Your new forums: Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD.

Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD.

e27081962
stranger


Registered:
12/04/04
Posts: 1


I have a system with centrifugal pumps operating in parallel discharging in a common
manifold with a pressure transmitter sending signal to the electric motors VFDs with a
defined starting sequence.
Usually when pumps are operating in parallel the characteristic curves of all pumps
have restriction referred to the difference between its differentials heights
corresponding to the nominal flow and zero flow, they must be smaller to 1%.
It is requested in order to assure that all pumps take almost same load.
My question is if the previous concept should be maintained with pumps operating
with VFD.
#1060 - 01/24/06 04:01
PM
Re: Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD. [Re: e27081962]
Anonymous
Unregistered



Quote:

Usually when pumps are operating in parallel the characteristic curves
of all pumps have restriction referred to the difference between its
differentials heights corresponding to the nominal flow and zero flow,
they must be smaller to 1%.




Huh?
#1061 - 01/28/06 07:26
PM
Re: Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD. [Re: e27081962]
Anonymous
Unregistered



I am not sure I understood the question, but I will try to see if I did by giving you an
example. I believe that you are first stating the manufacturer's recommended
maximum difference between the discharge head of unit #1 and the discharge head of
unit #2 must be less than or equal to 1%. You also state that this should be true both at
zero flow (in other words, the shutoff head of the pump's) and it should be true at the
system's flowrate. An example: If both pump units are flowing at 200 m3/hr, your
system flowrate is 400 m3/hr and let's say that the discharge head of unit #1 is 99
meters and the discharge head of unit #2 is 101 meters. Therefore, the difference
between discharge heads is 101-99 = 2 meters. The difference in percent (being
conservative) is 2/99*100 = 2.02 Since this is greater than 1.00 percent, it does not fall
within the manufacturer's recommended maximum. A similar check is required when
both pumps are running and flow is shut off.

If that sounds like what you want to know, the answer is "Yes" the 1% difference
should NOT be exceeded if you are USING VFDs or NOT USING VFDs. Parallel
http://www.pump-zone.com/pumpchat/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1059&page=21(1 of 2)12/5/2007 3:24:24 PM
Your new forums: Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD.
pumps should always have as close to equal characteristics as possible. The reason is
that if the discharge head difference is greater than 1%, the pumps may start trying to
shift flow from one unit to the other unit and back again. The flow in both pumps will
try to change until both units output equal discharge heads to have equal discharge
pressures develop at a common point in the discharge header. Unequal discharge
heads tend to cause varying pressures at the pressure sensor-transmitter which will
keep sending different signals to the VFD and cause continuous changes to the pump's
rpm. A change in the pump rpm causes a change in head and it is possible that the
pumps keep oscillating back and forth and never reach a stable flowrate. If the pumps
do not have VFD, a change in discharge head will cause a change in the flowrate
inside the piping system. A change of flowrate inside the pipe system eventually
comes back to try to change the flow in the pumps to an equal value. When the pumps
change flow, their discharge head changes and that starts the pipe flow changing
again. Therefore, the system tends to oscillate in either case VFD or not. In fact, the
VFD might even amplify the oscillations, if its timing response matches the natural
pressure change response of the piping system. That tendency can be determined
through a transient analysis that considers hydraulic transient flows the control
response through time of the VFD, the acceleration of the fluid mass in the piping and
the rotational moment of inertia of the pumps. Rather than do that analysis, it would
be much easier to simply try to adhere to the manufacturer's recommendation of 1%
max. If there is some reason why you cannot do that, write to me directly at
virtualpipeline@engineer.com and I'll try to give you some more options.
#1062 - 02/21/06 12:14
PM
Re: Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD. [Re: e27081962]
Anonymous
Unregistered



No. I don't think the described concept should be maintained. The point is to get the
required flow at the required pressure for the least amount of energy. You'd want to
bring each pump up to it's most efficient operating point and hold it there. Then only
one pump is changing speed to make up the variations in demand.
#1063 - 02/21/06 04:32
PM
Re: Centrifugal pumps in parallel with VFD.
Anonymous
Unregistered



Won't work unless each pump gives the same exact equal dischrge pressure at the
point where the two parallel flows meet, otherwise one or both pump's operating point
(s) will move along their respective curves to equalize the pressure at the flow
junction point. One law of physics applies here; You can't have two different
pressures at the exact same point (at the junction) otherwise flow of some fluid mass
woll be created between the two different pressures. Obviously you can't have flow
between the same point. Both pumps must operate at whatever point on their
respective curves that happen to make it so. You just can't fool Mother Nature.
virtualpipeline@engineer.com
http://www.pump-zone.com/pumpchat/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1059&page=21(2 of 2)12/5/2007 3:24:24 PM