A New Analytical Approach to Predict the Operating Point of a Pumping System Having Groups of Different Types of Radial-Flow Pumps in Parallel and the Resulting Flow Division in the Piping Network

Abstract

For two dissimilar radial-flow pumps running in parallel mode, selection of the operating point is critical. As the flow is reduced, the pump that builds majority of the head does the entire job while the other pump or pumps is/are deadheaded. In this paper, a pumping system having two radial-flow pumps of similar category, running in parallel mode and discharging to the specific area through pipes, is shown. To meet the extra demand of flow rate as desired by the process, two other pumps of a different category have been added with the existing system. The additional dissimilar pumps are arranged to run in parallel with the existing system. The delivery pipes of all pumps are connected in such a way that the total flow rate goes to the common header. This paper provides an analytical solution to predict the desired distribution of the flow rate in a piping network by suitable selection of the operating point of the pumps running parallel in the system.