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For Students · Pump & System Curves

Pump & System Curves for a steel beam

Built for students learning it for a class or exam. See the concept move instead of memorizing formulas — and check your homework intuition. Simulate a steel beam live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Pump & System CurvesLive

finding the operating point

Controls

Presets

Pump shutoff head H₀ (m)

Pump droop k

Static head (m)

System resistance c

A pump delivers less head as flow rises; a piping system needs more head as flow rises. They meet at exactly one operating point — the flow and head the system will actually run at. Educational tool.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Operating flow0.183 m³/s

Operating head23.3 m

Governing equation

H_{p} = H_{0} - k Q^{2} = 50 - 800 Q^{2}, Q^{*} = \frac{H _{0} - h _{s}}{k + c _{s}} = \frac{50 - 10}{800 + 400} \approx 0.183 \frac{m ^{3}}{s}

Reading this result: Pump and system curves cross at about 0.183 m³/s and 23.3 m — the one flow-head pair where supply meets demand.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for students?: Yes — this version of "Pump & System Curves for a steel beam" is framed for students learning it for a class or exam. See the concept move instead of memorizing formulas — and check your homework intuition.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.