Pumps
• Machine that provides energy to a fluid in a fluid
system.
• Converts the mechanical energy supplied to it
externally to hydraulic energy and transfers it to
the liquid flowing through a pipe
• Flow is normally from high pressure to low
pressure
• On the basis of mode of action of conversion of
mechanical energy to hydraulic energy, pumps
are classified as
– Rotodynamic pumps
– Positive displacement pumps
• In rotodynamic pumps, increase in energy level
is due to combination of centrifugal energy,
pressure energy and kinetic energy
• In displacement pumps, liquid is sucked and
then displaced due to the thrust exerted on it by
a moving member that results in the lifting of
liquid to a desired height.
Components of centrifugal
pumps
• Impeller
a rotating wheel fitted with a series of
backward curved vanes or blades
mounted on a shaft connected to the shaft of
an electric motor
• Casing
airtight passage surrounding the impeller
quite similar to the casing of a reaction
turbine.
• Casing can normally be of three types
– Volute casing (gradually increasing flow area)
– Vortex casing
– Casing with guide blades
• Vortex casing is used to increase the efficiency
of the pump by introducing a circular chamber
between the volute casing and pump (volute
pump with vortex chamber)
• Suction pipe
– Pipe connecting the inlet of the pump and the
sump is the suction pipe
– Dipping end is provided with a strainer and
foot valve
• Foot valve is a one way valve opening in one
direction
• When the pressure goes below the atmospheric
in suction pipe, the sump level opens the valve
upward
• Water starts going into the impeller which
delivers it to upper tank through delivery pipe
• Strainer is provided at the bottom of the suction
pipe to prevent debris from entering the pipe
• Delivery pipe
– Used for delivery of liquid
– One end connected to the outlet of the pump
while the other delivers the water at the
required height to the delivery tank
Working of centrifugal pump
• Works on the principle that when a certain mass of fluid
is rotated by an external source, it is thrown away from
the central axis of rotation and a centrifugal head is
impressed which enables it to rise to a higher level.
• First step toward the operation of the pump is primming
• Suction pipe, pump and portion of delivery pipe up to the
delivery valve is filled with water to remove any air or
vapour pocket.
• Done by pouring water through the inlet and
releasing the air release pin.
• Pump is started by electric motor to rotate the
impeller.
• Rotation of impeller in casing full of water
produces forced vortex which creates a
centrifugal head on the liquid
• The delivery valve is opened as the centrifugal
head is impressed.
• This results in the flow of liquid in an outward radial
direction with high velocity and pressure enabling
the liquid to enter the delivery pipe.
• Partial vacuum is created at the centre of the
impeller which makes the sump water at
atmospheric pressure to rush through the pipe
• Delivery of water from sump to delivery
pipe continues so long as the pump is on.
• It is normally considered as the reverse of
a radially inward flow reaction turbine.
Work done by the pump
• To find an expression for the work done, velocity
triangles at the inlet and outlet are drawn.
• Water enters the impeller radially with α=90 and the
Vw at inlet =0.
• Let N be the rotation of the impeller in rpm.
• D and D1 are the diameters of impeller at inlet and
outlet respectively.
• As it is the reverse of reaction turbine so
the work done by the impeller on water per
unit weight of water striking per second is
given by
1 1
Vwu Vw1u1 Vw1u1 Vwu
g g
Since
Vw 0
work done by impeller per unit weight per second
1
Vw1u1
g
If W is the weight of water given by
W Qg
Work done by impeller per second
W
Vw1u1
g
Discharge Q = area x velocity
Q DBV f D1 B1V f 1
B and B1 are the widths of the impeller at inlet
and outlet and Vf and Vf1 are the velocities of flow
at inlet and outlet
Speed ratio
u1
2 gH m
Flow ratio
Vf1
2 gH m
Head and efficiency
• Suction head is the vertical distance from sump
level to the centre line of pump (hs)
• Vertical distance from centre line of pump to water
surface in delivery tank is delivery head (hd)
• Sum of suction head and delivery head is static
head.
H s hs hd
• Manometric head is the head against which the
pump has to work
• For zero losses, manometric head is given by
Vw1u1
Hm
g
But losses do occur in the impeller and casing so
Vw1u1
Hm -(loss of head in impeller and casing)
g
Hm = total head at outlet of pump- total head
at inlet of pump
p0 V 2
pi Vi 2
H m 0
z 0 z i
2g 2g
where
p0
hd
2
V0 Is the velocity head at outlet
2g
2
V
d
2g
Zo is the vertical height of outlet from datum
pi
hs
and
2
Vd
2g
Vd
2
H m hs hd h fs h fd
2 g
Efficiencies
• Power is shifted from shaft of electric motor to
the shaft of pump and then to impeller.
• From impeller, shifted to water
• Following efficiencies are involved
Manometric efficiency
Manometric head/head imparted by impeller to water
Hm gH m
mano
Vw1u1 Vw1u1
g
Mechanical efficiency
(Power at impeller by liquid/power given to
shaft)
Overall efficiency
ratio of power output of the pump to power
input to the pump
