As a practical matter I don't know much about the limitations of the affinity laws.
As a theoretical matter, the affinity laws can be derived from
dimensional analysis under the assumption of turbulent flow. I would think that applies in most cases except when flow through tight clearances (like recirculation thru wear rings and other tight clearances) is significant (this type of flow includes a lot of friction forces which violate the turbulent assumption)
Start with a general functional relationship: DP = f {Q, rho, D, N, visc, L1/L2, L1/L3 etc}
Choose rho, D, N as our “base” variables which will be used to non-dimensionalize the other variables:
[ul]
[li]D: m:[/li]
[li]N: 1/sec[/li]
[li]rho: kg/m^3[/li]
[/ul]
Manipulate DP on LHS to a dimensionless ratio of base variables
[ul]
[li]DP: (kg*m/sec^2)/m^2 = kg/(m*sec^2)[/li]
[li]DP/rho = m^2/sec^2 (same as g*H, but g is a physical constant which doesn't belong in dimensional analysis)[/li]
[li]DP/(rho*N^2*D^2)… unitless. This will be the dependent variable on LHS of the dimensionless equation.[/li]
[/ul]
Manipulate Q on RHS to a dimensionless ratio of base variables:
[ul]
[li]Q : m^3/sec[/li]
[li]Q/(D^3*N): unitless[/li]
[li]Q/(D^3*N) will be the indep variable on the RHS of the dimensionless equation[/li]
[/ul]
Two more assumptions:
[ul]
[li]Assumption 1 - Compare only geometrically similar pump designs so L1/L2, L1/L3 are constant (and of course dimensionless) => these can dimensionless constants can be dropped from the RHS as independent variables (they will be absorbed into the function definition).[/li]
[li]Assumption 2 - Assume turblent flow. The viscosity term would end up non-dimensionalizing to something like a Reynold’s number which will be a constant friction factor IF highly turbulent flow. As long as we have only turbulent with inertia forces much larger than viscuous forces, then we can neglect viscous forces and drop viscosity from the RHS as a variable (the dimensionless constant friction factor will be absorbed into the function definition)[/li]
[/ul]
Under these last two assumptions (similarity and turbulent flow), we can write the following functional relationship:
DP/(rho*N^2*D^2) = f{ Q/(D^3*N) }
which gives rise to the affinity laws
[ul]
[li]DP/rho~N^2, Q~N, and for constant rho Fluid power = DP*Q ~ N^3[/li]
[li]DP/rho~D^2, Q~D^3[/li]
[/ul]
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(2B)+(2B)' ?