Pump Performance Testing

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Pump Testing System switch for DC power to pump digital scale to weigh water water collection column wiring to allow connection of multimeters water collection bucket 12VDC power supply container to prevent water leakage tubing with valve to connect pump to bucket terminals for pump power

Connect pump to see if it runs connect black leads together connect lower leads to pump connect red leads together flip the switch to power pump very briefly just to see if it turns don’t run pump dry

Can you hear or feel the pump try to run? What if your pump doesn’t run? Can you hear or feel the pump try to run? no yes You probably aren’t getting any power to the motor is the power supply plugged in? check your alligator clip connections is the switch on? if these things fail, then use your multimeter to see if you have power at the motor leads when the switch is turned on Your shaft or impeller is stuck and can’t freely rotate look through the clear faceplate to see if you can see the problem your impeller may be touching the faceplate unscrew the faceplate screws some . . . you just need to slightly compress the o-ring to prevent leaking out the front get an oversized o-ring from instructor if needed sand impeller so it is flush with the top of the pump body to prevent contact the bushing may be squeezing the motor shaft too tightly → ream out the bushing with a #42 bit the barbed fitting may be contacting the impeller → try unscrewing the fitting a few turns

Fill water to the bottom of the tape measure Fill your bucket to the correct level Fill water to the bottom of the tape measure 7 inches

inlet (from water bucket) outlet (hooked to long tube) Connect the pump to the water supply open valve until water flows freely through pump . . . this “primes” the pump inlet (from water bucket) outlet (hooked to long tube) the pump should ALWAYS stay below the water level in the bucket … it is not a self-priming pump

Turn the pump on to see what happens if water doesn’t rise at least one foot, then . . . make sure water runs freely through pump when it is off (is it primed?) turn water outlet upward, and tap pump against water bucket to allow bubbles to float out try reversing the polarity of the motor to see if that helps if none of these things work, you likely have an air leak most air leaks are at the faceplate o-ring (keep uniform gap between pump body and faceplate) it is also possible that you have an air leak at the bronze bushing → the small o-ring may have been pushed out you may also have an air leak around a barbed fitting . . . did you use Teflon tape? see how high the water is pumped exit tube

Pump testing See how high your pump can pump water Measure electrical current and voltage as well as the mass of water collected at eight or more heights (or pump heads) up to a maximum of 72 inches Generate a plot of pump head versus flow rate Generate a plot of pump efficiency versus pump head h = head m = mass of water collected head or height that water is pumped (in) electrical current needed to power pump (A) voltage across pump leads (V) length of time that water is collected (s) mass of water collected over 20 seconds (g) height 1 20 height 2 … height 8 (or more)

voltage is measured between the + and – power leads Current and voltage measurement voltage current voltage is measured between the + and – power leads current is measured by “breaking a lead” and letting the current pass through the multimeter

Collect water at different heights for 20 seconds and weigh the water let water run back down pipe between measurement head or height that water is pumped (in) electrical current needed to power pump (A) voltage across pump leads (V) length of time that water is collected (s) mass of water collected over 20 seconds (g) height 1 20 height 2 … height 8 (or more) Should you leave mass in grams?

Actual weight of the water is displayed Remember to zero the digital balance to account for container weight Actual weight of the water is displayed

SAFETY Keep water away from all electrical equipment except the pump, and do your best to keep the pump motor dry. Don’t handle the wall adapter or other power supply with wet hands or wet feet (or when in contact with water). Mop up any water that leaks onto the floor. Report any problems encountered to the helpdesk attendant or to your instructor.

Cleanup empty bucket and catch pan into the sink in your classroom mop up any water that leaked or spilled onto the floor put the station back in its original configuration

Individual versus team Group Assignment: Fabrication and testing of your pump The pump fabrication was completed in groups of two students Pump testing is to be completed by groups of two to four students Two pump fabrication teams should combine to test the better of the two pumps fabricated It is common for four students to share the same raw data from pump testing   Individual Assignment: The pump project counts as a significant percentage of your overall grade The work that you submit for this grade must be your own Please be aware that the pump assignment is not a “regular” homework assignment You are allowed to discuss your work with other students, but no direct copying of work and no sharing of computer files is allowed (such as Excel and Mathcad files) Please type in the raw data collected into Excel yourself You may share photographs that you took of your group during fabrication and testing

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