Formulas to Find pump NPSH, Head loss in

suction and delivery lines with online

calculator
NPSH Calculation and Find pump suction and delivery line
head loss with online calculator

Contents [hide]

1 NPSH Calculation and Find pump suction and delivery line head loss with online
calculator
o 1.1 Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH):
1.1.1 Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHr ):
1.1.2 Net Positive Suction Head Available( NPSHa) :
1.1.2.1 Pressure Head (hp):
1.1.2.2 Static Suction Head (hS) :
1.1.2.3 Vapour Pressure Head (hvp):
1.1.2.4 Friction Head (hf):
1.1.3 Comparison of NPSHa and NPSHr :
1.1.4 Increasing the NPSH available :
o 1.2 Cavitation:
1.2.1 Avoiding cavitation :
o 1.3 Reynolds number (R ):
o 1.4 Resistance coefficient of pipe line ( ):
o 1.5 Head loss due to pipe line length in pump suction and delivery( J ):
o 1.6 Head loss of fittings in suction and delivery lines( I ) :
o 1.7 Online Calculator for Pump NPSHa calculation and also find head loss in
pump suction and delivery lines

1Abc Directory

Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH):

Net positive suction head is the term that is usually used to describe the absolute pressure of a
fluid at the inlet to a pump minus the vapour pressure of the liquid. The NPSH is always
positive since it is expressed in terms of absolute fluid column height in meter head or feet head.
The term Net refers to the actual pressure head at the pump suction flange and not the static
suction head. A minimum amount of suction pressure (head) is needed for a pump to operate
without cavitation.
When discussing centrifugal pumps, the two most important head terms are NPSHr and
NPSHa.

Net Positive Suction Head Required (NPSHr ):

The amount of NPSH the pump requires to avoid cavitation is called NPSHr. NPSH required is a
function of the pump design and is determined based on actual pump test by the vendor.

Net Positive Suction Head Available( NPSHa) :

The amount of NPSH available to the pump from the suction line is termed NPSHa. And also
NPSHa is defined as:

NPSHa = Pressure head + Static head Vapor pressure head of your product Friction
head loss in the piping, valves and fittings.

Pressure Head (hp):

Pressure head refers to absolute pressure on the surface of the liquid reservoir supplying the
pump suction, converted to feet of head or meter of head. If the system is open, hp equals
atmospheric pressure head.
Static Suction Head (hS) :

Head resulting from elevation of the liquid relative to the pump center line. If the liquid level
is above pump center line, hS is positive. If the liquid level is below pump center line, hS is
negative. Negative hS condition is commonly denoted as a suction lift condition.

Vapour Pressure Head (hvp):

The vapour pressure of liquid can be obtained from vapour pressure tables. When the vapour
pressure is converted to head, it is referred to as vapor pressure head, hvp. The value of hvp
of a liquid increases with the rising temperature and in effect, opposes the pressure on the liquid
surface, the positive force that tends to cause liquid flow into the pump suction i.e. it reduces the
suction pressure head.

Friction Head (hf):

The head required to overcome the resistance to flow in the pipe and fittings. It is dependent
upon the size, condition and type of pipe, number and type of pipe fittings, flow rate, and nature
of the liquid.

Comparison of NPSHa and NPSHr :

All calculated values must be in the same units either meter head or feet head. If the NPSHa is
greater than the NPSHr cavitation should not occur. If the NPSHa is lower than the
NPSHr then gas bubbles will form in the fluid and caviation will occur.
Increasing the NPSH available :

. To increase the NPSHa consider the following:

1. Increase the suction pipe work size to give a fluid velocity of about 1 m/sec or 3 ft/sec
2. Redesign the suction pipe work to eliminate bends, valves and fittings where possible.
3. Raise the height of the fluid container.
4. Pressurized the fluid container, but ensure that the pressure in the container is maintained
as the fluid level is lowered.

Cavitation:

Liquid entering the impeller eye turns and is split into separate streams by the leading edges of
the impeller vanes, an action which locally drops the pressure below that in the inlet pipe to the
pump. If the incoming liquid is at a pressure with insufficient margin above its vapour pressure,
then vapour cavities or bubbles appear along the impeller vanes just behind the inlet edges. This
Phenomenon is known as cavitation and has three undesirable effects:

The collapsing cavitation bubbles can erode the vane surface, especially when pumping
water-based liquids.
Noise and vibration are increased, with possible shortened seal and bearing life.
The cavity areas will initially partially choke the impeller passages and reduce the pump
performance. In extreme cases, total loss of pump developed head occurs.
Avoiding cavitation :

In a system where the pipe work layout provides a positive head, the motive force to move the
fluid to the pump will be the fluid surface pressure plus the positive head. Incorrect sizing of the
supply pipe work and isolating valves may result in high frictional losses which can still lead to
situations where the NPSHa is still too low to prevent cavitation.

Reynolds number (R ):

This is a dimensionless coefficient which characterizes the nature of the flow, whether laminar or
turbulent:

R=UxD/v

R = Reynolds number

U = fluid velocity, in m/sec

D = pipe diameter, in meters

v = kinematic viscosity of the fluid = g / in m/s

= absolute viscosity of the fluid, in kg s /m2

= density of the fluid, in kg/m3

g = gravity factor = 9.8 m/sec2

When R < 2,320, the flow is laminar, When R > 3,000, the flow is turbulent, When R lies
between these two values, the flow is unstable and may be either laminar or turbulent. The values
2,320 and 3,000 are called the upper and lower critical values of the Reynolds number.

Resistance coefficient of pipe line ( ):

This coefficient depends on the nature of the flow, in other words on the Reynolds number R.

Laminar flow : we shall take value for = 64 / R

Turbulent flow : With turbulent flow, X depends also on the state of the interior surface of the
pipe.

Smooth pipes. For R <100000 = 1 / (100R)0.25

For R> 100000 than take = 0.0032+ [0.221/ R0.237]

Rough pipe : . When the Reynolds number is very high (105 to 106, according to roughness),
we may take = 0.01(A/D)0.314

D = interior diameter of the pipe, in (ft.)

A = coefficient having the dimension of length, if take A= 1.5 for new metal , relatively
smooth , A= 2.5 for new cast iron or steel, A= 5 for old rusted lines

(Note : In below calculator consider formulas only 0.0032+ [0.221/ R0.237] for R value below
one lack , = 0.01(2.5/D)0.314 for R value from one lack to ten lack and =
0.01(5/D)0.314 for R value more than ten one lack)

Head loss due to pipe line length in pump suction and delivery( J ):

pressure drop (or loss of head) along the pipe, in m (ft.) head of liquid. In the same way, the
head loss may be expressed per unit length of pipe

J =[ /D] / (U2 /2g]

U = mean velocity of flow of the liquid, in m/s

g = gravity factor = 9.8m/sec2

D = diameter of pipe, in mtr

J= unit loss of head, in per meter length pipe

Head loss of fittings in suction and delivery lines( I ) :

pressure drop (or loss of head) along the bends or fittings of pipe line, in m (ft.)

I = K x U2 / 2g

U = mean velocity of flow of the liquid, in m/s

g = gravity factor = 9.8m/sec2

K = Resistance coefficient for particular fitting.

I = Head loss for that fitting in meters.

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