MARINE

PUMPING
SYSTEM
 SPECIFIC LEARNING
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this topic you are
expected to learn:
– Principles of Marine Pumping Systems
– State the function of a pump
– Describe the three requirements for a
pump to transfer fluids
– List the losses of head in a pumping
system
– Explain the requirement for viscosity of
the fluid for pump design
– Explain the requirement for permission
before any fluid is transferred onboard
• Pumping System have two main purposes:
– Transfer of liquid from one place to another place (e.g.
water from an underground aquifer into a water storage
tank)
– Circulate liquid around a system (e.g. cooling water or
lubricants through machines and equipment)
 PUMP
• A pump is a device used to move fluids, such
as liquids, gases or slurries.
• A pump displaces a volume by physical or
mechanical action. Pumps fall into three major
groups: direct lift, displacement, and gravity
pumps.[1] Their names describe the method
for moving a fluid.
 PUMP
• Def’n: device that uses an external power
source to apply force to a fluid in order to
move it from one place to another
• Must overcome:
– (1) frictional forces from large quantities of
fluid
– (2) difference in static pressure between two
locations
• Must provide any velocity desired
 MARINE PUMP
• A device use aboardship which adds energy to
a liquid or gas to overcome resistance or
system losses causing it to generate pressure
and perhaps movement of a fluid
• A machine used to raise fluid from a low point
to a high point
• Engine – a device for converting thermal energy
of working substance into useful mechanical
work
• Marine pumps generally handle fuel oil,
lubricating oil, condensate and boiler feed,
circulation water or coolant, ballast and bilge
water, air, etc. though pumps delivering air are
generally called blowers or compressors.
• Special liquid cargoes of nearly or any sort may
be handled by a suitable pump. Depending
upon the types of installation, pumps are
driven by steam engines, steam, electric
motors, Diesel engines and air.
• Pumps can also be found coupled with engine it
supports. Motive power is selected for reasons
of safety, economics or convenience.
 Fluid Properties
• The properties of the fluids being pumped can significantly affect the
choice of pump. Key considerations include:
– Acidity/alkalinity (pH) and chemical composition. Corrosive and
acidic fluids can degrade pumps, and should be considered when
selecting pump materials.
– Operating temperature. Pump materials and expansion,
mechanical seal components, and packing materials need to be
considered with pumped fluids that are hotter than 200°F.
– Solids concentrations/particle sizes. When pumping abrasive
liquids such as industrial slurries, selecting a pump that will not
clog or fail prematurely depends on particle size, hardness, and
the volumetric percentage of solids.
 Fluid Properties
– Specific gravity. The fluid specific gravity is the ratio of the fluid
density to that of water under specified conditions. Specific
gravity affects the energy required to lift and move the fluid, and
must be considered when determining pump power
requirements.
– Vapor pressure. A fluid’s vapor pressure is the force per unit
area that a fluid exerts in an effort to change phase from a liquid
to a vapor, and depends on the fluid’s chemical and physical
properties. Proper consideration of the fluid’s vapor pressure
will help to minimize the risk of cavitation.
 Fluid Properties
– Viscosity. The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to
motion. Since kinematic viscosity normally varies directly with
temperature, the pumping system designer must know the
viscosity of the fluid at the lowest anticipated pumping
temperature. High viscosity fluids result in reduced centrifugal
pump performance and increased power requirements. It is
particularly important to consider pump suction-side line losses
when pumping viscous fluids.
 3 REQUIREMENTS OF A PUMP TO
TRANSFER FLUID
• A marine pumping system on a ship consists of:
• Suction piping
• Pump
• Discharge piping
• The system is arranged to provide a positive
pressure or head at some point and discharge
the liquid. The pump provides the energy to
develop the head and overcome any losses in
the system.
• The rate of flow at a certain head is called duty
point.
 PUMP HEAD
• Head is a measure of resistance to flow. If a
pump has a maximum output of 20 head feet, it
means it can pump water 20' straight in the air.
If a pump is rated at 50 gallons per minute at 10
feet it means it can overcome 10 feet of head
(TDH) and still deliver 50 GPM. As you increase
the head, you decrease the flow rate, and
increase your operating costs. To maximize your
flow, you must minimize your head, which also
minimizes your operating costs.
 3 MAIN SOURCES OF HEAD:
1. Static Head - This is the vertical distance you
raise the water. To determine your static head,
measure from the surface of the tank
(vertically), to the highest point in the discharge
line where the water is discharged to the
atmosphere.
 3 MAIN SOURCES OF HEAD:
1. Friction Head - As water flows through pipe and
fittings there is resistance. The higher the flow and/or
the smaller the pipe, the higher the resistance.
Determine your overall pipe length, including adding
in the equivalent length for your fittings. Consult the
friction loss chart. Find where the column for your
pipe diameter intersects the row for your flow rate
and read the friction loss per 100' pipe. Use large
enough pipe to minimize friction loss. It is usually best
to keep your friction loss (per 100 feet of pipe) to less
than 6 feet. In other words, once you know the
desired flow rate, pick a pipe diameter, or schedule,
that will give you less than 6 feet of friction loss per
100 feet of pipe. (Friction Loss and Fittings Loss)
 3 MAIN SOURCES OF HEAD:
2. Pressure Head - Any additional pressure required by
filters, spray nozzles, etc. must be calculated. The
conversion is 1 PSI = 2.31 head feet.
- Atmospheric pressure: usually refers to the pressure
in the local environment of the pump. Atmospheric
pressure varies with elevation, it is 14.7 psi at sea
level and decreases with rising elevation.
If our filter runs at 10 PSI, that would add 23.1 feet of
head to the 17.9 feet required to overcome the
friction loss of our pipe and fittings. So now the total
pump head is 41 feet without considering the static
head. (Notice that the pump head will increase as the
filter gets dirty and increases the back pressure.)
 3 MAIN SOURCES OF HEAD:
3. Total dynamic head ( TDH) – Sum of static head, friction
loss head, fittings loss head, and pressure head.
Type of head Source Calculation PH in Feet
10' - above
Static Head Elevated Pipe surface of 10.0
water
8.12' per 100
Pipe Loss 2" Pipe 13.0
feet of pipe
10x 2" 90°
Fittings Loss 6' per elbow 4.9
elbows = 60 ft
running at 10
Pressure Head Filter 23.1
psi x 2.31
Total Pump head in feet 51.0
 3 MAIN SOURCES OF HEAD:
• Don't forget to add up the equivalent feet of pipe
for all the fittings. Now that you know your flow
and head, you can select a pump that provides this
performance, and does so efficiently.
 Losses of Head in Pumping System
• Power supplied to the pump must take into account
the various losses. These are made up of:
1. Friction Loss in bearings and glands, surfaces of
impeller and casing. Impellers should be highly
polished to minimize friction loss.
2. Head Loss in pump due to shock at each entry and exit
to impeller vane where eddies are formed at vane
edges.
3. Leakage loss in thrust balance devices, gland sealing,
clearances between cutwater and casing and bearing
seals.
 Requirement for Viscosity of the Fluid
for Pump
• Viscosity - the property of a fluid or semifluid that
causes it to resist flowing
• Oil are much more difficult for pumps to handle than
water. Losses increase within the pump and pump
lines. Both head and capacity are reduced; therefore
more power is required for operation.
• Both hot and thick liquids should flow to the pump
under a positive suction head (flow by gravity) for
satisfactory operation. The pump will then be kept
properly primed in the case of thick liquids;
vaporization and vapour binding will be avoided in the
case of hot liquids.
 Requirement for Viscosity of the Fluid
for Pump
• The problem of lifting a hot liquid is often difficult.
The hotter the liquid, the lower will be the
maximum possible suction lift. Water boils at 100 C
atmospheric pressure. Under the partial vacuum
that exists in the feed pipe, the boiling point is
lower. Part of the hot water may vaporize causing
vapour binding in the pump. In some cases the
water vaporizes and expands sufficiently to destroy
the vacuum thereby, stops the effectiveness of
pumping.
 Requirement for Viscosity of the Fluid
for Pump
• When pumping hot oil, it may happen that a small
amount of water entrained in the oil may flash
(boil) and interrupt the pumping operation. This can
be serious in the case of a fuel oil service pump, as
it may cause a “flare back” from the boilers.
Providing an air chamber on the discharge line
which will maintain a pressure while the pump is
compressing the vapour in the line, can guard this
against other precautions may be taken.
 Requirement for Viscosity of the Fluid
for Pump
• Here is what is going to change when you pump
viscous fluids with a centrifugal pump:
– The brake horsepower requirement will increase.
– You will notice a reduction in the head the pump will
produce.
– Some reduction in capacity will occur with moderate and
high viscosities.
– The pump's efficiency will decrease.
 Requirement for Viscosity of the Fluid
for Pump
• High viscosity fluids are better handled with positive
displacement pumps that are affected differently than
centrifugal pumps by a change in fluid viscosity:
– At a constant speed, changes in viscosity will have very little
affect on capacity.
– The total head will probably increase with viscosity because
of higher system resistance.
– The brake horsepower (kilowatts) will increase with capacity.
– The efficiency probably will not be affected because of less
leakage through the internal pump clearances. In some cases
the efficiency will increase
 Pre-Bunker Checklist:
Pre-Bunkering Procedure:
1. State of adjacent waters noticed
2. Vessel properly secured to dock
3. Check suppliers product corresponds to ordered
product
4. Agree quantity to be supplied
5. Check valves open
6. Day tanks full and supply valves closed
7. Warning signs in position e.g. No Smoking
8. SOPEP plan available
9. Clean up material in place
10. Oil Boom in place
11. Foam fire extinguisher placed at bunker station
12. Alfa Laval and transfer pumps off
13. Fuel tank supply valves open
14. Agree stop/start signals between vessel and
barge/truck
15. Bravo flag flying/red light showing
16. Agree pumping/transfer rate
17. Agree emergency shut down procedure
18. Specification sheet received
19. Check hose and couplings are secure and in good
order
20. Fuel nozzle and hose secured to vessel
21. Check barge/truck meters Reading:
22. Check on board meters Reading:
23. Bunker Valve open
24. Unused manifold connections blanked off
25. Master informed
26. Signal pumping to commence
The above checklist has to be completely filled legibly by
both the ship & barge personnels.
 SOPEP equipments
• At the bunker manifold and wherever
necessary, as per the ships SOPEP plan, the
SOPEP equipments should be kept in
immediate readiness in order to avoid oil
spill/pollution during bunkering operation.
 SOPEP- Shipboard Oil Pollution
Emergency Plan.
SOPEP- Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan.
The SOPEP Locker must have minimum of the below specified
items:
1. absorbent roll
2. absorbent pads
3. absorbent granules
4. absorbent materials
5. brooms
6. shovels
7. mops
8. scoops
9. empty receptacles (200 ltrs capacity)
10. portable air driven pumps
11. oil boom
12. oil spill dispersants.
 During Bunkering Procedures:
During Bunkering checklist:
1. Witness taking and sealing of 2 representative product samples
2. Monitor fuel connections for leaks fuel flow and control tank levels
3. Change over of tanks whenever necessary.
4. Checking the rate at which bunkers are received.
5. Checking the tightness/slackness of mooring ropes.
6. Checking trim/list of the bunker barge & the ship.
7. Continuous monitoring/look outs for the vessel's position(when at
anchor).
During bunkering, the above checklist must be filled up and continuous
monitoring of the above specified items are required till the
bunkering operation is complete.
 After Bunkering Procedures:
On completion of the bunkering operations, with
the ship-barge co-ordination, the line should be
blown with air to make sure the line is not filled
with oil. The after-bunker checklist is followed.
After Bunker Checklist:
1. Bunker Valve closed
2. Disconnect hose (drain before disconnecting)
3. Check barge/truck meter Reading:
4. Check ships meter Reading:
5. Sign Bunker Delivery Receipt BDR No.:(Bunker Delivery
Report/Note).
6. Retain BDR with product sample
7. SOPEP plan returned to bridge
8. Clean up gear stowed / Oil boom returned
9. Bravo Flag/Red light stowed/switched off
10. Remove and pack away warning/safety signs
11. Foam fire extinguisher placed back in correct location
12. Complete Oil Record Book
13. Master informed of completion
14. Confirm in Oil Record Book Bunkering checklist completed
 END OF
PRESENTATION
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Fluid - any substance that undergoes a change in pressure, temperature or
volume used as means to carry out a thermodynamic process or cycle
• Cavitation: the collapse of bubbles that are formed in the eye of the
impeller due to low pressure. The implosion of the bubbles on the inside of
the vanes creates pitting and erosion that damages the impeller. The design
of the pump, the pressure and temperature of the liquid that enters the
pump suction determines whether the fluid will cavitate or not.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Centrifugal force: A force associated with a rotating body. In the case of a pump, the rotating impeller
pushes fluid on the back of the impeller blade, imparting circular and radial motion. A body that moves
in a circular path has a centrifugal force associated with it .
• Dead head: a situation that occurs when the pump's discharge is closed either due to a blocage in the
line or an inadvertently closed valve. At this point, the pump will go to it's maximum shut-off head, the
fluid will be recirculated within the pump resulting in overheating and possible damage.
• Diffuser: located in the discharge area of the pump, the diffuser is a set of fixed vanes often an integral
part of the casing that reduces turbulence by promoting a more gradual reduction in velocity.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Efficiency:: the efficiency of a pump can be determined by measuring the torque at the pump
shaft with a torque meter and then calculating the efficiency based on the speed of the pump,
the pressure or total head and flow produced by the pump. The standard equation for torque
and speed provides power.
• Absolute pressure: pressure is measured in psi (pounds per square inch) in the imperial
system and kPa (kiloPascal or bar) in the metric system. Most pressure measurements are
made relative to the local atmospheric pressure. In that case we add a "g" to the pressure
measurement unit such as psig or kPag. The value of the local atmospheric pressure varies
with elevation.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• It is not the same if you are at sea level (14.7 psia) or at 4000 feet elevation (12.7 psia). In certain
cases it is necessary to measure pressure values that are less then the local atmospheric pressure
and in those cases we use the absolute unit of pressure, the psia or kPa a.

pa(psia) = pr(psig) + patm(psia), patm = 14.7 psia at sea level.

where pa is the absolute pressure, pr the relative pressure and patm the absolute pressure value
of the local atmospheric pressure.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Accumulator: used in domestic water applications to stabilize the pressure in the system and avoid the
pump cycling on and off every time a tap is opened somewhere in the house.
• Affinity laws: the affinity laws are used to predict the change in diameter required to increase the flow or
total head of a pump. They can also predict the change in speed required to achieve a different flow and
total head. The affinity laws can only be applied in circumstances where the system has a high friction head
compared to the static head and this is because the affinity laws can only be applied between performance
points that are at the same efficiency.
• Axial flow pump: refers to a design of a centrifugal pump for high flow and low head. The impeller shape is
similar to a propeller. The value of the specific speed number will provide an indication whether an axial
flow pump design is suitable for your application
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Baseplate: all pumps require some sort of steel base that holds the pump and motor and is
anchored to a concrete base.
• Best Efficiency Point (B.E.P.): The point on a pump's performance curve that corresponds to the
highest efficiency. At this point, the impeller is subjected to minimum radial force promoting a
smooth operation with low vibration and noise.
• Bingham plastic: A fluid that behaves in a Newtonian fashion (i.e. constant viscosity) but requires a
certain level of stress to set it in motion.
• Bourdon pressure gauge: the Bourdon tube is a sealed tube that deflects in response to applied
pressure and is the most common type of pressure sensing mechanism.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Check valve: a device for preventing flow in the reverse direction. The pump should not be allowed to
turn in the reverse direction as damage and spillage may occur. Check valves are not used in certain
applications where the fluid contains solids such as pulp suspensions or slurries as the check valve tends
to jam. A check valve with a rapid closing feature is also used as a preventative for water hammer.
• Chopper pump: a pump with a serrated impeller edge which can cut large solids and prevent clogging.
• Closed or open impeller: the impeller vanes are sandwiched within a shroud which keeps the fluid in
contact with the impeller vanes at all times. This type of impeller is more efficient than an open type
impeller. The disadvantage is that the fluid passages are narrower and could get plugged if the fluid
contains impurities or solids.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• CV coefficient: a coefficient developed by control valve manufacturers that provides an indication of
how much flow the valve can handle for a 1 psi pressure drop. For example, a control valve that has a
CV of 500 will be able to pass 500 gpm with a pressure drop of 1 psi. CV coefficients are sometimes
used for other devices such as check valves.
• Cutwater: the narrow space between the impeller and the casing in the discharge area of the casing.
• Diaphragm pump: a positive displacement pump. Double Diaphragm pumps offer smooth flow,
reliable operation, and the ability to pump a wide variety of viscous, chemically aggressive, abrasive
and impure liquids. They are used in many industries such as mining, petro-chemical, pulp and paper
and others.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Dilatant: The property of a fluid whose viscosity increases with strain or displacement.
• Double suction pump: the liquid is channeled inside the pump casing to both sides of the
impeller. This provides a very stable hydraulic performance because the hydraulic forces
are balanced. The impeller sits in the middle of the shaft which is supported on each end
by a bearing
• Double volute pump: a pump where the immediate volute of the impeller is separated
by a partition from the main body of the casing. This design reduces the radial load on
the impeller making the pump run smoother and vibration free.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Drooping curve: similar to the normal profile except at the low flow end where the head
rises then drops as it gets to the shut-off head point.
• End suction pump: a typical centrifugal pump, the workhorse of industry. Also known as
volute pump, standard pump, horizontal suction pump. The back pull out design is a
standard feature and allows easy removal of the impeller and shaft with the complete
drive and bearing assembly while keeping the piping and motor in place.
• Expeller: a hydro-dynamic seal that provides a seal without addition of water to the
gland, specially useful for liquid slurries.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• External Gear pump: a positive displacement pump. Two spur gears are housed in one casing
with close clearance. Liquid is trapped between the gear tooth spaces and the casing, the
rotation of the gears pumps the liquid. They are also used for high pressure industrial transfer
and metering applications on clean, filtered, lubricating fluids.
• Foot valve: a check valve that is put on the end of the pump suction pipe, often accompanied
with an integrated strainer.
• Head: the height at which a pump can displace a liquid to. Head is also a form of energy. In
pump systems there are 4 different types of head: elevation head or static head, pressure head,
velocity head and friction head loss.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Hydraulic gradient: All the energy terms of the system ( for example velocity head and piping
and fitting friction loss) are converted to head and graphed above an elevation drawing of the
installation. It helps to visualize where all the energy terms are located and ensure that nothing
is missed.
• Impeller: The rotating element of a pump which consists of a disk with curved vanes. The
impeller imparts movement and pressure to the fluid.
• Impeller eye: that area of the centrifugal pump that channels fluid into the vane area of the
impeller. The diameter of the eye will control how much fluid can get into the pump at a given
flow rate without causing excessive pressure drop and cavitation.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Hydraulic gradient: All the energy terms of the system ( for example velocity head and piping
and fitting friction loss) are converted to head and graphed above an elevation drawing of the
installation. It helps to visualize where all the energy terms are located and ensure that nothing
is missed.
• Impeller: The rotating element of a pump which consists of a disk with curved vanes. The
impeller imparts movement and pressure to the fluid.
• Impeller eye: that area of the centrifugal pump that channels fluid into the vane area of the
impeller. The diameter of the eye will control how much fluid can get into the pump at a given
flow rate without causing excessive pressure drop and cavitation.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Inducer: an inducer is a device attached to the impeller eye that is usually shaped like
a screw that helps increase the pressure at the impeller vane entrance and make
viscous or liquids with high solids pumpable.
• Internal gear pump: a positive displacement pump invented by Jens Nielsen, one of
the founders of Viking Pump. It uses two rotating gears which un-mesh at the suction
side of the pump to create voids which allow atmospheric pressure to force fluid into
the pump. The spaces between the gear teeth transport the fluid on either side of a
crescent to the discharge side, and then the gears re-mesh to discharge the fluid.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Jet pump: a jet pump is a commonly available residential water supply pump. It has an
interesting clever design that can lift water from a well (up to 25 feet) and allow it to
function without a check valve on the suction and furthermore does not require
priming. The heart of the design is a venturi (source of water is from the discharge
side of the impeller) that creates low pressure providing a vacuum at the suction and
allowing the pump to lift fluids.
• Laminar: A distinct flow regime that occurs at low Reynolds number (Re <2000). It is
characterized by fluid particles in layers moving past one another without mixing.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Lobe pump: a positive displacement pump. Primarily used in food applications because they
handle solids without damaging them. Lobes are driven by external timing gears as a result the
lobes do not make contact. Liquid travels around the interior of the casing in the pockets
between the lobes and the casing, meshing of the lobes forces liquid through the outlet port
under pressure.
• Mechanical seal: a name for the joint that seals the fluid in the pump stopping it from coming
out at the joint between the casing and the pump shaft.
• Net Positive Suction Head Available (N.P.S.H.A.): Net positive suction head available. The head
or specific energy at the pump suction flange less the vapor pressure head of the fluid.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Net Positive Suction Head Required (N.P.S.H.R.): Net positive suction head required. The
manufacturers estimate on the NPSH required for the pump at a specific flow, total head, speed
and impeller diameter. This is determined my measurement.
• Newtonian fluid: A fluid whose viscosity is constant and independent of the rate of shear
(strain). For Newtonian fluids, there is a linear relationship between the rate of shear and the
tangential stress between layers.
• Operating point: The point (flow rate and total head) at which the pump operates. It is located
at the intersection of the system curve and the performance curve of a pump. It corresponds to
the flow and head required for the process.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Peripheral pump: also known as regenerative or regenerative turbine pump. These
are low capacity (150 gpm or 34 m3/h) high head (5400 ft or 1645 m) pumps. The
impeller has short vanes at the periphery and these vanes pass through an annular
channel. The fluid enters between two impeller vanes and is set into a circular motion,
this adds energy to the fluid particles which travel in a spiral like path from the inlet to
the outlet. Each set of vanes continuously adds energy to the fluid particles.
• Performance curve: A plot of Total Head vs. flow for a specific pump model, impeller
diameter and speed (syn characteristic curve, water performance curve)
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Pipe roughness: A measurement of the average height of peaks producing roughness on the
internal surface of pipes. Roughness is measured in many locations and then averaged, it is
usually defined in micro-inches RMS (root mean square).
• Piping pressure (maximum): it may be necessary in certain applications to check the maximum
rating of your pipes to avoid bursting due to excessive pressure. The ASME pressure piping code
B31.3 provides the maximum stress for pipes of various materials.
• Pitot pump: also know as rotating casing pump. This pump’s specialty is low to medium flow
rates at high pressures. It is frequently used for high pressure shower supply on paper
machines.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Pressure: The application of a force to a body producing more or less compression within
the liquid. In a static fluid pressure varies with height.
• Pressure head: an expression of energy, specifically it is energy per unit weight of fluid
displaced.
• Progressive cavity pump: a positive displacement pump. These pumps are ideal for fluids
that are just too tough for other pumps to handle. e.g. – pastes, greases, sludge etc. They
consist of only one driven metal rotor rotating within an elastomer lined (elastic) stator.
• Pseudoplastic: The property of a fluid whose viscosity increases slowly with rate of shear.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Pumps as turbines (PAT): Pumps used in reverse to act as turbines.
• Radial flow pump: refers to the design of a centrifugal pump for medium head and medium flow or
high head and low flow. The value of the specific speed number will provide an indication whether a
radial pump design is suitable for your application.
• Radial vane pump: also known as partial emission pump or vane pump. A frame mounted, end suction,
top centerline discharge, ANSI pump designed specifically to handle corrosive chemicals at low flows.
• Recessed impeller pump: sometimes known as vortex pump. This is a frame-mounted, back pull-out,
end suction, recessed impeller, tangential discharge pump designed specifically to handle certain bulky
or fibrous solids, air or gas entrained liquids or shear sensitive liquids.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Recirculation: at low flow and high flow compared to the flow at the B.E.P. the fluid will start to recirculate
or move in a reverse direction at the suction and at the discharge.
• Reynolds number: the Reynolds number is proportional to the ratio of velocity and viscosity, the higher the
number (higher than 4000 for turbulent flow) the more turbulent the flow and the less viscosity has an
effect.
• Screw impeller: The screw centrifugal impeller is shaped like a tapered Archimedes screw. Originally
developped for pumping live fish, the screw centrifugal pump has become popular for
many solids handling applications.
• Self-priming pump: a pump that does not require priming or a initial filling with liquid. The pump casing
carries a reserve of water that helps create a vacuum that will lift the fluid from a low source.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Shut-off head: The Total Head corresponding to zero flow on the pump performance curve.
• Side channel pump: is a pump that provides high head at low flows with the added benefit of being
able to handle gases.
• Siphon: A system of piping or tubing where the exit point is lower than the entry point and where
some part of the piping is above the free surface of the fluid source.
• Sludge pump: certain types of sludges tend to settle very quickly and are hard to keep in suspension
• Slurry pump: a rugged heavy duty pump intended for aggressive or abrasive slurry solutions typically
found in the mining industry with particles of various sizes. It achieves this by lining the inside of the
pump casing as well as the impeller with rubber.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
•
System
Specific gravity (SG): the ratio of the density of a fluid to that of water at standard
conditions. If the SG is 1 then the density is the same as water, if it is less than 1 then the
fluid is less dense than water and heavier than water if the SG is bigger than 1. Mercury
has an SG of 14, gasoline has an SG of 0.8. The usefulness of specific gravity is that it has
no units since it is a comparative measure of density or a ratio of densities therefore
specific gravity will have the same value no matter what system of units we are using
• Specific speed: a number that provides an indication what type of pump (for example
radial, mixed flow or axial) is suitable for the application.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Standard volute pump close coupled: The volute is the casing which has a spiral shape. The motor shaft is
connected to the impeller without an intermediate coupling providing a compact arrangement. The flow range
is typically less than 300 gpm.
• Standard volute pump separately coupled: The volute is the casing which has a spiral shape. The motor shaft
is connected to the impeller with an intermediate shaft with two couplings.
• Stuffing box: the joint that seals the fluid in the pump stopping it from coming out between the casing and the
pump shaft.
• Submersion: Submersion as used here is the height between the free surface of a suction tank and the pump intake pipe.
• Suction flow splitter: a rib of metal across the pump suction that is installed on certain pumps. It's purpose is to remove large
scale vortexes so that the stream lines are as parallel as possible as the fluid enters the impeller eye.
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• Suction guide: a device that helps straighten the flow ahead of a pump that has a 90 degree elbow
immediately ahead of it.
• Suction specific speed: a number that indicates whether the suction conditions are sufficient to
prevent cavitation. According to the Hydraulic Institute the suction specific speed should be less than
8500. Other experiments have shown that the suction specific speed could be as high as 11000.
• Suction Static Head: The difference in elevation between the liquid level of the fluid source and the
centerline of the pump This head also includes any additional pressure head that may be present at
the suction tank fluid surface, for example as in the case of a pressurized suction tank.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• Suction Static Lift: The same definition as the Suction Static head. This term is only used when the pump
centerline is above the suction tank fluid surface.
• System: as in pump system. The system includes all the piping, including the equipment, starting at the
inlet point (often the fluid surface of the suction tank) and ending at the outlet point (often the fluid
surface of the discharge tank).
• System Curve: A graphical representation the pump Total Head vs. flow. Calculations are done for the total head
at different flow rates, these points are linked and form a curve called the system curve. It can be used to predict
how the pump will perform at different flow rates. The Total head includes the static head which is constant and
the friction head and velocity head difference which depends on the flow rate. The intersection of the system
curve with the pump characteristic curve defines the operating point of the pump.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
System
• System requirements: Those elements that determine Total Head: friction and the system inlet and outlet
conditions (for example velocity, elevation and pressure).
• Thixotropic: The property of a fluid whose viscosity decreases with time.
• Total Head: The difference between the pressure head at the discharge and suction flange of the pump
• Turbulent: The behavior of fluid articles within a flow stream characterized by the rapid movement of
particles in many directions as well as the general direction of the overall fluid flow.
• Total Static Head: The difference between the discharge and suction static head including the difference
between the surface pressure of the discharge and suction tanks if the tanks are pressurized
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• Vane pass frequency: when doing a vibration analysis this frequency (no. of vanes times the shaft speed)
and it's even multiples shows up as a peak which can indicate a damaged or imbalanced impeller.
• Vacuum: pressure less than atmospheric pressure.
• Vane pump (hydraulic): a positive displacement pump. Vane pumps are used successfully in a wide
variety of applications (see below). Because of vane strength and the absence of metal-to-metal contact,
vane pumps are ideally suited for low-viscosity, non lubricating liquids up to 2,200 cSt / 10,000 SSU. Such
liquids include LPG, ammonia, solvents, alcohol, fuel oils, gasoline, and refrigerants.
• Vapor pressure: The pressure at which a liquid boils for a specific temperature.
 Glossary in Pumps and Pumping
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• Venturi (Bernoulli's law): a venturi is a pipe that has a gradual restriction that opens up into a gradual enlargement. The area
of the restriction will have a lower pressure than the enlarged area ahead of it.
• Viscous drag pump: a pump whose impeller has no vanes but relies on fluid contact with a flat rotating plate turning at high
speed to move the liquid.
• Water hammer (pressure surge): If in systems with long discharge lines,(e.g. in industrial and municipal water supply
systems ,in refineries and power stations) the pumped fluid is accelerated or decelerated, pressure fluctuations occur owing to
the changes in velocity. If these velocity changes occur rapidly , they propagate a pressure surge in the piping system,
originating from the point of disturbance ; propagation takes place in both directions (direct waves),and these waves are
reflected (indirect waves) at points of discontinuity ,e.g. changes of the cross sectional area ,pipe branches, control or isolating
valves, pumps or reservoir. The boundary conditions decide whether these reflections cause negative or positive surges. The
summation of all direct and indirect waves at a given point at a given time produces the conditions present at this point.