Modeling the Impact of Pipeline Topography on the Performance of Pumping System

Abstract

The study consists of building a hydraulic model that can account for the effect of the slope of the pipeline on the pumping system performance. The model system is about a single perforated pipe with several different sizes opening holes equally distributed along the pipe and connected to the pump at the inlet, while the other end of the pipe is closed. The model was applied and implemented in several cases of pipe slope level, uphill, and downhill. Results have been shown for the case of equilibrium between the pump and the pipe system that the pressure head at the beginning of the pipe will increase when is in an uphill slope but inflow decreases because of the deficit in the pressure head and flowrate at the middle and end of the pipe and vice versa. A reasonable agreement between the model and previous studies was achieved for the model validation and accuracy. Also, the study showed that there is a large change in pressure head and flowrate along the pipe due to the change in elevation along the modeled pipe. The capacity of the system decreases in the case of an uphill slope and becomes lesser than the design capacity and decreases with increasing the slope value. More power is needed to adjust the differences between the actual and calculated system curve, and in sequences increase the cost of the pumping and decrease the efficiency of the pump. While in the case of a downhill slope, the capacity of the system is higher than the design capacity. In turn, less power is required to adjust the design operation point and low cost of the pumping, but there is a slight decrease in the efficiency of the pump. Also, the study concluded that the slope of the pipeline is a key issue in the design of the pumping pipeline system to reduce energy consumption and cost. This study can be considered a useful tool to perform the pumping system under various conditions of the hydraulic system.