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Pumping Systems and Hydraulics Flashcards

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  1. According to the affinity laws, if pump speed is doubled, the power (brake horsepower) required changes by a factor of:

    Answer: 8

    By the third affinity law, power varies as the cube of speed, so doubling the speed increases power requirements by 2³ = 8 times.

  2. What does the specific speed of a pump indicate?

    Answer: The type of impeller design best suited for given flow and head conditions

    Specific speed is a dimensionless index that classifies pump impeller geometry and is used to select the best impeller design for specific flow and head requirements.

  3. In a parallel pump configuration, what happens to total flow and head compared to a single pump?

    Answer: Flow increases, head remains approximately the same

    Pumps in parallel add their flows at the same head, increasing total flow capacity while the total head remains approximately constant.

  4. What instrument is used to measure the flow rate in a pressurized water main using pressure differential?

    Answer: Venturi meter or Pitot tube

    A Venturi meter or Pitot tube measures flow by detecting pressure differential created by flow velocity in a pressurized pipe.

  5. The volute casing of a centrifugal pump is designed to:

    Answer: Convert velocity head to pressure head as water exits the impeller

    The volute's gradually expanding cross-section converts kinetic energy (velocity head) from the impeller into potential energy (pressure head).

  6. Which of the following conditions would cause a centrifugal pump to operate at a lower-than-expected flow rate?

    Answer: Air binding or air entrainment in the suction line

    Air binding reduces the effective liquid column in the suction line, preventing the pump from priming and significantly reducing or stopping flow.

  7. The wire-to-water efficiency of a pumping system accounts for losses in which components?

    Answer: The motor, mechanical drive, and pump hydraulic efficiency combined

    Wire-to-water efficiency is the overall system efficiency from electrical input to hydraulic output, accounting for motor, drive, and pump losses together.