Complete the form below to access this free calculator that can help you quickly convert pump head into pressure or convert pump pressure into head. If you know any two of the following variables the calculator can determine the third value:  1) Head, 2) Pressure, or 3) Specific Gravity.

Head is a convenient way for pump manufacturers to state the pressure capability of their centrifugal pumps. Since, pumps are typically tested with water, their performance test results are reported in feet (or meters) of water versus flow.  Therefore, pump users need to be able to determine how their pump will perform on the specific liquid they are pumping.

Figure 1.  Pressure gauges at the bottom of three different liquid column

If a pump can deliver 200 feet (61 m) of head, you can conclude your pump will add 200 feet (61 m) of liquid head to whatever pressure present on the suction of the pump, regardless of the specific gravity of the liquid being pumped.  But, if you want to know the pressure rise generated by this pump, you need to use the following equation, where H represents head in feet, P represents pressure in pounds per square inch, and SG is the specific gravity of the liquid being pumped:

If the pump mentioned above is pumping gasoline (S.G.=0.72), then by using equation 1, we can expect the pump to generate about 62.34 psi of differential pressure.  By using the “converting pressure to head” calculator, you can handle this and similar pressure conversions with ease. Give the calculator a try and let us know what you think by posting in our Industry Forum.