ENERGY RECOVERY DURING PUMP TESTING BY REPLACING VALVE WITH PUMP AS TURBINE

Abstract

The pumps are hydro mechanical devices that transfer mechanical energy from some external sources to the liquid flowing through it. They have wide spread use and are produced in a seemingly endless variety of sizes and types. They are applied-to an apparently endless variety of services and are probably the second most common machine in use exceeded in number by the electric motors.. Such extensive coverage has required the establishment of theoretical analysis and to be supported by graphical representation of actual test. Pump manufacturers test run their product to confirm and to verify whether the predicted characteristics match with the actual. The pumps that are tested can be very large and require more power and time. Valves are used in a shop performance test that alters the variable friction-head portion of the total system head curve and consequently the pump flow. Most of energy developed by pump, during test, in form of head and discharge is dissipated in valve. It is worthwhile to recover a portion of this energy by replacing valve with pump as turbine that is going un-harnessed, particularly because pumps have been used as turbines for power generation for many years in the field of small hydropower development. Pumps are readily available and many sizes are stock items and are several generations ahead of conventional turbines in cost reduction. They arc less sophisticated, easy to install, maintain, simpler to operate and are readily available in a broader range of configurations than conventional turbines.