Grundfos ECADEMY
Pump hydraulics
Pump curves
Pump curves
• A pump curve is a graphical representation of how the system responds to changes in head and flow.
• This is not an issue if the flow and system pressure are constant.
• If there is a storage tank, the system head will vary as the tank is filled and emptied.
• If water is pumped from a well, the well pump discharge pressure and flow will
vary based on changes in water level in the well.
Pump curves
• Before we look at a pump performance curve, we need to determine the system
characteristics.
• The example here shows a pump that must deliver the water a distance of 10,000
feet through a 12 inch pipe to a storage tank with a water level of 200 feet above
water supply to the pump.
Pump curves
• The static head requirement is 200 feet,
regardless of flow
Determine system
head curve Q, gpm Headloss Total Head at Head at
ft/100 ft Headloss gauge B gauge A
• The Hazen Williams equation was used to
calculate the head loss through the piping
0 0 0 200 200
and pipe fittings and is show here. 700 0.22 22 200 222
1400 0.78 78 200 278
2200 1.81 181 200 381
Determine system
head curve
• Now we can create a system curve showing
the head required from zero flow to
2,200 gpm.
• The highest head requirement occurs at the
highest flow due to the increased friction.
The head requirement at 2,200 gpm is
381 feet.
Results of changing
static head
• If the water level were to change, the system
curve would move up or down based on the
water level changes.
• The frictional losses are unchanged however
the total dynamic head does change.
Response to
changing headloss
• If pipe size changes were to be considered,
this would have an impact on the total head
required and also may limit the flow rates
being achieved.
• You can see that the head loss would increase
to over 400 feet at around 1,400 gpm.
• If the pipe size were to increase, you can see
that the head requirement would only be 290
feet or so at 2,200 gpm.
Pump curves
• Once we know the system requirements, a pump that meets those requirements can be selected.
• Flow and head capabilities are shown on Pump Performance Curves.
• A pump performance curve has 4 man types:
• Head capacity curves
• Efficiency curves
• Horsepower curves
• NPSHR curves
Pump perfomance
curve
• Here’s a pump performance curve
showing the Head capacity, efficiency,
horsepower and NPSHR. Head
[feet]
• On the Y-axis we have the pump head
or TDH in feet. On the X-axis is our flow Efficiency
in gallons per minute. And here’s our [%]
head capacity curve.
• On the other X-axis we have our pump
efficiency in percent and the efficiency
curve.
Flow
[gpm]
• Using the same x-axis for flow, down
here on the Y-axis is our break
BHP NPSHR
horsepower and here’s the bhp curve [HP] [feet]
• Finally we have our Net Positive Suction
Head in feet on the other Y-axis and the
NPSHR curve
Points on a pump curve
Shut-Off Head Shut-Off Head/Dead
No flow performance, don’t run here for more than a few minutes (Damage Head
from heat buildup can occur) Operating
Point
Operating Point
This is where the pump is actually running, where the system curve Run-
intersects the performance curve Duty Point Out/End of
Curve
Duty Point
The design flow and head, this is what is required, usually based on calculations
Run Out/End of Curve Pump Efficiency
This is the maximum allowable flow rate for the pump. Flows exceeding this
should be avoided (Damage can occur)
Pump Efficiency
This is the pump hydraulic efficiency, does not typically include motor efficiency
Brake Horsepower
This is the horsepower required by the pump. Any point on this curve should
be lower than the motor nameplate horsepower
Brake Horsepower
NPSH
Net Positive Suction Head, the actual suction head of the system must be
lower than this value. Very important in boiler feed systems and systems
with flooded suction. Not so important for cold water from a pressurized NPSHR
source or hydronic heating/cool systems
Head capacity
curves
• Once manufactured, pumps are set up in a
test rig.
• The pump flow, suction pressure, discharge
pressure and horsepower are measured at
different points between zero flow and
maximum flow.
• This is the information used to develop the
pump performance curve.
Head capacity Flow TDH
test data gpm feet
0 410
• Here’s an example of pump test data for flow
and head. 100 360
200 310
300 250
350 190
Typical single stage pump curve
• Here’s an example of a 100
single stage pump
performance curve which is 90
9.5” 1750 RPM
a little different than our 9”
80
previous curve. 8.5”
70
8”
• Most single stage pump TOTAL 60 7.5”
designs have a volute HEAD
casing that can support IN 50 7”
multiple impeller sizes. FEET
40 40
NPSH
• The impellers are usually 30 30 R
made of a cast material like IN
bronze or stainless steel 20 20 FEET
which can be trimmed to a 10 10
smaller diameter.
0 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
US GALLONS PER
MINUTE
Typical single stage pump curve
• For example if a flow of 500 gpm at 55 100
feet of head is required we can see that
the 8.5” impeller will not be enough to 90
9.5” 1750 RPM
perform this capacity. Single stage 9”
80
impellers can be trimmed to meet 8.5”
particular performance requirements 70
8”
so in this case the impeller can be TOTAL
60 7.5”
trimmed to 8.625 inches Typically HEAD
impellers are trimmed in 1/8th inch IN 50 7”
increments. FEET
40 40
NPSH
• The efficiency curves are shown so that 30 30 R
pump efficiency can be determined for IN
the varying impeller trims. For this flow 20 20 FEET
and head the efficiency would be 10 10
between 78 and 79%, somewhere
around 78.4%. 0 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
• The brake horsepower curves are also US GALLONS PER
shown to accommodate the varying MINUTE
impeller sizes as well.
© Grundfos Holding A/S 2023
Summary
• Read and understand pump performance curves
• Know how to calculate water, brake and electrical horsepower
• Know how to calculate Net Positive Suction Head
• Know how to use the affinity laws to calculate the effects pump
speed and impeller diameter have on capacity, head and
horsepower requirements
