAD
(With suction reservoir above pump centerline)

P2 Suction head (total of):

Static suction head
P1 Suction line friction losses
Any positive pressure (P1) that exists on
the reservoir
Total Discharge head (total of):
Head Static discharge head
Discharge friction losses
Static
Static Any positive pressure (P2) that exists on
Discharge the reservoir
Suction
Head
Head

Total pump head = (-)suction head plus discharge head

Look at the level of water that

has to be lifted by the pump!!!!!

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

DETERMINING DISCHARGE HEAD
(Possible discharges into a reservoir)

Static discharge head =

C Case 1:
No drop leg into reservoir
Static discharge head = H1

H1 H2 Case 2:
Drop leg into reservoir (C)
Static discharge head = H2

In case 2, drop leg provides a credit (C).

Case 1 Case 2

Drop legs provide columns of water whose weight is a credit to pump

discharge head

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Different Scenarios of Static Head

No Static Head, all Frictional Losses

System Curve starts at

Zero Flow/ Zero Head.
The shape of the curve is
entirely due to frictional
losses.

Flow rate may be varied

by throttling the valve

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Different Scenarios of Static Head

Positive Suction Head

Static Head does not

affect the shape or
steepness of the curve,
but it does affect the
head of the system curve
at Zero flow rate

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Different Scenarios of Static Head

Negative Suction Head

Some flow occurs due to gravity. To obtain

higher flows, pump has to overcome
friction losses in excess of H.

The system curve is plotted exactly as in

the other cases, however, the static head is
now negative.

The system curve begins at a negative

value and shows the limited flow obtained
by gravity alone.

More capacity requires extra work

Flow due to
gravity

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Different Scenarios of Static Head

Mostly Lift, Little Frictional Head

Pump is required to overcome

comparatively large static
head before it will deliver any
flow at all.

Friction losses are relatively

small (larger than usual pipe
sizes) System curve is flat

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Different Scenarios of Static Head

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Variation of Total Head Vs Pipe End Elevation or Static Head

20

Friction

Static
15
Total Head (M)

10

Water Column
5

10 20 30 40
FlowL /
s

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Performance of Pump Best Operating Point

The Plot of Head Vs Capacity

115 units This is Shutoff Head
Head

called the Shut Off

Head Maximum Head of
120
the pump
BEP
100
For a centrifugal pump,
80
the BEST EFFICIENCY
60 POINT (BEP) of the
40 impeller is between 80 to
85 % of the shut off head
20

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Capacity Flow Rate

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Performance of Pump Varying Impeller Diameters

The Plot of Head Vs Capacity In case the installation

is offering more
SAMPLE Design System Flow Rate is
Head

60 units and head is 90 units

resistance than
120 13
design, what would
12.5 you do?
100 12.0
11.5
80 11
10.5
Actual System Flow
60 Rate is 60 units and
40
head is 100 units
20
What are the
Capacity Flow Rate
effects?
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Performance of Pump Varying Impeller Diameters
Head

120 13
12.5
100 12.0
11.5
80 11
10.5
60

40

20

13
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
12.
5
12
Power

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Capacity Flow Rate
PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM
 Performance of Pump Constant Speed Motor

NOT
CHOOSE Operating Point
HERE to the left of the BEP
If you choose to operate the
pump at high head and low
flow, then
Head

Poor Efficiency
High Radial Thrust
Additional wear due to
hydraulic imbalance
Shaft breaks when
Capacity Flow Rate pump operates too close
to the shut-off head

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Performance of Pump Constant Speed Motor

NOT
HERE

If you choose to operate the

pump at too low head and
high flow, then
Head

Noisy Operation
High Radial Thrust
Poor Efficiencies

Capacity Flow Rate

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 The Pump Curve

CHURN
ZONE

CARRY
OUT
ZONE

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Affinity Laws

For a Fixed diameter impeller

Pump Capacity Varies directly with speed

Q1 = S1
Q2 = S2
Pump Head Varies as the square of the speed
h1 = S12
h2 = S22
Pump Brake Horsepower required Varies as the cube of
the speed
Bhp1 = S13
Bhp2 = S23

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH)

NPSH is the pressure required at the suction flange

of the pump to prevent cavitation of the pump.
Cavitation of the pump occurs when water flashes
into vapor bubbles and then rapidly collapse back
into a liquid state. The vapor bubbles occur if the
pressure at the suction flange is not above the vapor
pressure of the entering water. If it is not, vapor
bubbles occur at the entrance to pumps impeller.
The water pressure bubbles rapidly collapse within
the impeller itself causing noise and rapid erosion of
the impeller metal.
This must be avoided.

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH)

(P2) In Pressure (P) at pump suction flange required to

prevent cavitation
Pump Cavitation:
Formation of vapor bubbles and their rapid
collapse
If (P) drops below vapor pressure of water,
(P) water will flash into vapor bubbles before
reaching impeller inlet
Pressure Pump raises pressure (P2) above vapor
at Suction pressure
Bubbles rapidly collapse
Flange Noise
Rapid wear of impeller

Impeller
Eye

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 PRESSURE GRADIENT FOR A HORIZONTAL
BUILDING
C D

CHILLER
B

A E

Expansion tank 20 M
64
Pump Head
Shut off Head
58
System pressure M

52 Drop through Chiller

48 B
Loss across oils
42
and control valves Expansion tank
C
Pressure
36 D

30
E
24
A

18

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 PRESSURE GRADIENT FOR A VERTICAL BUILDING

133
G Shutoff Head
A D
Chiller Loss
7 M exerted by 100
Expansion tank E F
Pump Head

System Pressure
Highest B
Terminal Unit 66
70 M

Lowest
Terminal Unit

33
F B

G
Highest
CHILLER C A Terminal Unit
E D 0 Expansion tank 7M

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Performance of Pump Varying Impeller Diameters

The Plot of Head Vs Capacity

BHP
Head

Always choose a pump in

70% 76% 80%
such a way that the operating
120 13 84% 86%
point for the application is
12.5 86%

100 12.0
84% close to the BEP.
80%
11.5 76%

80 11 70%

10.5
40
Pumping efficiency improves
30
60 20
with additional stages, since
10
15
friction is shared by the
40 9
individual pumps.
NPSH (M)

6
20
3

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Capacity Flow Rate

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Typical Pump Curve

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in Parallel

Features

To increase flow rate

Can provide for redundancy
Can be used with Variable Speed Drives

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in Parallel

Features
To increase flow rate
Can provide for redundancy
Check valves to
Can be used with Variable Speed Drives avoid backflow

Check Valve

Prevents backflow and non-defective pumps still able to feed the application
Helps uniform flow among all working pumps

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Parallel Pumps Resultant Flow

The Plot of Head Vs Capacity

Two Pumps
in Parallel

Operating point
Head

Single when Two Pumps

Pump run in Parallel

Flow when only one pump is running

Capacity Flow Rate

Flow of each pump when Operating point

two pumps are running when only one
pump is running

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in Parallel

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in Parallel

Pipe line Accessories

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in series

Features
When one pump cannot operate at the NPSH thats available from the system

Essential similarity is that they must both be able to handle the same flow rate

The Pumps can deliver totally different levels of head as long as they operate at
the same capacity

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in Series

Pipe line Accessories

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in Series

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Pumps in series

Equally sized Pumps

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Some Important Points

Pumps in parallel must always run at the same

speed to ensure that operating pumps produce the
same flow

Combining one constant speed and one Variable

Speed pump often produces disastrous results

pump with VSD operates at inefficient point

With reduced load conditions VSD pump tends to

run at zero flow, pump casing heats up and may be
destroyed by heat.

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM

 Summary Pump Curves

The Pump Curve

The System Curve

Operating Point & Best Operating Point

Positive Suction Head and Negative Suction Head

NPSH & Cavitation

Pumps in Parallel

Pumps in series

PUMP CURVES BY SEKAR RAM