ENB321 Fluid Dynamics Assignment:

Centrifugal Pumps

Part 1: Laboratory testing of pumps in series and parallel.

Objective
To produce performance curves for a single pump at different impeller speeds, and for
two identical pumps running in both parallel and series configurations. These curves
are used in matching a pump, or a set of pumps, to a particular application with a
required flow rate and pressure rise, and to determine the power required to operate
each pump.
Procedure
The first testing was done on a single pump. The operation began by opening the
valve, then set the speed to 2800 RPM. At that speed, different outlet valve positions
were done and several parameters (weir height, inlet pressure, outlet pressure, and
force balance). Similar steps were also done on single pump at 2100 RPM and the two
pumps arranged in series and parallel.
1. Observation

 Single pump at 2800 RPM, lever arm 155 mm.

Weir Inlet Outlet Force Head (m) Flow Rate Power Pump Torque
heigh pressur pressur balanc (L/min) delivered to efficiency (Nm)
t e (pa) e (pa) e (N) fluid (W)
(mm)
14.322 9.27624872 16.5993026 25.1761124 0.03867665
42 -20000 71000 6 6 1 7 7 2.220003

14.224 9.07237512 23.1776665 34.3808929 0.05318170 2.204797

48 -22000 67000 5 7 1 3 5 5

14.224 8.86850152 25.6679761 0.05757227 2.204797

50 -24000 63000 5 9 6 37.2193098 9 5

14.126 8.56269113 32.5741686 45.6047481 0.07103308

55 -26000 58000 4 1 1 4 6 2.189592

14.028 8.46075433 35.6167063 0.07727986 2.174386

57 -28000 55000 3 2 4 49.2707625 5 5

13.930 8.05300713 37.1994569 48.9802646 0.07736524

58 -29000 50000 2 6 8 1 3 2.159181

13.832 8.15494393 40.4897170 53.9873691 0.08587883 2.143975

60 -32000 48000 1 5 9 9 9 5

7.95107033 45.7422991 59.4661782 0.09526976

63 -34000 44000 13.734 6 7 2 7 2.12877

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  Single Pump at 2100 RPM
Weir Inlet Outlet Force Head (m) Flow Rate Power Pump Torque
heigh pressur pressure balance (L/min) delivered to efficiency (Nm)
t e (pa) (pa) (N) fluid (W)
(mm)
15.205 5.09683995 10.5229311 8.76928464 0.01268953
35 -18000 32000 5 9 1 1 1 2.3568525

15.107 14.6932069 11.9996923 0.01747682

40 -20000 29000 4 4.99490316 2 1 3 2.341647

15.009 4.79102956 20.8382476 16.3236204

46 -22000 25000 3 2 7 8 0.02392975 2.3264415

14.911 4.48521916 28.3122885 20.7627601 0.03063759

52 -24000 20000 2 4 2 6 1 2.311236

14.813 4.48521916 31.1136538 22.8171358 0.03389200

54 -26000 18000 1 4 6 3 7 2.2960305

 Two Pumps in parallel, both at 2800 RPM

inlet outlet
pressure pressure
(pump 1) (pump 2) flow rate Q
weir height (pa) (pa) head (m) (L/minute)

50 -18000 75000 9.480122324 25.66797616

58 -20000 72000 9.378185525 37.19945698

65 -22000 66000 8.970438328 49.45953261

69 -24000 62000 8.76656473 57.42345818

73 -26000 56000 8.358817533 66.11100613

79 -28000 50000 7.951070336 80.54421341

78 -29000 47000 7.747196738 78.01949288

 Two Pumps in series, both at 2800 RPM

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 inlet outlet
pressure pressure
(pump 1) (pump 2) flow rate Q
weir height (pa) (pa) head (m) (L/minute)

53 -26000 123000 15.18858308 29.69315124

56 -28000 106000 13.65953109 34.07506429

58 -30000 94000 12.6401631 37.19945698

59 -32000 85000 11.9266055 38.82367524

62 -34000 68000 10.39755352 43.94868046

63 -36000 55000 9.276248726 45.74229917

65 -40000 32000 7.339449541 49.45953261

Performance curves

Single Pump (Head Vs Flow Rate)

10
9
8
7 single pump, 2800 RPM
6 Polynomial (single pump,
Head (m)

2800 RPM)
5
single pump, 2100 RPM
4
Polynomial (single pump,
3 2100 RPM)
2
1
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Flow Rate (m^3/s)

 Single pump, 2800 RPM:

y = 0.011x2 - 0.299x + 9.602

 Single pump, 2100 RPM:

y = 0.034x3 - 0.298x2 + 0.584x + 4.770

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 Single Pump (power Vs Flow Rate)
70
60
50
power ( Watt)

2800 RPM
40 Polynomial (2800 RPM)
30 2100 RPM
Logarithmic (2100 RPM)
20
10
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Flow Rate (m^3/s)

2800 RPM:
y = -2E+07x2 + 93822x + 1.285

2100 RPM:
y = 12.85ln(x) + 119.3

Single Pump ( pump efficiency vs flow

rate)
0.12
0.1
2800 RPM
0.08 Polynomial (2800 RPM)
efficiency

0.06 2100 RPM

Polynomial (2100 RPM)
0.04
0.02
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
flow rate (m^3/s)

2800 RPM:
y = -18646x2 + 134.2x + 0.003

2100 RPM:
y = -19729x2 + 74.41x + 0.000

2. Pump Similarity Laws

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Single Pump at 2800 RPM
pump
Cq Ch Cp efficiency

0.002750804 63.3361591 0.015363005 0.0387

0.003840957 61.9441556 0.015257779 0.0532

0.004253646 60.55215211 0.015257779 0.0576

0.005398127 58.46414686 0.015152553 0.071

0.00590233 57.76814511 0.015047327 0.0772

0.00616462 54.98413812 0.014942101 0.0774

0.006709876 55.68013987 0.014836875 0.0859

0.007580323 54.28813637 0.014731649 0.0953

Dimensionless performance curves

70

60

50
Cq, Ch, efficiency

40

30

20

10

0
0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02
Cp

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Single Pump at 2100
pump
Cq Ch Cp efficiency

0.001743839 34.80008742 0.01631004 0.0127

0.002434929 34.10408567 0.016204814 0.0175

0.003453273 32.71208217 0.016099588 0.024

0.004691856 30.62407693 0.015994362 0.031

0.005156093 30.62407693 0.015889136 0.0339

Dimensionless Performance Curves

40
35
30
Cq, Ch, efficiency

25
20
15
10
5
0
0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02
Cp

Similarity includes 3 classifications in fluid mechanics:

 Geometric Similarity
 Kinematic Similarity
 Dynamic Similarity
Geometric Similarity All linear dimensions of the model are related to the corresponding
dimensions of the prototype by a constant scale factor SFG.

SFG =rm/rp =Lm/Lp =Wm/Wp =…

similarity is achieved if the Reynolds number is the same for the model and prototype because
the function g then requires the force coefficient to be the same also.

(3) A 7 centimeter diameter centrifugal running at 2800 rpm. At 20 degree celcius.

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 (Head Vs Flow Rate)
9.5
9
Head (m)

8.5 single pump, 2800 RPM

Polynomial (single pump,
8 2800 RPM)
7.5
7
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Flow Rate (m^3/s)

η = ρgQH/Power
The best efficiency point is 0.095 or 9.5 % at Q= 0.000762387 m^3/s
D = 7m, plus CH = gH/(n2D2) and CP = P/(ρ n3D5)
N=26.1 rev/s = 1560 rev/min

(4) Two Pumps, in parallel and series

Two Pumps (Head Vs Flow Rate)

16

14

12

10 parallel combination
Head (m)

Polynomial (parallel
8 combination)
Series combination
6 Polynomial (Series combination)
4

0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Flow Rate (m^3/s)

 Two pumps in parallel, 2800 RPM

y = -0.027x2 - 0.120x + 9.653

 Two pumps in series, 2800 RPM

y = -0.049x2 - 0.836x + 15.82
(5) Pumps combined in parallel can increase the flow twice for the same given head.
In practice, this would be done if a pump provides the right head, but provides small
flow. Parallel arrangement is also used if the demand of flow is different. One pump
can be used at lower flow than the second pump. The advantage of arranging pumps

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in parallel is the redundancy in case failure occurs. On the other hand, applying
pumps arrangement into series can twice increase the head. In practice, this would be
done if the pump provides the right flow rate, but small head. When pumps are
connected in series or parallel, the power input to the pump increases. The effect of
increasing motor speed can be estimated using the similarity rules.