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System curves
System curve tests
The system curve for a rising main should form the foundations for the design of a pumping station. The system curve shows the static head plus the friction head developed in a pipe system over a range of flow rates.
For pumps to work reliably, and to their best efficiency, they have to be carefully matched to the system curve characteristics of the rising main into which they deliver. A pump that is incorrectly matched to its pipe system may not deliver the required flow rate, it will use excessive amounts of energy and it is likely to be problematic.
Flowcheck Engineers will arrive on site fully equipped with under pressure drilling machines and all the test equipment necessary to enable the system curve tests to be conducted speedily, with the minimum disruption to the operation of the plant.
In addition to helping size pumps correctly a system curve test can also provide an indication of problems in a rising main. By back calculating the Ks value (effective roughness) of the pipe from the actual measured heads, it is possible to determine if there are blockages in the main, or alternatively if buried pipe sections differ from the dimensions stated on drawings.
If you are replacing pumps or doing any form of fault finding on a pumping system, it is essential that the system curve is measured. Flowcheck has more than seventeen years experience in measuring and plotting system curves.
Download our Guide to specifying pumps