Performance Analysis of Boiler Feed Pump

Feed pumps are an essential subsystem of boilers used in industrial process plants and called as boiler feed pump (BFP). Normally, BFP is high pressure unit that takes suction from condensate return system and can be of the centrifugal type pump. In centrifugal pump, water enters axially through the impeller eyes and exits radially. Generally, electric motor is used as prime mover to run the feed pump. To force water into boiler, the pump must generate enough pressure to overcome steam pressure developed by boiler. In the present study of design of boiler feed pump; there are various parameters that has great influence on the pump performance. The blade exit angle and blade inlet angle have significant effect on the discharge and the efficiency of the centrifugal pump. A MATLAB program is being formed which basically design all the essential pump parameters by taking input data obtained from plant. Volute casing curve at number of blades equal to 6 is generated and finally performance curves between blade inlet angle and discharge, blade exit angle and discharge, blade inlet angle and overall efficiency, Pump Head and efficiency are being constructed and verified by the help of data from plant and various research papers. KEYWORDS: Centrifugal Pumps, Impeller Shaft, Cavitation, Boiler Feed Water Pump, Energy Efficiency, Vane Profile, Volute Casing, Discharge, Inlet Blade Angle, Blade Exit Angle, Overall Efficiency, Blade Single Curvature, Diffuser, Impeller Eye Diameter, Hub Diameter, Corrosion, Sealing