Pump Selection

Most pumps fall into three categories:

- positive displacement pumps
- centrifugal pumps
- axial flow pumps
Positive displacement pumps are used in the following situations
- low flow rate
- high pressure rise
- pump flow rate must be accurate (metering)
Centrifugal pumps are used in the following situations
- medium-high flow rates
- low-medium pressure rise
Axial flow pumps are used in the following situations
- high flow rates
- very low pressure rise
Types of Positive Displacement Pump
Lobe Pump
Gear Pump
Peristaltic Pump
Types of Positive Displacement Pump
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

h
e
a
d

(

D
P
r
g
)

g
e
n
e
r
a
t
e
d

b
y

t
h
e

p
u
m
p
Flow rate (m
3
s
-1
)
something breaks
in the pump
constant flow
independent
of P
Positive displacement pumps are self priming - they can be started up dry
Centrifugal Pump
Inlet
(suction)
outlet
(discharge)
pump impeller gives the
liquid a high rotational
speed
volute converts kinetic energy
of the liquid as it leaves the
impeller into pressure energy
By far the most common design in the chemical and materials processing industries
single pump stage
(many stages used in series for higher P)
Axial Flow Pump
outlet
inlet
Very low pressure rise.
Used to increase the kinetic energy of a
liquid/gas.
Similar characteristics to a centrifugal
pump.
Centrifugal Pump
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

h
e
a
d

(

D
P
r
g
)

g
e
n
e
r
a
t
e
d

b
y

t
h
e

p
u
m
p
Flow rate (m
3
s
-1
)
The pressure generated by the pump changes as the flow rate through the pump changes
z
1
= 4 m
P
1
= 101300 Pa
d = 0.05 m, hydraulically smooth(

f = 0.0791Re
-0.25
). r = 950 kg m
-3
m = 0.003 Pa s
Suction side: 10 m of pipe, 6 standard 90 bends, gate valve fully open.
Discharge side: 50 m of pipe, 15 standard 90 bends, gate valve fully open,
A plug disc globe valve will be used to control the flow (initially 60% open, K
L
=29)
P
2
= 600000 Pa
z
2
= 10 m
Centrifugal Pump - Example
flow rate
500 litres min
-1
The flow rate (500 litres/min) and W
S
/g (118 m) are plotted on the graph.
This point lies below the pump curve.
The pump provides more power than is required by the system and the flow increases
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
flow rate (litres/min)
p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

h
e
a
d

(
m
)
pum
p
curve
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
flow rate (litres/min)
p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

h
e
a
d

(
m
)
Increase the frictional losses by closing the valve until the point for the system lies on the pump curve.
In this case the valve will have to be between 20% and 40% open.
10% open
20% open
40% open
60% open
Pump Performance Chart
or
Pump Composite Performance
Chart
separate curves for
different impeller diameters
best efficiency
point
Try and operate a pump as
close to its best efficiency point
as possible
Pump Efficiency
For a 100% efficient pump, the energy balance for a pump is:

W
S,100
= m
DP
r
change in enthalpy of liquid being pumped

DH
100
=
W
S,100
m
=
DP
r
If the pump is not efficient then as well as being pressurised the liquid is heated

W
S
=
W
S,100
h
in this case the enthalpy change is given by

DH =
W
S
m
=
DP
r
+C
P
DT
Pump Efficiency - Example
In a pumping system work required from a 100% efficient pump is 16.3 kW. The mass flow
of liquid is 7.9 kg s
-1
and the pressure change in the pump is 1 960 000 Pa (19.6 bar). For
the liquid being pumped CP = 2800 J kg
-1
C
-1
and r = 950 kg m
-3
.
If the pump is 65% efficient calculate the temperature rise in the fluid:
For a 65% efficient pump: W
S
= 16300/0.65 = 25076 W
This is equivalent to an enthalpy change: H = 25089/7.9 = 3174 J kg
-1
For a pump that isnt 100% efficient

DH = 3174 =
DP
r
+C
P
DT =
1960000
950
+ 2500DT T = 0.4 C
Not a large temperature increase. If the liquid is being recycled it can be
Avoid throttling back a pump too much (using a valve on the outlet and a recycle). WHY?
Pump Design
1. Given mass flow of fluid and the pipe work design
2. Calculate the head loss in the system and the shaft work for the pump.
3. Find out what materials are compatible with the fluid being pumped.
4. Select a pump (and impeller) that are compatible with the fluid being pumped.
5. Using the pump curve, make sure that the pump is capable of supplying the required pressure
head and flow rate.
6. Calculate the opening of the control valve required to fix the operating point at the required
pressure head and flow rate.
7. Get the pump efficiency and required NPSH from the pump chart.
8. Check that the NPSH of the system is larger than the required NPSH.
9. Use the efficiency to calculate the size of electric motor required and the fluid temperature rise.
Example
6

m
Octane at 87C is pumped through a heat exchanger where it is cooled to 30C before flowing into a
storage tank as shown above. The properties of the octane are given below. The flow rate of octane is
3.6 kg s
-1
and the pipe diameter is 0.06 m. The pipe is hydraulically smooth.
1. The heat exchanger is a 2 pass shell and tube exchanger consisting of a shell 0.4m in diameter and 25 U-tubes that
are 5 m long and 0.012m in diameter.
2. On the suction side of the pump there are 30 m of straight pipe and a gate value.
3. Prior to the exchanger there are 8 m of straight pipe, a gate valve and a plug disc globe vqlve.
4. After the exchanger there are 200 m of pipe, a gate valve and 8 standard radius 90 bends.
Propane Properties:
At 30C r = 704 kg m
-3
m = 0.00050 Pa s
At 87C r = 651 kg m
-3
m = 0.00028 Pa s
At 87C

P
sat
= 30000 Pa
Using the pump curve given on the next page, determine the valve opening required, he power
required for pumping and check the NPSH.
150 kPa
101.3 kPa
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Fluid Flow (litres/min)
H
e
a
d

(
m
)
0
1
2
3
4
N
P
S
H

(
m
)
Head (m) NPSH(req.)
pump curve
NPSH curve