Centrifugal Pumps practice problems

Q1. A centrifugal pump is to discharge 0.118 m3/s at a speed of 1450 rpm against a head of 25 m. The Impeller
diameter is 250 mm, its width at the outlet is 50 mm and manometric efficiency is 75%. Determine the vane angle at
the outer periphery of the impeller.(Ans: 59.74°)

Q2. The following data are given for a centrifugal pump, such as outer diameter = 2 × internal diameter, speed =
3000 rpm, internal diameter = 0.1 m, impeller width at outlet = 0.02 m, vane angle at outlet = 30°, constant flow
velocity = 3 m/s, manometric efficiency = 0.8 and overall efficiency = 0.7. Calculate (i) vane angle at the inlet, (ii)
rate of discharge, (iii) manometric head, (iv) shaft power and (v) torque. (ans: 10.81°, 0.0377 m3 /s, 67.174 m,
35.491kW, 24 84kW, 79.08 Nm)

Q3. The impeller of a centrifugal pump is of 0.3 m diameter, 0.05 m width at the periphery and has blades whose tip
angle inclines backwards 60° from the radius. The pump delivers 15 m3/min and the impeller rotates at 1000 rpm.
Assume that the pump is designed to admit radially and calculate (i) the speed and direction of water as it leaves the
impeller, (ii) torque exerted by the impeller in water, (iii) shaft power required and (iv) lift of the pump. Take
mechanical efficiency as 95% and hydraulic efficiency as 75%.(ans: 13.715 m/s, 22.73°, 474.375 Nm, 52.29 kW,
15.1914 m)

Q4. A centrifugal pump is required to discharge 60 litres per second water against a head of 12 m, when running at a
speed of 750 rpm. The manometric efficiency is to be 80%, the loss of head in the pump being assumed as 0.025Vo2
of water, where Vo is the absolute velocity of water leaving the impeller. Water enters the impeller without whirl and
the velocity of flow at the exit is 3 m/s. Determine (i) the impeller diameter and outlet area, (ii) vane angle at the
outlet edge of the impeller and (iii) angle made by absolute velocity of water leaving the vane with the direction of
motion at the outlet.(Ans: 10 954 m/s, 0.356 m, 0.02 m2, 41.05°, 15.89°)

Q5. A centrifugal pump has an impeller of 0.75 m diameter and it delivers 1000 litres per second against a head of
65 m. The impeller runs at 1000 rpm and the width at the outlet is 6 cm. If the leakage loss is 3.5% of the discharge,
then the external mechanical loss is 15 kW and the manometric efficiency is 85%. Determine (i) the blade angle at
the outlet, (ii) power required and (iii) efficiency of the pump.(Ans: 19.32°, 674.968 kW, 94.47%)

Q6. The discharge from a centrifugal pump running at 750 rpm is 0.25 m 3/s and the head developed is 12 m.
The inner and outer diameters of the impeller are 0.2 m and 0.4 m, respectively. The blade outlet angle is 30° to the
tangent. The flow area is constant as 0.08 m2. If the flow at the inlet is radial, then determine (i) the manometric
efficiency of the pump, (ii) vane angle at the inlet and (iii) loss of head at the inlet to impeller when the discharge is
reduced by 40% without changing the speed.( Ans: 72.77%, 21.7°, 0.5032 m)

Q7. The head capacity characteristics of a centrifugal pump running at constant speed is given by
H = 30 + 40Q − 750.98Q2 , where H is the total head generated in m and Q is the discharge in m3 /s. The pump is
required to discharge water through a pipeline 1000 m long and 30 cm diameter. The static lift is 20 m. Determine
the operating head and discharge rate of the pump. Also determine the power required to drive the pump if it has an
overall efficiency of 76% for the particular operating point. Neglect velocity head and take pipe friction coefficient
as f = 0.002. (Ans: 0.1203m3 /s, 23.944 m, 37.181kW)

Q8. Determine the specific speed of a centrifugal pump which delivers water at the rate of 2 m 3/s under a
head of 20 m while running at 3500 rpm and operating at a maximum efficiency of 85%. Also determine the
discharge, head and power input to the pump at the speed of 2500 rpm assuming that the efficiency remains constant
at all the speeds.(Ans: 523.372 rpm, 461 64kW, 1.4286 m3 /s, 10.204 m, 168.239 kW).

Q9. A five stage centrifugal pump delivers water at the rate of 6.5 m3 per minute against a net pressure rise of 4500
kN/m2. Determine the specific speed of the pump if it runs at 1500 rpm.(Ans: 16.652)

Q10. A multistage centrifugal pump lifts water through a total head of 100 m. It delivers water at the rate of 0.25 m 3
per second while running at 900 rpm. Find the number of stages required when specific speed of each stage is 30.
Also comment upon the arrangement of impellers.(Ans: 36 99m, 3)

Q11. Two geometrically similar pumps run at the same speed of 1200 rpm. One pump with impeller diameter of 0.4
m delivers water at the rate of 0.03 m3/s against the head of 20 m. Determine the diameter and head delivered by the
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 Centrifugal Pumps practice problems

other pump if it has to deliver 50% discharge of the first pump. (Ans: 0.3175 m, 12.6 m)

Q12. The following data are given for a centrifugal pump, such as outer diameter = 500 mm, internal diameter = 250 mm,
speed = 1250 rpm, manometric head = 45 m, constant velocity of flow through impeller = 2.75 m/s, vanes exit angle = 30°,
impeller width at outlet = 0.05 m. Calculate (i) vane angle at the inlet, (ii) work done by impeller in water per second and (iii)
manometric efficiency. [Ans. 9.54°, 197.52 kNm/s, 48.25%]

Q13. The outer diameter of an impeller of a centrifugal pump is 0.4 m and outlet width is 0.05 m. The pump is working against a
total head of 15 m and running at 800 rpm. If its manometric efficiency is 0.8 and the vanes angle at the outlet is 40°, then find (i)
velocity of flow at the outlet, (ii) velocity of water leaving the vane and angle made by the absolute velocity at the outlet with the
direction of motion at the outlet and (iii) discharge of the pump. [Ans. 4.84 m/s, 11.99 m/s, 23.79°, 0.3041 m3/s]

Q14. The internal and external diameters of the impeller of a centrifugal pump are 0.5 m and 1 m, respectively. The velocity
of flow is given constant through the impeller of the pump. The vane angles at the inlet and outlet are 30° and 45°, respectively. If
the impeller is running at 1200 rpm and flow through the pump is 0.25 m3/s, then determine the minimum power required to run
the pump.

Q15. The internal and external diameters of the impeller of a centrifugal pump are 0.5 m and 1 m, respectively. The velocity
of flow is given constant through the impeller of the pump. The vane angles at the inlet and outlet are 30° and 45°, respectively. If
the impeller is running at 1200 rpm and flow through the pump is 0.25 m3/s, then determine the minimum power required to run
the pump.[Ans. 701.32 kW]

Q16. A centrifugal pump has inlet and outlet diameters as 0.2 m and 0.4 m, respectively. The vane angles at the inlet and outlet
are 0.4 radians and 0.2 radians, respectively. The width of the impeller at the inlet and outlet is same and equal to 0.05 m. If the
impeller is running at 109.9 radians per second, then find (i) the discharge and (ii) head developed by the pump. Assume
shockless entry to the pump. [Ans. 0.1461 m3/s, 23.55 m]

Q17. An impeller of a centrifugal pump has inlet and outlet diameters as 0.2 m and 0.5 m, respectively. The exit vane angle is
30°. The impeller is running at 1000 rpm. Take radial flow through the impeller and flow velocity as 3 m/s. Find (i) the
inlet vane angle, (ii) outlet angle of water and (iii) power required to run the impeller, if the mechanical efficiency is 90% and
water flow through the impeller is 1.65 m3 per minute. [Ans. 15.99°, 8.14°, 16.783 kW]

Q18. An impeller of a centrifugal pump has inlet and outlet diameters as 0.15 m and 0.3 m, respectively. The both inlet and
exit vane angles are 30°. The water flow rate is 0.05 m3/s and the impeller inlet area is 0.025 m2. Take radial flow through
the impeller and flow velocity as constant. Find (i) the speed of the impeller and (ii) torque produced. [Ans. 440.54 rpm, 25.875
Nm]

Q19. The following particulars are related to a centrifugal pump, such as impeller diameter = 250 mm, width of impeller at its
periphery = 50 mm, outlet vane angle = 60°, discharge = 0.25 m3/s, speed of the impeller = 900 rpm, mechanical
efficiency = 0.9, and hydraulic efficiency = 0.75. Determine (i) the speed and direction of water as it leaves the impeller,
(ii) torque exerted by the impeller, (iii) shaft power required and (iv) lift of the pump. [Ans. 10.3 m/s, 38.18°, 253.125 Nm,
26.511 kW, 7.3 m]

Q20. A centrifugal pump running at 1000 rpm has internal and external diameters as 0.25 m and 0.5 m, respectively. The
angle of backward curved vanes at the outlet is 30°. The radial velocity of flow is 2 m/s and it remains constant throughout the
impeller. Find the angle of vanes at the inlet, the velocity and direction of water at the outlet and rise in pressure head in the
impeller. [Ans. 8.69°, 5.03°, 60.6 m]

Q21. The internal and external diameters of an impeller of a centrifugal pump are 0.25 m and 0.5 m, respectively. The discharge
through the pump is 0.05 m3/s. It runs at 950 rpm and the velocity of flow is constant and equal to 2.5 m/s. The diameters of the
suction and delivery pipes are 16 cm and 10 cm, respectively. The suction and delivery heads are 7 m (abs) and 32 m (abs) of
water, respectively. The outlet vane angle is 45° and power required to drive the pump is 20.5 kW. Find (i) the vane angle of the
impeller at the inlet, (ii) overall efficiency of the pump and (iii) manometric efficiency of the pump. [Ans. 11.37°, 64%, 47.16%]

Q22. The following particulars are related to a centrifugal pump, such as impeller diameter = 300 mm, width of impeller at
its periphery = 50 mm, outlet vane angle = 30°, discharge = 0.2 m3/s, speed of the impeller = 1000 rpm, thickness of
vanes occupies = 12% of the peripheral area and flow velocity = constant. Determine (i) the pressure rise in the
impeller and (ii) percentage of total work converted to kinetic head. [Ans. 9.03 m of water, 33.45%]

Q23. A centrifugal pump runs at 1000 rpm and discharge 250 litresper second. It raises the head of water by 30.2 m. The outlet

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 Centrifugal Pumps practice problems

angle of the backward curved vanes is 30° and the velocity of flow at the outlet is 2.85 m/s. If the hydraulic efficiency of
the pump is 80%, find the diameter and width of the impeller at the outlet. [Ans. 0.4177 m, 0.0668 m]

Q24. The discharge through a centrifugal pump is 0.2 m3/s. It works against a head of 20.5 m. The pump runs at a speed
of 900 rpm. The vane angle at the exit of the impeller is 45° and flow velocity at the outlet is 2.5 m/s. If the manometric
efficiency of the pump is 80.5%, find the diameter and width of the impeller at its outlet. [Ans. 0.3629 m, 0.0702 m]

Q25. A centrifugal pump is required to discharge 0.25 m3/s against a head of 25 m when the impeller rotates at a speed
of 1440 rpm. The loss of head in pump in metres due to fluid resistance is 0.025Vo2, where Vo m/s is the absolute velocity
of water leaving the impeller, the area of the impeller outlet surface is 1.25 Do2, where Do is the impeller diameter in m, and
water enters the impeller without whirl. If the manometric efficiency is given 80%, determine (i) the impeller diameter and (ii)
vane angle at the outlet edge of the impeller. [Ans. 0.2619 m, 34.74°]

Q26. Determine the NPSH available when a pump draws gasoline at 110_ F (sg = 0.65) from an outside storage tank whose level
is 4.8 ft above the pump inlet. The energy losses in the suction line total 0.87 ft and the atmospheric pressure is 14.28 psia.

Q27. Find the available NPSH when a pump draws water at 140_ F from a tank whose level is 4.8 ft below the pump inlet. The
suction line losses are 2.2 lb-ft/lb and the atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psia.

Q28. Determine the NPSH available when a pump draws carbon tetrachloride at 150_ F (sg = 1.48) from a tank whose level is
3.6 ft below the pump inlet. The energy losses in the suction line total 1.84 ft a nd the atmospheric pressure is 14.55
psia.

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