There is tendency in many areas to try and combat cavitation by reducing the NPSH require be thr pump. It is worthwhile to realize that, to accomplish this, there are only a limited number of possibilities.
4.4.1.1. increase the eye area of the impeller
As this option can cause more trouble that it solves by introducing recirculation difficulties, it is not recommended. It should only be considered as a last resort, and only with the full design involvement of the pump manufacturer.
.1.2 Install a suction inducer.
As very few pump manufacturers have suction inducer available, the practice application if this option will be severely limited. Even the few that are available must be approached with caution as they are like to affect the pump performance at lower flows.
.1.3 Use a double suction impeller
As the liquid flows into the impeller through two opposing eyes, a double suction impeller uses approximately 67% of the NPSH that is required by a single suction impeller in an equivalent size. This modification would necessitate a change of pump.
.1.4 Use a slower speed pump
A slower speed requires less NPSH and will also necessitate a change to a much larger pump with a bigger impeller in order to accommodate the same performance conditions.
.1.5 Use lower capacity pumps.
A smaller, lower capacity pump also require less NPSH, but will necessitate a change to multiple pump in order to accommodate the same performance conditions.
.1.6 Use a booster pump
Installed immediately up steam of the main pump, a booster pump must be able to operate at the same flow rate, but usually at a lower head, thus requiring less NPSH.
From this list of possibilities, you will note that there are specific concerns connected with the first two options, while the remaining ones require the installation of at least one new pump. Therefore to stop cavitation in most instances, the only really practice solution is to increase the NPSH available from the system.
4.4.2 NPSH available from the system
The NPSH available from the system is relatively straightforward as it consists of only four absolute values.
NPSHA = Hs + Ha – Hvp – Hf
Hs is the static head over the impeller center line
Ha is the head on the surface of the liquid in the suction tank.
Hvp equals the vapor pressure of the liquid, and
Hf is the friction losses in the suction line.
4.5 SUCTION SPECIFIC SPEED
In some industries, the concept of suction specific speed (Nss) has been introduced to compare the ideal flow rate. This renders the NPSH a dimension number for convenient comparison of the hydrodynamic conditions that exist in the eye of the impeller.
Nss = (RPM × Q0.5)/NPSHR0.75 RPM = pump rotational speed
Q = flow at BEP in GPM
NPSHR = NPSH require at BEP in feet
The suction specific speed is calculated from the information on the manufacturer’s pump performance curve and only at the best efficiency point which is usually on the maximum diameter impeller. Consequently, a single line curve may not always be an appropriate reference, and a composite pump curve as shown in F2.8 should be used. It is also further assumed that be best efficiency point reflects the flow for which the eye of the impeller was originally designed.
When a double suction impeller is being considered, the flow (Q) in the above equation should be divided by two as the intent is to compare the performance in each individual impeller eye.
In many applications, the ability to use a pump with a low NPSH requirement would prove to be very beneficial in the physical design of system. However if this is carried to the extreme in pump design it has proved to cause recirculation problem within the impeller. This is particularly the case as it relates to operation of the pump at flows which may be much lower than the BEP. The use of suction specific speed provides convenient method of identifying when such a condition may occur.
As the NPSH required is deduced, the value of the suction specific speed will increase. However it has been noted that there is a tendency towards will increase in pump reliability when the suction specific speed exceeds 11000
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