Centrifugal Pumps

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP COMPONENTS

Centrifugal pumps comprise of the following parts:

 Casing
 Impeller
 Wearing Rings (Impeller, Casing)
 Shaft and Shaft Sleeves
 Stuffing Box
 Mechanical Seals
 Bearings & Bearing Frame

Split Casing

• A split casing comprises of two or more parts (top and bottom)

fastened together. The term horizontally split had been regularly used
to describe pumps with a casing divided by a horizontal plane through
the shaft center line or axis. The term axially split is now preferred.
• The term vertically split refers to a casing split in a plane
perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The term radially split is now
preferred.

Impellers

 Open impellers: structural weakness but handles abrasive and

dirty liquids. Less pressure developed.
 Semi open: have shroud plate on eye side of impeller. This shroud
may or may not have “pump-out” vanes, which are located at the
back of the impeller shroud. Function of the “pump-out” vanes
- to reduce the pressure at the back hub of the impeller;
- to prevent foreign matter from lodging in the back of the
impeller and interfering with the proper operation of the
pump and the stuffing box.
 Enclosed impeller: Have shroud plates or hub plate (hub side).
Used for clear liquids.
 Double Suction: Axial forces that act on the impeller completely
neutralize each other as the liquid enters the impeller from both
sides. Usually employed for higher capacity pumps.

In other multistage pumps hydraulic balancing (balancing drum) is

utilized.

MATERIAL: We would like a combination of a hard material to resist

wear and a corrosion resistant material to insure long life. This is often
a conflict in terms because when we heat treat a metal to get the
hardness we need, we lose corrosion resistance. The softer metals can
have corrosion resistance, but they lack the hardness we need for long
wear life. The best materials that combine these features are called the
"Duplex Metals". These duplex materials are now in their second
generation. They can be identified by letters and numbers such as
Cd4MCu
Straight Vane (radial), Mixed Flow (Francis Vane), Axial Flow

End suction over hung: do not require shaft extension through impeller
eye, thus are able to handle dirty liquids well.

Specific Speed is given by:

Impeller Seal
Achieving an optimal balance between leakage and friction is an
essential goal when designing an impeller seal. A small gap limits the
leak flow but increases the friction and risk of drag and noise. A small
gap also increases requirements to machining precision and assembling
resulting in higher production costs. To achieve optimal balance
between leakage and friction, the pump type and size must be taken
into consideration.

Impeller seals can be turned directly into casing, floating seal ring,
rubber, labyrinth with relief chambers (selection is made depending on
Liquid, Rubbing speed)
If the path is broken by relief chambers, the velocity energy in the
leakage jet is dissipated in each relief chamber, thereby increasing the
resistance.
Shaft
Any object made of an elastic material has a natural period of vibration.
When a pump impeller and shaft rotate at any speed corresponding to
the natural frequency, minor imbalances will be magnified.
The speeds at which this magnification takes place are called critical
speeds
- The lowest critical speed is called the first critical speed
- The next higher is called the second critical speed, etc.

In centrifugal pump nomenclature:

A rigid shaft means one with an operating speed lower than its first
critical speed;
A flexible shaft is one with an operating speed higher than its first
critical speed. The shaft critical speed can be reached and passed
without danger because frictional forces (surrounding liquid, stuffing
box packing, and various internal leakage joints) tend to restrain the
deflection for a short duration.
Shaft Sleeves
Pump shafts are usually protected from erosion, corrosion, and wear at
stuffing boxes (packing), leakage joints, internal bearings, and in the
waterways by renewable sleeves.
The most common shaft sleeve function is that of protecting the shaft
from packing wear at the stuffing box. Fig shows a typical stuffing box
sleeve application.

Stuffing Box
The primary function of a stuffing box is to prevent leakage at the point
where the shaft passes out through the pump casing. For general
service pumps, a stuffing box consists of a cylindrical recess that
accommodates a number of rings of packing seal cage and gland
around the shaft or shaft sleeve.
If sealing liquid to the box is desired, a lantern ring or seal cage is used,
which separates the rings of packing into approximately equal sections.
The lantern ring performs three basic functions:
1. To supply new lubricant to the packing rings, this is normally lost
in operation.
2. To supply ‘back pressure’, which aids in impeding the entrance of
abrasive and corrosive material into the stuffing box. Abrasives
and corrosives will damage the shaft or sleeve, and disintegrate
the packing.
3. To cool the packing and shaft and dissipate the heat generated
between these members, which will increase the normal service
life of the packing and pump.
4. Oil, water, grease, or any liquid or substance compatible with the
fluid are forced under pressure into the packing through the
lantern ring by means of a connection on the stuffing box wall to
provide these three functions. Figure below:
The packing is compressed to give the desired fit on the shaft or sleeve
by a gland pusher that can be adjusted in an axial direction. A small
leakage from the stuffing box is required to provide lubrication and
cooling. If leakage was not permitted to occur, the packing would
literally “burn up” and often cause severe damage to the pump shaft.
Even with adequate leakage for lubrication, pump shaft wear was a
commonly expected occurrence and as the shaft wore it would in turn
cause poor shaft packing life.
As leakage becomes more excessive, the gland is tightened to reduce
leakage.
Mechanical Seal
Attempts to reduce or eliminate all leakage from a conventional stuffing
box have the effect of increasing the gland pressure. The packing, which
is semi plastic in nature, forms more closely to the shaft and tends to
reduce the leakage. At a certain point of tightening the gland nut, the
leakage continues regardless of how tightly the gland is turned. The
frictional horsepower increases rapidly, which generates heat that
cannot be dissipated. The stuffing box then fails to function as
illustrated by severe leakage and a heavily scored shaft or sleeve.
All mechanical seals are fundamentally the same in principle.
Sealing surfaces of every kind are located in a plane perpendicular to
the shaft and usually consist of two highly polished surfaces running
adjacently: one surface connected to the shaft and the other to the
stationary portion of the pump. Complete sealing is accomplished at
the fixed member.
The lapped surfaces that are of dissimilar materials are held in
continual contact by a spring, forming a fluid tight seal between the
rotating and stationary components with very little frictional losses.

Couplings
Closed Coupling: When two machines are on same shaft. Aligning
becomes easy but replacing one of them is very difficult.
Rigid Coupling: Hub, Flanges, Spacers, nuts and Bolts are components

Rigid coupling is preferred on long shafts which can absorb stress. In

sleeve coupling two shafts screw into a single connecting piece. To
remove sleeve coupling shaft needs to be moved.
Flexible Coupling:
Gear Coupling: The gears are supported on hubs and the sleeve that
covers the gears has internal teeth and is made of two pieces for
removal. Gear couplings cannot take misalignment but can compensate
for axial float. (Axial float can occur due
to several reasons such as due to
heating up of one component).
Lubrication is required in this type.

Torque Cushioning Couplings: To

smooth out surges in torque.
Types:
Grid type coupling provides cushioning as startup, acceleration, and
deceleration and in uneven torque requirements such as during
crushing. It can also move back and forth in the grid.
Rubber Type can also provide cushioning and move back and forth
PUMP PERFORMANCE
Flow, head and power consumption vary with the pump speed. Pump
curves can only be compared if they are stated with the same speed.
The curves can be converted to the same speed by the formulas of
affinity laws.

HEAD capacity curves

The flow is generally stated in cubic meter per hour
[m3/h]
The QH curve for a given pump can be determined
using the setup shown:

The pump is started and runs with constant speed. Q

equals 0 and H reaches its highest value when the
valve is completely closed. The valve is gradually
opened and as Q increases H decreases. H is the
height of the fluid column in the open pipe after the
pump.
In most cases the differential pressure across the pump Δptot is
measured and the head H is calculated by the following formula:

H and Q will be same despite different density fluid and are dependent
on geometry of pump.
System Head Curve

Figures show typical system curves.

Continuously rising head curves to shut off are desirable over non
continuous / unstable curves where maximum head is developed at
some flow greater than zero.
If the system curve intersects the pump curve anywhere to the left of
point A, a second pump with similar characteristics cannot be brought
on line. It can be seen from Fig 6 that any of the flow-rates to the left of
point A, except for zero flow, have a head that is greater than the shut-
off head of the second pump.
To produce flow, a pump must generate a greater discharge pressure
at start-up than the pressure already present in the system.

Fig below depicts characteristics for two different pumps A & B.

Following the rule, that for any given discharge head,
Flows for parallel pumps are additive;
The parallel operation curve consists of curve A to point D, and curve C.
Point D corresponds to the shut-off head of pump B.
Curve C represents the additive flows for A and B that share a common
discharge head.
As long as the system curve intersects the parallel operation curve
between points E and the maximum allowable flow, everything is fine.
If for any reason the system head curve should shift to the left of point
E, pump B will be compromised either mechanically or thermally. If the
system head curve should shift to the left of point D (e.g. valve is closed
flow decreases and head will rise), pump A will start to run singly and
pump B will operate at zero flow.

Although the flow capability is additive for parallel pumps at any given
discharge head, the actual output of the pumps will be determined by
the intersection of the system-head curve with the parallel
performance curve. For a system where the system curve is dominated
by frictional losses, parallel operation will generally mean a lower flow
than twice the single pump flow (Fig below). So why do we use parallel
operation when it gives less result than the individual pump…? (Reason
is NPSHa). When the discharge head is variable, such as with a control
valve, then flow will be controllable when within the range of the valve.
SERIES OPERATION

Pump Power Curve

The power is given in Watt [W]. Distinction is made between three
kinds of power:
- Supplied power from external electricity source to the motor and
controller (P1)
- Shaft power transferred from the motor to the shaft (P2)
depends on motor efficiency.
- Hydraulic power transferred from the impeller to the fluid (Phyd)
The power consumption depends on the fluid density. The power
curves are generally based on a standard fluid with a density of 1000
kg/m3 which corresponds to water at 4°C. Hence, power measured on
fluids with another density must be converted.
In the data sheet, P1 is normally stated for integrated products, while
P2 is typically stated for pumps sold with a standard motor.
Efficiency Curve
The total efficiency (ηtot) is the ratio between hydraulic power and
supplied power.

The flow where the pump has the highest efficiency is called the
optimum point or the best efficiency point (QBEP).
BEP as a measure of mechanically stable operation
The impeller is subject to non -symmetrical forces when operating to
the right or left of the BEP. These forces manifest themselves in many
mechanically unstable conditions like vibration, excessive hydraulic
thrust, temperature rise, and erosion and separation cavitation. Thus
the operation of a centrifugal pump should not be outside the furthest
left or right efficiency curves published by the manufacturer.
Performance in these areas induces premature bearing and mechanical
seal failures due to shaft deflection, and an increase in temperature of
the process fluid in the pump casing causing seizure of close tolerance
parts and cavitation.
Efficiency is calculated from the following formula

AFFINITY LAWS
At same efficieny:

The above formula gives an approximation of the final performance of

the pump since efficiency change also slightly.
The above formulae are acceptable for small changes of impeller
diameter, but should not be used when the impeller diameter changes
more than 10%. (trim is used for compensating this slight error within
15 %)
NPSH (a)
Net Positive Suction Head Available, which is calculated as follows:
NPSH (a) = p + s - v - f
Where:
'p'= atmospheric pressure,
's'= static suction (If liquid is below pump, it is shown as a negative
value)
'v'= liquid vapor pressure (increase with temp. High temp will cause
bubbles to form readily)
'f'= friction loss
NPSH (a) must exceed NPSH (r) to allow pump operation without
cavitation. (It is advisable to allow approximately 1 meter difference for
most installations).
NPSH (r)
According to the Standards of the Hydraulic Institute, a suction lift test
is performed on the pump and the pressure in the suction vessel
is lowered to the point where the pump suffers a 3% loss in total
head. This point is called the NPSH r of the pump.