The addressee has registered to receive the Engineered Software Newsletter from the Engineered Software Website, while requesting the PIPE-FLO Demo, or when registering the PIPE-FLO Viewer program. If you no longer wish to receive this information, follow the instructions as the end of this message.

This is the April 2004 issue of the Engineered Software Fluid Flow Newsletter. This month’s e-Newsletter focuses on system and pump operation.

If you have any questions of comments about this or any previous newsletter, please feel free to send them to sales@eng-software.com we enjoy hearing from you.

FEATURED TOPICS - click on a topic below for details.

  1. PUMP CURVE LANDMARKS

  2. PREFERRED OPERATING RANGE

  3. NPSHa MARGIN RATIO

  4. LINKS TO DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

  5. ODDS & ENDS – DOWNLOAD MANUFACTURERS PUMP CATALOGS FROM THE WEB
1. PUMP CURVE LANDMARKS

The pressure at the discharge of a centrifugal pump controls how the pump operates in the piping system. As the system pressure at the pump discharge increases, the flow rate through the pump decreases. The relationship between discharge pressure and flow rate through the pump is shown on the pump curve.

This article describes the various landmarks found on a pump curve. Each landmark is described, along with the basis of each area of the pump curve. The following link takes you to a Knowledge Base Article describing the Pump Curve Landmarks: http://www.eng-software.com/kb/item.asp?ID=1387

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Engineered Software will be conducting A FLO-MASTER seminar in Atlanta GA on May 3 & 4, 2004.

By attending these two-day seminars, you will:
  • see how to get the most from PIPE-FLO on your next piping project
  • see how to build a model quickly using pipe specifications and PIPE-FLO’s copy commands
  • discover how PIPE-FLO can provide you with a clear picture of any fluid piping system

To find out more about the upcoming FLO-MASTER seminars, call your Engineered Software account representative toll free at 800-786-8545, or log onto the following Web Page http://www.eng-software.com/products/flomaster.htm.  This hands-on training class qualifies for 1.6 CEU’s needed for Professional Engineers' continuing education requirements.


back to top
2. PREFERRED OPERATING RANGE

The design characteristic for a centrifugal pump is optimized around the pump's Best Efficiency Point (BEP). At the BEP, the hydraulic efficiency of the pump is at its maximum. The flow of liquid through the impeller is uniform and free of flow separations. Within the Preferred Operating Range (POR) the hydraulic loads, vibration, or flow separation will not significantly affect the service life of the pump.

When entering a centrifugal pump in PIPE-FLO, the program defaults to a POR of 70% to 120% of the BEP, as recommended by the Hydraulic Institute in their standard ANSI/HI 9.6.3 Centrifugal / Vertical Pumps Allowable Operating Region. If during the calculation of the system, the flow through a pump is outside the POR, PIPE-FLO provides you with a warning message.

The POR is more restrictive than the manufacturer's Allowable Operating Region. Running the pump within the POR will extend pump life, minimize pumping cost, and reduce downtime because of maintenance.


back to top
3.  NPSHa MARGIN RATIO

Another improvement to the PIPE-FLO program is the addition of the Net Positive Suction Head available (NPSHa) Margin Ratio.

When testing a pump for the Net Positive Suction Head required (NPSHr), the manufacturer reduces the suction pressure until the first stage pump head has a 3% loss in total head at the specified capacity. In other words, when the NPSHa of the pump in your piping system is equal to the NPSHr specified by the pump manufacturer, your pump is cavitating.

To insure a pump will not experience damage due to cavitation, the Hydraulic Institute created standard ANSI/HI 9.6.1. Centrifugal and Vertical Pumps for NPSH Margin. This standard introduces the concept of NPSH Margin Ratio.

The NPSH margin ratio is defined by the following formula:
NPSHmr = NPSHa/NPSHr

The standard contains typical values for NPSHmr for various applications. They typically range between 1.1 and 1.2 for general industrial pumping applications or can be up to 1.3 to 2.0 for pumps used in cooling tower applications.

When entering a pump in the PIPE-FLO program, you can specify a NPSH margin ratio. If during the course of the calculation, the pump's NPSH margin ratio is not met you will receive a warning message.

ATTEND A FREE PIPE-FLO WEB SEMINAR

Do you want to see how you can effectively use PIPE-FLO on your next piping project? Then sign up for a PIPE-FLO Web Seminar!

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we conduct Web seminars demonstrating the PIPE-FLO program in operation.

All you need is:

  • A computer with Internet Access

  • A phone next to the computer and

  • One-hour

One of our application engineer’s is available to demonstrate PIPE-FLO and answers your specific questions. Sign up for a PIPE-FLO Web seminar today by calling your account representative toll free at 800-786-8545, or sign up on our Website http://www.eng-software.com/webdemo.


back to top
4.  LINKS TO DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Users of Electronic Document Management (EDM) software have access to the latest revisions of their design documents at all times. EDM software can manage a wide variety of CAD drawings, text documents, spreadsheets, manuals, specifications and procedures. In addition, EDM software provides revision management, along with workflow support in a safe and secure environment. Based on a client/server model, most EDM applications are scalable and can meet the document management needs for companies of any size.

Using PIPE-FLO’s FLO-Links capability, you have “Out of Box” integration with many of the EDM programs on the market today.

For example if your company is using the Cyco AM-Meridian EDM program (http://www.cyco.com) you can create FLO-Links within your PIPE-FLO project to documents stored in a Meridian vault.

On the PIPE-FLO Links tab for any object:

  1. Click the Add button.

  2. Click the File/Open button on the Links tab.

  3. If Cyco AM-Meridian is installed on your computer you’ll see a Meridian Vault file icon.

  4. Click on the Vault button to display the “Browse for files from AutoManager dialog.” Select a document from an AM-Meridian vault, and click on Open.

  5. PIPE-FLO automatically creates a link to this document.

To view the document the user clicks the FLO-Link and AM-Meridian displays the requested document. It’s an easy way to provide a simple interface to any stored document.


back to top
5.  ODDS & ENDS

Did you know that you can download over 12 pipe data tables from the Engineered Software Website? Once you download the Pipe Table Installer, you can choose which pipe tables you need for your next project. No more creating your own tables for the pipe materials you typically use.

You can down the Pipe Table Installer from http://www.eng-software.com/kb/item.asp?ID=1328. For PIPE-FLO 7 or above (including PIPE-FLO 8) choose the pipe_tables_v7.exe.

  1. Click on the file at the end of the article.

  2. After completing the download, click on the file entitled kb1328-pipe_tables_v7.exe, the extract the Pipe Table Installer.

  3. A list of Pipe Data Tables is displayed for installation.

  4. You can install additional tables later by clicking on the Pipe Table Installer icon on your Windows Desktop.

If you would like to see additional pipe tables added from standard pipe specifications or manufacturers' tables, please contact solutions@eng-software.com. Include the pipe specification name, number, and standards organization, or the pipe manufacturer for specialty pipe. We’ll get the data, create the table, and add it to the Pipe Table Installer.
Three new pump manufacturers have made their Electronic Pump Catalogs available for download from the Engineered Software Website http://www.eng-software.com/pml.

Truflo manufactures process centrifugal pumps offered in a wide range of metallurgies for the chemical, petrochemical, pulp & paper, pharmaceutical, wastewater and food & beverage industries. Pump Types Available for Selection - ANSI Standard, Self-Priming, Magnetically Driven and API.

Discflo manufactures pumps for hard-to-pump applications in the offshore oil, petrochemical, chemical, wastewater, pharmaceutical, food, pulp and paper, and power generation industries. Pump Types Available for Selection - Horizontal single-stage pumps, ANSI process pumps, API-610 pumps, submersible pumps, vertical pumps.

MEPCO manufactures pumps for the steam and hydronic heating, ventilating and air conditioning markets. Pump Types Available for Selection - Close Coupled, Base Mounted, Inline, Tank Mounted, Horizontal Split Case, Regenerative Turbine, and Double Suction / Double Volute Pumps.