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Mechanical

NPSHa Calculator

Compute the Net Positive Suction Head available to confirm a pump will not cavitate.

When to use this calculator

Use when checking suction conditions against the pump's required NPSH.

Required inputs

  • Atmospheric pressure
  • Vapour pressure
  • Static suction head
  • Suction friction loss

Expected outputs

  • NPSHa
  • Margin vs NPSHr

Formula overview

Pressure in Pa, head in m, ρ in kg/m³, g = 9.81 m/s².

NPSHa = (P_atm − P_vapour)/(ρg) + h_static − h_friction.

Worked example

Example: P_atm = 101325 Pa, P_vap = 2339 Pa (water at 20°C), ρ = 998, h_static = 2 m, h_friction = 1 m
NPSHa = (101325 − 2339)/(998 × 9.81) + 2 − 1 = 10.1 + 1 = 11.1 m.

Common mistakes

  • Designing NPSHa to exactly match NPSHr without safety margins (should aim for ≥ 0.5–1.0 m margin).
  • Using the vapour pressure at the wrong operating temperature.

FAQ

NPSH
cavitation
pump
suction

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