Centrifugal Pump: Pressure Drop & Power Calculation

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The discussion focuses on calculating the pressure drop in a centrifugal pump system transporting water through a 1000 ft steel pipe to a tank elevated 25 ft. The pressure drop between points 2 and 3 is expressed as p2 - p3 = 10.83 + 10,265fQ², where f is the friction factor and Q is the flow rate. For a flow rate of 0.2 ft³/s, the required pump power can be determined by applying the energy balance equation, considering gravitational potential energy and friction losses. The length of the pipe accounts for equivalent feet, which includes adjustments for bends and other friction sources. Understanding these calculations is essential for effective pump system design and analysis.
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Homework Statement


A centrifugal pump is used to pump water from one tank to another through 1000 equivalent ft of 4 in. schedule 40 steel pipe as shown in the figure. The second tank is located 25 ft above the first.

Show that the pressure drop (in psi) in the pipeline between 2 and 3 is given in terms of the flow rate Q (ft3/s) by:

p2 –p3 =10.83+10,265fQ2 where f is the friction factor.

What is the pump power required if the flow rate is 0.2 ft3/s? (Assume negligible losses and elevation change in the suction line.)
Point 1 is where the level of water is in the first tank
Point 2 is right after the pump
Point 3 is where the level of water is in the second tank

Homework Equations


MEB: V^2/2 + P1/rho +gz1 + Ws = V^2/2 +P2/rho + gz2 +hf
hf=( 2*f*L)/D *V^2/2

The Attempt at a Solution


Delta P/rho= g(z3-z2)-V2^2/2+hf
but you don't know delta z, velocity or the L in hf
 
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chemengineer23 said:
The second tank is located 25 ft above the first.
This tells us z, which is the vertical distance between points 2 and 3, which is used to incorporate gravitational potential energy into the energy balance.

Volumetric flow rate is given as 0.2 ft3/s, which can be used to find velocity because v*A = Q, where v is velocity, A is cross-sectional area, and Q is volumetric flow. Velocity at point 3 is negligible for a large tank: assuming a large cross-sectional area of the tank, velocity is small for a given Q because v and A are inversely related.

L is the length of pipe, which you stated was 1000 ft. By the way, "equivalent feet" accounts for pipe bends, sudden expansions/contractions, etc. Wherever such sources of friction pop up, an appropriate length is added to L to compensate in the calculation. Thus, the actual physical length of the pipe may differ from the length you actually use for L in the formula.
 
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