Centrifugal Pump Performance Curve

Affinity Laws
The performance of a centrifugal pump is affected by a
change in speed or impeller diameter.

Q = Capacity (GPM)
D = Impeller Diameter
H = Total Dynamic Head(Feet)
 BHP = Brake Horsepower
N= Speed(RPM)

The affinity law for a centrifugal pump with the

impeller diameter held constant and the speed
changed:
Flow:
Q1 / Q2 = N1 / N2
Example: 100 / Q2 = 1750/3500
Q2 = 200 GPM
Head:
H1/H2 = (N1) x (N1) / (N2) x (N2)
Example: 100 /H2 = 1750 x 1750 / 3500 x 3500
H2 = 400 Ft
Horsepower(BHP):
BHP1 / BHP2 = (N1) x (N1) x (N1) / (N2) x (N2) x (N2)
Example: 5/BHP2 = 1750 x 1750 x 1750 / 3500 x 3500 x
3500
BHP2 = 40
 The affinity law for a centrifugal pump with the speed
held constant and the impeller diameter changed:
Flow:
Q1 / Q2 = D1 / D2
Example: 100 / Q2 = 8/6
Q2 = 75 GPM
Head:
H1/H2 = (D1) x (D1) / (D2) x (D2)
Example: 100 /H2 = 8 x 8 / 6 x 6
H2 = 56.25 Ft
Horsepower(BHP):
BHP1 / BHP2 = (D1) x (D1) x (D1) / (D2) x (D2) x (D2)
Example: 5/BHP2 = 8 x 8 x 8 / 6 x 6 x 6
BHP2 = 2.1

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Parallel Pumping

Identical Pumps
Operating two identical pumps in
parallel the assumption is made that
the flow will double. This however is
not the case. In order to calculate
the additional flow realized by running
two identical pumps in parallel the
following calculations must be made.

First let's look at the pump curve and system head

curve with one pump running.

TDH FLOW
 130' 100 GPM

120' 190 GPM

110' 280 GPM

100 360 GPM

OPERATING POINT (A)

85' 470 GPM

Second let's look at the pump curve and system head

curve with two pumps running.

TDH FLOW

130' 200 GPM

120' 380 GPM

110' 560 GPM

100 720 GPM

OPERATING POINT (B)

105' 660 GPM

The addition of the second identical pump produces

and extra 190 GPM and does not double the flow.
Point C is the flow produced by each pump when both
pumps are running.