mud pump discharge formula brands

Positive displacements pumps are generally used on drilling rigs to pump high pressure and high volume of drilling fluids throughout a drilling system. There are several reasons why the positive displacement mud pumps are used on the rigs.

The duplex pumps (Figure 1) have two cylinders with double acting. It means that pistons move back and take in drilling mud through open intake valve and other sides of the same pistons, the pistons push mud out through the discharge valves.

When the piston rod is moved forward, one of intake valves is lift to allow fluid to come in and one of the discharge valve is pushed up therefore the drilling mud is pumped out of the pump (Figure 2).

On the other hand, when the piston rod is moved backward drilling fluid is still pumped. The other intake and discharge valve will be opened (Figure 3).

The triplex pumps have three cylinders with single acting. The pistons are moved back and pull in drilling mud through open intake valves. When the pistons are moved forward and the drilling fluid is pushed out through open discharge valves.

When the piston rods are moved forward, the intake valves are in close position and the discharge valves are in open position allowing fluid to discharge (Figure 5).

On the contrary when the piston rods are moved backward, the intake valve are opened allowing drilling fluid coming into the pump (Figure 6). This video below shows how a triplex mud pump works.

Because each pump has power rating limit as 1600 hp, this will limit capability of pump. It means that you cannot pump at high rate and high pressure over what the pump can do. Use of a small liner will increase discharge pressure however the flow rate is reduces. Conversely, if a bigger liner is used to deliver more flow rate, maximum pump pressure will decrease.

As you can see, you can have 7500 psi with 4.5” liner but the maximum flow rate is only 297 GPM. If the biggest size of liner (7.25”) is used, the pump pressure is only 3200 psi.

Finally, we hope that this article would give you more understanding about the general idea of drilling mud pumps. Please feel free to add more comments.

Mud pump is one of the most critical equipment on the rig; therefore personnel on the rig must have good understanding about it. We’ve tried to find the good training about it but it is very difficult to find until we’ve seen this VDO training and it is a fantastic VDO training about the basic of mud pumps used in the oilfield. Total length of this VDO is about thirteen minutes and it is worth to watch it. You will learn about it so quickly. Additionally, we also add the full detailed transcripts which will acceleate the learning curve of learners.

Powerful mud pumps pick up mud from the suction tank and circulate the mud down hole, out the bit and back to the surface. Although rigs usually have two mud pumps and sometimes three or four, normally they use only one at a time. The others are mainly used as backup just in case one fails. Sometimes however the rig crew may compound the pumps, that is, they may use three or four pumps at the same time to move large volumes of mud when required.

Rigs use one of two types of mud pumps, Triplex pumps or Duplex pumps. Triplex pumps have three pistons that move back-and-forth in liners. Duplex pumps have two pistons move back and forth in liners.

Triplex pumps have many advantages they weight 30% less than a duplex of equal horsepower or kilowatts. The lighter weight parts are easier to handle and therefore easier to maintain. The other advantages include;

• One of the more important advantages of triplex over duplex pumps, is that they can move large volumes of mud at the higher pressure is required for modern deep hole drilling.

Triplex pumps are gradually phasing out duplex units. In a triplex pump, the pistons discharge mud only when they move forward in the liner. Then, when they moved back they draw in mud on the same side of the piston. Because of this, they are also called “single acting.” Single acting triplex pumps, pump mud at a relatively high speeds. Input horsepower ranges from 220 to 2200 or 164 to 1641 kW. Large pumps can pump over 1100 gallons per minute, over 4000 L per minute. Some big pumps have a maximum rated pressure of over 7000 psi over 50,000 kPa with 5 inch/127 mm liners.

Here is a schematic of a triplex pump. It has three pistons each moving in its own liner. It also has three intake valves and three discharge valves. It also has a pulsation dampener in the discharge line.

Look at the piston at left, it has just completed pushing mud out of the liner through the open discharge valve. The piston is at its maximum point of forward travel. The other two pistons are at other positions in their travel and are also pumping mud. But for now, concentrate on the left one to understand how the pump works. The left piston has completed its backstroke drawing in mud through the open intake valve. As the piston moved back it instead of the intake valve off its seat and drew mud in. A strong spring holds the discharge above closed. The left piston has moved forward pushing mud through the now open discharge valve. A strong spring holds the intake valve closed. They left piston has completed its forward stroke they form the length of the liner completely discharging the mud from it. All three pistons work together to keep a continuous flow of mud coming into and out of the pump.

Crewmembers can change the liners and pistons. Not only can they replace worn out ones, they can also install different sizes. Generally they use large liners and pistons when the pump needs to move large volumes of mud at relatively low pressure. They use a small liners and pistons when the pump needs to move smaller volumes of mud at a relatively high pressure.

In a duplex pump, pistons discharge mud on one side of the piston and at the same time, take in mud on the other side. Notice the top piston and the liner. As the piston moves forward, it discharges mud on one side as it draws in mud on the other then as it moves back, it discharges mud on the other side and draws in mud on the side it at had earlier discharge it. Duplex pumps are therefore double acting.

Double acting pumps move more mud on a single stroke than a triplex. However, because of they are double acting they have a seal around the piston rod. This seal keeps them from moving as fast as a triplex. Input horsepower ranges from 190 to 1790 hp or from 142 to 1335 kW. The largest pumps maximum rated working pressure is about 5000 psi, almost 35,000 kPa with 6 inch/152 mm linings.

A mud pump has a fluid end, our end and intake and the discharge valves. The fluid end of the pump contains the pistons with liners which take in or discharge the fluid or mud. The pump pistons draw in mud through the intake valves and push mud out through the discharge valves.

The power end houses the large crankshaft and gear assembly that moves the piston assemblies on the fluid end. Pumps are powered by a pump motor. Large modern diesel/electric rigs use powerful electric motors to drive the pump. Mechanical rigs use chain drives or power bands (belts) from the rig’s engines and compounds to drive the pump.

A pulsation dampener connected to the pump’s discharge line smooths out surges created by the pistons as they discharge mud. This is a standard bladder type dampener. The bladder and the dampener body, separates pressurized nitrogen gas above from mud below. The bladder is made from synthetic rubber and is flexible. When mud discharge pressure presses against the bottom of the bladder, nitrogen pressure above the bladder resists it. This resistance smoothes out the surges of mud leaving the pump.

Here is the latest type of pulsation dampener, it does not have a bladder. It is a sphere about 4 feet or 1.2 m in diameter. It is built into the mud pump’s discharge line. The large chamber is form of mud. It has no moving parts so it does not need maintenance. The mud in the large volume sphere, absorbs this surges of mud leaving the pump.

A suction dampener smooths out the flow of mud entering into the pump. Crewmembers mount it on the triplex mud pump’s suction line. Inside the steel chamber is a air charged rubber bladder or diaphragm. The crew charges of the bladder about 10 to 15 psi/50 to 100 kPa. The suction dampener absorbs surges in the mud pump’s suction line caused by the fast-moving pump pistons. The pistons, constantly starts and stops the mud’s flow through the pump. At the other end of the charging line a suction pumps sends a smooth flow of mud to the pump’s intake. When the smooth flow meets the surging flow, the impact is absorbed by the dampener.

Workers always install a discharge pressure relief valve. They install it on the pump’s discharge side in or near the discharge line. If for some reason too much pressure builds up in the discharge line, perhaps the drill bit or annulus gets plugged, the relief valve opens. That opened above protects the mud pump and system damage from over pressure.

Some rig owners install a suction line relief valve. They install it on top of the suction line near the suction dampener. They mount it on top so that it won’t clog up with mud when the system is shut down. A suction relief valve protects the charging pump and the suction line dampener. A suction relief valve usually has a 2 inch or 50 mm seat opening. The installer normally adjusts it to 70 psi or 500 kPa relieving pressure. If both the suction and the discharged valves failed on the same side of the pump, high back flow or a pressure surge would occur. The high backflow could damage the charging pump or the suction line dampener. The discharge line is a high-pressure line through which the pump moves mud. From the discharge line, the mud goes through the stand pipe and rotary hose to the drill string equipment.

In addition to selecting the proper suction pipe diameter and having adequate NPSHA, the submergence level and suction pipe configuration must be considered. Submergence level is the depth of the suction pipe inlet below the liquid surface. If an inadequate submergence level exists, an air vortex will form that extends from the liquid surface to the inlet of the suction pipe. This will introduce air into the system, resulting in either turbulent flow patterns or vapor locking of the pump. Amount of submergence required varies with velocity of the fluid. Fluid velocity is controlled by flow rate and pipe diameter. Refer to Figure 1. to determine submergence required based on fluid velocity (fluid velocity can be found in Friction Loss (Centrifugal Pumps Velocity Measured), in the column ‘‘V (ft/sec)’’).

If a system utilizes a 6-inch suction line with a flow rate of 600 gpm, suction-line velocities will be 6.6 fps and the line will therefore require approximately 3.5 feet of liquid surface above the suction-line entrance. Once the submergence level drops below 3.5 feet, an air vortex will form, causing air to enter the pump suction, resulting in a turbulent flow pattern and/or vapor lock.

In addition to proper line size and submergence level, a suction pipe should slope gradually upward from the source to the pump suction. This prevents air traps within the suction line. There should be a straight run prior to the pump entrance of at least two pipe diameters in length to reduce turbulence. A smooth-flowing valve should be installed in the suction line that will allow the pump to be isolated for maintenance and inspection. If a suction hose is used in lieu of hard piping, the hose must be noncollapsing. Refer to Figures 3 and 4 for examples of accepted piping practices.

Triplex mud pumps are often operated at speeds at which head in the suction tank is insufficient to maintain fluid against the piston face during the filling stroke. If fluid does not remain against the face, air is sucked in from behind the piston, causing a fluid void. If a void is formed, the piston strikes the fluid when the piston reverses direction during the pressure stroke. This causes a shock load that damages the triplex power end and fluid end and lowers expendable parts life. Supercharging pumps are used to accelerate fluid in the suction line of a triplex mud pump during the filling stroke, allowing fluid to maintain pace with the piston. A properly sized supercharging pump will accelerate fluid so that fluid voids and shock loads do not occur.

Triplex mud pumps normally have shock loads at speeds greater than 60 strokes per minute (spm) (when not supercharged). Without proper equipment, this would go unnoticed until the pump exceeded 80 strokes per minute, but meanwhile the shock load is damaging the pump. Supercharging requires an oversized pump with wide impellers to adequately react to rapid changes in flow required by the triplex mud pump. When sizing a centrifugal pump for a mud pump supercharging application, the pump should be sized for 1½ times the required flow rate. Therefore, if the triplex mud pump maximum flow rate is 600 gpm, the centrifugal pump should be sized for 900 gpm. High-speed piston and plunger pumps that stroke above 200 spm should be designed with a supercharging pump that produces 1¾ to 2 times the required flow rate.

Supercharging is one of the few applications in which the centrifugal pump does not have steady flow. The flow pulsates. Small impellers operating at 1750 rpm have a tendency to slip through the fluid when acceleration is needed. This is similar to car tires slipping on wet pavement. Even though it sometimes appears that the small impeller running at 1750 rpm is providing enough head, shock loading may be occurring. Supercharging pumps should have larger impellers running at either 1150 (60 cycles) or 1450 rpm (50 cycles) and should normally be sized to produce 85 feet of head at the triplex suction inlet. Supercharging pumps should be located as close to the supply tank as possible. Mounting supercharging pumps near the triplex and away from the supply tank transfers suction problems from the triplex to the centrifugal pump. If the centrifugal pump does not have a favorable supply with short suction run, it will have an insufficient supply to accelerate fluid.

Piping for supercharging pumps and triplex pump suctions should be oversized for the flow rate. Pipe should be sized so the change in line velocity during pulsations will not be over 1.5 ft/sec during the change from low flow rate to high flow rate during the triplex pulsation cycles.

There are times when a single centrifugal pump will not meet the head requirements of an application. Two pumps can be operated in series to achieve the desired discharge head, in which the discharge of one pump feeds the suction of the second pump. The second pump boosts the head produced by the first. Therefore, if an application required 2900 gpm at 200 feet of head, one option would be to run two 10×8×14 pumps in series. Each pump could be configured with a 13-inch impeller to produce 2900 gpm at 100 feet of head. When operated in series, the pumps would produce 2900 gpm at 200 feet of head.

This type of configuration is most commonly used for extremely long discharge runs. When running pumps in series, it is important not to exceed flange safety ratings. Additionally, it is not required to place pumps within close proximity of each other. If an application had a 6-mile discharge line the first pump could be located at the supply source and the second pump could be located 3 miles away.

exists that requires high volume and low head and volume required is greater than can be produced by a single pump, two pumps are sometimes used in a parallel configuration to meet the demand. Two pumps that produce the same TDH can be configured so that each pump has an individual suction but both pumps feed into the same discharge line. If the pumps are identical, head in the discharge line is equal to that of the pumps, but the volume is double what a single pump can produce. However, two centrifugal pumps will never have the exact same discharge head, and as wear occurs one pump will produce less head than the other and the stronger pump will overpower the weaker pump and force fluid to backflow into the weaker pump. For this reason, parallel operation is not normally recommended.

Two pumps can be configured in parallel but only one pump is operated at a time, thus providing a primary and a backup pump. The two pumps are separated by a valve in each discharge line that prevents one pump from pumping through the other. This type of configuration is perfectly acceptable and, in crucial applications, encouraged.

In our important role as hydraulic pump manufacturers, we are aware of the large number of variables that need to be considered when choosing the right pump for the specific application. The purpose of this first article is to begin to shed light on the large number of technical indicators within the hydraulic pump universe, starting with the parameter “pump head”.

The head of a pump is a physical quantity that expresses the pump’s ability to lift a given volume of fluid, usually expressed in meters of water column, to a higher level from the point where the pump is positioned. In a nutshell, we can also define head as the maximum lifting height that the pump is able to transmit to the pumped fluid. The clearest example is that of a vertical pipe rising directly from the delivery outlet. Fluid will be pumped down the pipe 5 meters from the discharge outlet by a pump with a head of 5 meters. The head of a pump is inversely correlated with the flow rate. The higher the flow rate of the pump, the lower the head.

What is the head of a pump? As mentioned earlier, the head corresponds to the actual energy that the pump delivers to the fluid. The Bernoulli equation is applied between the pump’s inlet and outlet sections:

However, during the design stage, P1 and P2 are never known (as there is no physical element yet and therefore it is not possible to effectively measure the pump’s inlet and outlet pressure).

At this point we can easily calculate the head losses of the system, and therefore choose the correct size of the pump to achieve the desired flow rate at the resulting equivalent head.

The pump head indicator is present and can be found in the data sheets of all our main products. To obtain more information on the technical data of our pumps, please contact the technical and sales team.

Discharge Head: This is the vertical distance that you are able to pump liquid. For example, if your pump is rated for a maximum head of 18 feet, this does not mean that you are restricted to 18 feet of pipe. You can use 300 feet, so long as the final discharge point is not higher than 18 feet above the liquid being pumped.

Suction Lift: This is the vertical distance that the pump can be above the liquid source. Typically, atmospheric pressure limits vertical suction lift of pumps to 25 feet at sea level. This does not mean that you are limited to 25 feet of pipe. You could use upwards of 300 feet of suction pipe, so long as the liquid source is not lower than 25 feet below the pump center line.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Whether you’re working on a recreational boat or a giant cargo ship, you should never head out to sea without a bilge pump. Without these, there are so many things that could go wrong.

Bilge pumps are a type of marine water pump found on both large and small ships. They are responsible for removing water accumulating bilge wells and throwing it overboard.

There are automatic bilge pumps, and there are manual ones. There are small plastic boat bilge pumps for boats, and there are heavy-duty cast iron ones for ships.

Bilge pumps have been around since antiquity. These were the only pumps ocean vessels carried in the old days – showing how essential they are to seafaring.

Most boat bilge pumps come with an automatic float switch. This switch turns the pump on whenever water rises above a certain level. This way, you don’t always have to check your bilge.

If your ship has a small puncture and water is rushing in, a bilge pump can spit this water out faster than it comes in (depending on the hole’s size and your pump’s GPM).

The removal of the incoming water allows you to repair the hole or make an emergency docking. Note: You should never rely on your bilge pump for staying afloat. If your boat has a hole, repair it immediately.

Installing a designated emergency bilge pump with the highest capacity possible is highly recommended. You can also use ballast and firefighting pumps to help pump out the water in case of an emergency.

Centrifugal pumps move water by turning rotational energy into kinetic energy. Inside the pump, a spinning impeller pushes water into the discharge. This creates low pressure in the pump, which sucks more water in.

The volute casing has a snail shape, starting narrow and gradually getting wider towards the discharge. This design builds pressure and forces all the water out through the discharge instead of turning around the casing.

When the water leaves the discharge, this creates low pressure within the casing, which pulls more water into the pump. Centrifugal pumps need priming to work for this reason.

Because of this, you can never remove all bilge water with a centrifugal pump. There will always be some leftover which will need another type of pump for removal.

For big ships, we recommend getting a self-priming centrifugal pump. These can separate the air inside the casing from the water. The water circulates in the pump, but the air discharges – creating low-pressure, which pulls in more water until the pump is full of water.

Horizontal bilge pumpsare the most powerful option for ships. Instead of going into the bilge well, these pumps are strong enough to suck the water out through pipes.

Diaphragm pumps are a type of positive displacement pump. Unlike centrifugal pumps, these aren’t typical on large ships. Their capacity isn’t as high as centrifugal types, and they also aren’t very good at handling debris.

For one, they don’t need any priming. Diaphragm pumps can run completely dry, whereas centrifugal pumps will get damaged. Because of this, diaphragm pumps can remove all the water in the bilge.

Diaphragm pumps also have an easier time pushing or pulling water upwards. Where a small centrifugal pump might have a hard time removing water from deeper bilges, a diaphragm pump will have no problem.

Diaphragm pumps work by using a diaphragm and check valves. The diaphragm pulls up, creating a vacuum in the pump that sucks water (or air) through the inlet check valve. When the diaphragm presses down, this forces the water out through the outlet check valve.

Because a diaphragm pump can also pull air, you don’t have to place them close to the bilge water. Putting them high above the bilge won’t need priming or as much power as a centrifugal pump in a similar position would.

Manual diaphragm pumps are not electronically powered. Use a lever to pull the diaphragm open and push it closed manually. These have the advantage that they work even when your electrical system is down.

Reciprocating pumps work by using a piston and check valves. The piston pulls up, creating a vacuum in the pump that sucks water (or air) through the inlet check valve. When the piston presses down, this forces the water out through the outlet check valve.

Because the piston is air-tight, you also don’t have to put it inside the boat bilge. However, reciprocating boat bilge pumps cannot tolerate debris. Debris will lodge in between the piston and the pump’s walls, jamming or destroying the pump.

Flexible impellers are another type of positive displacement pump. They are self-priming and can remove all the water from the bilge well. They are also capable of carrying solids and debris.

However, unlike diaphragm and reciprocating types, you should never run a flexible impeller pump dry. Without water, the friction between the impeller and casing will burn the rubber impeller.

Flexible impeller pumps use a rubber impeller and a cam to function. As the spinning impeller meets the cam, it bends, squeezing its trapped water out the discharge. When the impeller leaves the cam, negative pressure creates a suction that pulls in more water.

Because of their material and simple design, flexible impeller pumps are affordable. Their design also allows you to run them in reverse should you want to.

The ocean is not the place to find out your pump doesn’t cut it. Taking the time to choose the right pump can spell the difference between sinking and saving your ship.

Also, knowing what you’re looking for ahead will ensure that you don’t spend a lot of money on a pump that doesn’t fit your everyday bilge pump needs.

You may use other types of pumps, such as diaphragms, for thoroughly clearing out the bilge well. But for bilge transfer and emergencies, nothing can match the output of centrifugal bilge pumps.

Submersible centrifugal pumps may have difficulty pushing water up if you place the discharge hose high above the bilge. But they’re also cheap, easy to maintain, and can move a lot of water. If you set up your bilge correctly, these will be perfect for you.

Reciprocating pumps aren’t quite as popular. These are incredibly efficient when dealing with high-viscosity liquids like sludge, which isn’t common in small boats.

GPM, or gallons per minute, refers to your bilge pump’s pumping performance or flow. The higher the GPM, the faster your bilge pump can drain your boat bilge. Generally, the bigger your pump, the more GPM it will have.

A good rule of thumb is to get the highest GPM that’s reasonable for your boat. Your bilge pump is what will save you when you’re sinking. That’s why you’ll want one with as much GPM as possible.

One misconception a lot of people have is that smaller boats can get away with a small pump. Smaller boats will need the largest pump they can get since their small hulls will fill up with water much faster than large ships.

That said, you also have to be reasonable. Smaller boats won’t have space for an enormous and heavy pump. Consider the pump’s size and weight when choosing because it might be too bulky for your boat.

Centrifugal pumps have a hard time pushing water up vertically. To know if your pump can handle your discharge pipe’s height and length, calculate the total head and compare it to your pump’s head rating.

Elevationrefers to the total vertical rise in feet. If your discharge pipe’s end is 20 ft above your pump, your elevation is 20ft (regardless of the pipe’s overall length).

Manufacturers rate a pump’s GPM in ideal conditions, where the water is right next to the pump, and the discharge is horizontal. A 10GPM pump will empty 10 gallons of water in a minute with these conditions.

You may think that your 10 GPM pump is strong enough to eliminate all nuisance water and maybe even save you from sinking. In reality, your 10GPM pump might only be moving at 3GPM.

The GPM goes down because there is about a 20% capacity drop due to voltage (small boat bilge pumps are tested at 13.6 volts while most marine batteries only run at 12), 30% for head height, and 20% from hose resistance.

Those numbers are estimates. But you should consider that unless you have the ideal setup, you may only be getting 30% of your pump’s rated GPM. So don’t take chances. Get the highest capacity pump your boat can handle to stay safe.

Unless you have a giant ship, a manual bilge pump is vital. If water gets to your electric system, your bilge pump will shut off. The only way to save your boat or buy time then is by using a manual bilge pump.

Make sure your manual bilge pump is easily accessible and can operate from a comfortable position. Pumping water off your boat bilge is tiresome, so you don’t want to be cramped or in an awkward position while using your hand pump.

Nowadays, bilge pump systems on ships require inspection for compliance. However, too many small boaters still unknowingly make mistakes when installing bilge pumps.

Every watertight compartment in your vessel needs a bilge pump or a pipe connected to a bilge pump. Every room in your boat where water can’t flow to the next one needs a bilge pump.

In large vessels, pipes from every compartment connect to three, four, or more bilge pumps. The draining of every area without installing a pump in each one is possible because of this.

However, that is only possible because ships use large and powerful bilge pumps with elaborate piping systems. For smaller boats, you should keep one (or two) bilge pumps in every watertight area.

For ships, you’ll want at least one pump on the starboard and one on the port. You also shouldn’t group the marine bilge pumps close to each other. In an emergency, you don’t want the bilge pumps together because they will all get flooded.

Bilge pumps in ships use electric motors, the ship’s engine, or emergency generators for power. An emergency bilge pump should always have its own power supply.

There are several ways to switch on a bilge pump. You could turn them on manually in the engine control room (for ships) or connect them to the battery (for small boats). However, the ideal setup has automatic switches in place.

Float switches are simple devices that turn your bilge pump on when the water reaches a certain level – and turns them off once the water descends. Installing one of these is excellent since you won’t have to monitor your boat’s bilge water levels all the time.

Some ships need to turn on their bilge pump manually. To help with this, you can install bilge alarms to go off whenever the water has risen to a certain level. This way, you don’t have to go and check now and then.

Having a float switch is especially crucial if you’re using a centrifugal pump. Centrifugal pumps can’t run dry. If they do, they’ll get destroyed. That’s why having them switch off automatically before the water has fully descended is crucial.

When installing a float switch, make sure it is in a place that can’t get caught while rising. If it gets stuck, it won’t trigger your pump to start, and you may flood your boat.

As mentioned earlier, large vessels have elaborate piping systems that connect to the bilge pumps. Valves control which pipes are running and which lines are standing by.

For smaller boats, hoses are used instead of pipes. To lower the hose friction, get a smooth hose. Corrugated hoses increase friction and will further reduce your pump’s GPM.

A bilge pump takes bilge water and discharges it overboard. However, in ships where oils and other fluids mix with water in the bilge, this water must go through a filtering process first.

However, in emergencies, the whole bilge water management system is bypassed. All water goes straight overboard regardless of oil content. But this is only legal in emergencies – otherwise, under MARPOL regulations, the water pumped overboard must be under 15 ppm to prevent pollution.

One problem that is common in smaller boats is siphoning. The discharge should be well above the waterline. However, sometimes, this is not possible. To avoid siphoning, install a siphoning break on your hose or pipe.

Though centrifugal pumps can handle some debris, it isn’t ideal since it increases pressure and slows down the flow. That is why installing mud boxes on bilge pipes is a good idea.

If you set up everything correctly, nothing should go wrong. You won’t have to worry about problems, especially if you are using a centrifugal-type pump.

You may find your filter already clogged with dirt and debris. If so, clean it up immediately. If you have mud or strum boxes, it’s also essential to check them once in a while.

When it comes to choosing a marine bilge pump, reliability is of utmost importance. Your bilge pump is your last line of defense. If it fails, your ship is going down.

For small boats, brands like Rule Industries, Attwood, Albin, and Johnson Pump make great boat bilge pumps. You can buy these at your local marine supply, or you can also get them online.

When the demands are high, you need a pump that’s tailor-made to fit your ship’s needs. You need a pump that can stand up to every test and every international regulation. You need a pump you can trust to save your ship when things go wrong.

The ocean is no place to find out your pump does not make the grade. Trust your shipboard services to Carver Pump, the industry leader in shipboard centrifugal pumps.

The pump horsepower calculator is used to estimate the pump power, i.e., the power transmitted to the shaft. A pump is one of the most common hydraulic machinery and is used to move fluid by the means of mechanical action by its impeller. Some of its application includes maintaining water supply across the city, heating, ventilation, and cooling systems (HVAC), hydraulics and pneumatics, and electricity generation (see hydroelectric power calculator)

The pump power is a function of hydraulic power and efficiency. Given the importance of this component, it is imperative to understand the basic characteristics of a pump to ensure greater efficiency of the larger processes. You can find more information about pump efficiency and pump power calculations in subsequent paragraphs.

The pump shaft power is defined as the power applied to achieve the head and the volumetric flow rate. It is a function of volumetric flow rate Q, differential head H, the density of fluid ρ, efficiency η, and the gravitational constant g. Mathematically, that"s:

We know that the pumps in most cases do not operate at an efficiency of 100%. Actually, cavitation drastically reduces it. The parameter of specific speed is used to compare the performance of the pump to the ideal case, i.e., a geometrically similar pump delivering 1 cubic meter of fluid per second against 1 m head. The specific speed NsN_\mathrm{s}Ns​ is a dimensionless quantity that is given by the equation: