CAWULIITIOH AND USE OF SYSTM N F m CUHVFS

. system head curve is a representation of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between flow an3 '

.hydraulic l o s s e s i n & give? ~ i p elayout. Since hydraulic l o s s e s are a f u n c t i o n of rs;e
. of flow, size and length of pipe, s i z e , number and type of f i t t i n g s ; each layout has i t s
obm c h a r a c t e r i s t i c curve and s p e c i f i c values. In v i r t u a l l y a l l punp apylications, a t .
. . l e a s t Qns , p o i n t on the system curve is given t o the pump manufacturer i n arder t o proper-
-' 1i s e l e c t the pump. I n many applications, however, i t iu d e s i r a b l e t o graphically supes-
- I .impose the e n t i r e system curve over the pump performance curve. .The i n t e r s e c t i o n of tLe
ptunp R 4 J curve.with the system herld curve defines t h e operating ~ o i n of t t h e ~ w n p . It
,
.. i s t h e purpose of t h i s b u l l e t i n t o review, by t y p i c a l e x a n ~ ~ l e s
the
, method of c d c u l a t S n g
system heads f o r the n o s t common layouts and discuss some of t'ne f a c t o r s which are b r o u g h t q
t o l i g h t by superimposing the system curve over the pwmp performance curves,

b
"

.
L
Pydrauliq losses i n pipe systems are co~~lposed
of t h e . follotrincg t
- A - Pipe f r i c t i o n l o s s e s
B - F i t t i n g l o s s e s (valves, elbows, etc.)

C -- pipe
Entrance and e x i t losses ( t h e s e nornlally occur a t t h e beginning and end of
line, respectively).
a

D -'Losses due t o change I n ~ l p es i z e by sudden o r gradual enlareement o r reduct

7-i n dianeter..
In t h e application of low head high capacity purnps such a s mixed flow o r a x i a l flow pw#71;,
i t i s imperative t h a t when applj.cable, each of t h e above l o s s e s be. accurately accounted
ecause these l o s s e s u s u a l l y represent a s i g n i f i c a n t percent of the t o t a l systern head.
e r , i n applications involving r e l a t i v e l y h i g h s t a t i c l i f t and/or r e l a t i v e l y high
1.tl:e f r - i c t i o n losses (long p i p e l i n e s ) it i s usually unnecessary t o account, f o r lossscs
-.g
r%-
-
l i s t e d under I?, C & D, since these losses represent an i n s i g n i f i c a n t percent o f the t o t a l
p; heact, Except f o r examples I h I 1 , ' t h e f o l l o ~ . : i n examples
l o s s e s r e s u l t i n g fro:.^ p i p s f r i c t i o n . However, i n
~
a c t u a l
w i l l take L ~ t oaccount only
pmctice each a p ~ l i c a t i o nE u l d
be checked Lo see 141ati s t h e order of ~ragnitudeof each cr^ t h e various hydraulic 1
A d e c i s i o n ccm then be rmde as 'to w h a t losses should be accourlt~dfor.
 luu wrr-*

The s p t e n head curve starts at zero c a p c i t r snd.aem head, >equals the total lo8sera
Since pipe losaes vary as the sguare of %apscity,
shape and i.8 a nstsep" & y s h l l CUrver
Assume detailed piiing layout and losses aa filllowst Flow 900 GPM
-
I
of water.
~ntkanceloss f m
, .

..
1
i n t o 1Q"&tioh p i p
.
- 1/2v2
Zg
=
Z
ft.

, Friction loss in 2 1 o f ,loRsuction pipe P

-
.02

LOSS in 10" 969,e l b c~o ~ + i e d b pu.rg, ( e q u i ~ rto 2f;r

. . of 10" p i p )

V s d in 8n gate valve Z u U y open (e.*.

..

tc 51 al 81
L
- i
*2
&

, I P*) ' . * .I2

Exit loss from pipe into tank A a v2 . .. . - 0.52

B
%
s'jmilar manner all losses at other capaeitiai shonld be cmpufxd pnd plotted
.
L . - 75.M

capacity. Note that if' all lasses were &mmd w e p t the friit:tion loars
3000 feet af discharge p i p , that the t o w arwtem h ~ & uudd not c w a w

b- If. littie Friction, Head ,Almost&ntiralr S t a t i c L F n

 fjrthis installatian capacities up to 7200 G% will mcur by gravity f l u w alone. To
obtain capacities beyond +uhia howevor, a pump would bs required to overcome the pipe

Assune 1000 feet of 1 0 n discharge pipe and Hz - .-'

501

Say 5000 CPM, Q

Friction 10:s in 1OOOt of 16l' pipe = 2St

Say 7 2 0 O S H , 2
F r i c t i o n loss is 10001 of -16"pipe
w h i c h could occur by gravity flow.
- 504; this is maximum flow '

&l.W GPM, Q3
Friction loss 5n 10001'of 16n pipe 1 150f; therefore, if 13000.
, GFX were required, a pump cap4lG of generating n head of 1501-
50' 1001, would be requiredr

V. Two ~ i f f e r e n tPipe Sizes

L@

w
, Losses versus capacity are plotted independently for pipe Dl and D2 respectively. At
any given capacity Q, the total losses for the system are the combined loss for Q and
--/ D2. Thus the combined ~ j s t e mcurve at a given capac3.t~represents the sum.of H, + L1 .
+ L2.

Assume Dl composed of 2001 c.f ku pipe

D2 . n n of 3" pipe
At say, 150 GI%;
a
~ r i c t i o iloss Ll i r l 4. pipe =. 5 ;

If Hz were lG!, t o t a l head st 153 GPM =lo + 24 3k1

.
_
. , . . .
 -
d
.
System curves are plotted independently for lines I and 2, respectively. The total
gystem curve is then obtained by add- capacities of curves l a d 2 at the sane head.

. . . ~
Asaurne HZl - 9 feet
I HE2 78 f e e t
I i
! :
I
L i n e 1 composed of 1000, of an pipe
Line 2 composed of 1000: of 8N pipe i

Say capacity equals 550 GF+l

.Friction loss line 1 10 feet .
tt n " 2 =lofeet ,

Say capacity equals 1150 GFM

Friction loss Line 1 * 38 f e e t .
n n line 2 & 38 feet

T o t a l head ( l i f t plus -friction)

Line 1 at ll50 Gml Q1
Line 2 at 550 GP21 Q2
-
1 '
SO + 38
. .

-
88 f e e t
78 + 10 = 88 feet
*

-
Therefore, a typical p9int on t h e t o t a l or combined system c w e at 88 f e e t i s 4 + Q2
or 550 + 1150 1700 GPI.;. Thus, t o produce 1700
of generating 88. feet would be required.'
thru t h i a system, a pump capable
. J.

. *
. .
s .

. . . .
g...
. .
 . . .

.. .
Assume line 1 is composed of 5001 of 10" pipe

..

. .. .
Say flow is 1800 GIjN t h r u line 1 I

F r i c t i o n l o s s L1 f o r line 1 is a 15 f e e t
' F r i c t i o n l o s s f o r L2 (1600-300) 1500 GPM t h r u l i n e 3 1 i2 ft.
Combined system curve at