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Frequently asked questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why is the pump suction pipe often one size bigger than the pump connection?
It has become common practice to always have the pump suction line at least one size greater than the pump suction flange size. The transition is TUTORIA accomplished with an LS eccentric reducer usually with the flat on top but not always. The most critical thing about the pump suction is to ensure that VIDEOS VISUA L FREE ON-LINE PUMP TROUBLE the HOME flow stream lines arrive atMICRO-HYDRO the suction eye ofGLOSSA the pump with no large scale turbulence as can be caused MORE by an upstream FORUM elbow. LINKS This is a function HOW-TO BOOK TURBINE RY SOFTWA RE CA LCULA TIONS SEA RCH INFO SHOOTING of the pipe geometry which means that a nice long straight suction pipe is desirable. A larger pipe reduces the pressure drop due to friction and FA Q provides more pressure at the pump eye, this provides more energy to the pump. All kinds of cockamamie pump suctions have been designed in the past for various reasons and some of them even work. However, as a piping designer you don't want to re-invent the wheel all the time and you are looking for tried and true methods that will let you sleep easy.

2. Why is a control valve often one size smaller than the pipe line diameter?
The main reason is that a smaller valve is less expensive and will provide better and more accurate control than a line size valve however at the cost of a higher pressure drop.

3. In the case of an end suction centrifugal pump, is positive (above atmospheric) pressure always required at the pump suction?
No. Certain pumps are designed to be able to lift liquid up from below the pump centerline. There are many different types of pumps that can do this including small domestic to large industrial types.

4. Is a check valve on the discharge side of the pump necessary?

There are two major benefits. One, it will keep the system full from the pump onwards which can avoid liquid spills when the pump stops and delays in starting up. Two, this will keep the pump from rotating backwards when the pump stops.

5. What is the ideal pipe run for a pump system?

Occasionally poor piping is blamed for the erratic performance of a pump. It is not often the case that piping is to blame but it can occur. A frequent offender is air entrapment. Ideally, from the pump discharge onwards the pipe would slope continuously upwards and end at the bottom of a tank. This allows any air that enters the pump to be evacuated from the system. In the real world pipes are not continually sloped upward but go for long distances horizontally. This can be acceptable if we avoid pockets or low points and high points. In both these situations air can be trapped. The pipe end is rarely connected to the bottom of the tank. When this is done, the pipe is usually coming form a higher position. This means there will be a high point with the potential of air entrapment. This may or may not be critical to the process and experienced operators and engineers should make this determination. If the process is critical then an air release valve may have to be used. When a control valve is used at the pipe end to control the flow rate, the pipe end should be positioned close to the bottom of the tank to provide some back pressure on the valve and reduce the possibility of cavitation.

6. How to measure pump performance?

You may have some doubts as to whether your pump is performing adequately. Your only recourse is to compare its performance with the prediction of its characteristic curve for the correct impeller diameter and speed of the pump. You need a pressure gauge before and after the pump. The gauges should not be too far from their intended measuring point which is the suction and discharge flange. The height between the gauges and the pump centerline should be measured. You will need a valve on the gauge to help attenuate the pressure fluctuations that can occur near the pump. The flow rate needs to be measured. Ideally there is a flow measurement device in the line that will provide this information. If this is not available you will have to consider other methods as timing the filling up of a tank of known volume or other. The pressure readings will give you the total head of the pump and with the flow you can compare your results with the characteristic curve of the pump for the speed and impeller diameter concerned. Formulas to help you calculate total head .

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Frequently asked questions

It is possible to measure the shut-off head only and compare this with the predicted shut-off head of the characteristic curve. The shut-off head occurs at zero flow rate so that the flow rate measurement is not required. A check on the shut-off head will test whether the pump is running at the right speed and if the correct impeller diameter is installed. Efficiency is more difficult to measure since you need a torque meter on the pump shaft.

7. How is the pump performance affected by the fluid viscosity?

The pump performance or characteristic curve is determined with water at standard conditions. Fluids more viscous than water will affect the pump's performance. The total head, flow rate and power will be affected adversely. For more details, see the visual glossary . When the viscosity reaches 400 cSt and more the efficiency has dropped by 50% and consideration should be given to using a positive displacement pump.

8. Can a pump be operated through the full range of flow indicated on the characteristic curve?
No, it cannot. The pump should be operated as close as possible to the B.E.P. (best efficiency point). A typical range is to operate the pump between 80% and 120% of the flow at the B.E.P. Most pump manufacturers will discourage operating the pump below 50% of the flow at the B.E.P. If you must do so then you have 2 choices either to install a recirculation line or install a variable speed drive on the pump. At the high flow end the pump will be subject to high vibration and potentially cavitation since the NPSHR required is higher at that point. There is little alternative but to reduce the flow. For more details, see the visual glossary .

9. How to measure pump performance? 10. How is the pump performance affected by the fluid viscosity?
The pump performance or characteristic curve is determined with water at standard conditions. Fluids more viscous than water will affect the pump's performance. The total head, flow rate and power will be affected adversely. For more details, see the visual glossary. When the viscosity reaches 400 cSt and more the efficiency has dropped by 50% and consideration should be given to using a positive displacement pump. You can get more information here: http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/pump_glossary.htm#gl63.

11. What is a siphon?

A siphon is a pipe or tube filled with liquid that flows by gravity due to the inlet or source of the liquid being higher than the outlet. The main characteristic of a siphon is that there is a portion of the pipe that is higher than the inlet or source of liquid. See this web page: http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/downloads-free.htm#download17 for more information.

12. What is specific speed?

Specific speed is a number that represents the ability of a pump to produce high head at low flow (low specific speed number) or low head at high flow (high specific speed number) See this web page: http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/downloads-free.htm#download10 for more information.

13. What is cavitation?

Cavitation is the formation of vapor bubbles within a flowing liquid environment. It is due to a pressure in the environment that is lower than the vapor pressure of the liquid. See this web page: http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/downloads-free.htm#download12 for more information.

14. What are the different types of pumps available?

There are two major classes of pumps: positive displacement and centrifugal. Both these types can be used for industrial or residential purposes.

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Frequently asked questions

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