FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Pumping Systems
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madras

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Pump system head: in general

Pdr
CP

Hstatic=Hi+Hd+
(Pdr-Psr)/

CP

Hd

HP

Psr

Hloss=Hsloss + Hdloss+(CP2Cs2)/2g

Hi

C S HS
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

Hsystem=Hloss + Hstatic
IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

System head curve

For a given installation, the total static lift has a fixed value but the velocity
head and frictional head losses are proportional to Q. Thus the parabolic curve
obtained is known as the system head curve (as shown below).

Hsystem

H loss KQ 2
Q

Hstatic
Q
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

System head curve calculation: an example

Hf6
90 elbow

Hf6
Hf

Valve

Hf7

L2,DP
Pump

L1,DS

Hstatic

Hf4

90 elbow

Hf2 Hf3
90 elbow

H system H static H loss

H loss H f 1 H f 2 H f 3 H f 4 H f 5 H f 6 H f 7
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

Hf1
IIT Madars

Foot valve
4

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Pump performance curve

Qd

Constant speed pump characteristics

Note: This is usually related with the a single-stage centrifugal

pump (volute type). Typical specific speed, Ns=20.
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Operating point
For steady-state flow of a liquid through a pipeline system the total head (H) developed by a
pump must be equal to the system head (Hsystem) at a given flow-rate. This point is known as
operating point of a pump.

Hsystem
H

Qoper
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

Attempt should be made to match

the pump with the system in such a
way that the point of operation is
at/near the design/best efficiency
point.

Q
IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Pump performance curve

Constant speed pump characteristics

Q
Note: This is usually related with the an axial-flow pump. Typical specific
speed, Nq=213.
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Discussion on pump performance curves

Unstable characteristics curve: A head-capacity curve which has a peak is called an unstable
characteristic because the same head can be obtained at two different values of discharge. If
required to operate in the range in which the characteristic is unstable, the pump tends to
hunt between the two points on the H-Q curve for which H is the same.

Hsystem

A
S

H
Unstable

Stable

Q
Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

Unstable characteristics can be avoided by:

i) decreasing blade outlet angle (2)
ii)

reducing number of vanes and decreasing

frictional losses,
extending the inlet edge of the blade towards
the eye of the impeller.
iii)

IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Series operation of pumps

HB

Q
S
A

Pump-A

Pump-B

Q
HA+B
HA

Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

Two similar pumps connected in series

Q
IIT Madars

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Parallel operation of pumps

H

HA

HA+B

QA B
Pump-A

QA

HB

Pump-B

QB

Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madars

10

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

Summary
System curve for a pump has been explained and the intersection of the pump curve with
the system curve gives the operating point.

Series and parallel operations of pumps are also explained.

Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madars

11

FLUID DYNAMICS AND

TURBOMACHINES

PART-C Module-2 Pumps

THANK YOU

Dr. Dhiman Chatterjee

IIT Madras

12