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Eccentric reducers and straight runs of pipe at pump suction
09.01.2010 | Bloch, H. P., HP, Staff
Keywords: [pumps] [piping] [maintenance]
Questions relating to proper reducer application in centrifugal pump suction lines date back many decades. Until
his death (at age 84, in 1995), world-renowned pump expert Igor Karassik frequently corresponded with the writer
and other pump users on pump-related subjects. We rarely pass up an opportunity to highlight some of his
experience-based comments.
Once, a pump user referred to Fig. 1 and noted that this was quite typical of illustrations found in many textbooks.
In essence, Fig. 1 indicates that, with a suction line entering the pump in the horizontal plane, the eccentric reducer
is placed with the flat at the top. Available texts often give no indication as to whether the pumpage came from
above or below the pump.
Fig. 1. Illustration of eccentric reducer mounting from
Hydraulic Institute Standards.
Igor Karassik agreed that, if the supply source was from above the pump, the eccentric reducer should be installed
with the flat (horizontal) surface at the bottom. Entrained vapor bubbles could then migrate back into the source
instead of staying near the pump suction. If the pump suction piping entered after a long horizontal run or from
below the pump, the flat of the eccentric reducer should be at the top.1
Still, in many older texts it has been assumed that the pumpage source originated at a level below the pump suction
nozzle. Karassik reminded us that older Hydraulic Institute Standards commented on the suction pipe slope:
...Any high point in the suction pipe will become filled with air and thus prevent proper operation of the pump. A
straight taper reducer should not be used in a horizontal suction line as an air pocket is formed in the top of the
reducer and the pipe. An eccentric reducer should be used instead.
This instruction applies regardless of where the pumpage originates. Depending on the particulars of an
installation, trapped vapors can reduce the effective suction line cross-sectional area. Should that be the case, flow
velocities would tend to be higher than anticipated. Higher friction losses would occur and pump performance
would be adversely affected.
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In the case of a liquid source above the pump suction, and particularly where the suction line consists of an
eccentric reducer followed by an elbow turned vertically upward and a vertical pipe lengthall assembled in that
sequence from the pump suction flange upstreamit will be mandatory for the eccentric reducer flat side to be at
the bottom. That said, Fig. 2 should clarify what reliability-focused users need to implement.
Fig. 2. Suggested modifications for eccentric reducer
mountings.
Also, whenever vapors must be vented against the flow direction, the line size upstream of any low point must be
governed by an important criterion. The line must be a diameter that will limit the pumpage velocity to values
below those where bubbles will rise through the liquid.
In general, it can be stated that wherever a low point exists in a suction line, the horizontal piping run at that point
should be kept as short as possible. In a proper installation, the reducer flange will thus be located at the pump
suction nozzle and there is usually no straight piping between reducer outlet and pump nozzle. Straight pipe
lengths are, however, connected to the eccentric reducer inlet flange. On most pumps, one usually gets away with
five diameters of straight length next to the reducer. In the case of certain unspecified velocities and other
interacting variables (e.g., viscosity, NPSH margin, pump style, etc.), it might be wise to install as many as 10
diameters of straight length next to the reducer inlet flange. The two different rules-of-thumb explain seeming
inconsistencies in the literature, where both the 5 and 10-D rules can be found. HP
LITERATURE CITED
1
Karassik, Igor J., Centrifugal Pump Clinic, 2nd Ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1989.
The author
Heinz P. Bloch is HPs Equipment/Reliability Editor. The author of 17 textbooks and over 470 papers or articles,
he advises process plants worldwide on reliability improvement and maintenance cost reduction opportunities. His
coauthored Bloch/Budris text, Pump Users Handbook, is comprehensive and very widely used. Find the 2nd
edition under ISBN 0-88173-517-5. He can be contacted at [email protected].
mojtaba javan
06.11.2012
CHARLES
02.09.2012
Shankar
12.10.2011
tanks for this paper.
www.mojtabajavan.ir
Thanx for your info. Now i know.
Regards
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02.28.2011
Why should provide the eccentric reducer in the pump suction and why not provide
concentric reducer????......if any special purpose of providing the eccentric????......
pls give suggestion.....
As to why the eccentric reducer should be mounted with flat bottom at bottom for
pumpage Source above pump suction is still very unclear to me..Kindly elaborate the
same .
Rgds
Anirban
Dear Sir,
09.23.2010
Please also include some guide line for
(1) straight length requirement for various types of Pumps i.e. OH2 / BB1 / BB2 /
Multistage Pumps and for type of Suction i.e. single / double suction
(2) If due to Lay out constrain can we go for 3D stratght length for suction
Waitng for your reply
09.21.2010
09.20.2010
Thanks,
Kiran
Thank God you clarified. There are innumerable references & books propagating the
incorrect reducer connection And there must be millions of incorrect installations. I
as a project man (non Mech.) and going by basic principals had argued with Pump
specialists over this anomaly when a pump was misbehaving but was shown the text
book.
I had the priviledge to attend a pumping problems class led by Igor Karrasik. I still
have the course notes and have used them for over 30+ years.
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