Process
Engineering
Knowledge Ahmed Younis
12/13/2024
Pumps Q&A [email protected]
Pumps Q&A
1. What do you mean by pump hydraulic power?
2. Explain pump sizing steps?
➢ Procedure
▪ Calculate Differential Head
Where:
ΔPpump = Pump differential pressure (kg/cm 2)
H = Pump differential head (m)
Ps = Pump suction pressure (kg/ cm2 G)
Pd = Pump discharge pressure (kg/ cm 2 G)
SpGr = Specific gravity at pumping temperature (-)
▪ Calculate NPSH Available
Where :
hp = Absolute pressure head due to pressure on the surface of liquid going to
suction (m)
hs = Static head, positive or negative, (m)
hf = Friction head in the suction piping, including entrance and exit losses (m)
ha = Acceleration head, for reciprocating pump (m)
hvp = Absolute vapor pressure of the liquid at suction temperature (m)
▪ Construct System curve.
▪ Calculate pump minimum flow.
▪ Calculate pump power.
3. What is the best efficiency point of the pump? (Toyo Engineering)
➢ It is the flow where minimum losses occur in the pump stationary passages and
the Impeller.
➢ The point on the map of head, capacity, and impeller diameter at which hydraulic
efficiency is maximum.
4. How to prevent cavitation in pumps? (Jacobs India )
➢ Cavitation is prevented by preventing vapor formation within a pump by
Cooling the liquid in suction side,
Increase suction static head
5. How to calculate the power of a pump? (Jacobs India)
6. What is the pump shut off pressure? (Linde India)
➢ It is pump pressure at no flow (closed discharge control valve)
7. What are the line sizing criteria for pump suction & discharge line? (KBR
India)
➢ Pump suction line (Typical velocity ~ 1 m/s)
➢ Pump discharge line (Typical velocity ~ 3 m/s)
8. Discuss instrumentation and valves for area around centrifugal pump
➢ Discharge Pressure gage
➢ Discharge control valve
➢ Check Valve on discharge
➢ Bypass Valve
➢ Inlet Strainer
➢ Reducer & Expanders
9. What are the effects of the pump operating away from BEP?
➢ Pump Efficiency drop
➢ Casing Wear
➢ Seal Wear
➢ Pump damage
10. What is meant by the pump shut off head?
➢ Shut off head is the maximum head achievable by pumps and occurs at zero flow. It
consumes minimal power at this point. One clear sign of shut off head is when pump
vibrates more than usual and generates way more noise.
11. What are the input parameters in pump sizing? (LoneStar Technology)
➢ Operating Conditions
• The following is a summary of operating conditions data to be specified before the pump
design.
• Flow rate of liquid (maximum, normal and minimum)
• Operating temperature (maximum, normal and minimum)
• Suction pressure (maximum and normal)
• Physical properties of pumped fluid (Specific gravity, Viscosity, Vapor pressure and
Specific heat (if temperature rise at pump should be estimated)
➢ Performance Requirements
• Differential head
• Net positive suction head available (NPSHA)
• Automatic start/stop for spare pump (if necessary)
• Design conditions (temperature and pressure)
12. Is the pump suction line greater than the discharge line? Why?
➢ Yes to minimize the turbulence and eliminate fluid vaporization (maximum
velocity is 1 m/s).
13. What are the different types of pumps used in the industry?
➢ Centrifugal pump
➢ Positive displacement pump (Rotary and Reciprocating)
14. Explain the necessity of the performance curves to size the pump?
➢ Performance curves are Graphs that show the produced head, the required
power, the NPSH required, and the efficiency as functions of flow rate. By using these
curves operation range of the pump could be determined also these curves is helpful in
assessing the pump operation problems and malfunctions
15. Differentiate between pump and compressor?
➢ A pump is a device that expends energy to raise, transport, or compress fluids.
➢ Compressor is used when the pressure of a gas is to be increased.
16. Draw Pump characteristics curve. (Jacobs India)
17. Draw P&ID for storage tank with pump at downstream and mention the
instrument needed. (Saipem India)
18. What is meant by NPSH of the pump? (Samsung Engineering)
➢ Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH): The net positive suction head required to
keep a centrifugal pump from cavitating. Cooling a liquid in a pump’s suction line
increases the pump’s available NPSH, as does increasing the liquid level in the
suction drum.
19. What is the output of pump hydraulics study? (Samsung Engineering)
➢ estimation of pump type
➢ estimation of hydraulic horsepower, brake horsepower and motor driver power.
20. What are pump curves? (Ingenero India)
➢ Head versus capacity
➢ Efficiency versus capacity
➢ Horsepower versus capacity
➢ NPSHR versus capacity
21. What is the pump overpressure causes? (Ingenero India)
➢ Blocked discharge side(control valve)
➢ cavitation
➢ Pressure transducer fault
22. What is NPSHavailable?
➢ Actual pressure at the pump suction (-) vapor pressure of the liquid.
