The issue that was never resolved was the original question. When do we obtain different answers when picking different equations 41.26-41.30 ?
they are all similarity equations. when do we choose one over the other?
This is a bad problem and you should just ignore it. The way they have written it makes it impossible to solve, and their solution is wrong. Here's why:
Pump affinity laws essentially take one point (
Q1, h1) on a pump curve (for a given diameter,
D1) and assign to it
one and only one point (
Q2, h2) on a different pump curve (which corresponds to a different diameter
D2). If you do this for enough points on the original curve, you can get enough points on the new curve that you can draw it. Note that since
Q2 =(
D2 /D1 )
Q1 and
h2 =((
D2 /D1 )^2)x
h1 the flow rate and head between corresponding points are never the same. In graphic form (see below), pump affinity laws take each blue point in the original curve, and assign to it a red point on the new curve. Applying pump affinity laws is like using the green arrows in this graph:
The issue with the problem you've posted is that you are not given the whole pump curve for the original diameter. You are only given a single point of the original curve. The problem is not solvable, and as you've noted, there are issues with it. In simpler (and easier to understand) terms, the problem you posted can be re-written as:
“
A pump curve for a known diameter passes through the blue point in the graph below. Find the impeller diameter that will make the curve pass through the red point”. Hint: Can't be done.
You can use
h2 =((
D2 /D1 )^2)x
h1 to solve for
D2 with
h2 = 115 ft and
h1 = 140 ft. This gives you
D2 = 11.3 in. However, this does not correspond to the red point. The flow rate would have to change. It will be
Q2 =( 11.3
/ 12.5 ) x 380 = 344 gpm. In graphical form (see below), applying affinity laws takes the blue point, along the green arrow and gives you the green point.
.
From the graph above, its clear that trimming down the impeller to 11.3 inches will not make the pump add a head of 115 ft for a flow rate of 380 gpm. Their solution is wrong. The problem as presented cannot be solved.
As always, I could be mistaken and welcome any critique of this write-up.