Robert Pelikan says that an understanding of pump performance curves is an important part of a pump installer's storehouse of knowledge.
Last month, we began this miniseries on pump selection with a look at the simplest of pump curves - those showing only pressure and flow, as are typically seen for residential submersible pumps. When the capacity and horsepower requirements of a pumping system go up, pump specifiers may need additional information such as pump efficiency, horsepower and NPSH (net positive suction head) at different flow rates. This month, we will begin to look at these additional factors.