typical hydraulic pump efficiency free sample

Editor"s Note: This is the first in a six-part series on centrifugal pump efficiency. For other articles in this series, clickCentrifugal Pump Efficiency series.

In this multi-part series, we will investigate several aspects of centrifugal pump efficiency. First, I will define efficiency and give some examples. Next, I will examine some of the design criteria that ultimately dictate the efficiency exhibited by a particular pump.

I will also try to make that somewhat nebulous quantity, known as specific speed, more meaningful. I will illustrate its effect on the shape of a pump’s performance curve and overall pump efficiency.

Next, I will explain the contributions of individual pump components to a pump’s overall efficiency and show why the combined efficiency of a pump and its driver is the product, not the average, of the two efficiencies.

How pump efficiency can be preserved by changing impeller speed rather than reducing it diameter will also be examined. Then I will compare the value of peak efficiency versus the breadth of efficiency over a range of flow. The discussion will end with the importance, or sometimes unimportance, of efficiency as it relates to a particular application or process.

When we speak of the efficiency of any machine, we are simply referring to how well it can convert one form of energy to another. If one unit of energy is supplied to a machine and its output, in the same units of measure, is one-half unit, its efficiency is 50 percent.

The efficiency of the typical automobile engine is around 20 percent. To put it another way, 80 percent of the heat energy in a gallon of gasoline does no useful work. Although gas mileage has increased somewhat over the years, that increase has as much to do with increased mechanical efficiency as increased engine efficiency itself.

In the pump industry, much of the work involves two extremely simple, yet efficient, machines—the centrifugal pump and the AC induction motor. The centrifugal pump converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy (flow, velocity and pressure), and the AC motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Many medium and larger centrifugal pumps offer efficiencies of 75 to 93 percent and even the smaller ones usually fall into the 50 to 70 percent range. Large AC motors, on the other hand, approach an efficiency of 97 percent, and any motor—ten horsepower and above—can be designed to break the 90 percent barrier.

The overall efficiency of a centrifugal pump is simply the ratio of the water (output) power to the shaft (input) power and is illustrated by the equation below:

The constant (3,960) converts the product of flow and head (GPM-feet) into BHP. These equations predict that a pump that produces 100 GPM at 30 feet of head and requires 1 BHP will have an overall efficiency is 75.7 percent at that flow point. An extension of the second equation also allows  the computation of the BHP required at any point on a pump’s performance curve if we know its hydraulic efficiency. I will show some examples of this later in this series.

The overall efficiency of a centrifugal pump is the product of three individual efficiencies—mechanical, volumetric and hydraulic. Mechanical efficiency includes losses in the bearing frame, stuffing box and mechanical seals. Volumetric efficiency includes losses due to leakage through the wear rings, balancing holes and vane clearances in the case of semi-open impellers. Hydraulic efficiency includes liquid friction and other losses in the volute and impeller.

Although mechanical and volumetric losses are important components, hydraulic efficiency is the largest factor. The centrifugal pump has a lot in common with the induction motor when it comes to the design phase. The commonality is that both have only two major components that can be modified by the designer. In the case of the motor, it is the rotor and the stator. For the centrifugal pump, it is the impeller and the volute (or diffuser). Let’s start our investigation of centrifugal pump efficiency with the impeller.

In the early days, that is exactly what pump designers did. Today, however, they can draw on years of experience and, at a minimum, find a suitable starting point for the design. That starting point is specific speed. Next month, we will investigate specific speed and how it can predict the performance of a particular impeller.

There are many great pump books available today, but one of the classics is now available as a free download at Google Books. Pumping Machinery was authored by Arthur M. Green, a professor of mechanical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was published by John Wiley & Sons over 100 years ago. It begins with a comprehensive history of pumps and ends with a detailed review of centrifugal pumps and their advances over the previous twenty years. You will be impressed at the level of knowledge possessed by the author. The number of illustrations is amazing and accounts for a significant portion of its 725 pages. This one gets an A+ rating from me.

Hydraulic losses relates to the construction of the pump or fan and is caused by the friction between the fluid and the walls, the acceleration and retardation of the fluid and the change of the fluid flow direction.

Mechanical components - like transmission gear and bearings - creates mechanical losses that reduces the power transferred from the motor shaft to the pump or fan impeller.

Due to leakage of fluid between the back surface of the impeller hub plate and the casing, or through other pump components - there is a volumetric loss reducing the pump efficiency.

The overall efficiency is the ratio of power actually gained by the fluid to power supplied to the shaft. The overall efficiency can be expressed as: η= ηh ηm ηv(4)

The losses in a pump or fan converts to heat that is transferred to the fluid and the surroundings. As a rule of thumb - the temperature increase in a fan transporting air is approximately 1oC.

An inline water pump works between pressure1 bar (1 105 N/m2)and 10 bar (10 105 N/m2).The density of water is 1000 kg/m3. The hydraulic efficiency is ηh= 0.91.

600 gpm of water is pumped a head of 110 ft. The efficiency ofthe pump i s 60% (0.6) and the specific gravity of water is 1. The pump shaft power can be calculated as

The shaft power - the power required transferred from the motor to the shaft of the pump - depends on the efficiency of the pump and can be calculated as Ps(kW) = Ph(kW)/ η (3)

Pumps tend to be one of the biggest energy consumers in industrial operations. Pump motors, specifically, require a lot of energy. For instance, a 2500 HP triplex pump used for frac jobs can consume almost 2000 kW of power, meaning a full day of fracking can cost several thousand dollars in energy costs alone!

So, naturally, operators should want to maximize energy efficiency to get the most for their money. Even a 1% improvement in efficiency can decrease annual pumping costs by tens of thousands of dollars. The payoff is worth the effort. And if you want to remotely control your pumps, you want to keep efficiency in mind.

In this post, we’ll point you in the right direction and discuss all things related to pump efficiency. We’ll conclude with several tips for how you can maintain pumping efficiency and keep your energy costs down as much as possible.

In simple terms, pump efficiency refers to the ratio of power out to power in. It’s the mechanical power input at the pump shaft, measured in horsepower (HP), compared to the hydraulic power of the liquid output, also measured in HP. For instance, if a pump requires 1000 HP to operate and produces 800 HP of hydraulic power, it would have an efficiency of 80%.

Remember: pumps have to be driven by something, i.e., an electric or diesel motor. True pump system efficiency needs to factor in the efficiency of both the motor AND the pump.

Consequently, we need to think about how electrical power (when using electric motors) or heat power (when using combustion engines) converts into liquid power to really understand pump efficiency.

Good pump efficiency depends, of course, on pump type and size. High-quality pumps that are well-maintained can achieve efficiencies of 90% or higher, while smaller pumps tend to be less efficient. In general, if you take good care of your pumps, you should be able to achieve 70-90% pump efficiency.

Motor efficiency is also an important factor here. Motor efficiency depends on the fuel type, whether electricity or hydrocarbon, which in turn depends on availability and cost.

AC motors can achieve 90%+ efficiency when converting electrical to mechanical energy. Combustion engines are much less efficient, with typical efficiency ratings coming in at ~20% for gasoline and ~40% for diesel. Your choice of engine or motor type will depend on the availability and cost of fuel or electricity in your area.

Now that we have a better understanding of the pump efficiency metric, let’s talk about how to calculate it. The mechanical power of the pump, or the input power, is a property of the pump itself and will be documented during the pump setup. The output power, or hydraulic power, is calculated as the liquid flow rate multiplied by the "total head" of the system.

Remember: we’re trying to find the ratio of power in to power out. Since rations require equal units on both sides, we"ll have to do some conversions to get our hydraulic power units in HP. You"ll see how this is done in the example below.

IMPORTANT: to calculate true head, you also need to factor in the work the pump does to move fluid from the source. For example, if the source water is below the pump, you need to account for the extra work the pump puts in to draw source water upwards.

*Note - this calculation assumes the pump inlet is not pressurized and that friction losses are minimal. If the pump experiences a non-zero suction pressure, or if there is significant friction caused by the distance or material of the pipe, these should be factored in as well.

You"ll notice that the elevation head is minimal compared to the discharge pressure, and has minimal effect on the efficiency of the pump. As the elevation change increases or the discharge pressure decreases, however, elevation change will have a greater impact on total head.

Obviously, that’s a fair amount of math to get at the pump efficiency, considering all of the units conversions that need to be done. To avoid doing these calculations manually, feel free to use our simple pump efficiency calculator.

Our calculations use static variables (pump-rated horsepower and water source elevation) and dynamic variables (discharge flow and pressure). To determine pump efficiency, we need to measure the static variables only once, unless they change.

If you want to measure the true efficiency of your pump, taking energy consumption into account, you could add an electrical meter. Your meter should consist of a current transducer and voltage monitor (if using DC) for electrical motors or a fuel gauge for combustion. This would give you a true understanding of how pump efficiency affects energy consumption, and ultimately your bank account.

Up until this point, we’ve covered the ins and outs of how to determine pump efficiency. We’re now ready for the exciting stuff - how to improve pump efficiency!

One of the easiest ways to improve pump efficiency is to actually monitor pumps for signs of efficiency loss! If you monitor flow rate and discharge (output power) along with motor current or fuel consumption, you’ll notice efficiency losses as soon as they occur. Simply having pump efficiency information on hand empowers you to take action.

Another way to increase efficiency is to keep pumps well-maintained. Efficiency losses mostly come from mechanical defects in pumps, e.g., friction, leakages, and component failures. You can mitigate these issues through regular maintenance that keeps parts in working order and reveals impending failures. Of course, if you are continuously monitoring your pumps for efficiency drops, you’ll know exactly when maintenance is due.

You can also improve pump efficiency by keeping pumps lubricated at all times. Lubrication is the enemy of friction, which is the enemy of efficiency (“the enemy of my enemy is my friend…”).

A fourth way to enhance pump efficiency is to ensure your pumps and piping are sized properly for your infrastructure. Although we’re bringing this up last, it’s really the first step in any pumping operation. If your pumps and piping don’t match, no amount of lubricant or maintenance will help.

Pipes have physical limits to how much fluid they can move at a particular pressure. If pipes aren’t sized properly, you’ll lose efficiency because your motor will have to work harder. It’s like air conditioning - if your ductwork isn’t sized appropriately for your home, you’ll end up paying more on your energy bill.

In this post, we’ve given you the full rundown when it comes to calculating and improving pump efficiency. You can now calculate, measure, and improve pump efficiency, potentially saving your business thousands of dollars annually on energy costs.

For those just getting started with pump optimization, we offer purpose-built, prepackaged solutions that will have you monitoring pump efficiency in minutes, even in hazardous environments.

In a condition-based maintenance environment, the decision to change out a hydraulic pump or motor is usually based on remaining bearing life or deteriorating efficiency, whichever occurs first.

Despite recent advances in predictive maintenance technologies, the maintenance professional’s ability to determine the remaining bearing life of a pump or motor, with a high degree of accuracy, remains elusive.

Deteriorating efficiency on the other hand is easy to detect, because it typically shows itself through increased cycle times. In other words, the machine slows down. When this occurs, quantification of the efficiency loss isn’t always necessary. If the machine slows to the point where its cycle time is unacceptably slow, the pump or motor is replaced. End of story.

In certain situations, however, it can be helpful, even necessary, to quantify the pump or motor’s actual efficiency and compare it to the component’s native efficiency. For this, an understanding of hydraulic pump and motor efficiency ratings is essential.

There are three categories of efficiency used to describe hydraulic pumps (and motors): volumetric efficiency, mechanical/hydraulic efficiency and overall efficiency.

Volumetric efficiency is determined by dividing the actual flow delivered by a pump at a given pressure by its theoretical flow. Theoreticalflow is calculated by multiplying the pump’s displacement per revolution by its driven speed. So if the pump has a displacement of 100 cc/rev and is being driven at 1000 RPM, its theoretical flow is 100 liters/minute.

Actualflow has to be measured using a flow meter. If when tested, the above pump had an actual flow of 90 liters/minute at 207 bar (3000 PSI), we can say the pump has a volumetric efficiency of 90% at 207 bar (90 / 100 x 100 = 90%).

Its volumetric efficiency used most in the field to determine the condition of a hydraulic pump - based on its increase in internal leakage through wear or damage. But without reference to theoretical flow, the actual flow measured by the flow meter would be meaningless.

A pump’s mechanical/hydraulic efficiency is determined by dividing thetheoretical torque required to drive it by the actual torque required to drive it. A mechanical/hydraulic efficiency of 100 percent would mean if the pump was delivering flow at zero pressure, no force or torque would be required to drive it. Intuitively, we know this is not possible, due to mechanical and fluid friction.

Table 1. The typical overall efficiencies of hydraulic pumps, as shown above, are simply the product of volumetric and mechanical/hydraulic efficiency.Source: Bosch Rexroth

Like theoretical flow, theoretical drive torque can be calculated. For the above pump, in SI units: 100 cc/rev x 207 bar / 20 x p = 329 Newton meters. But like actual flow, actual drive torque must be measured and this requires the use of a dynamometer. Not something we can - or need - to do in the field. For the purposes of this example though, assume the actual drive torque was 360 Nm. Mechanical efficiency would be 91% (329 / 360 x 100 = 91%).

Overall efficiency is simply the product of volumetric and mechanical/hydraulic efficiency. Continuing with the above example, the overall efficiency of the pump is 0.9 x 0.91 x 100 = 82%. Typical overall efficiencies for different types of hydraulic pumps are shown in the Table 1.

System designers use the pump manufacturers’ volumetric efficiency value to calculate the actual flow a pump of a given displacement, operating at a particular pressure, will deliver.

As already mentioned, volumetric efficiency is used in the field to assess the condition of a pump, based on the increase in internal leakage due to wear or damage.

When calculating volumetric efficiency based on actual flow testing, it’s important to be aware that the various leakage paths within the pump are usually constant. This means if pump flow is tested at less than full displacement (or maximum RPM) this will skew the calculated efficiency - unless leakage is treated as a constant and a necessary adjustment made.

For example, consider a variable displacement pump with a maximum flow rate of 100 liters/minute. If it was flow tested at full displacement and the measured flow rate was 90 liters/minute, the calculated volumetric efficiency would be 90 percent (90/100 x 100). But if the same pump was flow tested at the same pressure and oil temperature but at half displacement (50 L/min), the leakage losses would still be 10 liters/minute, and so the calculated volumetric efficiency would be 80 percent (40/50 x 100).

The second calculation is not actually wrong, but it requires qualification: this pump is 80 percent efficient at half displacement. Because the leakage losses of 10 liters/minute are nearly constant, the same pump tested under the same conditions will be 90 percent efficient at 100 percent displacement (100 L/min) - and 0 percent efficient at 10 percent displacement (10 L/min).

To help understand why pump leakage at a given pressure and temperature is virtually constant, think of the various leakage paths as fixed orifices. The rate of flow through an orifice is dependant on the diameter (and shape) of the orifice, the pressure drop across it and fluid viscosity. This means that if these variables remain constant, the rate of internal leakage remains constant, independent of the pump"s displacement or shaft speed.

Overall efficiency is used to calculate the drive power required by a pump at a given flow and pressure. For example, using the overall efficiencies from the table above, let us calculate the required drive power for an external gear pump and a bent axis piston pump at a flow of 90 liters/minute at 207 bar:

As you’d expect, the more efficient pump requires less drive power for the same output flow and pressure. With a little more math, we can quickly calculate the heat load of each pump:

No surprise that a system with gear pumps and motors requires a bigger heat exchanger than an equivalent (all other things equal) system comprising piston pumps and motors.

Calculation of preliminary cooler capacity: Heat dissipation from hydraulic oil tanks, valves, pipes and hydraulic components is less than a few percent in standard mobile equipment and the cooler capacity must include some margins. Minimum cooler capacity, Ecooler = 0.25Ediesel

At least 25% of the input power must be dissipated by the cooler when peak power is utilized for long periods. In normal case however, the peak power is used for only short periods, thus the actual cooler capacity required might be considerably less. The oil volume in the hydraulic tank is also acting as a heat accumulator when peak power is used.

The system efficiency is very much dependent on the type of hydraulic work tool equipment, the hydraulic pumps and motors used and power input to the hydraulics may vary considerably. Each circuit must be evaluated and the load cycle estimated. New or modified systems must always be tested in practical work, covering all possible load cycles.

Hydraulic pumps are mechanisms in hydraulic systems that move hydraulic fluid from point to point initiating the production of hydraulic power. Hydraulic pumps are sometimes incorrectly referred to as “hydrolic” pumps.

They are an important device overall in the hydraulics field, a special kind of power transmission which controls the energy which moving fluids transmit while under pressure and change into mechanical energy. Other kinds of pumps utilized to transmit hydraulic fluids could also be referred to as hydraulic pumps. There is a wide range of contexts in which hydraulic systems are applied, hence they are very important in many commercial, industrial, and consumer utilities.

“Power transmission” alludes to the complete procedure of technologically changing energy into a beneficial form for practical applications. Mechanical power, electrical power, and fluid power are the three major branches that make up the power transmission field. Fluid power covers the usage of moving gas and moving fluids for the transmission of power. Hydraulics are then considered as a sub category of fluid power that focuses on fluid use in opposition to gas use. The other fluid power field is known as pneumatics and it’s focused on the storage and release of energy with compressed gas.

"Pascal"s Law" applies to confined liquids. Thus, in order for liquids to act hydraulically, they must be contained within a system. A hydraulic power pack or hydraulic power unit is a confined mechanical system that utilizes liquid hydraulically. Despite the fact that specific operating systems vary, all hydraulic power units share the same basic components. A reservoir, valves, a piping/tubing system, a pump, and actuators are examples of these components. Similarly, despite their versatility and adaptability, these mechanisms work together in related operating processes at the heart of all hydraulic power packs.

The hydraulic reservoir"s function is to hold a volume of liquid, transfer heat from the system, permit solid pollutants to settle, and aid in releasing moisture and air from the liquid.

Mechanical energy is changed to hydraulic energy by the hydraulic pump. This is accomplished through the movement of liquid, which serves as the transmission medium. All hydraulic pumps operate on the same basic principle of dispensing fluid volume against a resistive load or pressure.

Hydraulic valves are utilized to start, stop, and direct liquid flow in a system. Hydraulic valves are made of spools or poppets and can be actuated hydraulically, pneumatically, manually, electrically, or mechanically.

The end result of Pascal"s law is hydraulic actuators. This is the point at which hydraulic energy is transformed back to mechanical energy. This can be accomplished by using a hydraulic cylinder to transform hydraulic energy into linear movement and work or a hydraulic motor to transform hydraulic energy into rotational motion and work. Hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders, like hydraulic pumps, have various subtypes, each meant for specific design use.

The essence of hydraulics can be found in a fundamental physical fact: fluids are incompressible. (As a result, fluids more closely resemble solids than compressible gasses) The incompressible essence of fluid allows it to transfer force and speed very efficiently. This fact is summed up by a variant of "Pascal"s Principle," which states that virtually all pressure enforced on any part of a fluid is transferred to every other part of the fluid. This scientific principle states, in other words, that pressure applied to a fluid transmits equally in all directions.

Furthermore, the force transferred through a fluid has the ability to multiply as it moves. In a slightly more abstract sense, because fluids are incompressible, pressurized fluids should keep a consistent pressure just as they move. Pressure is defined mathematically as a force acting per particular area unit (P = F/A). A simplified version of this equation shows that force is the product of area and pressure (F = P x A). Thus, by varying the size or area of various parts inside a hydraulic system, the force acting inside the pump can be adjusted accordingly (to either greater or lesser). The need for pressure to remain constant is what causes force and area to mirror each other (on the basis of either shrinking or growing). A hydraulic system with a piston five times larger than a second piston can demonstrate this force-area relationship. When a force (e.g., 50lbs) is exerted on the smaller piston, it is multiplied by five (e.g., 250 lbs) and transmitted to the larger piston via the hydraulic system.

Hydraulics is built on fluids’ chemical properties and the physical relationship between pressure, area, and force. Overall, hydraulic applications allow human operators to generate and exert immense mechanical force with little to no physical effort. Within hydraulic systems, both oil and water are used to transmit power. The use of oil, on the other hand, is far more common, owing in part to its extremely incompressible nature.

Pressure relief valves prevent excess pressure by regulating the actuators’ output and redirecting liquid back to the reservoir when necessary. Directional control valves are used to change the size and direction of hydraulic fluid flow.

While hydraulic power transmission is remarkably useful in a wide range of professional applications, relying solely on one type of power transmission is generally unwise. On the contrary, the most efficient strategy is to combine a wide range of power transmissions (pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical). As a result, hydraulic systems must be carefully embedded into an overall power transmission strategy for the specific commercial application. It is necessary to invest in locating trustworthy and skilled hydraulic manufacturers/suppliers who can aid in the development and implementation of an overall hydraulic strategy.

The intended use of a hydraulic pump must be considered when selecting a specific type. This is significant because some pumps may only perform one function, whereas others allow for greater flexibility.

The pump"s material composition must also be considered in the application context. The cylinders, pistons, and gears are frequently made of long-lasting materials like aluminum, stainless steel, or steel that can withstand the continuous wear of repeated pumping. The materials must be able to withstand not only the process but also the hydraulic fluids. Composite fluids frequently contain oils, polyalkylene glycols, esters, butanol, and corrosion inhibitors (though water is used in some instances). The operating temperature, flash point, and viscosity of these fluids differ.

In addition to material, manufacturers must compare hydraulic pump operating specifications to make sure that intended utilization does not exceed pump abilities. The many variables in hydraulic pump functionality include maximum operating pressure, continuous operating pressure, horsepower, operating speed, power source, pump weight, and maximum fluid flow. Standard measurements like length, rod extension, and diameter should be compared as well. Because hydraulic pumps are used in lifts, cranes, motors, and other heavy machinery, they must meet strict operating specifications.

It is critical to recall that the overall power generated by any hydraulic drive system is influenced by various inefficiencies that must be considered in order to get the most out of the system. The presence of air bubbles within a hydraulic drive, for example, is known for changing the direction of the energy flow inside the system (since energy is wasted on the way to the actuators on bubble compression). Using a hydraulic drive system requires identifying shortfalls and selecting the best parts to mitigate their effects. A hydraulic pump is the "generator" side of a hydraulic system that initiates the hydraulic procedure (as opposed to the "actuator" side that completes the hydraulic procedure). Regardless of disparities, all hydraulic pumps are responsible for displacing liquid volume and transporting it to the actuator(s) from the reservoir via the tubing system. Some form of internal combustion system typically powers pumps.

While the operation of hydraulic pumps is normally the same, these mechanisms can be split into basic categories. There are two types of hydraulic pumps to consider: gear pumps and piston pumps. Radial and axial piston pumps are types of piston pumps. Axial pumps produce linear motion, whereas radial pumps can produce rotary motion. The gear pump category is further subdivided into external gear pumps and internal gear pumps.

Each type of hydraulic pump, regardless of piston or gear, is either double-action or single-action. Single-action pumps can only pull, push, or lift in one direction, while double-action pumps can pull, push, or lift in multiple directions.

Vane pumps are positive displacement pumps that maintain a constant flow rate under varying pressures. It is a pump that self-primes. It is referred to as a "vane pump" because the effect of the vane pressurizes the liquid.

This pump has a variable number of vanes mounted onto a rotor that rotates within the cavity. These vanes may be variable in length and tensioned to maintain contact with the wall while the pump draws power. The pump also features a pressure relief valve, which prevents pressure rise inside the pump from damaging it.

Internal gear pumps and external gear pumps are the two main types of hydraulic gear pumps. Pumps with external gears have two spur gears, the spurs of which are all externally arranged. Internal gear pumps also feature two spur gears, and the spurs of both gears are internally arranged, with one gear spinning around inside the other.

Both types of gear pumps deliver a consistent amount of liquid with each spinning of the gears. Hydraulic gear pumps are popular due to their versatility, effectiveness, and fairly simple design. Furthermore, because they are obtainable in a variety of configurations, they can be used in a wide range of consumer, industrial, and commercial product contexts.

Hydraulic ram pumps are cyclic machines that use water power, also referred to as hydropower, to transport water to a higher level than its original source. This hydraulic pump type is powered solely by the momentum of moving or falling water.

Ram pumps are a common type of hydraulic pump, especially among other types of hydraulic water pumps. Hydraulic ram pumps are utilized to move the water in the waste management, agricultural, sewage, plumbing, manufacturing, and engineering industries, though only about ten percent of the water utilized to run the pump gets to the planned end point.

Despite this disadvantage, using hydropower instead of an external energy source to power this kind of pump makes it a prominent choice in developing countries where the availability of the fuel and electricity required to energize motorized pumps is limited. The use of hydropower also reduces energy consumption for industrial factories and plants significantly. Having only two moving parts is another advantage of the hydraulic ram, making installation fairly simple in areas with free falling or flowing water. The water amount and the rate at which it falls have an important effect on the pump"s success. It is critical to keep this in mind when choosing a location for a pump and a water source. Length, size, diameter, minimum and maximum flow rates, and speed of operation are all important factors to consider.

Hydraulic water pumps are machines that move water from one location to another. Because water pumps are used in so many different applications, there are numerous hydraulic water pump variations.

Water pumps are useful in a variety of situations. Hydraulic pumps can be used to direct water where it is needed in industry, where water is often an ingredient in an industrial process or product. Water pumps are essential in supplying water to people in homes, particularly in rural residences that are not linked to a large sewage circuit. Water pumps are required in commercial settings to transport water to the upper floors of high rise buildings. Hydraulic water pumps in all of these situations could be powered by fuel, electricity, or even by hand, as is the situation with hydraulic hand pumps.

Water pumps in developed economies are typically automated and powered by electricity. Alternative pumping tools are frequently used in developing economies where dependable and cost effective sources of electricity and fuel are scarce. Hydraulic ram pumps, for example, can deliver water to remote locations without the use of electricity or fuel. These pumps rely solely on a moving stream of water’s force and a properly configured number of valves, tubes, and compression chambers.

Electric hydraulic pumps are hydraulic liquid transmission machines that use electricity to operate. They are frequently used to transfer hydraulic liquid from a reservoir to an actuator, like a hydraulic cylinder. These actuation mechanisms are an essential component of a wide range of hydraulic machinery.

There are several different types of hydraulic pumps, but the defining feature of each type is the use of pressurized fluids to accomplish a job. The natural characteristics of water, for example, are harnessed in the particular instance of hydraulic water pumps to transport water from one location to another. Hydraulic gear pumps and hydraulic piston pumps work in the same way to help actuate the motion of a piston in a mechanical system.

Despite the fact that there are numerous varieties of each of these pump mechanisms, all of them are powered by electricity. In such instances, an electric current flows through the motor, which turns impellers or other devices inside the pump system to create pressure differences; these differential pressure levels enable fluids to flow through the pump. Pump systems of this type can be utilized to direct hydraulic liquid to industrial machines such as commercial equipment like elevators or excavators.

Hydraulic hand pumps are fluid transmission machines that utilize the mechanical force generated by a manually operated actuator. A manually operated actuator could be a lever, a toggle, a handle, or any of a variety of other parts. Hydraulic hand pumps are utilized for hydraulic fluid distribution, water pumping, and various other applications.

Hydraulic hand pumps may be utilized for a variety of tasks, including hydraulic liquid direction to circuits in helicopters and other aircraft, instrument calibration, and piston actuation in hydraulic cylinders. Hydraulic hand pumps of this type use manual power to put hydraulic fluids under pressure. They can be utilized to test the pressure in a variety of devices such as hoses, pipes, valves, sprinklers, and heat exchangers systems. Hand pumps are extraordinarily simple to use.

Each hydraulic hand pump has a lever or other actuation handle linked to the pump that, when pulled and pushed, causes the hydraulic liquid in the pump"s system to be depressurized or pressurized. This action, in the instance of a hydraulic machine, provides power to the devices to which the pump is attached. The actuation of a water pump causes the liquid to be pulled from its source and transferred to another location. Hydraulic hand pumps will remain relevant as long as hydraulics are used in the commerce industry, owing to their simplicity and easy usage.

12V hydraulic pumps are hydraulic power devices that operate on 12 volts DC supplied by a battery or motor. These are specially designed processes that, like all hydraulic pumps, are applied in commercial, industrial, and consumer places to convert kinetic energy into beneficial mechanical energy through pressurized viscous liquids. This converted energy is put to use in a variety of industries.

Hydraulic pumps are commonly used to pull, push, and lift heavy loads in motorized and vehicle machines. Hydraulic water pumps may also be powered by 12V batteries and are used to move water out of or into the desired location. These electric hydraulic pumps are common since they run on small batteries, allowing for ease of portability. Such portability is sometimes required in waste removal systems and vehiclies. In addition to portable and compact models, options include variable amp hour productions, rechargeable battery pumps, and variable weights.

While non rechargeable alkaline 12V hydraulic pumps are used, rechargeable ones are much more common because they enable a continuous flow. More considerations include minimum discharge flow, maximum discharge pressure, discharge size, and inlet size. As 12V batteries are able to pump up to 150 feet from the ground, it is imperative to choose the right pump for a given use.

Air hydraulic pumps are hydraulic power devices that use compressed air to stimulate a pump mechanism, generating useful energy from a pressurized liquid. These devices are also known as pneumatic hydraulic pumps and are applied in a variety of industries to assist in the lifting of heavy loads and transportation of materials with minimal initial force.

Air pumps, like all hydraulic pumps, begin with the same components. The hydraulic liquids, which are typically oil or water-based composites, require the use of a reservoir. The fluid is moved from the storage tank to the hydraulic cylinder via hoses or tubes connected to this reservoir. The hydraulic cylinder houses a piston system and two valves. A hydraulic fluid intake valve allows hydraulic liquid to enter and then traps it by closing. The discharge valve is the point at which the high pressure fluid stream is released. Air hydraulic pumps have a linked air cylinder in addition to the hydraulic cylinder enclosing one end of the piston.

The protruding end of the piston is acted upon by a compressed air compressor or air in the cylinder. When the air cylinder is empty, a spring system in the hydraulic cylinder pushes the piston out. This makes a vacuum, which sucks fluid from the reservoir into the hydraulic cylinder. When the air compressor is under pressure, it engages the piston and pushes it deeper into the hydraulic cylinder and compresses the liquids. This pumping action is repeated until the hydraulic cylinder pressure is high enough to forcibly push fluid out through the discharge check valve. In some instances, this is connected to a nozzle and hoses, with the important part being the pressurized stream. Other uses apply the energy of this stream to pull, lift, and push heavy loads.

Hydraulic piston pumps transfer hydraulic liquids through a cylinder using plunger-like equipment to successfully raise the pressure for a machine, enabling it to pull, lift, and push heavy loads. This type of hydraulic pump is the power source for heavy-duty machines like excavators, backhoes, loaders, diggers, and cranes. Piston pumps are used in a variety of industries, including automotive, aeronautics, power generation, military, marine, and manufacturing, to mention a few.

Hydraulic piston pumps are common due to their capability to enhance energy usage productivity. A hydraulic hand pump energized by a hand or foot pedal can convert a force of 4.5 pounds into a load-moving force of 100 pounds. Electric hydraulic pumps can attain pressure reaching 4,000 PSI. Because capacities vary so much, the desired usage pump must be carefully considered. Several other factors must also be considered. Standard and custom configurations of operating speeds, task-specific power sources, pump weights, and maximum fluid flows are widely available. Measurements such as rod extension length, diameter, width, and height should also be considered, particularly when a hydraulic piston pump is to be installed in place of a current hydraulic piston pump.

Hydraulic clutch pumps are mechanisms that include a clutch assembly and a pump that enables the user to apply the necessary pressure to disengage or engage the clutch mechanism. Hydraulic clutches are crafted to either link two shafts and lock them together to rotate at the same speed or detach the shafts and allow them to rotate at different speeds as needed to decelerate or shift gears.

Hydraulic pumps change hydraulic energy to mechanical energy. Hydraulic pumps are particularly designed machines utilized in commercial, industrial, and residential areas to generate useful energy from different viscous liquids pressurization. Hydraulic pumps are exceptionally simple yet effective machines for moving fluids. "Hydraulic" is actually often misspelled as "Hydralic". Hydraulic pumps depend on the energy provided by hydraulic cylinders to power different machines and mechanisms.

There are several different types of hydraulic pumps, and all hydraulic pumps can be split into two primary categories. The first category includes hydraulic pumps that function without the assistance of auxiliary power sources such as electric motors and gas. These hydraulic pump types can use the kinetic energy of a fluid to transfer it from one location to another. These pumps are commonly called ram pumps. Hydraulic hand pumps are never regarded as ram pumps, despite the fact that their operating principles are similar.

The construction, excavation, automotive manufacturing, agriculture, manufacturing, and defense contracting industries are just a few examples of operations that apply hydraulics power in normal, daily procedures. Since hydraulics usage is so prevalent, hydraulic pumps are unsurprisingly used in a wide range of machines and industries. Pumps serve the same basic function in all contexts where hydraulic machinery is used: they transport hydraulic fluid from one location to another in order to generate hydraulic energy and pressure (together with the actuators).

Elevators, automotive brakes, automotive lifts, cranes, airplane flaps, shock absorbers, log splitters, motorboat steering systems, garage jacks and other products use hydraulic pumps. The most common application of hydraulic pumps in construction sites is in big hydraulic machines and different types of "off-highway" equipment such as excavators, dumpers, diggers, and so on. Hydraulic systems are used in other settings, such as offshore work areas and factories, to power heavy machinery, cut and bend material, move heavy equipment, and so on.

Fluid’s incompressible nature in hydraulic systems allows an operator to make and apply mechanical power in an effective and efficient way. Practically all force created in a hydraulic system is applied to the intended target.

Because of the relationship between area, pressure, and force (F = P x A), modifying the force of a hydraulic system is as simple as changing the size of its components.

Hydraulic systems can transfer energy on an equal level with many mechanical and electrical systems while being significantly simpler in general. A hydraulic system, for example, can easily generate linear motion. On the contrary, most electrical and mechanical power systems need an intermediate mechanical step to convert rotational motion to linear motion.

Hydraulic systems are typically smaller than their mechanical and electrical counterparts while producing equivalents amounts of power, providing the benefit of saving physical space.

Hydraulic systems can be used in a wide range of physical settings due to their basic design (a pump attached to actuators via some kind of piping system). Hydraulic systems could also be utilized in environments where electrical systems would be impractical (for example underwater).

By removing electrical safety hazards, using hydraulic systems instead of electrical power transmission improves relative safety (for example explosions, electric shock).

The amount of power that hydraulic pumps can generate is a significant, distinct advantage. In certain cases, a hydraulic pump could generate ten times the power of an electrical counterpart. Some hydraulic pumps (for example, piston pumps) cost more than the ordinary hydraulic component. These drawbacks, however, can be mitigated by the pump"s power and efficiency. Despite their relatively high cost, piston pumps are treasured for their strength and capability to transmit very viscous fluids.

Handling hydraulic liquids is messy, and repairing leaks in a hydraulic pump can be difficult. Hydraulic liquid that leaks in hot areas may catch fire. Hydraulic lines that burst may cause serious injuries. Hydraulic liquids are corrosive as well, though some are less so than others. Hydraulic systems need frequent and intense maintenance. Parts with a high factor of precision are frequently required in systems. If the power is very high and the pipeline cannot handle the power transferred by the liquid, the high pressure received by the liquid may also cause work accidents.

Even though hydraulic systems are less complex than electrical or mechanical systems, they are still complex systems that should be handled with caution. Avoiding physical contact with hydraulic systems is an essential safety precaution when engaging with them. Even when a hydraulic machine is not in use, active liquid pressure within the system can be a hazard.

Inadequate pumps can cause mechanical failure in the place of work that can have serious and costly consequences. Although pump failure has historically been unpredictable, new diagnostic technology continues to improve on detecting methods that previously relied solely on vibration signals. Measuring discharge pressures enables manufacturers to forecast pump wear more accurately. Discharge sensors are simple to integrate into existing systems, increasing the hydraulic pump"s safety and versatility.

Hydraulic pumps are devices in hydraulic systems that move hydraulic fluid from point to point, initiating hydraulic power production. They are an important device overall in the hydraulics field, a special kind of power transmission that controls the energy which moving fluids transmit while under pressure and change into mechanical energy. Hydraulic pumps are divided into two categories namely gear pumps and piston pumps. Radial and axial piston pumps are types of piston pumps. Axial pumps produce linear motion, whereas radial pumps can produce rotary motion. The construction, excavation, automotive manufacturing, agriculture, manufacturing, and defense contracting industries are just a few examples of operations that apply hydraulics power in normal, daily procedures.

In waterworks and wastewater systems, pumps are commonly installed at the source to raise the water level and at intermediate points to boost the water pressure. The components and design of a pumping station are vital to its effectiveness. Centrifugal pumps are most often used in water and wastewater systems, making it important to learn how they work and how to design them. Centrifugal pumps have several advantages over other types of pumps, including:

A centrifugal pump consists of a rotating shaft that is connected to an impeller, which is usually comprised of curved blades. The impeller rotates within its casing and sucks the fluid through the eye of the casing (point 1 in Figure 10.1). The fluid’s kinetic energy increases due to the energy added by the impeller and enters the discharge end of the casing that has an expanding area (point 2 in Figure 10.1). The pressure within the fluid increases accordingly.

The characteristic curves of commercial pumps are provided by manufacturers. Otherwise, a pump should be tested in the laboratory, under various discharge and head conditions, to produce such curves. If a single pump is incapable of delivering the design flow rate and pressure, additional pumps, in series or parallel with the original pump, can be considered. The characteristic curves of pumps in series or parallel should be constructed since this information helps engineers select the types of pumps needed and how they should be configured.

Many pumps are in use around the world to handle liquids, gases, or liquid-solid mixtures. There are pumps in cars, swimming pools, boats, water treatment facilities, water wells, etc.  Centrifugal pumps are commonly used in water, sewage, petroleum, and petrochemical pumping. It is important to select the pump that will best serve the project’s needs.

The objective of this experiment is to determine the operational characteristics of two centrifugal pumps when they are configured as a single pump, two pumps in series, and two pumps in parallel.

Each configuration (single pump, two pumps in series, and two pumps in parallel) will be tested at pump speeds of 60, 70, and 80 rev/sec.  For each speed, the bench regulating valve will be set to fully closed, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% open.  Timed water collections will be performed to determine flow rates for each test, and the head, hydraulic power, and overall efficiency ratings will be obtained.

The hydraulics bench is fitted with a single centrifugal pump that is driven by a single-phase A.C. motor and controlled by a speed control unit. An auxiliary pump and the speed control unit are supplied to enhance the output of the bench so that experiments can be conducted with the pumps connected either in series or in parallel. Pressure gauges are installed at the inlet and outlet of the pumps to measure the pressure head before and after each pump. A watt-meter unit is used to measure the pumps’ input electrical power [10].

Consider the pump shown in Figure 10.3. The work done by the pump, per unit mass of fluid, will result in increases in the pressure head, velocity head, and potential head of the fluid between points 1 and 2. Therefore:

While pumping fluid, the pump has to overcome the pressure loss that is caused by friction in any valves, pipes, and fittings in the pipe system. This frictional head loss is approximately proportional to the square of the flow rate. The total system head that the pump has to overcome is the sum of the total static head and the frictional head. The total static head is the sum of the static suction lift and the static discharge head, which is equal to the difference between the water levels of the discharge and the source tank (Figure 10.4). A plot of the total head-discharge for a pipe system is called asystem curve; it is superimposed onto a pump characteristic curve in Figure 10.5. The operating point for the pump-pipe system combination occurs where the two graphs intercept [10].

Pumps are used in series in a system where substantial head changes take place without any appreciable difference in discharge. When two or more pumps are configured in series, the flow rate throughout the pumps remains the same; however, each pump contributes to the increase in the head so that the overall head is equal to the sum of the contributions of each pump [10]. For n pumps in series:

The composite characteristic curve of pumps in series can be prepared by adding the ordinates (heads) of all of the pumps for the same values of discharge. The intersection point of the composite head characteristic curve and the system curve provides the operating conditions (performance point) of the pumps (Figure 10.6).

Parallel pumps are useful for systems with considerable discharge variations and with no appreciable head change. In parallel, each pump has the same head. However, each pump contributes to the discharge so that the total discharge is equal to the sum of the contributions of each pump [10]. Thus for  pumps:

The composite head characteristic curve is obtained by summing up the discharge of all pumps for the same values of head.  A typical pipe system curve and performance point of the pumps are shown in Figure 10.7.

d) Record the pump 1 inlet pressure (P1) and outlet pressure (P2). Record the input power from the watt-meter (Wi).  (With the regulating valve fully closed, discharge will be zero.)

d) Record the pump 1 and 2 inlet pressure (P1) and outlet pressure (P2). Record the input power for pump 1 from the wattmeter (Wi). (With the regulating valve fully closed, discharge will be zero.)

Correct the pressure rise measurement (outlet pressure) across the pump by adding a 0.07 bar to allow for the difference of 0.714 m in height between the measurement point for the pump outlet pressure and the actual pump outlet connection.

In each of above graphs, show the results for single pump, two pumps in series, and two pumps in parallel – a total of three graphs. Do not connect the experimental data points, and use best fit to plot the graphs

How to read a pump performance curve remains a topic of great interest across the food, dairy, beverage, and pharmaceutical processing industries, so in this post we provide important information on two of our most popular styles —

With manufacturing lead times growing, selecting the right pump the first time is more important than ever. At the same time, understanding the full range of each pump’s capabilities under specific operating conditions gives you a window to your options, so you’re not locked in to just a few choices during the selection process.

Also called a pump selection curve, pump efficiency curve, or pump performance curve, a pump curve chart gives you the information you need to determine a pump"s ability to produce flow under the conditions that affect pump performance. Reading pump curves accurately helps you choose the right pump based on application variables such as:

A pump has to produce enough pressure differential to overcome head loss created in pipe systems by friction, valves, and fittings. A pump curve shows the two performance factors on the X,Y axis so you can see the volume of fluids a pump can transfer under various pressure conditions.

For example, if you know the flow rate your application requires, you find the gallons per minute (or hour) rate along the bottom horizontal line of the curve and then draw a line up to the head/PSI you require. The curve will show you if the pump you have selected will perform in that application.

Centrifugal pump curves are useful because they show pump performance metrics based on head (pressure) produced by the pump and water-flow through the pump. Flow rates depend on pump speed, impeller diameter, and head.

Head is the height to which a pump can raise water straight up.Water creates pressure or resistance, at predictable rates, so we can calculate head as the differential pressure that a pump has to overcome in order to raise the water.

Common units are feet of head and pounds per square inch. (A pump curve calculator might offer different units such as Bar or meters of head). As Figure 1 illustrates, every 2.31 feet of head equals 1 PSI.

Flow is the volume of water a pump can move at a given pressure. Flow is indicated on the horizontal axis in units like gallons per minute, or gallons per hour, as shown in Figure 2.

Total Dynamic Head (TDH) is the amount of head or pressure on the suction side of the pump (also called static lift), plus the total of 1) height that a fluid is to be pumped plus 2) friction loss caused by internal pipe roughness or corrosion.

Let"s say you want to know the flow rate you can achieve from the pump in Figure 3 at 60 Hz when the design pressure is 80 PSI. In this case, the curve shows that the pump can achieve a flow rate of 1321 gallons per hour at 80 PSI of discharge pressure.

Because some centrifugal pumps operate across a range of horsepower, their curves will include additional information. Figure 4, for example, features a pump that can operate from 2 to 10 horsepower depending on desired performance.

Reducing impeller size enables you to limit the pump to specific performance requirements. The curve above shows maximum pump performance with a full-trim impeller, minimum pump performance with a minimum-trim impeller, and performance delivered by the design-trim impeller, or the impeller trim closest to the design condition. Impellers are typically trimmed 0.20 inches (or 5mm) at a time.

In addition to pressure and flow, the curve at the bottom of Figure 4 indicates NPSHr, which stands for Net Positive Suction Head Required.NPSHr is the minimum amount of pressure required on the suction side of the pump to avoid cavitation, or the introduction of air into the fluid stream. NPSHr is determined by the pump. You always want NPSHa>NPSHr.

Good pump efficiency means that a pump is not wasting energy in order to maintain its performance point. No pump is 100% efficient, however, in the work it has to do to transfer liquids.

When selecting a pump and motor combination, consider not only the total current demand but future demand to ensure your selection has the capacity to meet changing requirements. To that end, sizing the pump for performance variables rather than peak efficiency is a common practice.

For example, while the middle of the pump efficiency curve is generally where a pump is operating at maximum efficiency in terms of pressure and flow rate, moving right on the curve above shows an increase in horsepower needed to maintain a flow rate as head increases. For example, 2 hp is required for a flow rate of 40 gpm with 80 feet of head, but maintaining 40 gpm of flow at 110 feet of head would require a 3 hp motor.

You can audit pumping systems using pump performance characteristics. Once you determine the best efficiency point (BEP) for your application, you can make adjustments to improve overall system efficiency, such as adding a variable frequency drive (VFD) and changing the diameter of the pump impeller. Controlling flow rate by adjusting pump speed via VFD instead of pressure valves can result in better efficiency and greater energy savings.

When using pumps in parallel, you can increase flow rate at the same rate of head.As figure 5 illustrates, using pumps in parallel gives you a flow rate that is the sum of pump A and pump B’s flow rates.

A positive displacement (PD) pump produces the same flow at a given speed (in revolutions per minute--RPM) no matter what the discharge pressure. Positive displacement pump curves give you the information you need to determine a pump"s ability to produce flow under the conditions that affect pump performance.

As RPM increases, the pump flow increases, from 0 gallons per minute or (GPM) at 0 RPM, to about 130 GPM at 500 RPM. Remember that some performance curve calculators might include units such as liters per minute (LPM), so check calculation units when using calculators.

Fig. 7. A PD pump curve indicates pump capacity, on the horizontal lines, in units per minute. In this example, the curve indicates gallons per minute (GPM)andliters per minute (LPM)in the left margin and the vertical lines indicates pump speed in revolutions per minute (RPM).

Positive displacement pumps deliver a constant flow of fluid at a given pump speed. When viscosity increases, however, resistance to flow increases, so to maintain system flow at higher viscosities, pumps require more horsepower.

Low viscosity also affects pump performance in the form of slip. Slip is the internal recirculation of low viscosity fluid from the discharge side of the pump back to the suction side of the pump.The amount of slip in a PD pump is influenced by the fluid’s viscosity and the discharge pressure.

As discharge pressure increases, keeping viscosity constant, more fluid slips from the discharge side to the suction side of the pump, so the pump must spin at a higher RPM to maintain output.

In Fig. 8, a positive displacement pump curve shows the influence of viscosity on slip with a correction chart. With changes in viscosity and pressure, slip correction indicates that flow capacity drops from a high of about 7 GPM to a low of about 3.5 GPM. Once viscosity is over 1000 cPs, slip basically doesn’t occur in liquid sanitary pumps. If slip is not a factor, use the 0 PSI line to determine flow rate.

Because PD pumps generate flow to transport relatively high viscosity fluids, PD pump selection requires analysis of three key influences on fluid transfer:

Dynamic viscosity is a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow. By common sense alone, we can imagine that water is less viscous, or resistant to flow, than corn syrup, so corn syrup has a higher viscosity than water. We measure internal resistance to flow as absolute viscosity (also referred to as dynamic viscosity). It is critical for the viscosity used to be consistent with “in pump” shear conditions, or shear rates of 800 or more s-1 (inverse seconds). As the following comparison shows, differences in viscosity vary dramatically by fluid:

Shear-sensitive liquids change viscosity when under stress,such as when they are hit by an impeller inside a pump. Some liquids become less viscous with increased force (called shear thinning), while others become more viscous with increased force (called shear thickening).

Continuing with the ketchup processing example, the next section discusses additional important information on pump curves: work horsepower (WHP), viscous horsepower (VHP), and Net Positive Suction Head required (NPSHr).

When you size a PD pump it will be important to select the correct brake horsepower. Brake horsepower (BHP) is the power the pump requires to overcome the discharge pressure. BHP is determined by adding the work horsepower (WHP) and the viscous (VHP) horsepower.

Work horsepower (WHP) is the horsepower required for the selected PD pump to achieve the desired flow rate considering the anticipated pressure drop from system components. Components like valves, heat exchangers, and filter/strainers, to name a few. WHP is sometimes called external horsepower.

Fig. 9. Work horsepower (WHP), is the horsepower required to operate a Positive Displacement Pump. As pressure from the discharge side of the pump increases, the pump requires additional horsepower to operate. For example, at 300 RPM and with 150 PSI, the pump requires 6.7 working horsep