In pump design, what does 'head' refer to, and what is 'friction head'?

In pump design, what does 'head' refer to, and what is 'friction head'?

• A. Head is the energy required to move water; friction head is the pressure loss due to pipe fittings and flow resistance
• B. Head is the weight of the pump; friction head is the color of the water
• C. Head is the speed of flow; friction head is the viscosity
• D. Head is the temperature; friction head is the surface area

Answer: (A)

Head represents the energy per unit weight that a pump must supply to move water through the system, often viewed as the height to which the pump can raise the water or the energy needed to overcome gravity and other losses in the path. Friction head is the portion of that head consumed by resistance as water flows through pipes, fittings, valves, and other components—the pressure loss caused by friction and flow resistance. In design, you combine static head (the vertical lift) with friction head (the piping losses) to determine the total head the pump must provide at the desired flow.

Head represents the energy per unit weight that a pump must supply to move water through the system, often viewed as the height to which the pump can raise the water or the energy needed to overcome gravity and other losses in the path. Friction head is the portion of that head consumed by resistance as water flows through pipes, fittings, valves, and other components—the pressure loss caused by friction and flow resistance. In design, you combine static head (the vertical lift) with friction head (the piping losses) to determine the total head the pump must provide at the desired flow.