Chapter Five

Jet Pumping System

(JP)
Chapter 5: Jet Pumps

___________________________________________________

Introduction
Jet pumps are a type of downhole pump that can be used in
hydraulic pumping systems instead of the reciprocating pumps.
They can be adapted to fit interchangeably into the BHA’s
designed for the stroking pumps. In addition, special BHA’s have
been designed for jet pumps to take advantage of their short
length and their high-volume characteristics. Because of their
unique characteristics under different pumping conditions, .jet
pumps should be considered as an alternative to the conventional
stroking pumps.

Although technical references to jet pumps can be found as

far back as 1852. ” It was not until 1933 ” that a consistent
mathematical representation was published, which included
suggestions for pumping oil wells. Use of jet pumps has grown
steadily since then more recent publications on hydraulic pumping
that describe the use of jet pump in oil wells include those by
Wilson. ’ Bell and Spisak, Christ and Zublin6 Nelson, and Petrie et
al.’

How the Jet Pump Works

Power fluid at high pressure (low velocity) is converted to a low-

pressure (high velocity) jet by the nozzle. The pressure at the
entrance of the throat becomes lower as the power fluid rate is
increased. When this pressure becomes lower than the pressure in

Chapter 5 2
the suction passageway, fluid is drawn in from the wellbore. The
suction fluid becomes entrained with the high velocity jet and the
pumping action then begins. After mixing in the throat, the
combined power fluid and suction fluid is slowed down by the
diffuser. Because the velocity is reduced, the pressure increases
rising to a value sufficient to pump the fluid to the surface.

Standard Single-Seal Jet Pump

The illustration for a standard Single-Seal Jet Pump shows the

pump in a bottom hole assembly designed for a hydraulic piston
pump. This design permits adaptation to a wide assortment of
bottomhole assemblies from many manufacturers. As a “Free
Pump,” the unit may be retrieved merely by changing the flow of
power fluid down the casing annulus, unseating the pump and
returning it to the surface. The “Free Pump” feature can eliminate
costly tubing pulls to retrieve the bottom hole pump.

Chapter 5 3
Figure 1: Typical single-seal let pump

Chapter 5 4
High-Volume Jet Pump

The High-Volume Jet Pump is shown in a “Free Pump”

configuration in the illustration to the left. Due to the enlarged fluid
passageways of the High-Volume Jet, a special bottom hole
assembly is required.

This pump can also be run in a reverse circulation mode. As

shown, the reverse circulation design is not a “Free Pump”, but is
held in place by means of a top lock/mechanical holddown. It is
easily installed and retrieved using conventional wireline fishing
tools.

Sliding Sleeve Jet Pump

This design has become popular in particular with offshore

operators. Primarily run in a reverse circulation mode with a top
lock, the Sliding Sleeve version can also be run on tubing if
desired. Platform operators using electric submersible pumps have
found that the Sliding Sleeve Jet Pump can be run in to continue to
produce a well when the ESP has shut down. Weatherford’s
Sliding Sleeve Jet Pumps have been widely accepted and are
especially suited for drill stem testing, because surface pumps are
already in place and well production capacity is uncertain (jet
pumps can operate at less than 5 percent of rated capacity without
damage to the pump).

Chapter 5 5
 Full ranges of nozzle and throat sizes are available to
allow power fluid rate and pressure to be varied to meet various
requirements.
An example of the simplest downhole jet free-pump
completion, the single-seal style, is shown in Fig. 1.

The most significant feature of this device is that it has no

moving parts. The pumping action is achieved through energy
transfer between two moving streams of fluid. The high-pressure
power fluid supplied from the surface passes through the nozzle
where its potential energy (pressure) is converted to kinetic energy
in the form of a very-high- velocity jet of fluid. Well fluids surround
the power-fluid jet at the tip of the nozzle, which is spaced back
from the entrance of the mixing tube. The mixing tube. Usually
called the throat, is a straight, cylindrical bore about seven
diameters long with a smoothed radius at the entrance.

The diameter of the throat is always larger than the diameter

of the nozzle exit, allowing the well fluids to flow around the power-
fluid jet and be entrained by it into the throat. In the throat, the
power fluid and produced fluid mix, and momentum are transferred
from the power fluid to the produced fluid, causing an energy rise
in it. By the end of the throat, the two fluids are intimately mixed,
but they are still at a high velocity, and the mixture contains
significant kinetic energy.

The mixed fluid enters an expanding area diffuser that

converts the remaining kinetic energy to static pressure by slowing

Chapter 5 6
down the fluid velocity. The pressure in the fluid is now sufficient to
flow it to the surface from the downhole pump. With no moving
parts, jet pumps are rugged and tolerant of corrosive and abrasive
well fluids. The nozzle and throat are usually constructed of
tungsten carbide or ceramic materials for long life. Jet pumps are
compact and can even be adapted to TFL completions that require
the pump to be circulated around a 5ft-radius loop in the power-
fluid tubing at the wellhead.

Successful jet-pump adaptations have also been made for

sliding side doors (see Fig. 2) in both the normal and reverse flow
configurations. These are normally run in on wireline or as a fixed
or conventional installation on continuous coiled tubing, and have
been successful in offshore drill stem testing (DST) of heavy-crude
reservoirs. Other applications include the dewatering of gas wells.”

With different sizes of nozzles and throats, jet pumps can

produce wells at less than 50 B/D or up to rates in excess of
10,000 B/D. As with all hydraulic pumping systems, a considerable
range of production is possible from a particular downhole pump
by controlling the power-fluid supply at the surface. In a given size
tubing, the maximum achievable e rates are usually much higher
than those possible with stroking pumps. Significant free gas
volumes can be handled without the problems of pounding or
excessive wear associated with positive- displacement pumps, or
the inlet choking encountered in centrifugal pumps. The lack of
vibration and the free- pump feature make them ideal for use with
pump down pressure recorders to monitor BHP’s at different flow
rates.

Chapter 5 7
Figure 2: Reverse-flow jet-pump casing type in sliding sleeve

Chapter 5 8
 Because they are high-velocity mixing devices, there is
significant turbulence and friction within the pump, leading to lower
horsepower efficiencies than can be achieved with positive-
displacement pumps. This often leads to higher surface
horsepower requirements. Although some gassy wells may
actually require less power. Jet pumps are prone to cavitations at
the entrance of the throat at low pump intake pressures, and this
must be considered in design calculations.

Also, because of the nature of their performance curves, the

calculations used for installation design are complex and iterative
in nature and are best handled by programmable calculators or
computers. Despite these limitations. their reliability and volume
capability make them attractive in many wells, and their use has
become widespread since commercial introduction in the early
1970’s.

Performance Characteristics
Intuitively, larger-diameter nozzles and throats would seem
to have higher flow capacities, and this is the case. The ratio of the
nozzle area to the throat area is an important variable, however,
because this determines the tradeoff between produced head and
flow rate. Fig. 3 shows a schematic of the working section of a jet
pump.

Chapter 5 9
Figure 3: Jet-pump nomenclature

If, for a given nozzle, a throat is selected such that the area
of the nozzle, An is 60% of the area of the throat, At a relatively
high-head, low-flow pump will result. There is a comparatively
small area. As around the jet for well fluids to enter. This leads to
low production rates compared to the power-fluid rate and because
the energy of the nozzle is transferred to a small amount of
production, high heads will develop. Such a pump is suited for
deep wells with high lifts. Substantial production rates can be
achieved if the pump is physically large, but the production rate will
always be less than the power-fluid
rate.

If a throat is selected such that the area of the nozzle is only

20% of the area of the throat, much more flow area around the jet
is available for the production. However, because the nozzle
energy is transferred to a large amount of production compared to
the power-fluid rate, lower heads will be developed. Shallow wells
with low lifts are candidates for such a pump. Any numbers of such

Chapter 5 10
area combinations are possible to match different flow and lift
requirements best.

Attempting to produce small amounts of production

compared to the power-fluid rate with a nozzle/throat-area ratio of
20% will be inefficient as a result of high turbulent mixing losses
between the high-velocity jet and the slow-moving production.
Conversely, attempting to produce high production rates compared
to the power-fluid rate with a nozzle/throat-area ratio of 60% will be
inefficient be- cause of high friction losses as the produced fluid
moves rapidly through the relatively small throat. Optimal ratio
selection involves a tradeoff between these mixing and friction
losses.

As a type of dynamic pump, jet pumps have characteristic

performance curves similar to electric submersible pumps. An
example is shown in Fig. 4. A family of performance curves is
possible, depending on the nozzle pressure supplied to the pump
from the surface. Different sizes of throats used in conjunction with
a given nozzle give different performance curves.

Chapter 5 11
Figure 4: Typical jet-pump performance

If the nozzle and throat areas of the pumps represented in

Fig. 4 were doubled, the nozzle flow rates would double, and the
production rates would double for each value of the pressure rise.
ΔP. The maximum ΔP, at zero production rate would remain the
same. The curves are generally fairly flat especially with the larger
throats, which makes the jet pump sensitive to changes in intake
or discharge pressure. Because variable fluid mixture densities,
gas/liquid ratios, and viscosities affect the pressures encountered
by the pump, the calculations to simulate performance are
complex and iterative in nature, and lend themselves to a
computer solution.

Chapter 5 12
Cavitations in Jet Pumps
Because the production must accelerate to a fairly high
velocity (200 to 300 ft/sec) to enter the throat, cavitations is a
potential problem. The throat and nozzle flow areas define an
annular flow passage at the entrance of the throat. The smaller this
area is, the higher the velocity of a given amount of produced fluid
passing through it. The static pressure of the fluid drops as the
square of the velocity increases and will decline to the vapor
pressure of the fluid at high velocities. This low pressure will cause
vapor cavities to form, a process called cavitations. This result in
choked flow into the throat and production increase is not possible
at that pump-intake pressure, even if the power-fluid rate and
pressure are increased. Subsequent collapse of the vapor cavities
as pressure is built up in the pump may cause erosion known as
cavitations damage. Thus, for a given production flow rate and
pump intake pressure, there will be a minimum annular flow area
required to keep the velocity low enough to avoid cavitations. This
phenomenon has been the subject of numerous investigations.
Notable is that of Cunningham and Brown.” who used actual oil
well pump designs at the high pressures used in deep wells.

The description of the cavitations phenomenon previously

discussed suggests that if the production flow rate approaches
zero, the potential for cavitations will disappear because the fluid
velocities arc very low. Under these conditions. However, the
velocity difference between the power-fluid jet and the slow-
moving production is at a maximum. Which creates an intense
shear zone on the boundary between them. Such a shear zone
constantly generates vortices, the cores of which are at a reduced

Chapter 5 13
pressure. Vapor cavities may form in the vortex cores, leading to
erosion of the throat walls as the bubbles collapse because of
vortex decay and pressure rise in the pump.

Although no theoretical treatments of this phenomenon have

been published, it has been the subject of experimental work. This
has led to the inclusion of potential damage zones on performance
prediction plots by some suppliers. This experimental correlation
predicts cavitations damage at low flow rates and low pump-intake
pressures before the choked flow condition occurs. Field
experience has shown, however, that in most real oil wells. The
erosion rate in this operating region is very low, probably because
of produced gas cushioning the system by reducing the
propagation velocity of the bubble- collapse shock waves.

It is generally agreed that this phenomenon is of concern

only in very-high-water-cut wells with virtually no gas present.
Under these conditions, cavitations erosion has been observed
even at very low production rates. If a jet pump is operated near its
best efficiency point, the shear vortices are a distinctly second-
order effect in the cavitation process.

Approximations for Handling Gas

The equations previously presented are for liquids. The free
gas present in many oil wells affects pump performance. A
rigorous treatment of the pumping of multiphase and compressible
fluids is outside the scope of this chapter. It has been found,
however, that simple but useful approximations can be made.
Cunningham” found that if the free-gas volume is added to the

Chapter 5 14
liquid volume as if it were liquid, pump performance follows the
standard curves reasonably well. The previous equation then
becomes

Where:
qn is the flow rate of free gas in BPD at pump-intake pressure
conditions. A review of Standing’s” work by F.C. Christ for a variety
of bottom hole conditions results in an empirical correlation for the
gas-plus-liquid FVF. When this is substituted into the previous
equation, the following relationship is obtained:

Where:
R=producing GOR, scf/bbl.

A cavitations correction for gas is also required. If the

assumption of choked flow into the throat annulus around the
power fluid jet is made and the downhole fluid properties are
typical, the additional area required to pass the gas is

Considering gas then becomes

Chapter 5 15
If provisions for venting free gas are made, the solution GOR at
pump suction conditions rather than the total GOR should be used.
It has been found from field-testing that the Muskat correlation
gives better results in conjunction with the other approximations
used in the jet-pump equations. If the total GOR is less than the
value from the following Figure 6, it indicates that all the gas is in
solution and the total GOR should be used. A vent system is not
necessary in such a case. As mentioned previously, parallel
installations automatically provide a gas vent unless a packer has
been set or the casing outlet is shut off.

Figure 6: GOR for gas-vented production

Chapter 5 16
Nozzle and Throat Sizes
Each manufacturer has different sizes and combinations of
nozzles and throats. Manufacturers A and B increase the areas of
nozzles and throats in a geometric progression-i.e., the flow area
of any nozzle or throat is a constant multiple of the area of the next
smaller size.

The maximum sizes of nozzles and throats that is practical in

pumps for a given tubing size depend on the fluid passages of the
particular pump, BHA, swab nose and standing valve. Single-seal
pumps cannot use nozzles as large as those practical in higher-
flow, multiple-seal pumps.

Jet Pump Application Sizing

The current use of jet pumps can be credited to the ad- vent
of computer programs capable of making the iterative calculations
necessary for application design. Jet-pump performance depends
largely on the pump discharge pressure, which in turn is strongly
influenced by the gas/liquid ratio, FgL , in the return column to the
surface. With the range of return FgL , seen in hydraulic pumping.
Higher values of FgL lead to reduce pump discharge pressure.
Because the jet pump is inherently an open power-fluid device,
FgL, depends on the formation GOR and on the amount of power
fluid mixed with the production. The amount of power fluid
depends on the size of the nozzle and the operating pressure.

Chapter 5 17
 As the power-fluid pressure is increased, the lift capability of
the pump increases, but the additional power-fluid rate decreases
FgL, thereby increasing the effective

The various suppliers of jet pumps have developed in-house

computer programs for application design that are faster than the
calculator routines and incorporate more correlations for fluid
properties and the pump discharge pressure. The object of the
calculation sequence will be to superimpose a jet pump
performance curve on the IPR curve of the well and to note the
intersections that represent the pump performance in the particular
well. Therefore, a plot of the best estimate of the IPR (or PI) curve
of the well is the starting point.

Calculation Sequence and Supplemental Equations

The following figure (Fig. 8) shows a typical jet pump

installation with the appropriate pressures that determine pump
operation. Although a parallel installation is shown for clarity of
nomenclature, the same relationships hold for the casing type
installation.

Chapter 5 18
Figure 8; typical jet-pump installation.

Power Fluid Flow through the Nozzle.

Step 1:
Calculate the pump suction gradient, gs

Step 2
For the desired production, qs, and pump intake pressure, Pps
calculate the minimum suction area needed to avoid cavitations
(Acm) from the following equation.

Chapter 5 19
Step 3
Referring to manufacturer tables , find a nozzle and throat
combination with area ratio. FaD, close to 0.4 that has an annular
flow area. As greater than the value of Acm from Step 2. Note that
this ensures that larg-er throats matched with this nozzle (lower
values of FaD) will also have annular flow areas greater than Acm

Step 4
Pick a value of the surface operating pressure, Pso. This is usually
between 2,000 and 4.000 psi, with higher values needed in deeper
wells. A good starting point is 3,000 psi.

Step 5
Determine the pressure at the nozzle, pn. as follow ( for the first
approximation, the friction term Pfpt can be neglected.)

Where:
Pfpt =power-fluid tubing friction pressure, psi.

Step 6
Determine the nozzle flow, qn, from the following equation for a
desired pump-intake pressure, Pps

Chapter 5 20
Step 7
Determine the friction in the power-fluid tubing from the charts and
equations of the two phase vertical flow correlations

Step 8
Return to Step 5, and recalculate the pressure at the nozzle and
then recalculate the nozzle flow at Step 6. This return to Steps 5
and 6 need be done only once unless the nozzle flow changed by
more than 15 %. This is because the power-fluid rate through the
nozzle depends only on the power-fluid pressure at the nozzle,
and the pump-intake pressure, this portion of the flow circuit has
been defined and will not change with variations in the pump flow
rate or pump discharge pressure so long as the pump intake
pressure is held constant in the calculations.

Pump Performance and Return Flow.

Step 1
Determine the values needed to predict the pump discharge
pressure, ppd. Total return flow: for a desired production rate, qs at
a point on the IPR curve of the well.

The value of qs will be adjusted during the iteration process.

Return flow fluid gradient:

Chapter 5 21
Return flow water cut: for water as power fluid,

For oil as power fluid,

Return flow gas/liquid ratio:

Return flow viscosity:

Step 2
If FgL is less than 10, it is suggested that the pump discharge
pressure be calculated without considering the gas effects,
particularly in casing-type installations. In such a case, the pump
discharge pressure, ppd, is given by

Chapter 5 22
Step 3
If FgL , is greater than 10, determine the pump discharge pressure
from a vertical multiphase flowing gradient correlation

Step 4
From the values for pn, pps , and ppd , determine the value of FpD as
follow.

Step 5
Calculate the value of Fmfd as follow:

If the GOR is zero, Fmfd is given by

Step 6
Referring to the following figure, check whether the values of FpD
and FmfD from Steps 4 and 5 fall on one of the standard curves.
Starting with the value of FpD on the vertical axis, move across to
the farthest curve intercepted. This will be the most-efficient-ratio
curve for that value of FpD Read down to the value of FmfD . If this
value does not agree with the one from Step 5, a correction is
needed in the value of qs, selected in Step 2 under Power-Fluid
Flow through the Nozzle.

Chapter 5 23
Figure 9: Typical dimensionless performance curves.

If the FmfD values do agree (within 5%), a solution has been found.
The nozzle size selected in Step 3 under Power Fluid Flow
Through the Nozzle is to be used with a throat that gives a value of
FaD as close as possible to that found by reading across from the
value of FPD. The solution obtained is for the amount of production
possible for the originally assumed surface operating pressure and
for the originally assumed pump-intake pressure. If only one
iteration was made, the value of qs will be the originally assumed
value.

Step 7
If the values of FmfD did not agree closely enough, correct the value
of qs, by the following method:

Chapter 5 24
Where
FmfD6 = value of FmfD from Step 6 and
FmfDs = value of FmfD Step 5. By using this value of qs, go back to
Step 1 and repeat the procedure until the value of FmfD and the
calculated value from Step 5 agree within about 5 %

Step 8
Determine the cavitation-limited flow rate, qsc, at this particular
pump intake pressure, pps

Where
qsi =initial assumed value. This value of qsc, can be plotted on the
IPR plot for the particular value of qsc, under consideration.

Step 9
Because the value of qs has been changed in the above
procedure when more than one pass through the equations has
been made, the combination of this value of qs and the assumed
value of pps will probably not be on the IPR curve of the well.

In this case, return to Step 5 under Power-Fluid Flow through

the Nozzle with a new value of the pump-intake pressure, pps If the
solution point was below and to the left of the IPR curve, select a
value of pps higher than the first one. If the solution point was
above and to the right of the IPR curve, select a lower value of pps

Chapter 5 25
 Repeating all the remaining steps for the same area ratio,
FaD, will give a new solution point that can be plotted on the same
graph used for the IPR curve. The two solution points define a
portion of the constant-operating-pressure curve for the particular
pump. If the curve intersects the IPR curve, a match between
pump performance and well performance has been found. It may
be necessary to calculate a third point to extend the pump
performance curve until it intersects the IPR curve. Note that in
Step 8. A new value of Acm, will have to be calculated because pps
has changed.

Step 10
Other constant-operating-pressure curves can be
constructed in the same manner by assuming a different value for
pso in Step 4 under Power-Fluid Flow Through the Nozzle. If the
intersection of a particular constant operating pressure curve with
the IPR curve is at a lower-than-desired production, try a higher
value of the operating pressure.

Surface Equipment
Surface Pumps
Hydraulic pumping systems have evolved toward the use of
relatively high pressures and low flow rates to reduce friction
losses and to increase the lift capability and efficiency of the
system. Surface operating pressures are generally between 2.000
and 4,000 psi, with the higher pressures used in deeper wells.
Power-fluid rates may range from a few hundred to more than

Chapter 5 26
3.000 B/D. While some surface multistage centrifugal pumps are
rated to this pressure range, they are generally quite inefficient at
the modest flow rates associated with single-well applications.

Multistage centrifugals can be used effectively when multiple

wells are pumped from a central location. The surfaces pump for a
single well or for just a few wells must be a high-head and low-
specific-speed pump. Wide experience in the overall pumping
industry has led to the use of positive-displacement pumps for this
type of application. The vast majority of hydraulic pump
installations are powered by triplex or quintiplex pumps driven by
gas engines or electric motors. The multiplex pumps used for
hydraulic pumping range from 30 to 625 hp. An example of a
surface triplex pump is shown in Fig. 10 Specification sheets for
multiplex pumps corn manly used in hydraulic pumping systems
are available from the manufacturers.

Figure 10: Triplex pump.

Chapter 5 27
 Multiplex pumps consist of a power end and a fluid end. The
power end houses a crankshaft in a crankcase. The connecting
rods are similar to those in internal combustion engines, but
connect to crossheads instead of pistons. The fluid end houses
individual plungers, each with intake and discharge check valves,
usually spring loaded. The fluid end is attached to the power end
by the spacer block. which houses the intermediate rods and
provides a working space for access to the plunger system. Most
units being installed in the oil field are of the horizontal
configuration shown in Fig. 10. This minimizes contamination of
the crankcase oil with leakage from the fluid end.

Vertical installations are still found, however, particularly with

oil as the pumped fluid or when space is at a premium, as in
townsite leases. Multiplex pumps applied to hydraulic pumping
usually have stroke lengths from 2 to 7 in. and plunger diameters
between 1 and 2% in. The larger plungers provide higher flow
rates, but are generally rated at lower maximum pressure because
of crankshaft loading limitations. The normal maximum rating of
multiplexes for continuous duty in hydraulic pumping applications
is 5.000 psi, with lower ratings for the larger plungers. Actual
applications above 4.000 psi are uncommon. Multiplex pumps are
run at low speed to minimize vibration and wear and to avoid
dynamic problems with the spring-loaded intake and discharge
valves.

Most applications fall between 200 and 450 rev/mm.

Because this is below the speeds of gas engines or electric
motors. some form of speed reduction is usually required. Belt

Chapter 5 28
drives are found on some units, although gear reduction is more
common. Gear reduction units are integral on some multiplexes
and separate on others. A variety of reduction ratios are offered for
each series of pumps. Because a positive-displacement pump has
an essentially constant discharge flow rate for a given prime mover
speed. Bypass of excess fluid is normally used to match a
particular pressure and flow demand. Another option that has been
used successfully is to drive the multiplex pump through a four-
speed transmission. Which greatly enhances the flexibility of the
system. This allows much closer tailoring of the triplex output to
the demand. Thereby decreasing or eliminating the bypassing of
liquid and increasing efficiency. The ability to run the multiplex
pump at reduced speed when needed also tends to increase the
life of such components as packing and valves.

Each plunger pumps individually from a common in- take

manifold and into a common discharge manifold. Because
discharge occurs only on the upstroke, there is some pulsation to
the discharge flow for this reason pulsation dampeners are
commonly used.

Two types of plunger systems are in common use. For oil

service, a simple and effective plunger-and-liner sys- tem is used
that consists of a closely fitted metallic plunger that runs inside a
metallic liner. Sprayed metal coatings or other hard facing means
are often used to extend the life of the plunger and liner. When
pumping water, the metal-to-metal system is not practical because
the fit would have to be extremely close to keep leakage to an

Chapter 5 29
acceptable level. Galling and scoring are problems with close fits
and the low lubricity of water.

To solve this problem. Spring-loaded packing systems are

used that do not require adjusting. The advent of high-strength at-
amid fibers for packing, in conjunction with other compounds to
improve the friction characteristics, has resulted in a pronounced
improvement in the ability of the pump to handle high-pressure
water for extended periods of time. Water still presents a more
severe challenge than oil, how- ever, and water systems show
much better life if operated at or below 3,500 psi.

Suction conditions are important to multiplex operation.

Friction losses in piping, fluid end porting and across the suction
valves reduce the pressure available to fill the pumping chamber
on the plunger down stroke. If these losses are sufficiently great,
cavitation may result. When pumping oil with dissolved gas, the
reduction in pressure will liberate free gas and cause knocking. For
these reasons, it is necessary to have a positive head on the
suction side to overcome the friction losses. In addition, another
phenomenon known as “acceleration head” must be considered.
The flow in the suction piping must accelerate and decelerate a
number of times for each crank-shaft revolution. For the fluid
(which has inertia) to follow the acceleration, energy must be
supplied, which is then returned to the fluid on deceleration.

The energy supplied during acceleration comes from a

reduction in the pressure in the fluid, and if this drops too low,

Chapter 5 30
cavitation or gas liberation will result. The standards of the
Hydraulic Institute provide the following relationship:

Where
ha = acceleration head, ft,
L4 = actual length of suction line, ft,
V4 = average velocity in suction line. ft/sec,
N4 = speed of pump crankshaft, rev/min.
C4= constant depending on type of pump.
K2 = constant depending on fluid
compressibility, and
g = gravitational constant, 32.2 ft/sec’.

For a triplex, C3 =0.066, and for a quintiplex. C3 =0.040. For water,

K2 = 1.4, and for oil, K2= 1.5 the minimum suction head for the
multiplex pump is then the sum of the friction losses and the
acceleration head. Although the pump can draw a vacuum, this will
flash gas and may tend to suck air across valve or plunger
packing. Manufacturers of multiplex pumps will recommend
appropriate suction charging pressures for their products. It is
worth noting that the previous equation predicts that long, small-
diameter suction lines will increase the acceleration head loss.
Such lines also increase the friction loss. It is therefore
recommended that suction lines be short and of large diameter,
with no high spots to trap air or gas. Suction stabilizers or pulsation
dampeners that tend to absorb the pulsations from the pump will
also reduce acceleration head. In many cases, sufficient

Chapter 5 31
hydrostatic head is not avail- able to provide the necessary suction
pressure. Booster pumps are used to overcome this problem.
Positive displacement pumps of the vane or crescent-gear type
driven from the triplex have been used extensively. These pumps
require a pressure control valve to bypass excess fluid and match
the multiplex displacement. Where electric power is available,
centrifugal charge pumps have given excellent service.

Centrifugal pumps generally need to run at speeds

considerably above the multiplex speed. Driving them from the
multiplex presents problems. Particularly with gas engine drive
where prime mover speed variations cause significant variations in
the charge-pump output pressure. While good charging pressures
are necessary to ensure proper loading and smooth operation,
there are problems associated with very high charge pressures.
High charge pressures add to the crankshaft loading, and for
charge pressures above about 250 psi it is advisable to derate the
maximum discharge pressure by one third of the charge pressure.
Also, high charge pressures can adversely affect the lubrication of
bearings, particularly in the cross- head wristpin. In addition, the
mechanical efficiency of multiplex pumps is some 3 to 5% lower on
the suction side compared to the discharge side. Consequently.
The combination of a charge pump and multiplex pump will be
most efficient with low charging pressures and a high boost by the
multiplex pump. Charging pressures should therefore be limited to
that necessary to give complete filling of the multiplex pump with a
moderate safety allowance for variations in the system
parameters. In some cases, it is desirable to inject corrosion
inhibitors or lubricants into the multiplex suction.

Chapter 5 32
 Fresh water is sometimes injected to dissolve high salt
concentrations. In severe pumping applications with low-lubricity
fluids, lubricating oil is sometimes injected or dripped onto the
plungers in the spacer block area to improve plunger life.

Chapter 5 33