Engine General (Supplementary) USCG Question #1398 (Set 26)

A pumping system utilizing a centrifugal pump is designed for a specific discharge head in feet. What happens to the pump's discharge pressure when the Specific Gravity (SG) of the fluid pumped changes?

Official USCG Answer & Rule Citation

Correct Answer: Option B — Lower SG fluids will cause the discharge pressure to decline.

Centrifugal pump discharge pressure is directly proportional to the fluid's density. Since pressure head in feet remains constant for a given impeller speed, the actual discharge pressure in PSI will decline if the specific gravity of the pumped fluid decreases, as the pump imparts less force per unit volume.

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