PUMP TYPES, TERMS, & PUMP CURVES

Presented By: Rick Rumsey, P.E.

Irrigation Pump Types

• Centrifugal

• Turbine

• Submersible Turbine

Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal Pumps

Terms• Impeller

– Open– Closed– Semi‐open

• Trim

Centrifugal Pumps

Turbine Pumps

Terms• Stages• Bowls

Turbine Pumps

Terms• Stages• Bowls• Shaft• Bearings• Spiders• Screen

Submersible Turbine Pumps

Advantages/Disadvantages of Pump Types

Centrifugal

• Advantages–Above ground– Easy to maintain– Flat pump curve

• Disadvantages–Have to prime

Turbine

• Advantages– No priming– Can add stages to meet operating point

• Disadvantages– In the water– Steep pump curve– Submersible motor in the well

Pump Drives

• Close‐Coupled• Shaft Driven

Pump Terms

• Lift• Pressure• Static Water Level• Drawdown• TDH• Pump Setting• Submergence

Pump Terms Cont.

• Total Dynamic Head (TDH)TDH = Lift + Pressure + Minor Losses

–Units of feet–1 psi = 2.31 feet (convert pressure to feet for calculations)

Pump Terms Cont.

• Pumping  Flow Rate–Usually gallons per minute (gpm)–Can be cubic feet per second (cfs)–May be referred to as inches (referring to Miner’s inches)

• Idaho – 50 Miner’s inches = 1 cfs• Montana – 40 Miner’s inches = 1 cfs

– 1 cfs = 448.8 gpm

Pump Curves

• Pump curves show operating characteristics of a specific pump.

• Pump curves show TDH versus flow and show efficiency and horsepower.

Centrifugal Pump CurveCentrifugal Pump Curve

Centrifugal Pump CurveCentrifugal Pump Curve

Turbine Pump CurveTurbine Pump Curve

Where to Get Pump Curves

• USDA‐NRCS pump curve site: ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/wntsc/Pump%20Curves

• Pump‐Flo website: http://pump‐flo.com/• Manufacturer’s websites

Pump PhotosPump Photos

Pump PhotosPump Photos

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Questions???