IWM513: Irrigation System Planning & Management

Irrigation Pumping Plants

Reference
Steps of pumping plant installation
1. Preparation of proposal
2. Site verification
3. Site selection
4. Site conveyance for drilling
5. Site preparation for drilling
6. Drilling
Steps of pumping plant installation
7. Component installation
 Bail plug
 Blind pipe
 Strainer
 Reducer
 Housing
8. Verticality test
9. Gravel packing
10. Verticality test
11. Pump installation
Steps of pumping plant installation
12. Testing of wells
13. Well development
14. Pump house construction
15. Pump and prime over coupling
16. Proper sanitation protection
17. Tubewell commissioning
18. Handing over to the owner
 Questions

 How do pumps perform?

 How can I select an efficient pump?
 What causes a pump to become inefficient?
 How can I determine my pump’s performance?
 How can I improve my pump’s performance?
 Will improving my pump’s performance reduce my
energy bill?
 Basic Concepts
 Definition
Energy = kilowatt-hours
o One kilowatt is 1.34 horsepower
o Hours = operating time
Energy cost is based on kwhr consumed and unit
energy cost ($/kwhr)
 Reducing energy costs
Reduce Input Horsepower
Reduce Operating Hours
Reduce Unit Energy Cost
 Improving Pumping Plant Efficiency

 Adjust pump impeller

 Repair worn pump
 Replace mismatched pump
 Convert to an energy-efficient electric motor
 Centrifugal or Booster Pump
Shaft Frame Impeller Discharge Inlet

Stuffing Balance Volute Wearing

Box Line Rings
Deep Well Turbine
Deep Well Turbine
Submersible
Pump
Terms
 Total head or lift
 Capacity
 Brake horsepower
 Input horsepower
 Overall efficiency
 Discharge Pressure Gauge
Motor
Discharge Pipe
Pump Head
Ground Surface

Static or Standing
Water Level Pumping Lift

Ground Water

Pumping Water Level

Pump
 Discharge Pressure Head
 Height of a column of water that
produces the desired pressure at its base

 Discharge pressure head (feet) =

discharge pressure (psi) x 2.31
Note: a change in elevation of 2.31
feet causes a pressure change of 1 psi
Total Head or Total Lift = Pumping Lift (feet) +
Discharge Pressure Head (feet)

Example

Pumping Lift = 100 feet

Discharge Pressure = 10 psi
Discharge Pressure Head = 10 psi x 2.31 = 23.1 feet
Total Head = 100 +23.1 = 123.1 feet
 Discharge Pressure

Intake Pressure

Pump Discharge Pipe

Pump Intake
 Total Head or Lift of Booster Pumps
 Difference between pump intake pressure and
pump discharge pressure
 Multiply difference (psi) x 2.31
 Example
o Intake pressure = 20 psi
o Discharge pressure = 60 psi
o Difference = 40 psi
o Total Head = 40 x 2.31 = 92.4 feet
Brake Horsepower = Shaft Horsepower of
Motor or Engine

Input Horsepower = Power Demand of Motor

or Engine
Overall Pumping Plant Efficiency =

Gallons per minute x Feet of Total Head

3960 x Input Horsepower
 Pump Performance Curves
o Total Head or Lift - Capacity
o Pump Efficiency - Capacity
o Brake horsepower - Capacity
o Net Positive Suction Head - Capacity (centrifugal
pumps)
 Total Head - Capacity
250
Worn Pump
New Pump
200
TOTAL HEAD (feet)

150

100

50

0
200 250 300 350 400
PUMP CAPACITY (gallons per minute)
 Efficiency - Capacity
60
PUMPING PLANT EFFICIENCY (%)

50

40

30

20

10 Worn Pump New Pump

0
200 250 300 350 400
PUMP CAPACITY (gallons per minute)
 Horsepower - Capacity
10

8
BRAKE hORSEPOWER

New Worn
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
CAPACITY (gpm)
 100 100

80 9 80
Total Head 70

BRAKE HORSEPOWER
8.5 80
TOTAL HEAD (feet)

82
83
60 8 83 60
82
80

40 40
83.5

Brake Horsepower
20 20

0 0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
PUMP CAPACITY (gpm)
How Do You Use Performance Curves?

o Selecting a new pump

o Evaluating an existing pump
 Selecting an Efficient Pump
• Information needed
– Flow rate (gallons per minute)
– Total Head (feet)
• Consult pump catalogs provided by pump
manufacturers to find a pump that will
provide the desired flow rate and total
head near the point of maximum efficiency
 Selecting a New Pump
Design: Total Head = 228 feet, Capacity = 940 gpm
A B C
Capacity (gpm) 940 940 940
Total Head per Stage (feet) 57 73 37
No. Stages 4 3 6
Actual Total Head (feet) 228 219 223
Pump Effi ciency (%) 84 69 76
Pump or Brake Horsepower 64 73 69
Annual Energy Cost ($) 7162 8225 7721
Common Causes of Poor Pumping
Plant Performance
 Wear (sand)
 Improperly matched pump
 Changed pumping conditions
o Irrigation system changes
o Ground water levels
 Clogged impeller
 Poor suction conditions
 Throttling the pump
 Effect of Impeller Adjustment
Capacity Total Overall I nput
(gpm) Head Effi ciency Horsepower
(feet) (%)

Pump 1 Before 605 148 54 42

After 910 152 71 49

Pump 2 Before 708 181 59 55

After 789 206 63 65

Pump 3 Before 432 302 54 61

After 539 323 65 67

Pump 4 Before 616 488 57 133

After 796 489 68 144
Effect of Impeller Adjustment on Energy Use
Repair Worn Pump
 Effect of Pump Repair

Before After
 Pumping lift = 95 feet  Pumping lift = 118 feet
 Capacity = 1552 gpm  Capacity = 2008 gpm
 IHP = 83  IHP = 89
 Efficiency = 45%  Efficiency = 67%
 Summary of the Effect of Repairing Pumps

 63 pump tests comparing pump performance before-and-

after repair
 Average percent increase in pump capacity – 41%
 Average percent increase in total head – 0.5% (pumping
lift only)
 Average percent increase in pumping plant efficiency –
33%
 IHP increased for 58% of the pumping plants. Average
percent increase in input horsepower – 17%
 Adjusting/Repairing Pumps
 Adjustment/repair will increase pump capacity and total
head

 Adjustment/repair will increase input horsepower

 Reduction in operating time is needed to realize any energy

savings
 More acres irrigated per set
 Less time per set

 Energy costs will increase if operating time is not reduced

 Replace Mismatched Pump

A mismatched pump is one that is operating properly,

but is not operating near its point of maximum

efficiency.
Efficiency (%) Matched Pump

Improperly
Matched
Pump

0
0
Capacity (gpm)
Mismatched Pump
 Multiple Pump Tests
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
(Normal)
Capacity (gpm) 940 870 1060
Pressure (psi) 50 79 15
Pumping Lift (feet) 113 112 112
Total Head (feet) 228 295 147
I HP 112 112 104
Overall Effi ciency (%) 48 57 38
Replacing this pump with one operating at an
overall efficiency of 60% would:
 Reduce the input horsepower by 19%
 Reduce the annual energy consumption
by 34,000 Kwhr
 Reduce the annual energy costs by
$3,400 (annual operating time of 2000
hours and an energy cost of $0.10/kwhr)
Replacing a Mismatched Pump

 Pumping plant efficiency

will increase
 Input horsepower
demand will decrease
 Energy savings will occur
because of the reduced
horsepower demand
 How do I determine the
condition of my pump?

Answer: Conduct a pumping

plant test and evaluate the
results using the
manufacturer’s pump
performance data
Pumping
Lift
Discharge
Pressure

Pump
Capacity
 2 PIPE
8 PIPE DIAMETERS DIAMETERS

FLOW

FLOW METER
Input
Horsepower
Is a pump worn or
mismatched?
Multiple pump tests
Compare pump test
data with
manufacturer’s pump
performance curves
 TOTAL HEAD (feet)
200
REPAIRED PUMP
Pumping Lift = 102 ft
Capacity = 537 gpm
150 Input Horsepower = 28
Overall Efficiency = 50%
Small Kwhr/af = 211
Difference
100
Large
WORN PUMP Difference
Pumping Lift = 45 ft
50 Capacity = 624 gpm
Input Horsepower = 19
Overall Efficiency = 39%
Kwhr/af = 123
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100
PUMP CAPACITY (gpm)
 TOTAL HEAD (feet)
100

80

60
1984(54%)
1983 (64%)
1985 (62%)
40

20

0
2000 2400 2800 3200 3600
PUMP CAPACITY (gpm)
 TOTAL HEAD (feet)
100

80

1983 (64%)
60 1984 (66%)

1985 (55%)
40

20

0
2000 2400 2800 3200 3600
PUMP CAPACITY (gpm)
Recommended Corrective Action

 Eo greater than 60% - no corrective

action
 55% to 60% - consider adjusting
impeller
 50% to 55% - consider adjusting
impeller; consider repairing or
replacing pump if adjustment has
no effect
 Less than 50% - consider repairing
or replacing pump
Energy-efficient Electric Motors
Efficiencies of Standard
and Energy-efficient
Electric Motors

Horsepower Standard Energy

Effi cient
10 86.5 91.7
20 86.5 93.0
50 90.2 94.5
75 90.2 95.0
100 91.7 95.8
125 91.7 96.2
Variable Frequency Drives
 What is a Variable Frequency
Drive?
 Electronic device that changes the
frequency of the power to an
electric motor
 Reducing the power frequency
reduces the motor rpm
 Reducing the motor rpm, and thus
the pump rpm, decreases the pump
horsepower demand
o A small reduction in pump rpm results
in a large reduction in the horsepower
demand
 When are Variable Frequency
Drives Appropriate?

 One pump is used to irrigate

differently-sized fields. Pump
capacity must be reduced for the
smaller fields
 Number of laterals changes during
the field irrigation (odd shaped
fields)
 Fluctuating ground water levels
 Fluctuating canal or ditch water
levels
Centrifugal pump used to irrigate
Both 80-and 50-acre fields

Unthrottled Throttled VFD

Acres 80 50 50
Pressure (psi) 80 64 60
Capacity (gpm) 1,100 600 700
I nput Horsepower 128 90 55
RPM 1770 1770 1345
Overall Effi ciency (%) 40 24 44
Note: Pumping plants should be
operated at the reduced frequency
for at least 1,000 hours per year
to be economical
Convert To Diesel Engines
Options for Converting From Electric
Motors to Engines

& Direct drive (gear head)

* Engine shaft to pump shaft
efficiency = 98%

& Diesel-generator
* Engine shaft to pump shaft
efficiency less than about
80%
 Considerations

 Brake Horsepower = Shaft

Horsepower
 Engines and motors are rated
based on brake horsepower ( 100
HP electric motor provides the
same horsepower as a 100 HP
engine
 Input horsepower of an engine is
greater than that of an electric
motor for the same brake
horsepower
 Engine Horsepower
 Maximum horsepower
 Continuous horsepower
 About ¾’s of the maximum
horsepower
 Derated for altitude,
temperature, accessories, etc.
 200

173
167
157
150 144
BRAKE HORSEPOWER

128

110
100

50

0
1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200
ENGINE RPM
 0.40
0.39
FUEL CONSUMPTION (lb/bhp-hr)

0.38
0.38 0.38
0.37
0.37 0.37
0.36

0.34

0.32

0.30
1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200
ENGINE RPM
 40

38
ENGINE EFFICIENCY (%)

36
35.1 35.1
34.7
34.2
33.9
34
33.2

32

30
1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200
ENGINE RPM
 160
PUMP HP CONTINUOUS ENGINE HP
140

120
HORSEPOWER

100

80

60

40

20

0
1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200
RPM
 Electric Motors vs Diesel
Engines: Which is the Best?

 Unit energy cost

 Capital costs, maintenance
costs, etc
 Hours of operation
 Horsepower
 Cost of pollution control devices
for engines
 Comparison of electric motor and
diesel engine
100 HP
1,100 gpm
2,000 hours per year

Electric Diesel Engine

Motor
Capital Cost $5,500 $11,500 $16,500 $16,500
Unit Energy Cost $0.14/ kwhr $0.95/ gal $0.95/ gal $1.25/ gal
Total Cost ($/ af) 60.5 37.8 39.9 48.5
That’s All