Pump Operation

In industrial installations centrifugal pumps are one of the most common pieces of equipment. The life of a centrifugal pump depends upon the care it receives from the operators. The useful life of centrifugal pump can range from a few weeks to ten years or more. It largely depends upon the quality of care it receives from the operations and maintenance personnel. It is very important for operators to understand basic concepts relating to operation of centrifugal pumps. In this section we will discuss some key aspects of centrifugal pump operation.

Basic Centrifugal Pump Configuration

A pumping system can be configured with suction lift or suction head. In a suction lift configuration, the water level on the suction side is below the center line of the pump. The term "lift" indicates that the incoming water will require some lifting to reach the pump inlet. In a suction head configuration, the water level is above the center line of the pump. Here, the term "head" indicates that the incoming water has some pressure energy and will readily flow into the suction side of the pump.

The figure shown here demonstrates the suction lift condition. Notice that the water level on the suction side is below the center line of the pump.

The distance “A” is known as the static suction lift, and “B” is known as the static discharge head. Total head for the pump is given by “A+B.”