Pump Selection

This book has two parts. Part 1 will help you choose the irrigation system that is right for you, and Part 2 will help you select, operate and maintain your pumping equipment. Part 1 If you are installing or upgrading an irrigation system you will probably be seeking to increase production, decrease the amount of water used or reduce labour required. Part one of this book is about selecting the irrigation system that is best for your enterprise. It is an overview of: · the most widely used irrigation methods in NSW · the capabilities and limitations of the most widely used irrigation methods in NSW · the major issues to consider when selecting an irrigation system · the basic financial analysis you can use to determine the viability of a system you are considering. Part 2 You can save money by increasing productivity and efficiency of your irrigation system if you can improve the performance of the pump. This section about the features of common irrigation pumps helps you to select, operate and maintain your pumping equipment. It contains information on pump types, duty, curves and selection. It contains an explanation of: · the common types of pumps for irrigation systems · pumping head components: static head; suction head; velocity head; friction loss · manufacturers’ pump curves · maintenance and troubleshooting procedures for pumps. This publication was produced by Education Delivery, Tocal College. It supports the following competencies from National Training Package AHC10 Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management: AHCIRG306A - Troubleshoot irrigation systems, AHCIRG402A – Determine hydraulic parameters for an irrigation system, AHCIRG410A - Select and manage pumping systems for irrigation

Choosing a centrifugal pump from the countless options available can be daunting, but someone has to make the decision. Many factors -such as the required flow, differential pressure, suction conditions, etc.- must be weighed against the capital costs and cost of energy for the pumps considered. To determine the right pump, you must consider the overall cost of ownership, which includes capital cost, operating costs, and maintenance cost. What good is a low cost pump if it is inefficient or if is costly to maintain? The selection methodology offered in this book focuses mainly on hydraulic design considerations, but it also touches on mechanical design details. Analyzing basic pump hydraulic parameters allows you to quickly determine if a centrifugal pump makes sense for your particular application. If you do decide a centrifugal pump will work for your application, then you need to be able to evaluate the various bids returned by pump manufacturers. A complete chapter is devoted to tabulating quotes from pump manufacturers in order to properly evaluate their bids and select the best overall option.

Simply put, this book explains what exactly needs to be done if a facility wants to progress from being a one, two or three year pump MTBF plant, and wishes to join the leading money-making facilities that today achieve a demonstrated pump MTBF of 8.6 years.

This practical reference describes the occurrence of cavitation in a centrifugal pump, and how unacceptable cavitation can be avoided. It explains cavitation problems such as hydraulic performance loss, hydrodynamically or thermodynamically induced surging, and cavitation erosion. General guidelines for acceptable operation conditions, such as, net positive suction head (NPSH) margins and minimum flowrates, are presented along with evidence and logic for these proposed guidelines.