Abstract

The present experimental study deals with the effect of varying different soft
slurry concentrations ranging from 0 to 18 % by weight on the performance
characteristic of a centrifugal pump. Experimental results are presented for
pump performance (head, overall efficiency and electrical power input) as a
function of the flow rate. In addition the pump performance is predicted by
general empirical correlations, using the obtained experimental data as function
of the soft slurry concentration used in the present study. Within the operating
range of the considered parameters, the obtained results show that the head and
the efficiency of a centrifugal pump with soft slurry are lower in comparison to
water due to the presence of soft slurry. The head and the efficiency of a
centrifugal pump decrease with increase in slurry concentration by weight and
specific gravity. Power consumption on the other hand increases with the
increase in soft slurry concentrations and specific gravity.

Summary
Pumps are used in almost all aspects of industry and engineering from feeds to
reactors and distillation columns in chemical engineering to pumping storm
water in civil and environmental. They are an integral part of engineering and an
understanding of how they work is important. Pumps are devices that transfer
mechanical energy from a prime mover into fluid energy to produce the flow of
liquids. There are two broad classifications of pumps: positive displacement and
dynamic

Objectives
To study the characteristics of single pump operation with variable flow rate and
pump speeds.

Theory
Dynamic Pumps
Dynamic pumps add energy to the fluid by the action of rotating blade, which
increases the velocity of the fluid.

Horizontal Single Stage Centrifugal Pump

Centrifugal pumps have two major components:
The impeller consists of a number of curved blades (also called vanes)
attached in a regular pattern to one side of a circular hub plate that is connected
to the rotating driveshaft.
The housing (also called casing) is a stationary shell that enclosed the impeller
and supports the rotating drive shaft via a bearing.
A centrifugal pump operates as follows. When the prime mover rotates the
driveshaft, the impeller fluid is drawn in axially through the center opening
(called the eye) of the housing. The fluid then makes a 900 turn and flows
radially outward. As energy is added to the fluid by the rotating blades
(centrifugal action and actual blade force), the pressure and velocity increase
until the fluid reaches the outer tip of the impeller. The fluid then enters the
voluteshaped housing whose increased flow area causes the velocity to
decrease. This action results in a decrease in kinetic energy and an
accompanying increase in pressure.

The volute-shaped housing also provides a continuous increase in flow area in

the direction of flow to produce a uniform velocity as the fluid travels around the
outer portion of housing and discharge opening.
Although centrifugal pumps provide smooth and continuous flow, their flow rate
output (also called discharge) is reducing as the external resistance is increase.
In fact, by closing a system valve (thereby creating theoretically infinite external
system resistance) even while the pump is running at design speed, it is possible
to stop pump output flow completely. In such a case, no harm occurs to the
pump unless this no-flow condition occurs over extended period with resulting
excessive fluid temperature build up. Thus pressure relief valves are not needed.
The tips of the impeller blade merely shear through the liquid, and the rotational
speed maintains a fluid pressure corresponding to the centrifugal force
established.

Pump Head versus Flowrate Curves for Centrifugal Pumps

The solid curve is for water, whereas the dashed curve is for a more viscous fluid
such as oil. Most published performance curves for centrifugal pumps are for
pumping water. Fluid having a higher viscosity than water results in a smaller
flowrate at a given pump head. If the fluid has a viscosity greater than 300 times
that of water, the performance of a centrifugal pump deteriorates enough that a
positive displacement pump is usually recommended.

The maximum head produced by a centrifugal pump is called pump shutoff head
because an external system valve is closed and there is no flow. The external
system resistance decrease (which occurs when a system valve is opened more),
the flowrate increases at the expense of reduced pump head. Because the
output flowrate changes significantly with external system resistance, centrifugal
pumps are rarely used in fluid power systems. Zero pump head exists if the
pump discharge port were opened to the atmosphere, such as when filling
nearby open tank with water. The open tank represents essentially zero
resistance to flow for the pump.

Centrifugal pumps are desirable for pumping stations used for delivery water to
homes and factories. The demand for water may go to near zero during the
evening and reach a peak during the daytime, but a centrifugal pump can readily
handle these large changes in water demand. Since there is a great deal of
clearance between the impeller and housing, centrifugal pumps are not self
priming, unlike positive displacement pumps. Thus if a liquid being pumped from
a reservoir located below a centrifugal pump, priming is required. Priming is the
prefilling of the pump housing and inlet pipe with the liquid so that the pump can
initially draw the liquid. Priming is required because there is too much clearance
between the pump inlet and outlet ports to seal against atmospheric pressure.
Thus the displacement of a centrifugal pump is not positive where the same
volume of liquid would be delivered per revolution of the driveshaft.
The lack of positive internal seal against leakage means that the centrifugal
pump is not forced to produce flow when there is a very large system resistance
to flow. As system resistance decreases, less fluid at the discharge port slips
back into the clearance spaces between the impeller and housing, resulting in an
increase in flow. Slippage occurs because the fluid follows the path of least
resistance.

Equipment

1. Pump, P1
2. Pump, P2
3. Water Tank

4. Speed Sensor
5. Pressure Gauge
6. Pressure
Transmitter

Procedures
1. Make sure the circulation tank is filled with water.
2. Switch on the main power supply.
3. Turn on the main switch on the control panel.
4. Open V5 slightly (turn approximately 720 or 2 rounds).
5. Check the following valve position: Fully open valve - V1 and V4 Fully close
valve - V2 and V3
6. Make sure the speed controller is at minimum before the pump is on. Turn the
pump speed controller clockwise to increase pump speed or anti-clockwise to
decrease the pump speed.
7. Turn on the pump (Pump 1).
8. Increase the speed of the pump slowly until approximately 2000 RPM.
9. Adjust the flowrate (adjust V5) to give a value of approximately 50 LPM (do not
worry if the value of the speed change).
10. Record the reading of flowrate, pump speed, power, and pressure (PT1 and
PT3) in Table 1.
11. Increase the flowrate by approximately 10 LPM and record the required
readings in Table 1. Continue until the reading of flowrate is 110 LPM.
12. Adjust the speed to 2100 RPM.
13. Record the reading of pump speed, flowrate, power, and pressure (PT1 and
PT3) in Table 2.
14. Decrease the speed by approximately 100 RPM and record the required
readings in Table 2. Continue until the reading of speed is 1400 RPM.
15. Turn off the pump.
16. Make sure valve V5 is in fully close position.
17. Turn off the main switch on the control panel.
18. Switch off the main power supply.

Data, Observation and Results :

Data :
5

Flowrate
Speed (RPM)
Power (Watt)
PT1 (bar)
(LPM)
50
2000
270.5
1.0
60
2000
282.0
1.0
70
2000
294.0
1.0
80
2000
299.9
0.9
90
2000
302.4
0.9
100
2000
306.4
0.9
110
2000
307.7
0.9
Table 1 : Single pump operation with variable flowrate

PT3 (bar)
1.8
1.8
1.7
1.5
1.4
1.2
1.2

Flowrate
Power (Watt)
PT1(bar)
(LPM)
2100
112.4
367.8
0.9
2000
107.3
314.5
0.9
1900
102.6
271.9
0.9
1800
96.6
230.7
0.9
1700
87.7
207.2
0.9
1600
84.1
171.8
0.9
1500
78.7
144.4
0.9
1400
73.9
127.7
1.0
Table 2 : Single pump operation with variable pump speeds
Speed (RPM)

PT3 (bar)
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1

Results :

Flowrate
,Q
(LPM)

Spee
d
(RPM
)

Powe
r
(pum
p)
[watt
]

PT1
(bar
)

PT3
(bar
)

PT3PT1
(bar)

50

2000

270.5

1.0

1.8

0.8

8.15

8.33 10

66.60

24.6

60

2000

282.0

1.0

1.8

0.8

8.15

1 103

79.95

28.4

70

2000

294.0

1.0

1.7

0.7

7.14

1.167 103 81.74

27.8

80

2000

299.9

0.9

1.5

0.6

6.12

1.33 103 79.85

26.6

90

2000

302.4

0.9

1.4

0.5

5.10

1.5 103

75.05

24.8

100

2000

306.4

0.9

1.2

0.3

3.06

1.67 10

50.13

16.36

110

2000

307.7

0.9

1.1

0.2

2.04

1.833 103 36.68

Pum
p
Head
,H
(m)

Powe
r
(fluid)
[watt]
]

Flowrate
,Q
(m/s)
4

Efficien
cy
(%)

11.9

Table 1: Single pump operation with variable flowrate.

6

Overall Efficiency
=/100%
=24.6
Power (fluid)
=
4
=9.81 8.33 10
8.151000
=66.60
Volumetric flow rate
(m3/s)=( )/60000
=50/60000
=

8.33 10

Pump Head
(m)=21/
=0.8/(10009.81)

=8.15

Graph 1

Pump Head vs Flowrate

9
8
7
6
5
Pump Head, H 4
3
2
1
0
0

Flowrate,Q

Graph 2

Pump Head vs Flowrate

30
25
20
Pump Head

15
10
5
0
0

Flowrate,Q

Speed
(RPM)

Flowrate
Q
(LPM)

Power
(pump)
[Watt]

PT1
[bar]

PT3
[bar]

PT3 PT1
[bar]

0.2
2100
112.4
367.8
0.9
1.1
0.2
2000
107.3
314.5
0.9
1.1
0.2
1900
102.6
271.9
0.9
1.1
0.2
1800
96.6
230.7
0.9
1.1
0.2
1700
87.7
207.2
0.9
1.1
0.2
1600
84.1
171.8
0.9
1.1
0.2
1500
78.7
144.4
0.9
1.1
0.2
1400
73.9
127.7
1.0
1.1
Table 2: Single pump operation with variable pump speeds.

Pump
head H
[m]
2.0387
2.0387
2.0387
2.0387
2.0387
2.0387
2.0387
2.0387

Pump Head
(m)=21/
=0.8100000/9.811000
=2.0387

Graph 3

Flowrate vs Pump Speed

120
100
80
Flowrate,Q

60
40
20
0
1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200
Pump Speed (RPM)

Graph 4

Pump Head vs Pump Speed

2.5
2
1.5
Pump Head,H

1
0.5
0
1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200
Pump Speed(RPM)

Analysis and Discussion

What is pump? Explain the working principle of centrifugal pump
Pumps are devices that transfer mechanical energy from a prime mover into
fluid energy to produce the flow of liquids. There are two broad classifications
of pumps: positive displacement and dynamic.
A centrifugal pump operates as follows. When the prime mover rotates the
driveshaft, the impeller fluid is drawn in axially through the center opening
(called the eye) of the housing. The fluid then makes a 90 0 turn and flows
radially outward. As energy is added to the fluid by the rotating blades
(centrifugal action and actual blade force), the pressure and velocity increase
until the fluid reaches the outer tip of the impeller. The fluid then enters the
volute-shaped housing whose increased flow area causes the velocity to
decrease. This action results in a decrease in kinetic energy and an
accompanying increase in pressure.

10

List the possible sources of errors and safety precaution

Parallax error.

It happens while taking a reading using gauge meter and stop watch
where the
reader didnt use a proper way to get a right reading.

To prevent this problem, the reader should learn and practise by

understand the procedure to get reading otherwise get some help. Other
than that, the reader should have sharp eye because meter gauge dont
give a small scale to use. He or she must estimate the value correctly or
nearly for right value that can be used.

Systematic error.

This error cause by apparatus that are not perfect and have some problem
such asleaking or a big losses energy cause by friction in the pipe.
To prevent this error, the apparatus should be test before the experiment
begins.

Random error.

There are many data that was taken and sometimes the data didnt give a
good
results cause by randomly results.

To reduce this, reader should take more than one reading and take the
average.Additionally, a person who takes the reading should not be
change

Conclusion
Pumps serve a useful purpose of converting mechanical into hydraulic energy.
This experiment specifically considered centrifugal pumps and the relationship of
pump speed and flow 16 rate with the head developed, power consumption and
efficiency. These values were compared between a single pump and two pumps
operating in series. General trends in the data include peak efficiency occurring

11

at higher flow rates as pump speed is increased. Also power consumption

increased as pump speed increased.

Reference

Roberson,J.A, Cassidy, J.J & Chaudry, M.H. (1998) Hydraulic Engineering,

Wiley.
Ab Aziz Abdul Latiff, Hidraulik, Jabatan Kejuruteraan Awam Dan Alam
Sekitar,Penerbit UTHM.
White Frank M.(1979). Fluid Mechanics. Mc Graw, Hill.University of Rhode
Island.United States of America, pg 636 - 642

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