Calculating Pump Power for Steady Water Flow: Work-Energy Theorem Approach

In summary, the conversation discusses the power of a pump that is used to pump water out of a flooded basement. The solution involves imagining a small chunk of water and calculating the work done on it by the pump. The work is then integrated over the height of the water in the hose to take into account the varying distance that the water needs to be lifted. The final calculation involves finding the mass flow rate through the hose and multiplying it by the work done per parcel of water.
  • #1
Addem
20
0

Homework Statement



Water is pumped steadily out of a flooded basement at
5.0 m/s through a hose of radius 1.0 cm, passing through a window
3.0 m above the waterline.What is the pump’s power?

Homework Equations



Volume and mass flow rates are constant

[tex]R_v = Av; \quad M_v = \rho A v[/tex]

Work-energy Theorem

[tex]W = \Delta E = \Delta U + \Delta K[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



I've seen one solution leading up to the same answer as in the back of the book, 66 Watts. It goes by imagining a small chunk of water of mass Δm and the work done on it by the pump of a time Δt. Several attempts at that method can be found here: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/power-of-a-pump.551946/

However, this seems odd to me. I would think that the water in the hose from the start should be handled differently from the water in the basement that is not (yet) in the hose. The water at the very top of the hose doesn't need to go anywhere, and the water only a little bit below it only needs to go a small distance and then it vanishes. The water at the bottom of the hose needs to be lifted a distance of 3m. The water not yet in the hose just sits there until space is made for it and then only makes it up the hose a certain distance.

My thought about this was to think of, again, a small chunk of water and the work done on it, but to split the two cases where it's in the hose and where it isn't yet. To model the work done on the water I reason that, in time Δt at a height h from the water level, the work done on the water is [tex]\rho \pi r^2 g(3-h)\Delta h[/tex] as this accounts for the linear variation of the amount of height that the water in the hose has to travel. This would then lead to the integral [tex]\int_0^3 \rho \pi (0.01^2) g (3-h)dh[/tex]

Then you'd have to do something similar for the water that began not in the hose and add the two calculations of work together.

Is this a good argument?
 
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  • #2
How much work does it take to raise a mass of 1 kg a vertical distance of 3 meters?

How much work does it take to accelerate a mass of 1 kg from a velocity of 0 m/s to a velocity of 5 m/s?

What is the mass flow rate through the hose?
 
  • #3
The work to raise 1 kg a vertical distance of 3 m is 9.8*3 N, but my point is that not every quantity of water must be raised 3 m, unless we assume the hose begins empty and ends empty and runs for unit time I suppose.

I may not be appreciating what you're getting at.
 
  • #4
Addem said:
The work to raise 1 kg a vertical distance of 3 m is 9.8*3 N, but my point is that not every quantity of water must be raised 3 m, unless we assume the hose begins empty and ends empty and runs for unit time I suppose.

I may not be appreciating what you're getting at.
You can ignore the startup and shutdown entirely. Instead, concentrate on the steady state. In this steady state there are many small parcels of water in various stages of their journey simultaneously. We can focus on any parcel. It will be representative of all of the rest.

How much energy does it take per parcel? How many parcels pass a particular point every second?

You have calculated the work to raise 1 kg of water 3 meters as 9.8*3 N. You should re-check the units for that result. Then you can proceed with the rest of the calculation.
 

1. How do I calculate the pump power for steady water flow?

To calculate the pump power for steady water flow, you can use the Work-Energy Theorem approach. This involves determining the work done by the pump to move the water, which is equal to the change in kinetic energy of the water. The formula is P = (m dot * V dot^2)/2, where P is the pump power, m dot is the mass flow rate of water, and V dot is the volumetric flow rate of water.

2. What is the Work-Energy Theorem approach?

The Work-Energy Theorem approach is a method used to calculate the amount of work done by a force on an object. It states that the work done by a force is equal to the change in kinetic energy of the object. In the context of calculating pump power for steady water flow, this means that the work done by the pump is equal to the change in kinetic energy of the water.

3. What are the units for pump power?

The units for pump power are watts (W) or horsepower (hp). Watts are the SI unit for power, and 1 horsepower is equal to 746 watts. In some cases, pump power may also be measured in kilowatts (kW) or British thermal units per hour (BTU/hr).

4. How does pump efficiency affect the calculation of pump power?

Pump efficiency is the ratio of the actual pump power to the ideal pump power. This means that if a pump is 100% efficient, the actual pump power will be equal to the ideal pump power. In reality, pumps are not 100% efficient, so the actual pump power will be higher than the ideal pump power. To accurately calculate pump power, you should take into account the efficiency of the pump.

5. Can the Work-Energy Theorem approach be used for all types of pumps?

Yes, the Work-Energy Theorem approach can be used for all types of pumps as long as the water flow is steady. This approach is based on the principle of conservation of energy, which applies to all systems regardless of the type of pump. However, the specific formula for calculating pump power may vary depending on the type of pump and the properties of the fluid being pumped.

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