ISO 17769-1-2012 PDF

Full title and description

Liquid pumps and installation — General terms, definitions, quantities, letter symbols and units — Part 1: Liquid pumps (ISO 17769-1:2012). This International Standard defines terminology, letter symbols and units used when describing the flow of liquids through rotodynamic and positive-displacement liquid pumps and associated pump installations, to ensure clear communication between designers, manufacturers, operators and constructors.

Abstract

ISO 17769-1:2012 specifies terms, letter symbols and units related to the flow of liquids through rotodynamic and positive-displacement liquid pumps and associated installations. It identifies the commonly used units and conventions for quantities such as flow rate and pump head, and provides consistent symbols and subscripts to reduce ambiguity in technical documentation. The part deals only with conditions described by positive values for flow rate and pump head.

General information

• Status: Published (confirmed).
• Publication date: 23 July 2012 (Edition 1).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 23.080 (Pumps).
• Edition / version: Edition 1, 2012.
• Number of pages: 181.

Scope

This part of ISO 17769 establishes general terms, definitions, quantities, letter symbols and units applicable to liquid pumps (rotodynamic and positive-displacement) and their associated installations. It is intended to standardize notation and unit usage for describing flow, head, power, efficiency and related quantities used by pump designers, manufacturers, test laboratories, plant engineers and operators. It applies only to conditions expressed with positive numerical values for flow rate and pump head and focuses on communication of pump and installation hydraulic data rather than detailed component design rules.

Key topics and requirements

• Standardized terms and definitions for pump-related quantities (flow, head, suction lift, net positive suction head, etc.).
• Recommended letter symbols and subscripts for common pump quantities to avoid ambiguity.
• Preferred units and unit conventions for hydraulic quantities; guidance on use of SI and other legally accepted units.
• Notation conventions for rotodynamic and positive-displacement pump parameters (e.g., Q for flow rate, H for head, η for efficiency).
• Rules for forming compound symbols (prefixes, working/design qualifiers and subscripts) to describe conditions and measurement points.
• Alignment and explanation of symbols where relevant with broader metrology standards (consistency with related ISO quantity/units standards).

Typical use and users

Used by pump manufacturers, hydraulic test laboratories, system designers, mechanical and process engineers, procurement/specification teams, technical writers and standards committees. Typical applications include preparing pump datasheets, test reports, performance curves, installation and operation manuals, and ensuring consistent notation in technical drawings and procurement documents across projects and supply chains.

Related standards

Standards commonly used together with ISO 17769-1:2012 include: ISO 17769-2:2012 (Part 2: Pumping system), the withdrawn ISO 17769:2008 (replaced by the 2012 parts), ISO 9906 (rotodynamic pump hydraulic performance acceptance tests), ISO 5199 (technical specifications for centrifugal/process pumps), ISO 2858 (dimensional and duty-point conventions for end-suction centrifugal pumps) and various EN/ISO harmonized regional versions (EN ISO 17769 series).

Keywords

pumps; liquid pumps; rotodynamic pumps; positive-displacement pumps; flow rate (Q); pump head (H); letter symbols; units; quantities; nomenclature; pump installation; pump performance; symbols and subscripts.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 17769-1:2012 is an international standard that defines general terms, letter symbols and units used when describing the hydraulic behaviour of liquid pumps (rotodynamic and positive-displacement) and associated installations.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers standardized terminology, recommended letter symbols (with subscripts and prefixes), and preferred units for key pump and system quantities such as flow rate, head, power and efficiency. It focuses on clear communication of hydraulic data and applies to positive values of flow and head.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Pump manufacturers, test laboratories, system designers, process/mechanical engineers, technical authors, procurement/specification teams and standards bodies use this standard to ensure consistency in documents, datasheets and test reports.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 17769-1:2012 is the published Part 1 edition (2012). The earlier ISO 17769:2008 was withdrawn and replaced by the 2012 parts. The 2012 version has been subject to periodic review and has been confirmed in subsequent reviews.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 17769 is published as a multipart series. Part 1 covers liquid pumps; Part 2 covers pumping systems. Together the parts provide the common vocabulary, symbols and units for pumps and pump systems.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Pumps, rotodynamic, positive-displacement, flow rate (Q), pump head (H), letter symbols, units, quantities, pump installation, nomenclature, pump performance.