Instructor’s Guide

Flooded, Starved & Charged Pumps

INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE

Objective: Explain the characteristics of three Animation Overview: This animation is a se-
common pump and reservoir arrangements. quence of three screens. Use the NEXT and
BACK buttons, located along the bottom of the
screen, to navigate to other screens.

Interactive controls are circled in yellow.

Teaching with this Animation:

Step 1.  The first screen shows a flooded inlet

arrangement. The pump is three feet below the
fluid in the reservoir. This works out to a calcu-
lation of 1.2 PSI (positive pressure) at the pump
inlet; perfect for feeding a thirsty pump.

The term flooded inlet indicates that there is

positive pressure at the pump inlet. In this case,
positive pressure happens because the reservoir
is higher than the pump inlet. The weight of the
fluid in the reservoir pushes fluid into the inlet;
the pump does not need to suck fluid in.

CD Industrial Group Inc. © 2013 CD Industrial Group Inc. Rev. 01/16 Page 4-5
Instructor’s Guide

 Key Concept: Creating a flooded inlet is the ideal scenario. The pump
is producing flow effectively, and without damaging itself.

^ Discuss: What points are you measuring from to calculate the height by
which this pump inlet is flooded?

From the height of the fluid in the reservoir to the center of the eye on the pump
inlet.

Step 2.  Press NEXT to look at a starved inlet

scenario.

What has changed between the two scenarios?

• The pump is higher than the reservoir.
• Pressure at the gauge is negative.
• The pump can’t produce flow.
• The pump is suffering cavitation damage.

 Key Concept: A starved pump inlet is bad. The pump can’t produce
flow, and it will be damaged by cavitation.

Obviously, this is a bad situation. The pump is not effective, and it is being damaged. But sometimes
the pump must be located above the reservoir because of other design constraints.

Is there a way to create a flooded inlet and avoid cavitation when the pump must be higher than the
reservoir?

Step 3.  Press NEXT to bring up the charge

pump scenario.

The main pump is still above the reservoir, but

it is being fed by a charge pump. The charge
pump pushes fluid up to the main pump, which
creates a flooded inlet condition.

CD Industrial Group Inc. © 2013 CD Industrial Group Inc. Rev. 01/16 Page 4-6
Instructor’s Guide

^ Discuss: The charge pump is located straight out from the reservoir, yet
it still has a flooded inlet. How can this be true?

Remember - we are actually measuring from the top of the fluid in the reservoir to
calculate the flooded inlet height. It is causing more than enough positive pressure
against the pump inlet to flood it.

^ Discuss: Does it change your flooded inlet/starved inlet measurement

as fluid level in the reservoir changes?

Yes - it is important to plan for the lowest expected fluid level in the reservoir. An
alternative is to create a system whereby the tank is kept filled to a certain level.

 Key Concept: There are a couple of ways to create a flooded pump

inlet. You can mount the pump low enough that the weight of the flu-
id pushes it into the pump, or you can use a charge pump to push fluid against
the main pump inlet.

CD Industrial Group Inc. © 2013 CD Industrial Group Inc. Rev. 01/16 Page 4-7