Energy Tips – Pumping Systems

Pumping Systems Tip Sheet #7 • September 2006 Industrial Technologies Program

Suggested Actions Trim or Replace Impellers on Oversized Pumps

Consider impeller trimming when
any of the following apply: As a result of conservative engineering practices, pumps are often substantially larger than
they need to be for an industrial plant’s process requirements. Centrifugal pumps can often be
• The head provided by an oversized, oversized because of “rounding up,” trying to accommodate gradual increases in pipe surface
throttled pump exceeds process roughness and flow resistance over time, or anticipating future plant capacity expansions. In
requirements. addition, the plant’s pumping requirements might not have been clearly defined during the
• System bypass valves are open, design phase.
indicating excess flow rate.
• The pump is operating far from its Because of this conservative approach, pumps can have operating points completely different
design point. from their design points. The pump head is often less than expected, while the flow rate
is greater. This can cause cavitation and waste energy as the flow rate typically must be
• The operating head and (or) flow regulated with bypass or throttle control.
rate are greater than process
requirements. Oversized and throttled pumps that produce excess pressure are excellent candidates for
impeller replacement or “trimming,” to save energy and reduce costs. Trimming involves
Resources machining the impeller to reduce its diameter. Trimming should be limited to about 75% of a
Improving Pumping System pump’s maximum impeller diameter, because excessive trimming can result in a mismatched
Performance: A Sourcebook for impeller and casing. As the impeller diameter decreases, added clearance between the impeller
Industry, DOE and Hydraulic and the fixed pump casing increases internal flow recirculation, causes head loss, and lowers
Institute. pumping efficiency.
Hydraulic Institute—HI is a non-
profit industry association for pump For manufacturing standardization purposes, pump casings and shafts are designed to
and pump system manufacturers; accommodate impellers in a range of sizes. Many pump manufacturers provide pump
it provides product standards and a performance curves that indicate how various models will perform with different impeller
forum for the exchange of industry diameters or trims. The impeller should not be trimmed any smaller than the minimum
information for management decision- diameter shown on the curve.
making. In addition to the ANSI/HI
pump standards, HI has a variety Net positive suction head requirements (NPSHR) usually decrease at lower flow rates and
of energy-related resources for can increase at the higher end of the pump head curve. The NPSHR at a given flow rate will
pump users and specifiers, including normally be greater with a smaller impeller, but engineers should consult with the pump
training, guidebooks, and more. For manufacturer to determine variations in NPSHR before trimming the impeller. Manufacturers
more information, visit www.pumps. can often provide trim correction charts based on historical test data.
org, www.pumplearning.org, and
www.pumpsystemsmatter.org. How Impeller Trimming Works
U.S. Department of Energy—DOE’s Trimming reduces the impeller’s tip speed, which in turn reduces the amount of energy
Pumping System Assessment Tool imparted to the pumped fluid; as a result, the pump’s flow rate and pressure both decrease. A
(PSAT) can help you assess pumping smaller or trimmed impeller can thus be used efficiently in applications in which the current
system efficiency and estimate impeller is producing excessive head. Pump and system curves can provide the efficiency or
energy and cost savings. PSAT uses shaft power for a trimmed impeller. If these curves are not available, affinity laws can be used
pump performance data from to predict the variations in pumping performance with changes in the impeller diameter:
Hydraulic Institute standards and Q2 / Q1 =�
�� �
D2 / D1 �
motor performance data from the
MotorMaster+ database. H2 / H1 = ��
(D2 / D1)2 �
bhp2 / bhp1 =�
�� ��
(H2Q2) / (H1Q1) �
Visit the BestPractices Web site at
www.eere.energy.gov/bestpractices =�
�� ��
(D2 / D1)3
for more information on PSAT and where
for upcoming training in improving Q = pump flow rate, in gallons per minute (gpm)
pumping system performance and in H = head, in feet (H1 is head for the original impeller; H2, for a trimmed
becoming a qualified pumping impeller)
system specialist. bhp = brake horsepower
D = impeller diameter, in inches
In practice, impeller trimming is typically used to avoid throttling losses associated with BestPractices is part of the Industrial
control valves, and the system flow rate will not be affected. Technologies Program Industries of the
Future strategy, which helps the country’s
most energy-intensive industries improve
Note that, in contrast to centrifugal pumps, the operating regions of mixed-flow and axial- their competitiveness. BestPractices brings
flow pumps are limited because of flow rate instabilities. Therefore, consult with the pump together emerging technologies and best
manufacturer before changing the impeller diameter. Removing stages is often advisable energy-management practices to help
companies begin improving energy efficiency,
for a multistage centrifugal pump that is oversized for current operating conditions. environmental performance, and productivity
right now.
When a pump serves a critically important process, it might not be possible to wait for the
BestPractices emphasizes plant systems,
impeller to be trimmed. In that case, consider ordering another impeller and continuing
where significant efficiency improvements
operation until the new impeller can be installed. and savings can be achieved. Industry gains
easy access to near-term and long-term
solutions for improving the performance of
Example motor, steam, compressed air, and process
heating systems. In addition, the Industrial
A double-suction centrifugal pump equipped with an impeller 14 inches in diameter is Assessment Centers provide comprehensive
throttled to provide a process cooling water flow rate of 3,000 gpm. The pumping system industrial energy evaluations to small- and
operates for 8,000 hours per year with a head of 165 feet (ft) and pump efficiency (η) medium-size manufacturers.
of 80%. The pump requires 156 bhp. Pump and system curves indicate that a trimmed
impeller can supply the 3,000-gpm required flow rate at a head of 125 ft. From the affinity
laws, the diameter of the trimmed impeller is approximately as follows: FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
PLEASE CONTACT:
(H2Q2) / (H1Q1) = (D2 / D1)3
EERE Information Center
Holding Q constant, 1-877-EERE-INF
D2 = D1 x (H2 / H1)1/3 (1-877-337-3463)
www.eere.energy.gov
= 14 x (125 / 165) 1/3
= 12.76 inches
Industrial Technologies Program
Energy Efficiency
Assuming that the pump efficiency remains unchanged, installing a 12 /4-inch trimmed
3
and Renewable Energy
impeller reduces input power requirement to the following: U.S. Department of Energy
Washington, DC 20585-0121
bhp2 = (H2 x Q2) / (3,960 x η) www.eere.energy.gov/industry
= (125 x 3,000) / (3,960 x 0.8)
= 118.4 bhp

Estimated energy savings, assuming a 94% motor efficiency, are as follows:

(bhp1 – bhp2) x 0.746 kW/hp x 8,000 hours/year / 0.94 = 238,720 kWh/year

At an electricity cost of 5 cents per kWh, total cost savings are estimated to be $11,936 per
year.

Reference
Match Pumps to System Requirements, U.S. Department of Energy Pumping Systems Tip
Sheet #6, 2005.
A S TRONG E NERGY P ORTFOLIO
FOR A S TRONG A MERICA

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable

energy will mean a stronger economy, a
cleaner environment, and greater energy
independence for America. Working
with a wide array of state, community,
industry, and university partners, the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in
a diverse portfolio of energy technologies.

DOE/GO-102006-2226
September 2006
Pumping Systems Tip Sheet #7