For vertical turbine pumps, Total Head (H) is defined as the distance from the pumping liquid level to the center of the discharge gauge plus the total discharge head.

• A. Total Head (H), Vertical Turbine Pumps
• B. Net Positive Suction Head
• C. Total Discharge Head
• D. Elevation Head

Answer: (A)

Total Head for vertical turbine pumps represents the total energy the pump must impart to the fluid to deliver it to the discharge point. It is the sum of two parts: the elevation head, which is the vertical lift from the pumping liquid surface up to the center of the discharge gauge, and the total discharge head, which is the energy added by the pump at the discharge side to push the water through the system. Together, they quantify the overall head the pump must overcome to deliver water to the discharge point. Net Positive Suction Head concerns suction-side conditions and cavitation risk, not the total energy required to reach the discharge point. Elevation head alone doesn’t include the pump’s added energy, and total discharge head alone doesn’t account for lifting the water from the source. Hence the definition matches Total Head for vertical turbine pumps.