This hands-on reference offers a practical introduction to pumps and provides the tools necessary to select, size, operate, and maintain pumps properly. It highlights the interrelatedness of pump engineering from system and piping design to installation and startup. This updated second edition expands on many subjects introduced in the first edition and also provides new in-depth discussion of pump couplings, o-rings, motors, variable frequency drives, pump life-cycle cost, corrosion, and pump minimum flow. Written by an acclaimed expert in the field, Pump Characteristics and Applications, Second Edition is an invaluable day-to-day reference for mechanical, civil, chemical, industrial, design, plant, project, and systems engineers; engineering supervisors; maintenance technicians; and plant operators. It is also an excellent text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in departments of mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, or engineering technology. About the Author Michael W. Volk, P.E., is President of Volk & Associates, Inc., Oakland, California (www.volkassociates.com), a consulting company specializing in pumps and pump systems. Volk's services include pump training seminars; pump equipment evaluation, troubleshooting, and field testing; expert witness for pump litigation; witnessing of pump shop tests; pump market research; and acquisition and divestiture consultation and brokerage. A member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and a registered professional engineer, Volk received the B.S. degree (1973) in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana, and the M.S. degree (1976) in mechanical engineering and the M.S. degree (1980) in management science from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Providing a wealth of information on pumps and pump systems, Pump Characteristics and Applications, Third Edition details how pump equipment is selected, sized, operated, maintained, and repaired. The book identifies the key components of pumps and pump accessories, introduces the basics of pump and system hydraulics as well as more advanced hydraulic topics, and details various pump types, as well as special materials on seals, motors, variable frequency drives, and other pump-related subjects. It uses example problems throughout the text, reinforcing the practical application of the formulae and analytical presentations. It also includes new images highlighting the latest generation of pumps and other components, explores troubleshooting options, and incorporates relevant additions into the existing chapters. What’s New in This Edition: Includes more than 150 full-color images which significantly improve the reader’s ability to understand pump drawings and curves Introduces a new chapter on pump case studies in a format that provides case study background, analysis, solutions, and lessons learned Presents important new updates and additions to other chapters Includes a ten-step procedure for determining total pump head Discusses allowable and preferred operating ranges for centrifugal pumps Provides charts covering maximum and normally attainable pump efficiencies, performance corrections for slurry pumps, and mechanical seal flush plans Pump Characteristics and Applications, Third Edition is appropriate for readers with all levels of technical experience, including engineering and pump industry professionals, pump operators and maintenance technicians, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in mechanical engineering, and students in engineering technology programs.

This book gives an unparalleled, up-to-date, in-depth treatment of all kinds of flow phenomena encountered in centrifugal pumps including the complex interactions of fluid flow with vibrations and wear of materials. The scope includes all aspects of hydraulic design, 3D-flow phenomena and partload operation, cavitation, numerical flow calculations, hydraulic forces, pressure pulsations, noise, pump vibrations (notably bearing housing vibration diagnostics and remedies), pipe vibrations, pump characteristics and pump operation, design of intake structures, the effects of highly viscous flows, pumping of gas-liquid mixtures, hydraulic transport of solids, fatigue damage to impellers or diffusers, material selection under the aspects of fatigue, corrosion, erosion-corrosion or hydro-abrasive wear, pump selection, and hydraulic quality criteria. As a novelty, the 3rd ed. brings a fully analytical design method for radial impellers, which eliminates the arbitrary choices inherent to former design procedures. The discussions of vibrations, noise, unsteady flow phenomena, stability, hydraulic excitation forces and cavitation have been significantly enhanced. To ease the use of the information, the methods and procedures for the various calculations and failure diagnostics discussed in the text are gathered in about 150 pages of tables which may be considered as almost unique in the open literature. The text focuses on practical application in the industry and is free of mathematical or theoretical ballast. In order to find viable solutions in practice, the physical mechanisms involved should be thoroughly understood. The book is focused on fostering this understanding which will benefit the pump engineer in industry as well as academia and students.

Centrifugal Pumps: Design and Application, Second Edition focuses on the design of chemical pumps, composite materials, manufacturing techniques employed in nonmetallic pump applications, mechanical seals, and hydraulic design. The publication first offers information on the elements of pump design, specific speed and modeling laws, and impeller design. Discussions focus on shape of head capacity curve, pump speed, viscosity, specific gravity, correction for impeller trim, model law, and design suggestions. The book then takes a look at general pump design, volute design, and design of multi-stage casing. The manuscript examines double-suction pumps and side-suction design, net positive suction head, and vertical pumps. Topics include configurations, design features, pump vibration, effect of viscosity, suction piping, high speed pumps, and side suction and suction nozzle layout. The publication also ponders on high speed pumps, double-case pumps, hydraulic power recovery turbines, and shaft design and axial thrust. The book is a valuable source of data for pump designers, students, and rotating equipment engineers.

A major revision of McGraw-Hill's classic handbook that provides practical data and know-how on the design, application, specification, purchase, operation, troublshooting, and maintenance of pumps of every type. It is an essential working tool for engineers in a wide variety of industries all those who are pump specialists, in addition to those who need to acquaint themselves with pump technology. Contributed to by over 75 distinguished professionals and specialists in each and every area of practical pump technology.

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.

Hydrodynamics of Pumps is a reference for pump experts and a textbook for advanced students. It examines the fluid dynamics of liquid turbomachines, particularly pumps, focusing on special problems and design issues associated with the flow of liquid through a rotating machine. There are two characteristics of a liquid that lead to problems and cause a significantly different set of concerns than those in gas turbines. These are the potential for cavitation and the high density of liquids, which enhances the possibility of damaging, unsteady flows and forces. The book begins with an introduction to the subject, including cavitation, unsteady flows and turbomachinery, basic pump design and performance principles. Chapter topics include flow features, cavitation parameters and inception, bubble dynamics, cavitation effects on pump performance, and unsteady flows and vibration in pumps - discussed in the three final chapters. The book is richly illustrated and includes many practical examples.