CENTRIFUGAL PUMP CHARACTERISTIC

5th Lecture

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
From previous lecture
The hydraulic power loss is
Pi = ghiQi
The casing power loss is
Pc = ghcQ
The leakage power loss is
Pv = gHiq

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
It is now possible to consider the energy balance
for the whole machine

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
I. Overall Efficiency

o =
or

Power output of the machine

Power input to the machine

o =

fluid power developed by pump

Shaft horse power

o =

where H is the actual total head difference

between the inlet and outlet flanges of the
machine.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
II. Mechanical Efficiency
If the mechanical power loss is Pm, then the
power input to the impeller is Ps Pm and the
mechanical efficiency may be defined as
m

Power delivered by the impeller to the fluid

=
Power input to the shaft

Ps Pm
=
Ps

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
II. Mechanical Efficiency

m =

m =

Ps

(+ )

Ps

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
III. Impeller Efficiency
The impeller efficiency takes care of the losses in
the impeller as follow,
Fluid power developed by impeller
i =
Mechanical power supplied to impeller

i =

Fluid power at impeller exit

Fluid power developed by impeller+Impeller loss

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
III. Impeller Efficiency

i =

gQiHi
gQiHi+gQihi

i =

Hi
(Hi+ hi)

where the theoretical head that is obtained from

Eulers equation is equal to
E = +

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
IV. Volumetric Efficiency
The volumetric efficiency accounts for the power
loss of fluid leakage

Flow rate through the pump

=
Flow rate through the impeller

v =

Q
Q+q

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
V. Casing Efficiency
The Casing efficiency accounts for the power loss
in the casing.

c =

Useful fluid power output

Fluid power developed by impeller leakage loss

c =

i iq

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
V. Casing Efficiency

c =

i ( q)

c =

iQ

c =

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
V. Casing Efficiency
The Casing efficiency accounts for the power loss
in the casing.

c =

Fluid power at casing outlet

Fluid power at casing outlet+casing loss

c =

gHQ
gQH+ gQhc

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
V. Casing Efficiency

c =

H
H+hc

c =

H
Hi

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
The overall efficiency is equal to the product of all

the component efficiencies i.e.

o = c i v m
VI. Hydraulic Efficiency

H =

Actual head developed by the pump

Theroretical head developed by the impeller

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
VI. Hydraulic Efficiency

H =

H
Hi+ hi

Or

H = i c
Therefore, the overall efficiency becomes
o = H v m

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
Figure on next slide shows how each of the power
losses are subtracted from the initial input power.
The rectangle OABC represents the total power
input to the shaft while OADEFC is equivalent to
the mechanical power loss.
The impeller loss gQihi is next removed and is
represented by rectangle EFGI.
The next loss to be accounted for is the leakage
loss iq represented by rectangle DJKI.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.1 Losses and Efficiencies
And finally the casing loss gQhc represented by
rectangle MLGK is removed.
This leaves us with rectangle JBLM, which
represents the fluid power output or power
developed by the pump gHQ.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve
Eulers pump equation that gives the theoretical
head developed by the pump is
U2 CX2 U1CX1

E=
g

Often the fluid has no tangential component of

absolute velocity or swirl, as it enters the impeller;
that is, the angle between the absolute velocity and
the tangential direction is 90o ( = 90o) results in
Cx1 = 0. In this case, the above equation reduces to

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve
U2 CX2
E=
g

From outlet velocity triangle, we know that

tan 2 = Cr2 / Wx2
Wx2 = Cr2 / tan 2
Wx2 = Cr2 cot 2
and
Cx2 = U2 Wx2

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve
Cx2 = U2 Cr2 cot 2
as we know that
Q = 2r2b2Cr2
Q = A Cr2
But
A = 2r2b2
Where A is the flow area at the periphery of the
impeller and Cr2 is perpendicular to it

Cr2 =

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve

Cx2 = U2 cot 2

U2
E=
(U2 cot 2 )
g

And since U2, 2 and A are constants, then

E = A BQ
And this equation is plotted as the straight line.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve
If slip is taken account, then theoretical head will
be reduced as shown figure as

EN = (A BQ) s
The loss due to slip can occur in both a real and an
ideal fluid.
But in a real fluid account must also be taken of
the shock losses at entry to the blades.
And the friction losses in the casing and impeller
vanes, or indeed at any point where the fluid is in

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve
contact with a solid surface of the pump.
At the design point the shock losses are zero since
the fluid would move tangentially onto the blade,
but either side of the design point the head loss
due to shock increases according to

hsh = K (Q QD)2
Where QD is the design flow rate

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.2 Characteristic Curve
The friction losses are accounted for in the form

hf = K Q2
The sum of the shock and friction losses when
subtracted from the curve of theoretical head with

slip gives the actual head - flow rate characteristic

curve of the centrifugal pump.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.3 Effect of Flow Rate Variation
The pump is usually designed to run at a fixed
speed with a design head and flow rate at BEP.

In practice, the operating point not always lies at

design point flow rate due to following reasons:
1. Pipe line being partially blocked
2. A jammed valve partially closed
3. Poor matching of pump to the piping system

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.3 Effect of Flow Rate Variation
That results in three possible flow rates
1. Normal design flow rate
2. Increased flow rate
3. Decreased flow rate

At Outlet Velocity
When the flow rate changes, Cr2 changes and since
U2 and 2 is constant, the magnitude of W2 and C2
must change along with the angle 2.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.3 Effect of Flow Rate Variation
Since the effective energy transfer E depends on Cx2,
then E will change accordingly.
Thus a reduction in Q gives an increase in Cx2 and
hence increase in head.
An increase in Q gives a reduction in Cx2 and hence
decrease in head.

At Inlet Velocity
At reduced flow rate, the effect of flow rate change is
to cause eddies on the suction surface of the blade

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.3 Effect of Flow Rate Variation
At Inlet Velocity
At increased flow rate, the effect of flow rate change
is to cause eddies on the pressure surface of the
blade.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
Eulers pump equation that gives the theoretical
head developed by the pump is
U2 CX2 U1CX1

E=
g

Often the fluid has no tangential component of

absolute velocity or swirl, as it enters the impeller;
that is, the angle between the absolute velocity and
the tangential direction is 90o ( = 90o) results in
Cx1 = 0. In this case, the above equation reduces to

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
U2 CX2
E=
g

From outlet velocity triangle, we know that

tan 2 = Cr2 / Wx2
Wx2 = Cr2 / tan 2
Wx2 = Cr2 cot 2
and
Cx2 = U2 Wx2

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
Cx2 = U2 Cr2 cot 2
as we know that
Q = 2r2b2Cr2
Q = A Cr2
But
A = 2r2b2
Where A is the flow area at the periphery of the
impeller and Cr2 is perpendicular to it

Cr2 =

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle

Cx2 = U2 cot 2

U2
E=
(U2 cot 2 )
g

And since U2, 2 and A are constants, then

E = A BQ
And this equation is plotted as the straight line.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
This equation is graph and shows

that the ideal or maximum head

rise for a centrifugal pump varies
linearly with Q for a given blade
geometry and angular velocity.

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
For actual pumps, the blade angle 2 falls in the
range of 15o 35o, with a normal range of

20 < 2 < 25 and with 15 < 1 < 50. Blades with

2 < 90 having negative slope are called backward
curved, where as the blades with 2 > 90 having
positive slope are called forward curved

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
The measured shutoff head of centrifugal pumps is
only about 60 percent of the theoretical value of

(U22 / g).
Pumps are not usually designed with forward
curved vanes since such pumps tend to suffer
unstable flow conditions and this positive slope
condition can cause pump surge

Centrifugal Pump Characteristics

4.4 Effect of Blade Outlet Angle
The surge condition is an oscillatory condition
where the pump hunts for the proper operating

point.
Surge may cause only rough operation in a liquid
pump, but it can be a major problem in gas
compressor operation.
For this reason a backward curved or radial blade
design is generally preferred.