SUMMARY

The objective of this experiment is to understand the conversion of measured units of

quantity to those of the variables necessary to calculate pump performance. To obtain the various
characteristic curves for a centrifugal pump operating at inherent speed. And to demonstrate the
operating characteristics of two pump running in a series and a parallel pumping installation.

INTRODUCTION
Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of kinetic pump, and are used most often in
applications with moderate-to-high flow and low head. As the workhorse of the chemical process
industries (CPI), centrifugals are almost always more economical to own, operate and maintain than
other types of pumps. Many hydraulic systems employ centrifugal pumps to move fluid through a
piping system. These pumps all rely on centrifugal force as the fundamental principle by which
they operate.
An increase in the fluid pressure from the pump inlet to its outlet is created when the pump
is in operation. This pressure difference drives the fluid through the system or plant. The centrifugal
pump creates an increase in pressure by transferring mechanical energy from the motor to the fluid
through the rotating impeller. The fluid flows from the inlet to the impeller centre and out along its
blades. The centrifugal force hereby increases the fluid velocity and consequently also the kinetic
energy is transformed to pressure.

PROCEDURE

Lab 1.1

Open inlet valve V fully and close the discharge valve V2 then start the pump (pump motor
started under minimum load). Open discharge valve V2 fully, and allow the water to circulate until
all air bubbles have dispersed. Select 'Diagram' and note the value of the volume flow indicated at
the bottom of the screen. Gradually close discharge valve V2 until the volume flow is
approximately half of the maximum reading.
When the indicated readings of the 5 measured variables are reasonably constant, select the
'Take Sample' button from the menu-bar. It necessary to take three sets of results for this exercise.
Now select the 'Tables' button from the menu-bar, and you will see the results of your test sample
laid out as one row of a Table under one of two headings: 'Measured Variables' and 'Calculated
Variables'. Take note the values of the measured variables your sample took, as follows: Differential
pressure across orifice dPo [kPa]; Volumetric flow rate, Qv [dm3/s]; Differential pressure across
pump 1 dPp1 [kPa]; Motor Input Power Pgr [W]; Motor speed, N[Hz]; Water Temperature T [oC].

Lab 1.2 and Lab 1.3

I - Select maximum pump speed N1 by adjusting the power controller to 100% and open inlet
valve V1 fully. Close discharge valve V2 then start the pump (pump motor started under minimum
load). (Open discharge valve V2 fully and allow the water to circulate until all air bubbles have
dispersed. Select 'Diagram' and note the value of the volume flow indicated at the bottom of the
screen. Decide on suitable increments in flow to give adequate sample points (typically 15 points
between zero and maximum flow).
Close valve V2 to correspond to the condition of no flow i.e. Qv = 0. When the measured
readings as indicated in the boxes on the schematic diagram are sufficiently steady, select 'Take
Sample'. This represents the first point on the characteristic curve. Open valve V2 slightly, to give
the first increment in volume flow at the bottom of the screen. When readings are steady enough,
select 'Take Sample'. Repeat this step for a gradually increasing set of valve V2 openings, i.e.,
increasing values of flow Qv. The final sample point will correspond to valve V2 being fully open.

Lab 1.4

Select maximum pump speed N by adjusting the power controller to 100% on both pumps and
open the inlet valves to both pumps fully. Close discharge valve V5 then start the pumps (pump
motors started under minimum load). Open discharge valve V5 fully and allow the water to
circulate until all air bubbles have dispersed.
Click on the button 'Singlelparallel, on the 'Diagram' screen to set the configuration to single
pump operation. Pump two on the diagram should be shadowed. Switch off pump two and set the
valves as shown on the screen.
Close Valve V5, to correspond to the condition of no flow i.e. Qv = 0. When the measured
readings as indicated in the boxes on the schematic diagram are sufficiently steady, select 'Take
Sample'. This represents the first point on the characteristic curve. Open valve V5 slightly, to give
the first increment in volume flow at the bottom of the screen. When readings are steady enough,
select 'Take Sample'. Repeat this step for a gradually increasing set of valve V5 openings, i.e.
increasing values of flow Qv. The final sample point will correspond to valve V5 being fully open.

RESULTS

Lab 1.1
Data
set 1
Differential pressure across orifice,
dP0 [KPa]
Volumetric flow rate, Qv [dm3/s]
Differential pressure across pump
1, dPp1 [KPa]
Motor input power, Pgr [W]
Motor speed, N[Hz]
Water temperature, T[C]
Table 1 Data from Lab 1.1.

Data set 1

Volumetric flow rate:

0.205
0.099
71.54
3
230.2
2
54
18.9

Data
set 2
0.12
0.081
51.56
3
204.3
5
46
19

Data
set 3
0.103
0.057
17.61
7
139.8
9
27
19.2

0.74 (0.018 m)2 2 1000

Qv =

4 1000

Kg
Kg
205
3
m
m. s 2

Kg
m3

=1.205 104

m3
s

Head:
Kg
m . s2
H=
=7.30 m
m
Kg
9.8 2 1000 3
s
m
71543

Power input:
P=1000

3
Kg
m
Kg. m2
4 m
9.8
1.205
10
7.30
m=8.62
8.62W
s
m3
s2
s3

Overall Efficiency:
E gr=

8.62W
100 =3.74
230.22W

Data set 2

Volumetric flow rate:

2

0.74 (0.018 m) 2 1000

Qv =

4 1000

Kg
3
m

Kg
Kg
120
3
m
m. s 2

=0.922 10

Head:
Kg
2
m .s
H=
=5.26 m
m
Kg
9.8 2 1000 3
s
m
51563

Power input:
P=1000

3
Kg
m
4 m
9.8
0.922
10
5.26 m=4.75 W
3
2
s
m
s

Overall Efficiency:

m3
s

9
E gr=

4.75W
100 =2.32
204.35W
Data set 3

Volumetric flow rate:

2

0.74 (0.018 m) 2 1000

Qv =

4 1000

Kg
Kg
103
3
m
m. s 2

Kg
3
m

=0.855 10

m3
s

Head:
Kg
m . s2
H=
=1.8 m
m
Kg
9.8 2 1000 3
s
m
17617

Power input:
P=1000

3
Kg
m
4 m
9.8
0.855
10
1.8 m=1.51 W
s
m3
s2

Overall Efficiency:
E gr=

1.51W
100 =1.08
139.89W
Lab 1.2

Qv
[m3/s]
0.00012
5
0.00020
3
0.00039
3
0.00044
6
0.00050
3
0.00054

Head
[m]

Power Output,
[W]

Overall
Efficiency

6.88

8.1

4.5

6.54

14.8

5.3

5.29

21.3

8.3

5.23

22.4

8.8

Power
Input, Pe
[W]
180
279.24
256.63
254.54
258.33

5.11
4.95

24.8
27.3

9.6
9.9

275.75

11
6
Table 2 Data from Lab 1.2.

300

12

250

10

200

Head [m] 150

Power Input, Pe [W]

100

Head [m]

50

Overall Efficiency

0
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Qv [m3/s]

Graph 1 Centrifugal pumps characteristics

Lab 1.3 and 1.4

Series
Parallel
Configuration
Configuration
Qv
Head
Qv
Head
[m3/s] [m]
[m3/s] [m]
0.0001
0.0001
52
16.18
15
8.64
0.0003
0.0002
35
14.47
4
8.08
0.0004
0.0004
84
12.42
88
7.64
0.0005
0.0007
3
11.31
4
7.02
0.0006
0.0008
35
9.52
98
6.57
0.0007
0.0009
02
8.65
87
6.32
0.0007
25
8.48 0.0012
5.92
0.0012
02
5.58
Table 3 Data from Lab 1.3 and 1.4.

13
20
15
Head [m] 10

Series
Single Pump

5
0
0

Qv [m3/s]

Graph 2 Head Capacity curves for single and series pumps.

10
8
6
Head [m]

Parallel

Single Pump

2
0
0

Qv [m3/s]

Graph 3 Head Capacity curves for single and parallel pumps.

DISCUSSIONS
From the first part of experiments, the losses noted between the values found by equations
and read by the software, occur because the friction of the water with the pipe, or could be originate
from human mistakes and wrong dimensional analysis.
In the graph 02, can be noted that when centrifugal pumps are connected in series we have
each of the pumps putting energy into the pumping fluid then the result observed shows the
resultant head as the sum of the individual heads. In the Graph 03 it can be note that when in
parallel, the pumps can produce twice the flow of a single pump.

15

CONCLUSIONS
In this lab, could be understand the pump performance, calculated from the equations.
Could be obtained the characteristic curves for a centrifugal pump. And were demonstrated the
operating characteristics of two pump running in a series and a parallel pumping installation
compared with a single pump and could be noted that in parallel pump the flow is twice that a
single pump and in a series pump the head is the sum of the heads in a single pump.

17

REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] _____. Pump Selection.

<http://www.engg.uaeu.ac.ae/walid.shorbagy/hydrolab/exper.htm> Accessed in February

14th, 2014.
[2] _____. Laboratory Manual. Regina, Saskatchewan. University of Regina.
[3] _____. Centrifugal principles. <http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/pumps-valvesaccessories/centrifugal-principles> Accessed in February 14th, 2014.

[4] Grundfos Research and Technology. Understand the Basics of Centrifugal Pump
Operation - Fluids/Solids Handling. Cep Magazine. May 2002

[5] FERNANDEZ, K. et al. The Centrifugal Pump.