5764, Monkland avenue, Suite 311, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4A 1E9 Tel: 514.484.PUMP (7867) Fax: 514.484.2294 E-mail: jchaurette@fluidedesign.com Web site : www.fluidedesign.com AFFINITY LAWS The affinity laws are derived from a dimensionless analysis of three important parameters that describe pump performance: flow, total head and power (ref: The Pump Handbook by McGraw-Hill, chapter 2). The analysis is based on the reduced impeller being geometrically similar and operated at dynamically similar conditions or equal specific speed. If that is the case then the affinity laws can be used to predict the performance of the pump at different diameters for the same speed or different speed for the same diameter. Since in practice impellers of different diameters are not geometrically identical, the author's of the section called Performance Parameters in the Pump Handbook recommend to limit the use of this technique to a change of impeller diameter no greater than 10 to 20%. In order to avoid over cutting the impeller, it is recommended that the trimming be done in steps with careful measurement of the results. At each step compare your predicted performance with the measured one and adjust as necessary. The affinity laws were developed using the law of similitudes which provide 3 basic relationships. Flow vs. diameter and speed K nD Q = 3 or 3 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 D D n n Q Q = Total Head vs. diameter and speed K D n H g = 2 2 or 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 D D n n H H = Power vs. diameter and speed K D n g P = 5 3 γ or 5 2 5 1 3 2 3 1 2 1 D D n n P P =