Introduction

PSIM is an educational tool for pump system hydraulic modeling. If you want to learn how to
use the tool, install and run PSIM and then choose “Show Examples” from the Help menu and
follow the directions.

This example is based on a numerical example in the book Optimizing Pumping Systems in
section 2.13.2.1.

This example discusses creating a system curve for a simple fluid transfer system with two
parallel pumps.

Overview of PSIM Model

Figure 1 shows a pump system as modeled in the PSIM tool. If you want to review the system
model electronically, it is called “How To Create A System Curve - Multiple Pumps.psm”. This
model has data entered in metric units. Another model file exists which uses U.S. units and is
called “How To Create A System Curve - Multiple Pumps - US Units.psm”. The two models are
not absolutely identical because of round-off in the different units, but do give comparable
results.

Figure 1. PSIM model for which a system curve will be created.

These are the system data:

1. Fluid is water at 21 C (70 F)

a. This is entered in the System Properties window from the Analysis menu

Numerical example of creating a system curve for multiple parallel pump systems
 2. Lower reservoir J1 is at 3 m (10 ft) surface elevation and is open to atmosphere
a. This is entered in the Reservoir Specifications window opened by double-clicking
the J1 icon
3. Upper reservoir J5 is at 18.3 m (60 ft) surface elevation and is open to atmosphere
a. This is entered in the Reservoir Specifications window opened by double-clicking
the J5 icon
4. All pipes are 4 inch schedule 40 with wall roughness of 0.046 mm (0.0018 in)
a. Pipe data is entered in the Pipe Specifications window opened by double-clicking
the graphical pipe run
5. Pipes P1 and P2 are 3 m (10 ft) long
6. Pipes P3 and P4 are 6 m (20 ft) long and have fittings with a total Kfactor of 2.02 each.
7. Pipe P5 is 300 m (990 ft) long
8. J2, J3 and J4 Branch are at 0 m (0 ft) elevation
9. Pumps J2 and J3 have a design flow rate of 57 m3/hr (250 gpm) and are modeled as fixed
flow rates
a. This is entered in the Pump Specifications window opened by double-clicking the
J2 icon (see Figure 2) or J3 icon

Figure 2. Pump data for J2 pump. This pump is modeled as a fixed volumetric flow
rate. Pump at J3 is identical.

Running the Model and Reviewing Output

Numerical example of creating a system curve for multiple parallel pump systems
Select “Run Model” from the Analysis menu to run this model. Once the model is converged
select the “View Output” button.

Text-based output is shown in the Output window (Figure 3).

Figure 3. PSIM output with Pump Summary selected in top table.

Creating a Pump and System Curves Manually

To calculate the system curve, vary the pump flow from zero or some low value to 68 m3/h (300
gpm, 20% more than design) for each pump and determine the required head at the pump at each
flow rate increment. For example, if the pump flows are fixed at 57 m3/h (250 gpm), then
standard calculations show the total frictional head loss from J1 to J5 through the J2 path is 39.2
m (128 ft). However, similar calculations show the total frictional head loss from J1 to J5
through the J3 path is 40.2 m (132 ft). With the 15.3-m (50-ft) elevation rise from J1 to J5, the
total required pump head is the sum of the elevation gain (i.e., static head) and friction head loss:
54.5 m (179 ft) for the J2 pump and 55.5 m (182 ft) for the J3 pump.

Numerical example of creating a system curve for multiple parallel pump systems
If the system curve is started at 10% of the operating point flow then the data point will be 5.7
m3/hr (25 gpm) through each pump. This can be evaluated in PSIM by changing the flow in the
pump junction (e.g., Figure 2) from 57 m3/h (250 gpm) to 5.7 m3/h (25 gpm). Rerunning the
model will show a pump head rise of about 16 m (52 ft) through each pump although the head
ride is not exactly the same in each one.

The previous flow rate of 5.7 m3/h (25 gpm) is now increased to 68 m3/h (300 gpm) in
increments. If increments of 5.7 m3/h (25 gpm) are used, the head generated at the pump can be
determined as shown in Table 1.

In the next step of graphing the results, the first ambiguity presents itself. What head should be
used as the data point for each flow? For example, the head across the pumps at 114 m3/h in
Table 1 is 54.5 m (178.4 ft) for J2 and 55.5 m (181.6 ft) for J3. Do we use one of these two or
some other average head? For lack of anything better, an average head seems appropriate. If the
average head is used, then a composite system curve graph like that shown in Figure 5 will
result. Note that nowhere in the system does the head shown in Figure 5 actually occur – the
graph is a composite.

A second ambiguity follows after the first. The system curve of Table 1 and Figure 5 assumes an
equal flow split between the J2 and J3 pumps. However, if an actual centrifugal pump curve is
used for the calculation, then the flow split will be different between the two – even if the pumps
are assumed to have identical pump curves (which is often not the case even if
the pumps are of the same model and impeller size). So there would be different flow rates and
different heads at the two pumps at all operating points. If the flow split changes much from
50/50, it can significantly affect where the pumps operate on their characteristic head curves.
With differences in piping segments and resultant unequal flows, the generated system curves are
only approximate.

PSIM can create a pump and system curve automatically. It does this by automatically varying
the flow rate in the J2 and J3 pump junctions and assigning half the total flow rate to each pump.
The arithmetic average head is then computed. To see this select the Graph Results window from
the Windows menu and then choose “Select Graph Data” from the View menu. The Select Graph
Data window is shown in Figure 4. In the “Curve Type” option list choose “Parallel Pumps” and
in the Pumps list select both pump junctions. Then select the Show button. This will display the
pump and system curve as in Figure 5. These values reflect the values from Table 1.

Numerical example of creating a system curve for multiple parallel pump systems
Table 1. System curve values as determined by varying the flow rate.
Data Total Total J2/J3 J2/J3 Static J2/J3 J2/J3
Point Flow Rate Flow Rate Head (m) Head (ft) Head Friction Friction
(m3/hr) (gpm) (m/ft) Head (m) Head (ft)
1 11.4 50 15.8/15.8 51.7/51.7 15.3/50 0.5/0.5 1.7/1.7
2 22.8 100 17.2/17.2 56.1/56.2 15.3/50 1.9/1.9 6.1/6.2
3 34.2 150 19.3/19.3 62.9/63.2 15.3/50 4.0/4.0 12.9/13.2
4 45.6 200 22.1/22.2 72.2/72.7 15.3/50 6.8/6.9 22.2/22.7
5 57 250 25.7/25.9 83.9/84.7 15.3/50 10.4/10.6 33.9/34.7
6 68.4 300 30./30.3 98./99.2 15.3/50 14.7/15.0 48./49.2
7 79.8 350 35./35.5 114.5/116.1 15.3/50 19.7/20.2 64.5/66.1
8 91.2 400 40.8/41.4 133.4/135.5 15.3/50 25.5/26.1 83.4/85.5
9 102.6 450 47.3/48.1 154.7/157.3 15.3/50 32.0/32.8 104.7/107.3
10 114 500 54.5/55.5 178.4/181.6 15.3/50 39.2/40.2 128.4/131.6
11 125.4 550 62.5/63.6 204.5/208.3 15.3/50 47.2/48.3 154.5/158.3
12 136.8 600 71.1/72.5 232.9/237.5 15.3/50 55.8/57.2 182.9/187.5

Figure 4. Creating pump and system curve using the Select Graph Data window.

Numerical example of creating a system curve for multiple parallel pump systems
Figure 5. System curve for example system.

Numerical example of creating a system curve for multiple parallel pump systems