Reasons A Pump H-Q Curve may be Different than the Design Curve
Subject: Reasons A Pump H-Q Curve may be Different than the Design Curve From Allan R. Budris and Water World Actual system H-Q curve not known: The actual current system H-Q curve may be different than the original system design. Once a plant is commissioned and the plant is put in service, the system head begins to change. In the short term, levels change in the tanks and wells, valves open and close, and filter screens become clogged. As maintenance occurs, pipe schedules are changed, equipment is changed and new equipment is added into the system. In the long term, equipment loses efficiency, scale forms on the internal pipe walls and the plant undergoes expansion and contraction. Even when new, the original calculated system curve may differ from the actual system performance due to the assumptions used in the calculation, such as 10 year old pipe. Any pump change should, therefore, start with the development (confirmation) of the true current pumping system “Head-Cap...