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SUBJECT:Calculatingnetpositivesuctionhead(NPSH)innonmetricunits1112.

ThedefinitionofNPSHAissimple:Statichead+surfacepressureheadthevaporpressureofyour
productthefrictionlossesinthepiping,valvesandfittings.

Buttoreallyunderstandit,youfirsthavetounderstandacoupleofotherconcepts:

Cavitationiswhatnetpositivesuctionhead(NPSH)isallabout,soyouneedtoknowalittleabout
cavitation.
VaporPressureisanothertermwewillbeusing.Theproduct'svaporpressurevarieswiththe
fluid'stemperature.
Specificgravityplayanimportantpartinallcalculationsinvolvingliquid.Youhavetobefamiliar
withtheterm.
YouhavetobeabletoreadapumpcurvetolearntheN.P.S.H.requiredforyourpump.
Youneedtounderstandhowtheliquid'svelocityaffectsitspressureorhead.
ItisimportanttounderstandwhyweusethetermHeadinsteadofPressurewhenwemakeour
calculations.
Headlossisanawkwardterm,butyouwillneedtounderstandit.
Youwillhavetobeabletocalculatetheheadlossthroughpiping,valvesandfittings.
Youmustknowthedifferencebetweengagepressureandabsolutepressure.
Vacuumisoftenapartofthecalculations,soyouaregoingtohavetobefamiliarwiththeterms
weusetodescribevacuum.

Letslookateachoftheseconceptsinalittlemoredetail:

Cavitationmeanscavitiesorholesinliquid.Anothernameforaholeinaliquidisabubble,so
cavitationisallaboutbubblesformingandcollapsing.
Bubblestakeupspacesothecapacityofourpumpdrops.
Collapsingbubblescandamagetheimpellerandvolute.Thismakescavitationaproblemfor
boththepumpandthemechanicalseal.
Vaporpressureisaboutliquidsboiling.IfIaskedyou,"atwhattemperaturedoeswaterboil?"
Youcouldsay212F.or100C.,butthatisonlytrueatatmosphericpressure.Everyproductwill
boil(makebubbles)atsomecombinationofpressureandtemperature.Ifyouknowthe
temperatureofyourproductyouneedtoknowitsvaporpressuretopreventboilingandthe
formationofbubbles.Inthechartssectionofthiswebsiteyouwillfindavaporpressurechartfor
severalcommonliquids.
Specificgravityisabouttheweightofthefluid.Using4C(39F)asourtemperaturestandardwe
assignfreshwateravalueofone.Ifthefluidfloatsonthisfreshwaterithasaspecificgravityis
lessthanone.Ifthefluidsinksinthiswaterthespecificgravityofthefluidisgreaterthanone.
Lookatanypumpcurveandmakesureyoucanlocatethevaluesforhead,capacity,best
efficiencypoint(B.E.P.),efficiency,netpositivesuctionhead(NPSH),andhorsepowerrequired.
Ifyoucannotdothis,havesomeoneshowyouwheretheyarelocated.
Liquidvelocityisanotherimportantconcept.Asaliquid'svelocityincreases,itspressure(90to
theflow)decreases.Ifthevelocitydecreasesthepressureincreases.Theruleis:velocitytimes
pressuremustremainaconstant.
"Head"isthetermweuseinsteadofpressure.Thepumpwillpumpanyliquidtoagivenheightor
headdependinguponthediameterandspeedoftheimpeller.Theamountofpressureyouget
dependsupontheweight(specificgravity)oftheliquid.Thepumpmanufacturerdoesnotknow
whatliquidthepumpwillbepumpingsohegivesyouonlytheheadthatthepumpwillgenerate.
Youhavetofigureoutthepressureusingaformuladescribedlateroninthispaper.
Head(feet)isaconvenienttermbecausewhencombinedwithcapacity(gallonsorpoundsper
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minute)youcomeupwiththeconversionforhorsepower(footpoundsperminute).
"Headlossthroughthepiping,valvesandfittings"isanothertermwewillbeusing.Pressuredrop
isamorecomfortabletermformostpeople,buttheterm"pressure"isnotusedinmostpump
calculationssoyoucouldsubstitutetheterm"headdrop"or"lossofhead"inthesystem.To
calculatethislossyouwillneedtobeabletoreadchartslikethoseyouwillfindinthe"chartsyou
canuse"sectioninthehomepageofthiswebsite.TheyarelabeledFrictionlossforwaterand
Resistancecoefficientsforvalvesandfittings.
Gageandabsolutepressure.Addatmosphericpressuretothegagepressureandyougetabsolute
pressure.
Vacuumisapressurelessthanatmospheric.Atsealevelatmosphericpressureis14.7psi.(760
mmofMercury).Vacuumgagesarenormallycalibratedininchesormillimetersofmercury.

Tocalculatethenetpositivesuctionhead(NPSH)ofyourpumpanddetermineifyouaregoingtohavea
cavitationproblem,youwillneedaccesstoseveraladditionalpiecesofinformation:

Thecurveforyourpump.Thispumpcurveissuppliedbythepumpmanufacturer.Someonein
yourplantshouldhaveacopy.ThecurveisgoingtoshowyoutheNetPositiveSuctionHead
(NPSH)requiredforyourpumpatagivencapacity.Eachpumpisdifferentsomakesureyouhave
thecorrectpumpcurveandusethenumbersfortheimpellerdiameteronyourpump.Keepinmind
thatthisNPSHrequiredwasforcold,freshwater.
Achartorsometypeofpublicationthatwillgiveyouthevaporpressureofthefluidyouare
pumping.Youcanfindatypicalvaporpressurechartinthe"chartsyoucanuse"sectioninthe
homepageofthiswebsite
Ifyouwouldliketobealittlemoreexact,youcanuseacharttoshowthepossiblereductionin
NPSHrequiredifyouarepumpinghotwaterorlighthydrocarbons.Iwillcoverthissubjectin
greatdetailinanotherpaper.
Youneedtoknowthespecificgravityofyourfluid.Keepinmindthatthenumberistemperature
sensitive.Youcangetthisnumberfromapublishedchart,asksomeknowledgeablepersonatyour
plant,orortakeareadingonthefluidusingahydrometer.
Chartsshowingtheheadlossthroughthesizeofpipingyouareusingbetweenthesourceandthe
suctioneyeofyourpump.Youwillalsoneedchartstocalculatethelossinanyfittings,valves,or
otherhardwarethatmighthavebeeninstalledinthesuctionpiping.Youcanfindthesechartsin
the"chartsyoucanuse"sectioninthehomepageofthiswebsite
Isthetankyouarepumpingfromatatmosphericpressureorisitpressurizedinsomemanner?
Maybeitisunderavacuum?
Youneedtoknowtheatmosphericpressureatthetimeyouaremakingyourcalculation.Weall
knowatmosphericpressurechangesthroughouttheday,butyouhavetostartsomewhere.
Theformulasforconvertingpressuretoheadandheadbacktopressureintheimperialsystemare
asfollows:

sg.=specificgravity
pressure=poundspersquareinch
head=feet

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Youalsoneedtoknowtheformulasthatshowyouhowtoconvertvacuumreadingstofeetof
head.Hereareafewofthem:

Toconvertsurfacepressuretofeetofliquiduseoneofthefollowingformulas:

Inchesofmercuryx1.133/specificgravity=feetofliquid
Poundspersquareinchx2.31/specificgravity=feetofliquid
Millimetersofmercury/(22.4xspecificgravity)=feetofliquid

Therearedifferentwaystothinkaboutnetpositivesuctionhead(NPSH)buttheyallhavetwo
termsincommon.

NPSHA(netpositivesuctionheadavailable)
NPSHR(netpositivesuctionheadrequired)

NPSHR(netpositivesuctionheadrequired)isdefinedastheNPSHatwhichthepumptotalhead(first
stageheadinmultistagepumps)hasdecreasedbythreepercent(3%)duetolowsuctionheadand
resultantcavitationwithinthepump.Thisnumberisshownonyourpumpcurve,butitisgoingtobetoo
lowifyouarepumpinghydrocarbonliquidsorhotwater.

Cavitationbeginsassmallharmlessbubblesbeforeyougetanyindicationoflossofheadorcapacity.
Thisiscalledthepointofincipientcavitation.Testinghasshownthatittakesfromtwototwentytimes
theNPSHR(netpositivesuctionheadrequired)tofullysuppressincipientcavitation,dependingonthe
impellershape(specificspeednumber)andoperatingconditions.

TostopaproductfromvaporizingorboilingatthelowpressuresideofthepumptheNPSHA(net
positivesuctionheadavailable)mustbeequaltoorgreaterthantheNPSHR(netpositivesuctionhead
required).

AsImentionedatthebeginning,NPSHAisdefinedasstatichead+surfacepressureheadthevapor
pressureofyourproductlossinthepiping,valvesandfittings.

Inthefollowingparagraphsyouwillbeusingtheaboveformulastodetermineifyouhavea
problemwithNPSHA.Hereiswhereyoulocatethenumberstoputintotheformula:

Statichead.Measureitfromthecenterlineofthepumpsuctiontothetopoftheliquidlevel.Ifthe
levelisbelowthecenterlineofthepumpitwillbeanegativeorminusnumber.
Surfacepressurehead.Convertthegageabsolutepressuretofeetofliquidusingtheformula:
Pressure=headxspecificgravity/2.31
Vaporpressureofyourproduct.Lookatthevaporpressurechartinthe"chartsyoucanuse"
sectioninthehomepageofthiswebsite.Youwillhavetoconvertthepressuretohead.Ifyouuse
theabsolutepressureshownontheleftsideofthechart,youcanusetheaboveformula
Specificgravityofyourproduct.Youcanmeasureitwithahydrometerifnooneinyourfacility
hasthecorrectchartorknowsthenumber.
Lossofpressureinthepiping,fittingsandvalves.Usethethreechartsinthe"chartsyoucanuse"
sectioninthehomepageofthiswebsite
Findthechartfortheproperpipesize,godowntothegpmandreadacrosstotheloss
throughonehundredfeetofpipedirectlyfromthelastcolumninthechart.Asanexample:
twoinchpipe,65gpm=7.69feetoflossforeach100feetofpipe.
Forvalvesandfittingslookuptheresistancecoefficientnumbers(Knumbers)forallthe
valvesandfittings,addthemtogetherandmultiplythetotalbytheV2/2gnumbershownin
thefourthcolumnofthefrictionlosspipingchart.Example:A2inchlongradiusscrewed
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elbowhasaKnumberof0.4anda2inchglobevalvehasaKnumberof8.Addingthem
together(8+0.4)=8.4x0.6(for65gpm)=5feetofloss.

Inthefollowingexampleswewillbelookingonlyatthesuctionsideofthepump.Ifwewerecalculating
thepump'stotalheadwewouldlookatboththesuctionanddischargesides.

Let'sgothroughthefirstexampleandseeifourpumpisgoingtocavitate:

Given:

Atmosphericpressure=14.7psi
Gagepressure=Thetankisatsealevelandopentoatmosphericpressure.
Liquidlevelabovepumpcenterline=5feet
Piping=atotalof10feetof2inchpipeplusone90longradiusscrewedelbow.
Pumping=100gpm.68F.freshwaterwithaspecificgravityofone(1).
Vaporpressureof68F.Water=0.27psiafromthevaporchart.
Specificgravity=1
NPSHR(netpositivesuctionheadrequired,fromthepumpcurve)=9feet

Nowforthecalculations:

NPSHA=Atmosphericpressure(convertedtohead)+statichead+surfacepressureheadvapor
pressureofyourproductlossinthepiping,valvesandfittings

Statichead=5feet
Atmosphericpressure=pressurex2.31/sg.=14.7x2.31/1=34feetabsolute
Gagepressure=0
Vaporpressureof68F.waterconvertedtohead=pressurex2.31/sg=0.27x2.31/1=0.62feet
Lookingatthefrictioncharts:
100gpmflowingthrough2inchpipeshowsalossof17.4feetforeach100feetofpipeor
17.4/10=1.74feetofheadlossinthepiping
TheKfactorforone2inchelbowis0.4x1.42=0.6feet
Addingthesenumberstogether,1.74+0.6=atotalof2.34feetfrictionlossinthepipeandfitting.

NPSHA(netpositivesuctionheadavailable)=34+5+00.622.34=36.04feet

Thepumprequired9feetofheadat100gpm.Andwehave36.04feetsowehaveplentytospare.

Examplenumber2.Thistimewearegoingtobepumpingfromatankundervacuum.
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Given:

Gagepressure=20inchesofvacuum
Atmospheicpressure=14.7psi
Liquidlevelabovepumpcenterline=5feet
Piping=atotalof10feetof2inchpipeplusone90longradiusscrewedelbow.
Pumping=100gpm.68Ffreshwaterwithaspecificgravityofone(1).
Vaporpressureof68Fwater=0.27psiafromthevaporchart.
NPSHR(netpositivesuctionheadrequired)=9feet

Nowforthecalculations:

NPSHA=Atmosphericpressure(convertedtohead)+statichead+surfacepressureheadvapor
pressureofyourproductlossinthepiping,valvesandfittings

Atmosphericpressure=14.7psix2.31/sg.=34feet
Statichead=5feet
Gagepessurepressure=20inchesofvacuumconvertedtohead
inchesofmercuryx1.133/specificgravity=feetofliquid
20x1.133/1=22.7feetofpressureheadabsolute
Vaporpressureof68Fwater=pressurex2.31/sg.=0.27x2.31/1=0.62feet
Lookingatthefrictioncharts:
100gpmflowingthrough2.5inchpipeshowsalossof17.4feetoreach100feetofpipeor
17.4/10=1.74feetlossinthepiping
TheKfactorforone2inchelbowis0.4x1.42=0.6feet
Addingthesetwonumberstogether:(1.74+0.6)=atotalof2.34feetfrictionlossinthepipeand
fitting.

NPSHA(netpositivesuctionheadavailable)=34+522.70.622.34=13.34feet.Thisisenoughto
stopcavitationalso.

Forthethirdexamplewewillkeepeverythingthesameexceptthatwewillbepumping180F.hot
condensatefromthevacuumtank.

Thevaporpressureof180Fcondensateis7psiaccordingtothechart.Wegetthespecificgravityfrom
anotherchartandfindthatitis0.97sg.for180F.Freshwater.
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Puttingthisintothepressureconversionformulaweget:

pressurex2.31/sg.=7x2.31/0.97=16.7feetabsolute

NPSHA=Atmosphericpressure(convertedtohead)+statichead+surfacepressureheadvapor
pressureofyourproductlossinthepiping,valvesandfittings

NPSHA(netpositivesuctionheadavailable)=34+522.716.72.34=2.74feet.

Weneed9feet,sothepumpisgoingtocavitateforsure.

Afewnotesaboutthislastexample:

AnegativeNPSHAisphysicallyimpossiblebecauseitimpliesthatthefrictionlossesexceedthe
availableheadandthatcannothappen.Therulewhenpumpingaboilingfluidis:TheNPSHA
equalstheStaticSuctionHeadminustheSuctionfrictionheadbecausethesuctionsurfacepressure
andthevaporpressureequalizeoneanother.Theabsolutepressureinthetankis3422.7=11.3ft.
Thevaporpressureofthecondensateinthetankconvertsto16.7ftofhead(seeabove)sothe
condensateisboiling/flashingandreachingastateofequilibrium.
Whenpumpingaboilingliquid,theStaticHeadmustexceedtheSuctionFrictionHead(2.34feet)
bytheamountofNPSHRequired(9feet)or:(9ft.+2.34feet=11.34feet.)Wecandothisby
raisingthelevelinthesuctiontankanadditional6.34feettogetthe11.34feetrequired(6.34feet
+5feetexisting=11.34feet)
InsomeinstancesyoucouldreducetheSuctionFrictionHeadtogetthesameresult,butinthis
examplethereisnotenoughfrictionheadavailabletoreduce.
ThisexamplealsoallowsyoutoshortcutNPSHAcalculationsanytimeyouarepumpingfroma
tankwheretheliquidisatitsvaporpressure.Oilrefineriesarefulloftheseapplications.

Ifyouaregiventheabsoluteandvaporpressuresinpsia,andyouforgothowtoconvettofeetofhead
youcanusethefollowingformula,providingyouknowthespecificweightoftheliquidyouare
pumping:

Pp=Absolutepressureexpressedinpsia.Inanopensystem,Ppequalsatmosphericpressure,Pa,
expressedinpsia.
Pvpa=Vaporpressureexpressedinpsia.
W=Specificweightofliquidatthepumpingtemperatureinpoundspercubicfoot.

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