How to Build a Centrifugal Pump Curve Part 1: Elements of the Pump Curve

/
How to Build a Centrifugal Pump Curve Part 1: Elements of the Pump Curve

Understanding centrifugal pump curves is essential for designers and installers of hydronic HVAC and plumbing systems. These handy charts provide a wealth of information about a pump's performance capability and help us...

Read More

How to Read a Pump Curve - Part 3

/
 Pump selection can have dramatic impact on the overall operating cost of a hydronic system.  Consulting several pumps curves prior to the selection of a pump is the key to minimizing these operating costs.   In this blog we will discuss the factors that impact pump efficiency and how pump curves can be used to take the guesswork out of efficienct pump selection. 
Read More

How To Read A Pump Curve - Part 2

/
One of the most important lines on a pump performance curve is the Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) curve.  Discreetly applied either below or above the pump performance and efficiency curves, this single plotted line is the key to avoiding cavitation. Required NPSH or NPSHR for a given pump increases with flow.  So, using the pump curve shown in Figure 1, we can see that the NPSHR for this Model 1510 B & G pump with a 8” impeller and 800 GPM and 33 Feet of Total Head is 12 feet of head. 
Read More

How To Read A Pump Curve – Part 1

/

If a picture is worth a thousand words then a pump curve must be worth several thousand.

 Make no mistake, there’s a lot of information on a centrifugal pump curve like the one shown here.  It’s no wonder that many newly practicing engineers are a little intimated by them.

Read More