Planning a Range of Centrifugal Pumps Based on Cost Analysis and Using Computer Aid

A number of authors, e.g. Peck (1)^† and Wood and Marlow (2), have recently presented papers considering, in detail, specific phases in the design of centrifugal pumps. This paper, which is intended to be complementary to those papers, presents an analytical method for planning a range of centrifugal pumps based on a cost analysis of the models in the range. The method, which seeks to determine the number, size and spacing of the models to cover the specified, continuous range of duties, is based on adequate performance of each of the models in the range at minimum production cost for the total number of units to be produced.

To show that meaningful results can be obtained by using this method, a numerical example is presented. The method is applied to the planning of a range of centrifugal pumps in which each model operates at constant rotational speed with constant impeller diameter. The Fortran IV digital computer programme used in the solution of this example is included.