Booster Pump Calculation for a 10-Story Building

In high-rise buildings, booster pump systems are used to help water reach the upper floors.

Mains pressure is often not sufficient to deliver water to the upper floors. For this reason, booster pump systems increase water pressure to provide constant pressure throughout the building.

When choosing a booster pump for a 10-story building, the following parameters must be calculated:

• building height
• total water consumption
• pipe friction losses
• required pressure value

When these values are calculated correctly, the system runs without problems.

Basic Parameters Used in Booster Pump Calculation

Three main parameters are calculated when determining booster pump capacity.

1️⃣ Flow Rate (Water Demand)

Flow rate is the amount of water the building needs at the same time.

The following information is used to calculate flow rate:

• number of units
• number of people
• simultaneous usage factor

2️⃣ Discharge Head

The height the booster pump must deliver water to.

The following values are taken into account for this calculation:

• building height
• pipe friction loss
• safety margin

3️⃣ Pump Power

Pump selection is made based on flow rate and discharge head.

10-Story Building Height Calculation

The average height of one floor is generally taken as:

3 meters

For a 10-story building, the height is:

10 × 3 m

= 30 meters

This value is the minimum height the booster pump must overcome.

Pressure Calculation

The following formula is used to calculate water pressure:

10 meters of water height = 1 bar of pressure

For a 30-meter building:

30 m ÷ 10

= 3 bar

However, system losses must also be added.

Pipe Losses

Friction losses occur in the pipes.

On average:

• elbows
• valves
• filters
• pipe length

are taken into account, adding approximately 1–2 bar of loss.

Total Pressure Calculation

Sample calculation for a 10-story building:

Building height → 3 bar
Pipe losses → 1.5 bar
Top-floor comfort pressure → 1 bar

Total:

5.5 bar

Therefore, the booster pump must be able to provide approximately 6 bar of pressure.

Flow Rate Calculation

Water consumption per person is taken into account when calculating flow rate.

Average value:

200 liters / person / day

Example building:

20 units
4 people per unit

Total people:

80 people

Daily water demand

80 × 200 liters

= 16,000 liters

= 16 m³

However, the booster pump is selected based on instantaneous flow rate.

A simultaneous usage factor is generally used.

In this case, approximately:

5–8 m³/h flow rate

may be sufficient.

Sample Booster Pump Capacity for a 10-Story Building

Sample system:

Flow rate → 6 m³/h

Pressure → 6 bar

In this case, a suitable booster pump capacity would be:

6 m³/h – 60 meters discharge head

could be appropriate.

Booster Pump Types

The following pump types are generally used in high-rise buildings:

Multistage Pump

Ideal for generating high pressure.

Inverter Booster Pump

Keeps pressure constant in modern systems.

Multi-Pump Booster System

Capacity is increased by using multiple pumps.

Booster Pump Brands

The most preferred brands for apartment and building booster pump systems are as follows:

• Grundfos booster pump systems
• Wilo booster pump systems
• Etna booster pump systems
• Masdaf booster pump systems
• DAB booster pump systems

These brands offer reliable solutions for high-rise buildings.

Advantage of Inverter Booster Pumps

Inverter technology is used in new-generation booster pump systems.

The advantages of these systems:

• constant pressure
• low energy consumption
• quiet operation
• longer pump lifespan

Inverter booster pumps are especially preferred in high-rise buildings.

Booster Pump Tank Capacity

An expansion tank is used in booster pump systems.

This tank:

• balances the pressure
• prevents the pump from switching on too frequently

In apartment systems, generally:

100–300 liters

tanks are preferred.

Common Mistakes in Booster Pump Calculation

The most common mistakes are as follows:

• calculating the building height incorrectly
• selecting a flow rate that is too low
• selecting too small a pump capacity
• not accounting for pipe losses

These mistakes cause the system to malfunction.

Conclusion

When choosing a booster pump system for a 10-story building, the following parameters must always be calculated:

• building height
• required pressure
• water consumption
• pump flow rate

With a correctly calculated booster pump system, constant and comfortable water pressure can be provided on all floors of the building.