What is the Power of a Fluid Pump?

  • Thread starter Thread starter symphwar
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Fluid Power Pump
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the power delivered by a pump to a liquid of density ρ, which is lifted to a height h and accelerated to a final velocity v through a pipe with a cross-sectional area A. Participants are exploring the implications of the question and the relevant physics principles, including Bernoulli's principle and the work-energy relationship.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss various interpretations of the problem, questioning whether the power delivered to the liquid should account for the work done in lifting and accelerating the fluid. Some suggest focusing solely on the end result at the point of delivery, while others consider the entire process leading to that point.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing their reasoning and interpretations. Some have proposed specific expressions for power based on their understanding of the problem, while others are seeking clarification on the assumptions involved in the question.

Contextual Notes

There is some ambiguity in the wording of the problem, leading to different interpretations regarding whether the power delivered to the liquid should include the work done in lifting it or if it should focus solely on the kinetic and potential energy at the point of delivery.

symphwar
Messages
9
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



A pump lifts a liquid of density \rho to a height h and accelerates it from rest to a final velocity v.
What power P does the pump deliver to the liquid, if the liquid is being pumped through
a pipe with a cross sectional area A?

1. Av\rho + \rhogh
2. Not enough information is provided.
3. Av\rho(gh + 1/2 v2)
4. 1/2 Av2\rhogh
5. Av\rho(1/2 v2) - gh
6. Av\rho(gh - 1/2 v2)
7. 1/2 Av3\rho
8. Av\rho
9. Zero, of course; a liquid will naturally flow in that way without any pumping.
10. Av\rhog h

Homework Equations


Bernoulli's principle: P1 + 1/2 \rhov12 + \rhogh1 = P2 + 1/2 \rhov22 + \rhogh2

P = W/t = \DeltaE/t = F dot v

W = \intF dh

v2 = 2ah

h = 1/2 at2

The Attempt at a Solution


I'm actually not sure if kinematics can be applied to a fluid. My attempts have so far eliminated answers 1 and 10, though I came up with 10 using the integral of the force F = PA = \rhoghA. Integration gives W = \rhogh2A, and since h/t = v, P = Av\rhogh.
I think what I forgot to take into account was the acceleration-- the pump not only did work to lift the liquid, but also accelerated it. To try to incorporate a change in kinetic energy into the work term, I used
E2 = P2 + 1/2 \rhov2 + \rhogh
E1 = P1
\DeltaE = P2 - P1 + 1/2 \rhov2 + \rhogh = \rhogh + 1/2 \rhov2 + \rhogh
Playing around with kinematics I got a = v2/(2h) and t = 2h/v, but all of that together isn't leading me to an answer choice given.
Any advice is much appreciated!
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
If the question is, "what power is delivered to the liquid", does this mean that only the power in the liquid upon delivery is important? That would imply that any work done to get it to the end point is unimportant -- only the end result matters. What's the power in the liquid at the point of delivery?
 
If only the end point matters, I guess that would mean the work done is (1/2 \rhov2 + \rhogh), multiplied by the change in volume = Av. That would be Av\rho(1/2 v2 + gh). I'm going to feel a little silly if that's the answer-- it is, after all, the one with a form that suggests an increase in both potential and kinetic energy.
 
symphwar said:
If only the end point matters, I guess that would mean the work done is (1/2 \rhov2 + \rhogh), multiplied by the change in volume = Av. That would be Av\rho(1/2 v2 + gh). I'm going to feel a little silly if that's the answer-- it is, after all, the one with a form that suggests an increase in both potential and kinetic energy.

Perhaps I'm missing the import of the question, but why would the height lifted matter? If you're holding the hose and measuring the power delivered, you don't care if the water was pumped from the well or from the river or shipped UPS from an Antarctic glacier -- you just care about the water velocity and volume at the nozzle as far as power delivered to the water is concerned.
 
I think I see what you're saying... are you reading the problem as stating that the acceleration is the result of a power applied after the fluid has been lifted through whatever distance? As though the liquid was lifted, and after that the power in question was applied? I had assumed it was a simultaneous change-- that some power had been applied resulting in both a lift and acceleration. Sorry if I'm misconstruing your meaning!
 
symphwar said:
I think I see what you're saying... are you reading the problem as stating that the acceleration is the result of a power applied after the fluid has been lifted through whatever distance? As though the liquid was lifted, and after that the power in question was applied? I had assumed it was a simultaneous change-- that some power had been applied resulting in both a lift and acceleration. Sorry if I'm misconstruing your meaning!

When I read the phrase, "What power P does the pump deliver to the liquid", I interpret it as asking for the power in the liquid as the "end user" would see it emerging from the pipe. The history of the liquid, how it got to the pipe opening, would be irrelevant.

If the question had said, "What power must the pump consume in order to lift a liquid of density ρ to a height h and accelerate it from rest to a final velocity v through a pipe of cross sectional area A?" then I would agree that the work done lifting the water is to be included in the calculation -- since it applies to the pump power, not the power "delivered to" the liquid.

But as I say, this is just my interpretation of the what the question is saying. Others may not agree with me :smile:
 
Unfortunately, the answer is indeed Av(rho) (1/2 v2 + gh), but the problems in our database are often worded questionably. Thanks so much for your help!
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
3K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
8K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
5K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
7
Views
2K