Pump Cavitation

Prof. Dr Eng. Maher Higazy

16/12/15

Prof. Maher Higazy

SOME IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Water vapour
Suction static head
Suction losses
Net positive suction head (NPSH)

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Prof. Maher Higazy

Water Vapor
From pure substance characteristic it is well known
that the boiling point of any liquid depends upon
the applied pressure. For example water boils at
100 oC, when the applied pressures atmospheric.
At any other pressure higher than atmospheric
pressure water boils at temperature higher than
100 oC , but the boiling temperature will be lower
than 100 oC, if the applied pressure is lower than
atmospheric pressure. These properties are either
plotted on diagrams, or put in tables (tabulated).
At low absolute pressure (0.03 bar), water boils at
normal ambient temperature.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

In pump suction line the absolute pressure may

reach to low values that water may or will be about
to boil. When this happens, water bubbles flow with
the stream and when they reach to a so high
pressure that they explodes.
This causes pitting and cavities, which may damage
either the impeller or the casing or both. Added to
these, sever noise and vibration accompanied by a
drastic loss of the pump performance.
Suction static head: The vertical distance between
the liquid level in the suction sump and pump
centreline is called the suction static head.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

As this head increases the local pressure reduces w. r.

t. that above the liquid in the suction sump. This has a
strong effect on cavitation as will be seen on
calculating the NPSH that follows. In some applications
the pump centreline is situated below liquid level in
the suction sump as in case of boiler feed water pump.
NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD (NPSH): Two different
types of NPSH are known, namely available NPSH and
required NPSH. The available NPSH is calculated by the
pipeline designer depending on pump location, suction
pipe friction, pressure acting on the liquid in the
suction sump and finally on the liquid vapor pressure
corresponding to the liquid temperature.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

The Available NPSH is given by:

NPSH(av)
Where:
P sump:
Pv
:
g
:
h ss
(m)
h ls
:

Psump pv

hss hls (m)

is sump pressure above liquid,

(N/m2)
is the liquid vapor pressure,
(N/m2)
is the liquid specific weight,
(N/m3)
:
is the pump static suction head,
is the suction loss,

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Prof. Maher Higazy

(m)

The pump required NPSH is determined

experimentally by testing the pump through
reducing the suction pressure till reaching of
upsetting cavitation. The pump required
NPSH must be less or equal to the available
NPSH, for cavitation free operation. The
Following pictures show the size of damage
happened due to cavitation

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Pump Cavitation
Vapor pressure Head, hvp: Vapor pressure is the
pressure at which a liquid and its vapor co-exist
in equilibrium at a given temperature. The
vapor pressure of liquid can be obtained from
vapor pressure tables. When the vapor pressure
is converted to head, it is referred to as vapor
pressure head, hvp. The value of hvp of a liquid
increases with the rising temperature and in
effect, opposes the pressure on the liquid
surface, the positive force that tends to cause
liquid flow into the pump suction i.e. it reduces
the suction pressure head.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Pressure Head, hp: Pressure Head must be

considered when a pumping system either
begins or terminates in a tank which is
under
some
pressure
other
than
atmospheric. The pressure in such a tank
must first be converted to length of liquid.
Denoted as hp, pressure head refers to
absolute pressure on the surface of the
liquid reservoir supplying the pump suction,
converted to height of head. If the system is
open, hp equals atmospheric pressure head.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Velocity Head, hv: Refers to the energy of a

liquid as a result of its motion at some
velocity v. It is the equivalent head in feet
through which the water would have to fall
to acquire the same velocity, or in other
words, the head necessary to accelerate the
water.
The
velocity
head
is
usually
insignificant and can be ignored in most high
head systems. However, it can be a large
factor and must be considered in low head
systems.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Total Suction Head HS: The suction reservoir

pressure head (hpS) plus the static suction
head (HS) plus the velocity head at the pump
suction flange (hVS) minus the friction head
in the suction line (hfS).
HS = hpS + hS + hvS hfS
The total suction head is the reading of the
gauge on the suction flange, converted to
height of liquid.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Total Discharge Head Hd: Discharge

reservoir pressure head (hpd) plus static
discharge head (hd) plus the velocity
head at the pump discharge flange (hvd)
plus the total friction head in the
discharge line (hfd).
Hd = hpd + hd + hvd + hfd
The total discharge head is the reading
of a gauge at the discharge flange,
converted to height of liquid.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Total Differential Head HT: It is the total

discharge head minus the total suction head or:
HT = Hd + HS (with a suction lift)
HT = Hd - HS (with a suction head)
NPSH: When discussing centrifugal pumps, the
two most important head terms are NPSH
required (NPSHr) and NPSH available (NPSHa).
NPSH is one of the most widely used and least
understood terms associated with pumps.
Understanding the significance of NPSH is very
much essential during installation as well as
operation of the pumps.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Pumps can pump only liquids, not vapors:

The satisfactory operation of a pump
requires that vaporization of the liquid being
pumped does not occur at any condition of
operation. This is so desired because when a
liquid vaporizes its volume increases very
much. For example, 1 m3 of water at room
temperature becomes 1700 m3 of vapor at
the same temperature. This makes it clear
that if we are to pump a fluid effectively, it
must be kept always in the liquid form.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Rise in temperature and fall in pressure induces

vaporization: The vaporization begins when the
vapor pressure of the liquid at the operating
temperature
equals
the
external
system
pressure, which, in an open system is always
equal to atmospheric pressure. Any decrease in
external
pressure
or
rise
in
operating
temperature can induce vaporization and the
pump stops pumping. Thus, the pump always
needs to have a sufficient amount of suction
head present to prevent this vaporization at the
lowest pressure point in the pump.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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NPSH as a measure to prevent liquid vaporization:

The manufacturer usually tests the pump with
water at different capacities, created by throttling
the suction side. When the first signs of
vaporization induced cavitation occur, the suction
pressure is noted (the term cavitation is discussed
in detail later). This pressure is converted into the
head. This head number is published on the pump
curve and is referred as the "net positive suction
head required (NPSHr) or sometimes in short as
the NPSH. Thus the Net Positive Suction Head
(NPSH) is the total head at the suction flange of
the pump less the vapor pressure converted to
fluid column height of the liquid.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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NPSHr is a function of pump design: NPSH required is a

function of the pump design and is determined based
on actual pump test by the vendor. As the liquid passes
from the pump suction to the eye of the impeller, the
velocity increases and the pressure decrease. There
are also pressure losses due to shock and turbulence
as the liquid strikes the impeller. The centrifugal force
of the impeller vanes further increases the velocity
and decreases the pressure of the liquid. The NPSH
required is the positive head in height absolute
required at the pump suction to overcome these
pressure drops in the pump and maintain the majority
of the liquid above its vapor pressure.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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The NPSH is always positive since it is

expressed in terms of absolute fluid column
height. The term "Net" refers to the actual
pressure head at the pump suction flange
and not the static suction head.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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NPSHr increases as capacity increases: The NPSH

required varies with speed and capacity within any
particular pump. The NPSH required increase as
the capacity is increasing because the velocity of
the liquid is increasing, and as anytime the velocity
of a liquid goes up, the pressure or head comes
down. Pump manufacturer's curves normally
provide this information. The NPSH is independent
of the fluid density as are all head terms. Note: It is
to be noted that the net positive suction head
required (NPSHr) number shown on the pump
curves is for fresh water at 20C and not for the
fluid or combinations of fluids being pumped.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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NPSHa is a function of system design: Net

Positive Suction Head Available is a function
of the system in which the pump operates. It
is the excess pressure of the liquid in height
absolute over its vapour pressure as it
arrives at the pump suction, to be sure that
the pump selected does not cavitate. It is
calculated based on system or process
conditions.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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NPSHa calculation: The formula for calculating

the NPSHa is statedNPSHa
below: hp h hvp hf
s
s
s
s
s
Where:
hps= Pressure head
hs= Static suction head
hvps= Vapour pressure head
hfs= Friciton head
Note:
1. It is important to correct for the specific
gravity of the liquid and to convert all terms to
units of "meters absolute" in using the formula.
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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2. Any discussion of NPSH or cavitation is

only concerned about the suction side of the
pump. There is almost always plenty of
pressure on the discharge side of the pump
to prevent the fluid from vaporizing.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Significance of NPSHr and NPSHa: The NPSH

available must always be greater than the
NPSH required for the pump to operate
properly. It is normal practice to have
approximately 1.5 m of extra NPSH available
at the suction flange to avoid any problems
at the duty point.

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Prof. Maher Higazy

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Thank
You For
Attention
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Prof. Maher Higazy

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