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The year 2001 will see the introduction of some fundamental changes in the rules that govern the performance of acceptance tests on pumps. DIN 1944, the German standard that has remained valid and been in global use since 1968, is being replaced by the new international ISO 9906 standard. The latter has been in force internationally since 1999 and is now being transferred into DIN ISO 9906. That being so, we are taking this opportunity to discuss the resultant changes with respect to DIN 1944, particularly with regard to tolerances and how to deal with them. The new standard will not be wholly new at all, because it is based on the old international ISO 3555 and 2548 codes, which governed the testing of pumps to different degrees of accuracy. These two standards have ceased to be in effect.
Dr. Gerhard Mollenkopf

New Rules for Pump Acceptance Tests DIN ISO 9906 Supersedes DIN 1944

CHANGES IN COMPARISON WITH DIN 1944

As far as the application of tolerances is concerned, the new rules differ significantly from DIN 1944. While the latter drew a (phys-

ically correct) distinction between constructional tolerance and measuring tolerance (cf. Diagram 1), which entailed occasional representation problems, ISO

Constructional tolerance: Unavoidable dimensional variation in the hydraulic components of a pump, which is caused by the production process and liable to affect the pumps performance. Appropriate cost-intensive remachining can reduce the constructional tolerance to zero. Measuring tolerance: Measuring always involves a certain extent of deviation from the true value. Despite supreme efforts, the exact measuring tolerance will always remain unknown, but certain configurational and procedural measures, including the use of suitably calibrated measuring instruments, can minimize this tolerance.

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Characteristic curves:
H
Measurement point with measuring tolerance

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H (Q)

+tH HG HG -tQ QG
Characteristic curves:

HG
Constructional tolerance

-tQ QG -tH HG H(Q) -t G (Q)

Efficiency:

Measurement points
Efficiency: (Q) Q

Measurement point with measuring tolerance

QG

QG
Diagram 2: ISO 9906

Diagram 1: DIN 1944

9906 combines those two quantities into a single tolerance factor. This is aimed at making comparison between the guaranteed values and the measured values less complicated and ambiguous. In formulating the new standard, the authors attempted to narrow down the latitude of interpretation in connection with the performance and analysis of acceptance tests by including detailed instructions of procedure.

Diagram 1 (DIN 1944) Characteristic curve The guarantee has been met, if the lower limit of the tolerance range around the measuring points touches the constructional tolerance range. The guarantee has been met, if the upper limit of the tolerance range around the measuring points reaches the guaranteed value.

Diagram 2 (ISO 9906) The guarantee is deemed to habe been met, if the curve through the measurement points cuts at least one branch of the tolerance cross.

Efficiency

INSTALLATION, TEST ARRANGEMENT AND PROCEDURE

The installation arrangement of the pump to be tested is described, as are the appropriate test set-up and conditions. Special aspects (tolerances) to be considered in the testing and evaluation of pumps produced in series and pumps of very small size are described. In addition, a valid procedure for applying the

The guarantee is deemed to habe been met, if the curve through the measurement points at the newly determined operating point at least touches the negative tolerance range.

new standard is specified, which can only be altered by way of express stipulation in the contract of sale. This means that the mere mention of ISO 9906 will ensure contractual security. Lack of useful details: Unfortunately, some of the useful details

Tolerance factor: Newly introduced in ISO 9906, this term unites the concepts of constructional tolerance and measuring tolerance to simplify testing in accordance with specified criteria.

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Quantity Flow rate Pump total head Pump efficiency

Table 1: Values of tolerance factors

Symbol

Grade 1

Grade 2

[%] tQ tH t
4.5 3 - 3

[%]
8 5 -5

in DIN 1944 have been left out of the new standard. For example, a sample error analysis is dispensed with, and the achievable grades of accuracy of various test methods are not quoted.

missible measuring tolerance. The cited tolerance factors also include to some extent consideration of manufacturing uncertainties. They are primarily intended to simplify handling and to rule out ambiguity in the verification of guaranteed values (Table 1 and Diagram 2).

on centrifugal pumps, was designed to combine well-known and time-tested facts and data with simplicity of application. The determined and established tolerance factors range within the scope of the old DIN 1944, which is to be superseded. However, the latters concept of constructional tolerance has been deleted and is now only accounted for to a minor extent in the new tolerance factors, which go beyond the mere measuring tolerance. Note: An information event devoted to the details of the standard and its impact on guaranteed pump data will be held sometime during the second half of this year. Please address your inquiries to the CT Secretariate.

COMPARISON
The following comparison of the guarantee verification criteria indicates the magnitude of the differences to be anticipated in applying the new standard. 1) Grades of accuracy: While DIN 1944 described three accuracy classes, ISO 9906 specifies two. Grades 1 and 2 in ISO 9906 correspond to Classes 2 and 3 in DIN 1944. DIN 1944s Class 1 has been incorporated in a separate ISO standard (5198) that deals with the conduct of laboratory tests.

Illustration : Modern, standards-compliant test bay for multistage pumps 4) New chapter on small pumps and series-produced pumps: The new standard includes an additional chapter specifying increased tolerance factors to account for special aspects of testing pumps produced in series and pumps with very low input power ratings.

2) No differentiation according to characteristic curve: Unlike DIN 1944, the new standard does not differentiate between pumps with flat head curves and pumps with steep head curves. 3) Test arrangement: ISO 9906 describes in all detail the requirements regarding the test arrangement and the quality of both the measuring instruments and actual measurements. This effectively defines the per-

SUMMARY
ISO 9906, the new standard governing hydraulic performance acceptance tests

Error analysis: To assess whether a test result satisfies the requirements of a standard, and/or to evaluate the results reliability the composite error arising from all elements of the measuring chain (test arrangement to test instruments) needs to be analysed. The relevant importance of the individual measured data as part of the overall result must be given special attention.

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