7.

PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS

In the previous chapters the flow of mixture in pipelines was discussed in details. The
following chapters will deal with the effects of an interaction between a pipeline and
pumps on flow of mixture through a dredging installation. Study of these chapters
assumes knowledge of a basic theory of slurry pipeline flows (handled in Chapters 1
to 6) and of a basic theory of centrifugal dredge pumps and pump drives as given in
professor Vlasblom’s course.

7.1 THE BERNOULLI EQUATION

The amount of mechanical energy available in a pipeline flow of fluid is quantified in

the Bernoulli equation. This equation is obtained by integrating the Euler’s equation
of motion along a streamline. If flow is steady, frictionless and incompressible then at
an arbitrary location along a streamline

p v 2f
h+ + = const. (7.1)
ρf g 2g

h geodetic position of a location,

elevation above datum [m]
p pressure at a location on a stream line [Pa]
vf velocity of fluid at a location on a streamline [m/s].
ρf density of flowing fluid [kg/m3]
g gravitational acceleration [m/s2].

Each term of the above equation represents a head (Dutch: opvoerhoogte) with unit
[m]. The head can be interpreted as energy per unit gravity force (see Chapter 3). The
first term is potential energy of fluid control volume per unit gravity force, the second
term flow energy (or flow work) and the third term kinetic energy (see Fig. 7.1). Thus
for two fluid control volumes at two different locations along a streamline the sum of
these three energy terms is constant. However, the proportion of the values of the
particular energy terms changes when flow conditions change during a motion of a
fluid particle from one location to another.

7.1
7.2 CHAPTER 7

P Vm2
h+ + = Level of Mech. Energy
ρ f g 2g

Figure 7.1. Different forms of head in Bernoulli equation.

Consider a water flow through a pipe section. Flow is steady (flow rate is constant)
and incompressible (density is constant). If the pipe section is horizontal and a pipe
diameter at the beginning of a pipe section is smaller than at the end of the pipe
section than the pressure at the section begin is lower than that at the section end (see
Fig. 7.2: a horizontal pipe section in front of a pump). This is because the velocity at
the inlet is higher than at the outlet. A portion of kinetic energy is transformed to flow
energy in a pipe section. If a pipe remains of a constant diameter but the pipe section
is inclined the pressure at the top of the pipe section is smaller than that at the bottom
of the pipe section (see Fig. 7.2: an inclined suction pipe). Work had to be done (flow
energy lost) to lift water particles from the bottom to the top of a pipe section. Lifted
particles gained potential energy.

In practice, transported media of our interest (water or mixture) are considered

incompressible but the flow of these media can not be considered frictionless. If
flowing through a pipe, water or mixture dissipates a portion of their mechanical
energy. They transform a portion of their mechanical energy into thermal energy
(heat). The mechanical energy loss along a pipe section (between cross sections 1 and
2) must be incorporated to the Bernoulli equation so that
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.3

2 V22
P1 V1 P2
h1 + + = h2 + + + H totalloss (7.2)
ρ f g 2g ρ f g 2g

Htotalloss total head loss due to mechanical energy dissipation

between pipe cross sections 1 and 2 [m]
P mean absolute pressure in a pipe cross section [Pa]
h geodetic height of a pipe cross section [m]
V mean velocity in a pipe cross section [m/s]
ρf density of fluid [kg/m3]
g gravitational acceleration [m/s2].

pump-suction pressure
pressure in suction pipe

pump-discharge pressure
pipe-inlet pressure

reference level (zero-pressure line)

water level

pressure meter

waterway bottom

Figure 7.2. Pressure variation along a pipeline connected with a pump (schematic).

7.2 H - Q CURVE OF A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

A rotating impeller of a centrifugal pump adds mechanical energy to the medium

flowing through a pump. As a result of an energy addition a pressure differential
occurs in the pumped medium between the inlet and the outlet of a pump (see the
difference between the pump-suction pressure and the pump-discharge pressure in
Fig. 7.2). The pressure, or the energy head, added to the medium depends on the
7.4 CHAPTER 7

speed (revolutions per minute, r.p.m.) of an impeller and on the flow rate of medium
through a pump. A relationship between the head, H, the flow rate (called also
capacity), Q, and the revolutions per minute of the impeller, n, is given by a set of
H-Q curves (Fig. 7.3). A course of these curves is specific for each particular pump.
The course of the curves is sensitive to the geometry of a pump housing and of an
impeller and thus to flow conditions within a pump. The curves are determined by a
pump test. Usually, a pump manufacturer delivers the curves (called pump
characteristics) with a pump. For dredge pumps the pump characteristics may change
in time because the flow conditions within a pump are influenced by a wear of an
impeller and pump housing.

As discussed in Chapter 3, the head H is a measure of the mechanical energy of a

flowing liquid per unit gravity force. It is expressed as the height of the column of
∆P
liquid of ρf exerting the pressure differential ∆P, so that H = .
ρf g

Figure 7.3. Schematic Q-H curves of a centrifugal pump.

The head due to pressure differential generated by a pump is called the manometric
head, Hman, and it has a unit meter water column [mwc] (see Fig. 7.3).

The Hman-Q curve of a pump gives an amount of energy that a pump provides to a
pump-pipeline system for a certain r.p.m. (speed) of a pump impeller and a flow rate
(Q) through a pump.

The manometric head that is delivered by a pump to medium is determined by a

parameter called the manometric pressure and it is given (see also Fig. 7.4) as

ρm ( Vp2 − Vs2 )
Pman = Pp − Ps + ρm g ( h p + h s ) + (7.3)
2
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.5

Pman absolute manometric pressure [Pa]

Pp absolute pressure at the discharge outlet of a pump [Pa]
Ps absolute pressure at the suction inlet of a pump [Pa]
hp vertical distance between the pump axis and
the discharge outlet of a pump [m]
hs vertical distance between the pump axis and
the suction inlet of a pump [m]
Vp mean mixture velocity at the discharge outlet of a pump [m/s]
Vs mean mixture velocity at the suction inlet of a pump [m/s]
ρm density of pumped medium [kg/m3]
g gravitational acceleration [m/s2].

Vp
Pp

hp
hs Ps

Vs
Figure 7.4. Conditions at inlet and outlet of a pump.

7.2.1 Affinity laws for pump characteristics

Pump characteristic curves give Hman-Q, Wout -Q (Wout is pump output power) and
η-Q (η is pump efficiency) relationships for certain constant speed n [rpm].

The affinity laws

Q m, n1 n H man, n1  n1 
2 Wout, n1  n1  3 ηf , n1
= 1, =  , =  , =1
Q m, n 2 n 2 H man, n 2  n 2  Wout, n 2  n 2  ηf , n 2

enable to produce the pump curves for different constant speeds, n, of the pump (for
more details see Vlasblom’s lecture notes referred in Chapter 11). An application of
the affinity laws is shown in Case study 7 at the end of this chapter (Fig. C7.2).
7.6 CHAPTER 7

7.2.2 Different regions of pump operation (an interaction between pump and
drive)

A pump-drive system operates in a region of

- the constant speed or
- the constant torque
(for details see Vlasblom’s lecture notes referred in Chapter 11). This affects a shape
of an Hman-Q curve (see Fig. 7.5).

Figure 7.5. Operation regions of a pump-drive system.

PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.7

7.2.3 Effect of solids on pump performance

Figure 7.6. Effect of mixture density on pump characteristics. Tests of a

0.5-m-impeller pump connected with a 162 kW MAN diesel engine.
Speed: 1000 rpm. Pumped material: 0.2 – 0.5 mm sand.
(Data from Laboratory of Dredging Technology, TU Delft).
7.8 CHAPTER 7

Solid particles of a pumped mixture diminish the efficiency of a dredge pump (see
Fig. 7.6). The ratio of pump efficiencies when pumping mixture or water fc = ηm/ηf
is also a measure of manometric pressure reduction and output power reduction
Pman, m ρ m Win, m ρ m Wout, m ρ m ηm
= fc , = , = fc , = fc (7.4).
Pman,f ρf Win,f ρf Wout,f ρf ηf

Figure 7.7. Parameter fc giving reduction of the pump performance due to presence
of sand/gravel particles in pumped liquid according to Eq. 7.5a.

The parameter fc for sand and gravel mixtures is according to Stepanoff (1965)
related to the particle size, d50, and delivered concentration, Cvd, of solids in
transported mixture by

f c = 1 − C vd (0.8 + 0.6 log d 50 ) (7.5a).

In this equation d50 is in [mm] and Cvd in [-]. Reduction of pump efficiency and
manometric head increases with a particle size and solids concentration. The
reduction is relatively small for fine sand but it is very significant if mixtures of
coarse sand or gravel are pumped (see Fig. 7.7).
The original Stepanoff equation (Eq. 7.5a) does not consider the effect of an impeller
size. However, this effect may be of significant importance. The revised Stepanoff
equation (e.g. Miedema, 1999) including the impeller diameter Dimpel is

C vd (0.466 + 0.4 log d 50 )

fc = 1 − (7.5b).
D impel
In a pump-pipeline system the manometric pressure (or manometric head) of a dredge
pump is required to overcome the total head loss in mixture transported in a pipeline
connected to a dredge pump. The total head loss is composed of
- the major and minor losses due to flow friction in a suction pipeline,
- the loss due to the change in elevation of a suction pipeline,
- the major and minor losses due to flow friction in a discharge pipeline,
- the loss due to the change in elevation of a discharge pipeline,
- the losses due to mixture acceleration in a pipeline.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.9

7.3 H-Q CURVE OF A PIPELINE

The Hman-Q curve of a pipeline gives an amount of energy that the pipeline requires
maintaining a certain flow rate in a pump-pipeline system.

The required amount of mechanical energy is equal to the sum of the energy
dissipated due to friction in a flow of mixture through a pipeline and the potential
energy delivered to (or lost in) mixture to reach a pipeline outlet if this is at a higher
(or lower) geodetic level than a pipeline inlet.
A head lost due to flow of mixture in a pipeline is regarded as sum of major losses
due to internal friction in flow of mixture through straight pipeline sections and minor
losses due to flow friction caused by pipeline fittings.

7.3.1 Head loss in straight pipelines (major loss)

A determination of the frictional head loss for flow of water or mixture in straight
pipelines was a subject to discussion in Chapters 1, 4 and 5. The frictional head loss
in water flow is determined using the Darcy-Weisbach equation (Chapter 1). This
gives a parabolic H-Q curve (called a pipeline-resistance curve) described by the
equation

2 2
λ L Vf λ L Qf
H major, f = f = f (7.6).
D 2g D 2 gA2

Hmajor,f head loss due to friction of water in a straight pipe [Pa]

λf flow friction coefficient [-]
L length of a pipe [m]
D diameter of a pipe [m]
Vf mean mixture velocity in a pipe [m/s]
Qf mixture flow rate through a pipe [m3/s]
A area of a pipe cross section [m2]
g gravitational acceleration [m/s2].

The course of a pipeline-resistance curve is more complicated for mixture flows.

However, they are models available that are capable of predicting the resistance
curves for a various mixtures flowing in a pipeline (see Chapters 4 and 5). The
models predict the hydraulic gradient Im and this is interpreted as the head lost along
a pipeline of a length L using

Hmajor,m = ImL (7.7)

Hmajor,m head loss due to friction of mixture in a straight pipe [Pa]

Im hydraulic gradient in mixture flow according to
a suitable model [-]
L length of a pipe [m].
7.10 CHAPTER 7

7.3.2 Head loss in flow through fittings (minor loss)

Fittings as bends, joint balls, expansions and contractions of a discharge area, valves
and measuring instruments act as obstructions to the flow. The pipeline inlet and
outlet are also sources of local losses. Obstructions cause flow separation and an
induced mixing process in the separated zones dissipates mechanical energy. This
energy dissipation is additional to that in flow through straight pipeline sections. A
portion of energy dissipated due to a presence of fittings is usually considerably
smaller than frictional losses in straight pipes. In long dredging pipelines behind a
dredge the minor losses might be even considered negligible in comparison with
straight-pipe losses.

The minor losses for water flow obey a quadratic relationship between local head loss
and mean velocity through a fitting

Vf2
H min or ,f = ξ (7.8)
2g

Hminor,f head loss due to friction of water flow in fittings [Pa]

ξ minor loss coefficient [-].

Remark: ξ value for the pipeline outlet is 1.0 (ξoutlet=1.0).

Figure 7.8. Coefficient of minor losses for some fittings.

PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.11

Values of the coefficient ξ vary between zero and one for different fittings (e.g. Fig.
7.8). Experimentally determined values for ξ are available for water flow through
various fittings and various fitting configurations in the literature.

A correct determination of minor losses for mixture flows is more complicated,

particularly for stratified flows. In a dredging practice a simple assumption is often
applied that mixture density alone sufficiently represents an effect of solids on the
minor loss so that

Vf2 ρm
H min or ,m = ξ (7.9).
2 g ρf

This might be a suitable approach for fully-suspended flows in which slurry density
might directly influence frictional losses through wall shear stresses. In stratified
flows, however, an induced local turbulence of a carrying liquid might take a portion
of particles from a bed to suspension and reduce frictional losses in a pipeline section
of a certain length behind a fitting. This effect must be taken into account. If no extra
suspension is assumed due to flow disturbances (in flow of coarse particles), an
energy dissipation takes place through small turbulent eddies of a carrying liquid that
decay to the viscosity of the carrier. The carrier viscosity is not affected by a presence
of coarse solid particles. Therefore the value of a minor head should not be influenced
either. Thus Eq. 7.9 might overestimate minor losses in stratified flows. However,
very little is known about an effect of solids on the minor losses in pipelines yet. It is
an interesting subject to further investigation.

7.3.3 Total frictional head loss

The total frictional head loss is a sum of head losses due to friction in a straight
pipeline sections and in fittings mounted to a pipeline

Htotalloss = Hmajor + Hminor (7.10).

A total frictional pressure drop over a pipeline of the length L is given for a water
flow by the equation

 L 1
∆Ptotalloss,f =  λ f + ξ  ρ f Vf2 (7.11)
 D 2

and for a mixture flow by the equation

1 2
∆Ptotalloss, m = I mρf gL + ξ ρmVm (7.12).
2

A development of the total frictional pressure drop under the changing mean velocity
in a pipeline is given schematically in Fig. 7.9.
7.12 CHAPTER 7

Figure 7.9. Schematic Htotalloss-Q curve of a horizontal pipeline.

7.3.4 Geodetic head

A geodetic head (called also static head) was discussed in detail in Chapter 6
concerning inclined flows,

Hstatic = Sm∆h (7.13)

Hstatic geodetic head [m]

∆h elevation change over a pipeline; difference in
geodetic height between pipeline inlet and outlet [m]
Sm relative density of mixture [-].

7.4 WORKING POINT OF A PUMP-PIPELINE SYSTEM

Velocity of transported medium in a pump-pipeline system is determined by a cross

point of a pump H-Q curve and a pipeline H-Q curve (Fig. 7.10). The cross point
gives the velocity at which a balance is found between the energy provided to a
system by a pump and the energy required to overcome a flow resistance in a pipeline
and a change in a geodetic height between the pipeline inlet and outlet.

Practically this means that if water is pumped through a pipeline of certain geometry
(given by diameter, length, elevation and a number of fittings) the rpm installed on a
pump determines directly the velocity of water in a pipeline. An increase in the rpm
(i.e. a step to an another pump H-Q curve of constant rpm) increases the water
velocity because a new working point (Dutch: werkpunt) is found on a pipeline
resistance curve.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.13

Figure 7.10. Working points of a pump-pipeline system when water is pumped

(schematic).

The same rules are valid for mixture pumping if flow conditions are steady, i.e.
mixture density and size of transported solids do not change in time.

For a dredging operation, however, a fluctuation of mixture density is typical. Even if

other parameters (as pump rpm and size of transported solids) are constant, this
density fluctuation might produce a fluctuation of the mean mixture velocity in a
pipeline. The increasing density of mixture in a pipeline is a source of increasing flow
resistance. Thus a balance between a provided energy head (that is constant if rpm of
a pump does not change) and a required energy head (that increases with mixture
density in a pipeline) is found at lower velocity. The velocity increases again if mean
mixture density gradually drops in a pipeline due to lower density of mixture
generated in a pipeline inlet.

7.5 WORKING RANGE OF A PUMP-PIPELINE SYSTEM

If a pipeline resistance is given by just one H-Q curve of a pipeline (a pipeline lay out,
properties of soil and density of transported mixture are constant in time) there is just
one working point at which an installation of a pipeline and a pump at a constant
speed operates. If pipeline resistance changes (usually due to fluctuating mixture
density in a pipeline) an installation operates within a working range (Dutch:
werkgebied) instead of at a working point (Fig. 7.11).
7.14 CHAPTER 7

Figure 7.11. Working points and working range of a pump-pipeline system

(schematic).

A mixture density fluctuates with a high frequency and amplitude within a dredging
pipeline, particularly if a discharge pipeline is connected with a cutter suction dredge
(see Fig. 7.12).

Figure 7.12. Mixture density fluctuations (here referred as Cvsi fluctuations) in

a 500 meter long discharge pipeline connected with a trailing
suction hopper dredge (TSHD) and a cutter suction dredge (CSD)
(after v.d. Berg, 1998).

This causes fluctuation in a manometric pressure provided by a pump. However, a

position of a working point of a pump-pipeline installation is influenced by the mean
mixture density in an entire pipeline rather than by local density fluctuation in a
pump.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.15

Let’s consider an installation composed of a pump, a suction pipe and a discharge

pipe that is considerably longer than a suction pipe. A dredging operation is
monitored from the beginning to the end of a transportation cycle. The short-time
fluctuations of the density of transported mixture can be neglected. The following
stages of a pump-pipeline operation are of importance:

1. the beginning of a cycle: only water flows through the suction pipe and the
discharge pipe
2. the beginning of a soil excavation process: the suction pipe and the pump are
filled with mixture, the discharge pipe is still filled with water only
3. the mixture transportation: both the suction and the discharge pipes are filled with
mixture
4. the end of a cycle: the suction pipe and the pump are filled with water, the
discharge pipe is filled with mixture.

7.5.1 Pump operation within a range of the constant speed

If a pump operates within a range of the constant speed during an entire transportation
cycle a position of a working point varies for the four different stages (described
above) in a way displayed on Fig. 7.13.

Figure 7.13. Working range within a constant speed region of a dredge pump.

An area defined by points 1,2,3 and 4 on Fig. 7.13 gives the working range.
7.16 CHAPTER 7

7.5.2 Pump operation within a range of the constant torque

Shifting of a working point during a cycle described by steps 1 to 4 is different from

that for a pump operating in a constant-speed regime (compare Figs. 7.13 and 7.14).

Figure 7.14. Working range within a constant torque region of a dredge pump.

7.5.3 Pump operation within a range around the nominal torque point

Figure 7.15. Working range round a nominal torque point.

PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.17

Shifting of a working point during a cycle described by steps 1 to 4 is different from

that for pumps operating either in the constant-speed regime or in the constant-torque
regime (Fig. 7.15).

Let’s compare operations of a certain installation (pumping only water for this
particular example) if a pipeline length changes and other parameters remain constant
(Fig. 7.16). The resistance curve R2 is for a pipeline of an original length, R1 for a
longer pipeline and R3 for a shorter pipeline.

The Fig. 7.16 shows that pumping through a longer pipeline (R1) is associated with
the drop in the output power than pumping through a pipeline of an original length
(R2) if operation realizes within a constant-speed region of a pump. However, a
shortening of the pipeline (R3) can lead to similar drop in the output power the
working point shifts to the constant torque line. In the constant-torque regime the
engine speed decreases in order to avoid overloading of the motor.

Figure 7.16. Working points for systems of different pipeline lengths.

(Legend: R1 longer pipe, R2 original length, R3 shorter pipe)
7.18 CHAPTER 7

7.6 OPERATION UNDER THE CONDITION OF

CONTINUOUSLY FLUCTUATING DENSITY OF MIXTURE

A pump of a dredging installation reacts on short-time fluctuations of density of

mixture passing through the pump (Figs. 7.17, 7.18). Thus the manometric head
provided by the pump fluctuates in time as fluctuates the mixture density. The
variation in the manometric head should lead to variation in mixture velocity in a
pipeline connected with a pump. However, an effect of the discharge pressure
fluctuation on the flow conditions in a discharge pipeline depends on a length of the
pipeline. At each moment a working point of a pump-pipeline installation is
determined by the mean flow conditions (average mixture density, see Fig. 7.17) in an
entire pipeline rather than by local flow conditions in a pump.

Figure. 7.17. Immediate slurry density in a pump (Ja), immediate pressure at the
beginning (Ja) and at the end (Du) of a pipeline section (Ja-Du).
Average mixture density and pressure drop in the pipeline section (Ja-Du) [++++].

Figure. 7.18. Effect of mixture density fluctuation on torque and speed of a booster
pump (Du) (after Matousek, 1997).
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.19

This contradiction between momentarily large density fluctuations in a pump and

small changes in a mean density of mixture over an entire pipeline length (see Fig.
7.18, 7.19 or 7.12) makes a prediction and a control of processes in a dredging
installation insecure. This is particularly the case if more pumps are installed in series
in a transportation system.

7.7 OPERATION UNDER THE CONDITION OF FLUCTUATING

DENSITY OF MIXTURE AND MEAN PARTICLE SIZE IN A
PIPELINE

Fig. 7.19 shows a variation of a working-point position in a pump-pipeline system

under the condition of changing mean mixture density (marked here as γgem [that is
ρm]) and particle size (normaal materiaal/grover materiaal). The system operates
within a region of a constant torque of a pump drive. The working-point variation is
plotted in Hman [mwc, meter water column] versus Q [litre/second] co-ordinates.

Figure 7.19. Variation of working point under various mixture flow conditions in a
pump-pipeline system.

The flow rate through a system drops if mixture density or particle size of transported
solids increases in a system.
7.20 CHAPTER 7

7.8 EFFECT OF IMPELLER PARAMETERS ON WORKING

POINT OF A SYSTEM

If a pipeline of a pump-pipeline system becomes very short the working point of the
system reaches the smoke limit of a diesel drive and the drive collapses. This can be
avoided by replacing the impeller of a pump if a pipeline becomes short. The use of a
smaller impeller or of an impeller with fewer blades causes a shift (from A to B in
Figs. 7.21 and 7.21) of a working point to a position far above the smoke-limit point.

Figure 7.20. Effect of a use of smaller impeller in a system with a shorter pipeline.

Figure 7.21. Effect of a use of impeller with fewer blades in a system with
a shorter pipeline.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.21

7.9 REFERENCES

van den Berg, C.H. (1998). Pipelines as Transportation Systems. European Mining
Course Proceedings, MTI.
Matousek, V. (1997). Flow Mechanism of Sand-Water Mixtures in Pipelines. Delft
University Press.
Miedema, S.A. (1999). Considerations on limits of dredging processes. Proc. WEDA
19th Technical Conference and 31st Texas A&M Dredging Seminar, Louisville,
Kentucky, pp. 233-54.
Stepanoff, A.J. (1965). Pumps and Blowers, Two-Phase Flow: Selected Advanced
Topics. J.Wiley & Sons, Inc.

7.10 RECOMMENDED LITERATURE

van den Berg, C.H. (1998). Pipelines as Transportation Systems. European Mining
Course Proceedings, MTI.
de Bree, S.E.M. (1977). Centrifugaal Baggerpompen. IHC Holland.
7.22 CHAPTER 7

CASE STUDY 7.1

A deep dredge has a centrifugal pump on board. The heart of the pump is on the same
geodetic height as the water level. The suction and the discharge pipes are mounted to
the pump at the pump-heard level. The suction pipe of the dredge is vertical and the
discharge pipe is horizontal. Both pipes have a diameter 500 mm. The dredge pump
pumps the 0.2-mm sand from the bottom of the waterway that is 7 meter below the
water level (thus the dredging depth is 7 meter). The density of a pumped sand-water
mixture is 1400 kg/m3. The discharge pipe is 750 meter long. The pump-pipeline
installation is supposed to keep the production at 700 cubic meter of sand per hour.

1. Determine the manometric pressure (manometric head) that the pump must deliver
to ensure the required production of the sand for mixture of the density 1400
kg/m3.

2. What is the equivalent manometric pressure of the pump for water service at the
same flow rate? This enables to place the working point to the eventually available
pump characteristic H-Q for water service.

3. Assume that the plotting of the working point into the H-Q nomograph of the
pump revealed that the working point corresponds with the pump speed 400 rpm
(the point lays on the H-Q curve for 400 rpm). The maximum speed with which an
engine can provide the pump is 450 rpm. What would be the flow rate and the
manometric pressure if the maximum speed would be installed?

For the calculation consider the friction coefficient of the suction/discharge pipes λ =
0.011. The following minor losses must be considered:
- the inlet to the suction pipe: ξ = 0.5,
- the 90-deg bend in suction pipe: ξ = 0.1,
- several flanges in suction/discharge pipes: ξ = 0.3,
- the outlet from the discharge pipe: ξ = 1.0.
Additional inputs:
ρf = 1000 kg/m3
ρs = 2650 kg/m3

Inputs:

∆hdepth = 7 m
Lhor = 750 m
D = 500 mm
d50 = 0.20 mm
ρs = 2650 kg/m3, ρf = 1000 kg/m3, ρm = 1400 kg/m3
λf = 0.011, Σξ = 1.9
Qs = 700 m3/hour = 0.194 m3/s

Remark: To make a calculation simpler the effect of a pipeline roughness on frictional

losses in a pipeline is considered to be represented by a constant value of the
frictional coefficient λf, i.e. independent of variation of mean mixture
velocity.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.23

1. Determination of the manometric pressure for mixture service

Mean velocity of mixture in a pipeline, Vm:

ρ − ρf 1400 − 1000
C vd = m = = 0.2424 [-],
ρs − ρf 2650 − 1000

Qs 0.1944
Qm = = = 0.802 m3/s,
C vd 0.2424

4Qm 4 x 0.802
Vm = = = 4.085 m/s.
πD2 3.1416 x 0.52

Manometric pressure of the pump, Pman:

There is a balance between

the pressure difference among the inlet and the outlet of the installation:
Pinlet – Poutlet and the pressure drop over the total length of a pipeline:
∆Pstatic + ∆Ptotloss,m - Pman.

∆Pstatic is the static pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet;
∆Ptotloss,m is the total pressure loss (both major and minor) over the length of a pipe;
Pman is the manometric pressure of the pump.

The balance reads

Pinlet - Poutlet = ∆Pstatic + ∆Ptotloss,m - Pman,

in which Pinlet = Patm + ∆hdepth.ρf.g,

∆Pstatic = ∆hdepth.ρm.g,
Poutlet = Patm.

Thus Pman = ∆hdepth(ρm - ρf)g + ∆Ptotloss,m.

The pressure drop due to losses:

∆Ptotloss,m = ∆Pmajor,m + ∆Pminor,m.

2
Vm 4.092
Minor loss: ∆Pminor,m = Σξ ρm = 1.9 1400 = 22.2 kPa.
2 2

Major loss:

vertical pipe: the equivalent-liquid model: ∆Pvert,m = ∆Pvert,f ρm [Pa].

7.24 CHAPTER 7

The Darcy-Weisbach equation:

∆h depth Vm2 7 4.092
∆Pvert,f = λ f ρf = 0.011 1000 = 12.9 kPa
D 2 0.5 2

∆Pvert,m = ∆Pvert,f ρm = 12880 x 1400 = 18.0 kPa.

horizontal pipe: the Wilson model: ∆Phor,m = fn(d, D, Cvd, ρs, ρf, ∆Ppipe,f) [Pa].

The Wilson model:

0.45
 Ss − 1 
V50 ≈ 3.93(d 50 ) 0.35
  = 3.93(0.20)0.351 = 2.24 m/s.
 1.65 
−1.7 −1.7
Im − If V  Im − If  4.09 
= 0.22  m  => = 0.22   = 0.079 [-].
C vd ( Ss − 1)  V50  C vd ( Ss − 1)  2.24 

∆Phor,m = 0.079xCvd (Ss -1)gρf Lhor + ∆Phor,f [kPa].

Lhor Vm 2 750 4.092

∆Phor,f = λ f ρf = 0.011 1000 = 138.0 kPa
D 2 0.5 2
∆Phor,m = 0.079 x 0.2424 x (1.65-1) x 9.81x1000 x 750 + 138 000 = 229.6 kPa.

∆Ptotloss,m = ∆Phor,m+ ∆Pvert,m+ ∆Pminor,m = 229.6 + 18.0 + 22.2 = 269.8 kPa

Thus
Pman = ∆hdepth(ρm - ρf)g+∆Ptotloss,m = 7(1400-1000)9.81+269800 = 297.3 kPa.

The manometric pressure that the pump must deliver to maintain the required
production is 297 kPa, i.e. 3 bar. The pump provides this manometric pressure at the
flow rate of mixture 0.802 m3/s.

2. Determination of the manometric pressure for water service

Equivalent manometric pressure for water service, Pman,f :

Pman,m 297
Pman,f = = ,
ρm 1400
1 − C vd ( 0.8 + 0.6 log d 50 )  1 − 0.2424 ( 0.8 + 0.6 log 0.2 ) 
ρf  1000 
Pman,f = 233.7 kPa.

The working point for water service is:

Pman,f = 233.7 kPa at Qm = 0.802 m3/s.

Further, it is assumed that this working point holds for pump operation at 400 rpm.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.25

3. Determination of the working point for another speed of the pump

2
n1 Pman,n1  n1 
Qm,n1
The affinity laws: = , =  .
Qm,n2 n 2 Pman,n2  n 2 

The working point at 450 rpm:

0.802 400 3
= , thus Qm,450 = 0.902 m /s.
Qm,450 450

2
233.7  400 
=  , thus Pman,f,450 = 295.7 kPa.
Pman,f ,n2  450 

The working point for water service at 450 rpm is:

Pman,f = 295.7 kPa at Qm = 0.902 m3/s.

ρm
Pman,m,450 = Pman,f ,450 1 − C vd ( 0.8 + 0.6 log d 50 )  =
ρf 
1400
= 295.7 1 − 0.24 ( 0.8 + 0.6 log 0.2 )  = 375.8 kPa.
1000 

The working point for mixture service at 450 rpm is:

Pman,m = 375.8 kPa at Qm = 0.902 m3/s.
7.26 CHAPTER 7

CASE STUDY 7.2

A dredging installation transports a mixture of narrow-graded medium sand (d50 =

0.30 mm, ρs = 2650 kg/m3) and lake water (ρf = 1000 kg/m3) from a dredging pit to a
construction site. The installation is composed of an on-board pump (a centrifugal
pump IHC 125-27.5-50, see pump characteristics in Tab. C7.1) and a pipeline of the
diameter 500 millimetre. Fig. C7.0 shows a lay-out of the installation. The dredging
depth is 15 meter. A suction pipeline is inclined under the angle 45 deg (the pipe
length 21 meter) and horizontal (a 2 meter long section in front of a pump suction
mouth). The centre of the pump is at the water-level position. A discharge pipeline is
horizontal and its geodetic position is considered identical with a water level along its
entire length (an elevation of a discharge pipeline is zero). The discharge pipeline is
composed of a 200 meter long floating pipeline and of an on-shore pipeline of a
variable length. During a dredging operation the average density of pumped mixture
is 1412.5 kg/ m3.

The dredged material has to be delivered to a construction site of a quite large area.
Therefore a length of a discharge pipeline will vary during an operation. Determine
the maximum length of a pipeline attainable when pumping mixture of the above
required density. What will be the flow rate through a pipeline of a maximum length?

2m 200 m variable
15 m

45
Figure C7.0. Schematic lay-out of a pump-pipeline system.

INPUTS:

Lay-out of a pump-pipeline system (see also Fig. C7.0):

∆hdepth = 15 m
ω = 45 deg
Lhoriz,suction = 2 m
Lhoriz,floating = 200 m
Lhoriz,shore = variable
D = 500 mm
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.27

Mixture flow characteristics:

d50 = 0.30 mm
ρs = 2650 kg/m3, ρf = 1000 kg/m3, ρm = 1412.5 kg/m3 (i.e. Cvd = 0.25)
λf = 0.011

Remark: To make a calculation simpler the effect of a pipeline roughness on frictional

losses in a pipeline is considered to be represented by a constant value of the
frictional coefficient λf , i.e. independent of variation of mean mixture
velocity.

Pump & drive parameters:

The dredging pump: type IHC 125-27.5-50

the 5-blades impeller of a diameter 1250 mm and a breadth 275 mm
the diameter of a pump inlet: 500 mm

Table C7.1. Input to Case study 7

Characteristics of the pump IHC 125-27.5-50 if pumping water at the maximum speed
(nmax = 475 rpm)

Qm,nmax Pman,f, ηf,nmax

[m3/s] nmax [kPa] [%]
0.45 679.9 55.7
0.50 676.7 58.8
0.55 673.4 61.6
0.60 670.1 64.0
0.65 666.7 66.1
0.70 663.2 67.9
0.75 659.7 69.5
0.80 656.1 70.9
0.85 652.5 72.1
0.90 648.8 73.1
0.95 645.0 74.0
1.00 641.0 74.8
1.05 637.0 75.4
1.10 632.9 76.0
1.15 628.7 76.5
1.20 624.4 76.9
1.25 619.9 77.2
1.30 615.3 77.5
1.35 610.6 77.7
1.40 605.7 77.9
1.45 600.7 78.0
1.50 595.6 78.1

Drive parameter:
The maximum power available at the pump shaft is 1000 kW (at the speed 475 rpm).
7.28 CHAPTER 7

CALCULATION:

a. Pump characteristics

The Pman,f,nmax–Qm,nmax curve of the IHC pump pumping water at the maximum
speed 475 rpm is a curve fitting the points given in Tab. C7.1. This constant-speed
curve can be approximated (correlation coefficient Rxy = 1.00, Fig. C7.1) by the
equation

Pman,f , n max = 702.5 − 42.44Q m, n max − 19.06Q 2m, n max [kPa] (C7.1).

The efficiency curve (ηf,nmax–Qm,nmax) of the pump operating at the maximum

speed is a curve fitting the points given in Tab. C7.1. This curve can be approximated
(correlation coefficient Rxy = 1.00, Fig. C7.1) by the equation

ηf , n max = 1.953Q m, n max − 2.0Q 2m, n max + 0.989Q3m , n max − 0.195Q 4m, n max [-]
(C7.2).

Remark: Theoretically, the 3rd order polynomial is sufficient to relate the pump
efficiency with the flow rate.

Figure C7.1. Characteristics of the dredging pump IHC 125-27.5-50

at the maximum speed 475 rpm.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.29

The affinity laws

Q m, n max n Pman,f , n max  n max  2 η f , n max
= max , =  , =1
Qm n Pman,f  n  ηf
enable to produce the constant-speed curves (Pman,f–Qm) and efficiency curves
(ηf–Qm) for different constant speeds, n, of the pump (see Fig. C7.2 for speeds 475,
450, 425, 400 and 375 rpm).

Figure C7.2. Characteristics of the dredging pump pumping water at

different constant values of pump speed.
(An application of affinity laws).
7.30 CHAPTER 7

The power delivered by a drive to the pump is limited by a value Win,max = 1000
kW at the maximum speed nmax = 475 rpm. This maximum-power value is reached
at the flow rate Qm = 1.244 m3/s (the Qm value is calculated using ηf =
PmanQm/Win,max combined with Eqs. C7.1 & C7.2). For higher flow rates the
diesel engine, that drives the pump, can not maintain the constant speed and the
engine operates at the constant torque. Thus the revolutions of a shaft drop if the flow
rate grows above Qm = 1.244 m3/s. The constant torque has a value equal to
60Win,max/(2πnmax) = 20 104 Nm.

The constant-torque curve of a pump-drive set is obtained from Eqs. C7.1 & C7.2 for
the condition

Q m 60 60 n2
Pman,f = Win, max where Pman,f = Pman,f , n max ,
ηf 2πn 2πn max 2
n max
Q m, n max n max η f , n max
= and =1
Qm n ηf

The condition is fulfilled for a set of [Pman,f, Qm] points (see Tab. C7.2 and Fig.
C7.3) that can be approximated (correlation coefficient Rxy = 0.9976) by the equation

Pman,f = 20950 − 43120Q m + 30690Q 2m − 7365Q 3m [kPa] (C7.3).

Figure C7.3. Characteristics of the dredging pump IHC 125-27.5-50

when pumping water, mixture of Sm = 1.4125 respectively,
in the range of maximum speed of the pump and in
the range of constant torque of a drive.
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.31

Table C7.2:
Constant torque points for the performance of the pump-drive set pumping water at
different pump speeds:

n Qm Pman,f ηf
[rpm] [m3/s] [kPa] [-]
475 1.244 620.21 0.771
460 1.317 571.64 0.777
450 1.368 539.83 0.780
440 1.420 508.53 0.779
430 1.469 478.13 0.776
420 1.514 448.73 0.768
410 1.551 420.72 0.756
400 1.578 394.31 0.739
375 1.606 334.88 0.681

Pump characteristics if mixture is pumped instead of water:

The constant-speed curve is obtained (see Eqs. 7.4 & 7.5) from
 S −1 
Pman, m = Pman,f S m 1 − m (0.8 + 0.6 log d50 ) [kPa],
 Ss − 1 
thus for d50 = 0.30 mm and Ss = 2.65
Pman, m = Pman,f Sm [1 − 0.2947(S m − 1)] [kPa] (C7.4)
and for Sm = 1.4125
Pman, m = 1.2408Pman,f [kPa].

The constant-torque curve fulfils the condition

Q m 60 60 n2
Pman,f S m = Win, max where Pman,f = Pman,f , n max ,
ηf 2πn 2πn max n 2max

Q m, n max n ηf , n max
= max and = 1.
Qm n ηf

The condition is fulfilled for a set of [Pman,m, Qm] points that can be approximated
(correlation coefficient Rxy = 1.00) for Sm = 1.4125 (see Tab. C7.3 and Fig. C7.3)
by the equation
Pman, m = 2408 − 3457Q m + 2205Q 2m − 575.4Q 3m [kPa] (C7.5)

valid for flow rate values Qm > 0.743 m3/s.

7.32 CHAPTER 7

Table C7.3:
Constant torque points for the performance of the pump-drive set pumping mixture of
Sm = 1.4125 at different pump speeds:

n Qm Pman,m ηm
[rpm] [m3/s] [kPa] [-]
475 0.743 819.47 0.609
460 0.798 761.72 0.628
450 0.836 724.08 0.639
440 0.874 687.24 0.649
430 0.914 651.00 0.657
420 0.955 615.45 0.665
410 0.999 580.41 0.672
400 1.045 545.96 0.677
375 1.170 462.26 0.685
350 1.287 384.14 0.671

Remark:

The variable speed in the constant-torque regime of the engine can be approximated
(correlation coefficient Rxy = 0.9998) for Sm = 1.4125 (see Tab. C7.3) by the
equation
n = 723 − 396.1Q m + 83.08Q 2m [rpm]

valid for flow rate values Qm > 0.743 m3/s.

b. Pipeline characteristics

b.1 Major losses in a pipeline

Water: Darcy-Weisbach equation (Eq. 1.20):

λ V 2 0.011 Vm 2
2
If = f m = = 0.00112Vm [-],
D 2g 0.5 19.62
Q m 4Q m 4Q m
For Vm = =
2
=
2
= 5.09296Q m ,
A πD 3.1416x 0.5
thus
If = 0.02905 Q 2m [-] (C7.6).

Mixture: Wilson model for heterogeneous flow in horizontal pipe (Eqs. 4.16 - 17):
M = 1.7
0.45
0.35  Ss − 1 
V50 ≈ 3.93(d 50 )   = 3.93(0.30) 0.351 = 2.58 m/s.
 1.65 
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.33

−M −1.7
I m − If V  I −I V 
= 0.22 m  => m f = 0.22 m 
(S m − 1)  V50  (Sm − 1)  2.58 

Im = If + 1.10199(Sm - 1) Vm−1.7 [-],

Im = If + 0.06924(Sm - 1) Q −
m
1.7 [-] (C7.7),

for Sm = 1.4125
−1.7
Im = If + 0.02856 Q m [-].

Mixture: Wilson model for heterogeneous flow in inclined pipe (Eq. 6.6):
M = 1.7
γ = 0.5
ω = 45 deg

= (cos ω)(1+ Mγ ) = (cos 45)1.85 = 0.52668

I mω − I f
I m − If
Imω = If + 0.52668(Im - If) [-] (C7.8).

Pressure drop, ∆pmajor,m [Pa], lost in a pipeline section of the length Lsection:
∆pmajor,m = Imρf gLsection.

Horizontal pipeline:
∆pmajor,hor,m = (Eq. C7.6) + (Eq. C7.7)
∆pmajor,hor,m = 0.02905 Q 2m gLhoriz + 0.06924(Sm - 1) Q −1.7
m gLhoriz
[kPa],
∆pmajor,hor,m = 0.28498 Q 2m Lhoriz + 0.67924(Sm - 1) Q −1.7
m Lhoriz [kPa]
(C7.9),
for Sm = 1.4125
∆pmajor,hor,m = 0.28498 Q 2m Lhoriz + 0.28019 Q −1.7
m Lhoriz [kPa],

∆h depth
Inclined pipeline: Lincl =
sin ω
∆pmajor,incl,m = (Eq. C7.6) + (Eq. C7.8)
∆pmajor,incl,m = 0.02905 Q 2m gLincl + 0.52668[0.06924(Sm - 1) Q − 1.7
m ]gLincl
[kPa],
∆ h depth −1.7 ∆ h depth
∆pmajor,incl,m = 0.28498 Q 2m + 0.35774(Sm - 1) Q m
sin ω sin ω
[kPa] (C7.10),
7.34 CHAPTER 7

for Sm = 1.4125
∆h depth 1.7 ∆h depth [kPa].
∆pmajor,incl,m = 0.28498 Q 2m + 0.14756 Q −
m
sin ω sin ω

b.2 Minor losses in a pipeline

Values of minor-loss coefficients for different pipeline sections:

Suction pipeline: pipe entrance: ξ = 0.4
all bends, joints etc.: ξ = 0.3
Floating pipeline: all bends, joints etc.: ξ = 0.8
Shore pipeline: all bends, joints etc.: ξ = 1.5
Total value: Σξ = 3.0

Remark:
The coefficient of minor losses for a shore pipeline is further considered constant if
the length of a pipeline varies.

Head loss due to friction in fittings (Eq. 7.9):

V2 ρ V2
H min or, m = Σξ m m [mwc], i.e. ∆p min or, m = Σξ m ρ m [Pa].
2g ρ f 2
V2
∆pminor,m = Σξ m S m = 12.97 Σξ Sm Q 2m [kPa] (C7.11),
2

for Sm = 1.4125 and Σξ = 3.0

∆pminor,m = 2.12 Vm2 = 54.96 Q 2 [kPa].
m

b3. Static head in a pipeline

The static head that must be overcome by a pump is

Hstatic = Sm ∆hdepth - Sf ∆hdepth [mwc], i.e.

∆pstatic,m = ρmg ∆hdepth - ρfg ∆hdepth [Pa],

∆pstatic,m = (Sm - 1) x 9.81 x ∆hdepth [kPa] (C7.12),

for Sm = 1.4125
∆pstatic,m = 0.4125 x 9.81 x ∆hdepth = 4.05 ∆hdepth [kPa].

b4. Total loss in an entire pipeline

∆ptotalpipe,m = (Eq. C7.9) + (Eq. C7.10) + (Eq. C7.11)+ (Eq. C7.12)

∆ptotalpipe,m = ∆pmajor,hor,m + ∆pmajor,incl,m + ∆pminor,m + ∆pstatic,m [kPa]
PUMP AND PIPELINE CHARACTERISTICS 7.35

∆ptotalpipe,m = 0.28498 Q 2m (Lhoriz+Lincl) + Q −1.7

m (Sm - 1)(0.67924Lhoriz +
0.35774Lincl) + 12.97 Σξ Sm Q 2m + 9.81 (Sm - 1)∆hdepth [kPa]

∆h depth
∆ptotalpipe,m = 0.28498 Q 2m (Lhoriz+ ) + Q−1.7
m (Sm - 1)(0.67924Lhoriz +
sin ω
∆h depth
0.35774 ) + 12.97 Σξ Sm Q 2m + 9.81 (Sm - 1)∆hdepth [kPa]
sin ω
(C7.13).

c. Working point of a pump-pipeline system

Balance:
Pman,m = ∆ptotalpipe,m
(Eq. C7.4) (Eq. C7.13)
or
(Eq. C7.5)

OUTPUTS:

The maximum attainable length of a pipeline:

For Sm = 1.4125: Lmax = 1150 m at Qm = 0.756 m3/s.

The maximum pipeline length in a stable operation regime:

For Sm = 1.4125: Lmax = 975 m at Qm = 0.897 m3/s.

Table C7.4:
Flow rates at different lengths of an entire pipeline
(see also Fig. C7.4):

Sm L Qm n
[-] [m] [m3/s] [rpm]
1.4125 400 1.245 359
1.4125 500 1.181 371
1.4125 600 1.121 383
1.4125 700 1.062 396
1.4125 800 1.004 409
1.4125 900 0.944 423
1.4125 950 0.913 431
1.4125 975 0.897 435
1.4125 1000 0.881 439
1.4125 1150 0.756 471
7.36 CHAPTER 7

Figure C7.4. Working points of a pump-pipeline system for different lengths of a

pipeline. Pump at max. speed (475 rpm) or max. torque.
Pumped mixture of constant density 1412.5 kg/m3.
Dredging depth: 15 m, pipeline diameter: 500 mm.