How to Select the Right Centrifugal Pump

Book excerpt: 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.