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Totalheadandflowarethemaincriteriathatareusedtocompareonepumpwith
anotherortoselectacentrifugalpumpforanapplication.Totalheadisrelatedto
thedischargepressureofthepump.Whycan'twejustusedischargepressure?
Pressureisafamiliarconcept,wearefamiliarwithitinourdailylives.For
example,fireextinguishersarepressurizedat60psig(413kPa),weput35psig
(241kPa)airpressureinourbicycleandcartires.Forgoodreasons,pump
manufacturersdonotusedischargepressureasacriteriaforpumpselection.One
ofthereasonsisthattheydonotknowhowyouwillusethepump.Theydonot
knowwhatflowrateyourequireandtheflowrateofacentrifugalpumpisnot
fixed.Thedischargepressuredependsonthepressureavailableonthesuction
sideofthepump.Ifthesourceofwaterforthepumpisbeloworabovethepump
suction,forthesameflowrateyouwillgetadifferentdischargepressure.
Thereforetoeliminatethisproblem,itispreferabletousethedifferencein
pressurebetweentheinletandoutletofthepump.

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Themanufacturershavetakenthisastepfurther,theamountofpressurethatapumpcanproducewilldependonthedensity
ofthefluid,forasaltwatersolutionwhichisdenserthanpurewater,thepressurewillbehigherforthesameflowrate.
Onceagain,themanufacturerdoesn'tknowwhattypeoffluidisinyoursystem,sothatacriteriathatdoesnotdependon
densityisveryuseful.ThereissuchacriteriaanditiscalledTOTALHEAD,anditisdefinedasthedifferenceinhead
betweentheinletandoutletofthepump.

Youcanmeasurethedischargeheadbyattachingatubetothedischargesideofthepumpandmeasuringtheheightofthe
liquidinthetubewithrespecttothesuctionofthepump.Thetubewillhavetobequitehighforatypicaldomesticpump.If
thedischargepressureis40psithetubewouldhavetobe92feethigh.Thisisnotapracticalmethodbutithelpsexplain
howheadrelatestototalheadandhowheadrelatestopressure.Youdothesametomeasurethesuctionhead.The
differencebetweenthetwoisthetotalheadofthepump.

Figure25

Thefluidinthemeasuringtubeofthedischargeorsuctionsideofthepumpwillrisetothesameheightforallfluids
regardlessofthedensity.Thisisaratherastonishingstatement,here'swhy.Thepumpdoesntknowanythingabouthead,
headisaconceptweusetomakeourlifeeasier.Thepumpproducespressureandthedifferenceinpressureacrossthepump
istheamountofpressureenergyavailabletothesystem.Ifthefluidisdense,suchasasaltsolutionforexample,more
pressurewillbeproducedatthepumpdischargethanifthefluidwerepurewater.Comparetwotankswiththesame
cylindricalshape,thesamevolumeandliquidlevel,thetankwiththedenserfluidwillhaveahigherpressureatthebottom.
Butthestaticheadofthefluidsurfacewithrespecttothebottomisthesame.Totalheadbehavesthesamewayasstatic
head,evenifthefluidisdenserthetotalheadascomparedtoalessdensefluidsuchaspurewaterwillbethesame.Thisisa
surprisingfact,seethisexperimentonvideothatshowsthisideainaction

Forthesereasonsthepumpmanufacturershavechosentotalheadasthemainparameterthatdescribesthepumpsavailable
energy.

Whatistherelationshipbetweenheadandtotalhead?
Totalheadistheheightthattheliquidisraisedtoatthedischargesideofthepumplesstheheightthatitisraisedtoatthe
suctionside(seeFigure25).Whylesstheheightatthesuctionside?Becausewewanttheenergycontributionofthepump
onlyandnottheenergythatissuppliedtoit.

Whatistheunitofhead?Firstlet'sdealwiththeunitofenergy.Energycanbeexpressedinfootpoundswhichistheamount
offorcerequiredtoliftanobjectupmultipliedbytheverticaldistance.Agoodexampleisweightlifting.Ifyoulift100
pounds(445Newtons)up6feet(1.83m),theenergyrequiredis6x100=600ftlbf(814Nm).

Headisdefinedasenergydividedbytheweightoftheobjectdisplaced.Fortheweightlifter,theenergydividedbythe
weightdisplacedis6x100/100=6feet(1.83m),sotheamountofenergyperpoundofdumbbellthattheweightlifter
needstoprovideis6feet.Thisisnotterriblyusefultoknowforaweightlifterbutwewillseehowveryusefulitisfor
displacingfluids.

Figure26

Youmaybeinterestedtoknowthat324footpoundsofenergyisequivalentto1calorie.Thismeansthatourweightlifter
spends600/324=1.8calorieseachtimeheliftsthatweightup6feet,notmuchisit.
Thefollowingfigureshowshowmuchenergyisrequiredtodisplaceverticallyonegallonofwater.

Figure27
Thisnextfigureshowshowmuchheadisrequiredtodothesamejob.

Figure28
Ifweuseenergytodescribehowmuchworkthepumpneedstodotodisplaceavolumeofliquidweneedtoknowthe
weight.Ifweusehead,weonlyneedtoknowtheverticaldistanceofmovement.Thisisveryusefulforfluidsbecause
pumpingisacontinuousprocess,usuallywhenyoupumpyouleavethepumpturnedon,youdon'tstartandstopthepump
foreverypoundoffluiddisplaced.Wearemainlyinterestedinestablishingacontinuousflowrate.

Theotherveryusefulaspectofusingheadisthattheelevationdifferenceorstaticheadcanbeusedasonepartofthevalue
oftotalhead,theotherpartbeingfrictionheadasshowninthesenextfigure.Oneshowsthefrictionheadonthedischarge
sideandtheotherthefrictionheadonthesuctionside.

Howmuchstaticheadisrequiredtopumpwaterupfromthegroundfloortothesecondfloor,or15feetup?Rememberthat
youmustalsotakeintoconsiderationthelevelofthewaterinthesuctiontank.Ifthewaterlevelis10feetbelowthepump
suctionconnectionthenthestaticheadwillbe10+15=25feet.Thereforethetotalheadwillhavetobeatleast25feetplus
thefrictionheadlossofthefluidmovingthroughthepipes.

Figure29
Howtodeterminefrictionhead
Frictionheadistheamountofenergylossduetofrictionofthefluidmovingthroughpipesandfittings.Ittakesaforceto
movethefluidagainstfriction,inthesamewaythataforceisrequiredtoliftaweight.Theforceisexertedinthesame
directionasthemovingliquidandenergyisexpended.Inthesamewaythatheadwascalculatedtoliftacertainweight,the
frictionheadiscalculatedwiththeforcerequiredtoovercomefrictiontimesthedisplacement(pipelength)dividedbythe
weightoffluiddisplaced.Thesecalculationshavebeendoneforusandyoucanfindthevaluesforfrictionheadlossin
Table1fordifferentpipesizesandflowrates.

Table1

Downloadaprinterfriendlyversion(Imperialunitsormetricunits).

Table1givestheflowrateandthefrictionheadlossforwaterbeingmovedthroughapipeatatypicalvelocityof10ft/s.I
havechosen10ft/sasatargetvelocitybecauseitisnottoolargewhichwouldcreateallotoffrictionandnottoosmall
whichwouldslowthingsdown.Ifthevelocityisless,thenthefrictionlosswillbelessandifthevelocityishighertheloss
willbegreaterthanisshowninTable1.Forthesuctionsideofthepump,itisdesirabletobemoreconservativeandsize
pipesforalowervelocity,forexamplebetween4and7feet/second.Thisiswhyyounormallyseeabiggerpipesizeonthe
suctionsideofthepumpthanonthedischarge.Aruleofthumbistomakethesuctionpipethesamesizeoronesizelarger
thanthesuctionconnection.

Whybotherwithvelocity,isntflowrateenoughinformationtodescribefluidmovementthroughasystem.Itdependshow
complicatedyoursystemis,ifthedischargepipehasaconstantdiameterthenthevelocitythoughoutwillbethesame.Then
ifyouknowtheflowrate,basedonthefrictionlosstables,youcancalculatethefrictionlosswiththeflowrateonly.Ifthe
dischargepipediameterchangesthenthevelocitywillchangeforthesameflowrateandahigherorlowervelocitymeansa
higherorlowerfrictionlossinthatportionofthesystem.Youwillthenhavetousethevelocitytocalculatethefrictionhead
lossinthispartofthepipe.Youcanfindavelocitycalculatorherehttp://www.pumpfundamentals.com/applets.htm#applets4

Ifyouwouldliketoseeachartofflowratesfor5ft/s(imperial
downloadthemhere.

ormetric

)and15ft/s(imperial

ormetric

Forthoseofyouwhowouldliketodoyourownvelocitycalculations,youcandownloadtheformulasandasample
calculationhere .

Thosewhowouldliketodopipefrictioncalculationscandownloadanexample

here.

Acalculatorforpipefrictionlossisavailablehere(http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/applets.htm#applets13
fittingsfrictionlosshere(http://www.pumpfundamentals.com/applets.htm#applets15

)andfor

).

Theperformanceorcharacteristiccurveofthepump
ThepumpcharacteristiccurvehasasimilarappearancetothepreviouscurveshownthatIalsocalledacharacteristiccurve
thatshowedtherelationshipbetweendischargepressurevs.flow(seeFigure21).AsImentionedthisisnotapracticalway
ofdescribingtheperformancebecauseyouwouldhavetoknowthesuctionpressureusedtogeneratethecurve.Figure30
showsatypicaltotalheadvs.flowratecharacteristiccurve.Thisisthetypeofcurvethatallpumpmanufacturerspublishfor
eachmodelpumpforagivenoperatingspeed.
Notallmanufacturer'swillprovideyouwiththepumpcharacteristiccurve.However,thecurvedoesexistandifyouinsist
youcanprobablygetit.Generallyspeakingthemoreyoupay,themoretechnicalinformationyouget.

Figure30
Howtoselectacentrifugalpump
Itisunlikelythatacentrifugalpump,boughtofftheshelf,willsatisfyexactlyyourflowrequirement.Theflowratethatyou
obtaindependsonthephysicalcharacteristicsofyoursystemsuchasfrictionwhichdependsonthelengthandsizeofthe

pipesandelevationdifferencewhichdependsonthebuildingandlocation.Thepumpmanufacturerhasnomeansof
knowingwhattheseconstraintswillbe.Thisiswhybuyingacentrifugalpumpismorecomplicatedthanbuyingapositive
displacementpumpwhichwillprovideitsratedflownomatterwhatsystemyouinstallitin.

Themainfactorsthataffecttheflowrateofacentrifugalpumpare:
friction,whichdependsonthelengthofpipeandthediameter
statichead,whichdependsonthedifferenceofthepipeenddischargeheightvs.thesuctiontankfluidsurfaceheight
fluidviscosity,ifthefluidisdifferentthanwater.

Thestepstofollowtoselectacentrifugalpumpare:

1.Determinetheflowrate
Tosizeandselectacentrifugalpump,firstdeterminetheflowrate.Ifyouareahomeowner,findoutwhichofyourusesfor
wateristhebiggestconsumer.Inmanycases,thiswillbethebathtubwhichrequiresapproximately10gpm(0.6L/s).Inan
industrialsetting,theflowratewilloftendependontheproductionleveloftheplant.Selectingtherightflowratemaybeas
simpleasdeterminingthatittakes100gpm(6.3L/s)tofillatankinareasonableamountoftimeortheflowratemay
dependonsomeinteractionbetweenprocessesthatneedstobecarefullyanalyzed.

2.Determinethestatichead
Thisamatteroftakingmeasurementsoftheheightbetweenthesuctiontankfluidsurfaceandthedischargepipeendheight
orthedischargetankfluidsurfaceelevation.
3.Determinethefrictionhead
Thefrictionheaddependsontheflowrate,thepipesizeandthepipelength.Thisiscalculatedfromthevaluesinthetables
presentedhere(seeTable1).ForfluidsdifferentthanwatertheviscositywillbeanimportantfactorandTable1isnot
applicable.
4.Calculatethetotalhead
Thetotalheadisthesumofthestatichead(rememberthatthestaticheadcanbepositiveornegative)andthefrictionhead.

5.Selectthepump
Youcanselectthepumpbasedonthepumpmanufacturerscatalogueinformationusingthetotalheadandflowrequiredas
wellassuitabilitytotheapplication.

Exampleoftotalheadcalculation
Example1Sizingapumpforahomeownerapplication
Experiencetellsmethattofillabathupinareasonableamountoftime,aflowrateof10gpmisrequired.Accordingto
Table1,thecoppertubingsizeshouldbesomewherebetween1/2"and3/4",Ichoose3/4".Iwilldesignmysystemsothat

fromthepumpthereisa3/4"coppertubemaindistributor,therewillbea3/4"takeofffromthisdistributorontheground
floortothesecondfloorlevelwherethebathislocated.Onthesuction,Iwilluseapipediameterof1,thesuctionpipeis
30ftlong(seeFigure30).

Figure31

Frictionlossonthesuctionsideofthepump
Accordingtocalculationortheuseoftableswhichisnotpresentedherethefrictionlossfora1"tubeishasafrictionlossof
0.068feetperfeetofpipe.Inthiscase,thedistanceis30feet.Thefrictionlossinfeetisthen30x0.068=2.4feet.Thereis
somefrictionlossinthefittings,let'sassumethataconservativeestimateis30%ofthepipefrictionheadloss,thefittings
frictionheadlossis=0.3x2.4=0.7feet.Ifthereisacheckvalveonthesuctionlinethefrictionlossofthecheckvalvewill
havetobeaddedtothefrictionlossofthepipe.Atypicalvalueoffrictionlossforacheckvalveis5feet.Ajetpumpdoes
notrequireacheckvalvethereforeIwillassumethereisnocheckvalveonthesuctionofthissystem.Thetotalfrictionloss
forthesuctionsideisthen2.4+0.7=3.1feet.
Youcanfindthefrictionlossfora1pipeat10gpmintheCameronHydraulicdatabookofwhichthenextfigureisan
extract:

Frictionlossonthedischargesideofthepump
Accordingtocalculationortheuseoftableswhichisnotpresentedherethefrictionlossfora3/4"tubeishasafrictionloss
of0.23feetperfeetofpipe.Inthiscase,thedistancesare10feetofrunonthemaindistributorandanother20feetoffofthe
maindistributoruptothebath,foratotallengthof30feet.Thefrictionlossinfeetisthen30x0.23=6.9feet.Thereis
somefrictionlossinthefittings,let'sassumethataconservativeestimateis30%ofthepipefrictionheadloss,thefittings
frictionheadlossis=0.3x6.9=2.1feet.Thetotalfrictionlossforthedischargesideisthen6.9+2.1=9feet.
Youcanfindthefrictionlossfora0.75pipeat10gpmintheCameronHydraulicdatabookofwhichthenextfigureisan
extract:

Youcanalsodopipefrictioncalculationshere.

Thetotalfrictionlossforpipinginthesystemisthen9+3.1=12.1feet.

ThestaticheadasperFigure41is35feet.Thereforethetotalheadis35+12.1=47feet.Wecannowgotothestoreand
purchaseapumpwithatleast47feetoftotalheadat10gpm.SometimestotalheadiscalledTotalDynamicHead(T.D.H.),
ithasthesamemeaning.Thepumpsratingshouldbeascloseaspossibletothesetwofigureswithoutsplittinghairs.Asa
guideline,allowavariationofplusorminus15%ontotalhead.Ontheflow,youcanalsoallowavariationbutyoumay
winduppayingformorethanwhatyouneed.
Forthoseofyouwhowouldliketodoyourownfittingsfrictioncalculation,downloadanexamplecalculationhere

Whatisthepumprating?Themanufacturerwillratethepumpatitsoptimumtotalheadandflow,thispointisalsoknown
asthebestefficiencypointorB.E.P..Atthatflowrate,thepumpisatitsmostefficientandtherewillbeminimalamountof
vibrationandnoise.Ofcourse,thepumpcanoperateatotherflowrates,higherorlowerthantheratingbutthelifeofthe
pumpwillsufferifyouoperatetoofarawayfromitsnormalrating.Therefore,asaguidelineaimforamaximumvariation
ofplusorminus15%ontotalhead.

Seeanotherexampleofthedesignandcalculationsforanewfountainpumpsystem
Figure32

Examplesofcommonresidentialwatersystems
Thisnextfigureshowsatypicalsmallresidentialwatersystem.Theyellowtankisanaccumulator.

Thefollowingfiguresshowvariouscommonwatersystemsandindicateswhatthestatichead,thefrictionheadandthe
pumptotalhead.

Thiswebsitewilltellyoutheflowrequirementofeachnozzleandthenozzleheadrequirement.

Calculatethepumpdischargepressurefromthepumptotalhead
Tocalculatethepressureatthebottomofapool,youneedtoknowtheheightofthewateraboveyou.Itdoesntmatterifits
apooloralake,theheightiswhatdetermineshowmuchfluidweightisaboveandthereforethepressure.

Pressureisequaltoaforcedividedbyasurface.Itisoftenexpressedinpoundspersquareinchorpsi.Theforceisthe
weightofwater.Thedensityofwateris62.3poundspercubicfoot.

TheweightofwaterintankAisthedensitytimesitsvolume.

ThevolumeofthetankisthecrosssectionalareaAtimestheheightH.
Thecrosssectionalareaispitimesthediametersquareddividedby4.

ThecrosssectionalareaoftankAis:

ThevolumeVisAxH:

TheweightofthewaterWAis:

Thereforethepressureis:

Thisisthepressureinpoundspersquarefeet,onemorestepisrequiredtogetthepressureinpoundspersquareinchorpsi.
Thereis12inchestoafootthereforethereis12x12=144inchestoasquarefoot.
ThepressurepatthebottomoftankAinpsiis:

IfyoudothecalculationfortanksBandCyouwillfindexactlythesameresult,thepressureatthebottomofallthesetanks
is4.3psi.
Thegeneralrelationshipforpressurevs.tankheightis:

SGorspecificgravityisanotherwayofexpressingdensity,itistheratioofafluid'sdensitytothatofwater,sothatwater
willhaveanSG=1.Denserliquidswillhaveavaluegreaterthan1andlighterliquidsavaluelessthan1.Theusefulnessof
specificgravityisthatithasnounitssinceitisacomparativemeasureofdensityoraratioofdensitiesthereforespecific
gravitywillhavethesamevaluenomatterwhatsystemofunitsweareusing,Imperialormetric

ForthoseofyouwhowouldliketoseehowthisgeneralrelationshipisfoundgotoAppendixEinthepdfversionofthis
article .

Wecanmeasureheadatthedischargesideofthepumpbyconnectingatubeandmeasuringtheheightofliquid
inthetube.Sincethetubeisreallyonlyanarrowtankwecanusethepressurevs.tankheightequation

todeterminethedischargepressure.Alternatively,ifweputapressuregaugeatthepumpdischarge,wecanthencalculate
thedischargehead.

Wecancalculatethedischargepressureofthepumpbasedonthetotalheadwhichwegetfromthecharacteristiccurveof
thepump.Thiscalculationisusefulifyouwanttotroubleshootyourpumporverifyifitisproducingtheamountofpressure
energythatthemanufacturersaysitwillatyouroperatingflowrate.

Figure37

ForexampleifthecharacteristiccurveofthepumpisasshowninFigure39andtheflowinthesystemis20gpm.Thetotal
headisthen100feet.

TheinstallationisasshowninFigure37,adomesticwatersystemthattakesitswaterfromashallowwell15feetlowerthan
thepumpsuction.

Thepumpwillhavetogeneratelifttogetthewateruptoitssuctionconnection.Thismeansthatthepressurewillbe
negative(relativetoatmosphere)atthepumpsuction.

Whyisthispressurelessthanatmosphericpressureorlow?Ifyoutakeastraw,fillitwithwater,coveroneendwithyour
fingertipandturnitupsidedownyouwillnoticethattheliquiddoesnotcomeoutofthestraw,tryit!.Theliquidispulled
downwardbygravityandcreatesalowpressureunderyourfingertip.Theliquidismaintainedinbalancebecausethelow
pressureandtheweightoftheliquidisexactlybalancedbytheforceofatmosphericpressurethatisdirectedupwards.
Thesamephenomenonoccursinthepumpsuctionwhichispullingupliquidfromalowsource.Likeinthestraw,the
pressureclosetothepumpsuctionconnectionmustbelowfortheliquidtobesupported.

Tocalculatethedischargehead,wedeterminethetotalheadfromthecharacteristiccurveandsubtractthatvaluefromthe
pressureheadatthesuction,thisgivesthepressureheadatthedischargewhichwethenconverttopressure.

Weknowthatthepumpmustgenerate15feetofliftatthepumpsuction,liftisnegativestatichead.Itshouldinfactbe
slightlymorethan15feetbecauseahighersuctionliftwillberequiredduetofriction.Butletsassumethatthepipeis
generouslysizedandthatthefrictionlossissmall.

Figure39

TOTALHEAD=100=HDHS
or
HD=100+HS
ThetotalheadisequaltothedifferencebetweenthepressureheadatthedischargeHDandthepressureheadatthesuction
HS.HSisequalto15feetbecauseitisalifttherefore:
HD=100+(15)=85feet
Thedischargepressurewillbe:

Nowyoucancheckyourpumptoseeifthemeasureddischargepressurematchestheprediction.Ifnot,theremaybe
somethingwrongwiththepump.

Note:youmustbecarefulwhereyoulocatethepressuregauge,ifitismuchhigherthanthepumpsuction,sayhigherthan2
feet,youwillreadlesspressurethanactuallyisthereatthepump.Alsothedifferenceinvelocityheadofthepump
dischargevs.thesuctionshouldbeaccountedforbutthisistypicallysmall.

TheGouldspumpcompanyhasaverygoodguidetosizingpumpsforresidentialwatersystems .Giveitalookfor
anotherwayhowthistopiccanbeapproached.Youcandownloadthisarticlehere,anditisalsoavailabledirectlyfromthe
Gouldswebsite.

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