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#1
Start by
Hans Vogelesang
01-18-2014 08:58 AM

Centrifugal pump in series with a rotating positive displacement pump

Has anyone ever successfully applied a centrifugal pump as a booster pump in series behind a rotating positive displacement pump?

I am especially interested in the sequence for starting and stopping.
01-18-2014 11:20 AM
Top #2
Ricardo Cifuente
01-18-2014 11:20 AM
Hans, this configuration is used to improve the efficiency of the positive displacement pump. Try to select the centrifugal pump with a low suction specific speed, they have a wider allowed operating zone. This is particularly important if you have flow variations in the service. The starting sequence is first the centrifugal, no more than a few seconds later the positive desplacement pump. The sopping sequence is first the positive desplacement pump and then the centrifugal. A centrifugal pump is not designed to operate at shut-off, but you can do that for a few seconds. Before starting all the system must be primed and vented. I strongly reccomand the use of a PLC to do all that, manual operation will lead your installation to a failure sooner or later.Regards.
01-18-2014 02:11 PM
Top #3
Mike Trumbature
01-18-2014 02:11 PM
If you're looking for a constant suction pressure for the PD pump over a varying output demand, I suggest a VFD for the centrifugal pump. You can get them built on the pump with built in set-point pressure controls for constant pressure. People like Grundfos makes a line of pump and set point controller combinations with the VFDs separately or per-wired on the motor. See example of pump with pre-wired VFD with optional piping and tank installed for constant pressure domestic water service.
http://www.pumpwarehouse.com.au/prod51.htm

You only need to add the shipped loose transducer in the pipe between the two pumps. You hit the start button, it starts the centrifugal pump, when the pressure is built up in the line, a pressure switch can start the PD pump automatically and act as a suction failure safety for the PD pump also. When you stop the centrifugal pump the PD pump shuts down on low suction automatically - no PLC required and goof-proof. You can put an H O A (or key) switch in for manual operation if you want.

With a low head curve, it's pretty flat over a wide flow range and a VFD probably no needed. See 15 GPM example - https://www.box.com/s/p4xh7ahunrsgcbenerpo
The controls and interlock pressure switch would still be the same.

What are you pumping? There's not a problem with a centrifugal handling the product is there ?
01-18-2014 04:39 PM
Top #4
Hans Vogelesang
01-18-2014 04:39 PM
Many thanks for your comments Ricardo and Mike

Please note that the centrifugal pump is BEHIND the PD pump, so the PD pump is feeding the centrifugal pump.

This is a project at a tankpark. The liquid is Gas Condensate. The nominal capacity is 750 m3/h.

In the existing situation they make use of centrifugal pumps in series, but they plan to replace the existing primary centrifugal pumps by twin screw pumps. They will keep the secondary centrifugal pumps of the booster station unchanged.

The reason is that they want to use two screw pumps in parallel, each drawing from a different tank and to discharge into a central discharge line with a static mixer. The flow of each of these pumps to be controlled for blending of the mixture within close limits. The existing cenrifugal pumps did not meet these requirements and therefore they opt for speed controlled (twin) screw pumps.

The blend has to be discharged by the existing booster station.

I have the same doubts and concerns as you have, but what is the solution?
01-18-2014 07:14 PM
Top #5
Mike Trumbature
01-18-2014 07:14 PM
"Please note that the centrifugal pump is BEHIND the PD pump, so the PD pump is feeding the centrifugal pump."


Hans, if the centrifugal pump was BEHIND (upstream of) the PD pump, then the centrifugal pump would be feeding the PD pump???

It sounds like you're wanting to pull from two tanks with the PD pumps at various speeds for blending from the two tanks and feed a common discharge header that provides suction to the centrifugal pumps feeding a pipeline?

Gas condensate viscosity varies considerably with pressure and temperature. In any case I would make sure you still provide an interlock between the two as above so the centrifugal pumps cannot be run dry on low suction.
01-18-2014 09:47 PM
Top #6
Hans Vogelesang
01-18-2014 09:47 PM
Yes Mike, that is well understood, the centrifugal pump is downstream of the two PD pumps.
01-18-2014 11:50 PM
Top #7
Saswato Mukhopadhya
01-18-2014 11:50 PM
I have done so
01-19-2014 02:42 AM
Top #8
Hans Vogelesang
01-19-2014 02:42 AM
And would you like to share the details and your experiences Mukhopadhya?
01-19-2014 05:02 AM
Top #9
ARINDOM BORAH
01-19-2014 05:02 AM
Yes Hans but not in series. Anyone from the filtration industry will tell you that the filter press slurry feeding is done in two ways.....by a PC pump or Initial fill up by a centrifugal pump and then pressurization by a PD pump. There is a some time in the middle when both the pumps run parallel before the centrifugal pump is shut down by a PLC and the PD is started.
01-19-2014 07:18 AM
Top #10
ARINDOM BORAH
01-19-2014 07:18 AM
Just my 2c Hans. Maybe the best thing will be to rephrase the question that is, just ignore what is working now and whats to be replaced. Replace it with a simple question like " I want this fluid to be pumped from this point and that point with these conditions applicable. How to do it".
All the best
05-22-2015 11:55 PM
Top #11
SteveY
05-22-2015 11:55 PM

Reading the email thread, there appears to be some confusion as to whether the centrif is used to feed the pd or vice versa. 
My comment if you have centrifs feeding PD. 
Centrifs  have varying flow charcteristics and displace fluid via centrifugal force.  The flow you get depends on the system resistance it sees.  Ie basically the higher the resistance the less the flow ; so you need to look at the selected centrif curve.  For PDs they are basically fixed flow machines .  In principle, will deliver the flow rate at whatever the resistance is.  A PSV is required to avoid exceeding your line ratings.  The PD flow charcteristics is pulsating so one needs have pulsation damperners to take out the pressure spikes. 
Centrif feeding PD is not an ideal combination but not impossible if you have to.  You need to ensure you match the flow.  Flow matching in series pumping is always the key. Primarily you need to ensure your centrif duty point (flow wise ) marginally exceed that of the PD flow.  This way you flood the suction to the PD .  The centrif flow is only dictated by the system resistance so if resistance resistnace is actually higher than what you have calculated ; your centrif will end up give you lower flow than you calculated.  This spells disaster for the PD .  You will have flow detachment problems and cavitation issues on the pD pump.    If the system resistance on the centrif is lower than calculated, this is not an issue the PD pump will act as a choke and throttle back the flow ie basically takes what it needs.  
So ensure your centrif can deliver flow higher than the PD; not lower; ie not starve your PD pump.

Hope above helps without going into specifc numbers etc.

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