Total discharge head includes which type of head?

• A. static discharge head
• B. velocity head
• C. suction head
• D. atmospheric head

Answer: (A)

Total discharge head represents the energy needed to raise the water to the discharge point, which is captured by the static discharge head. This is the elevation component of the head on the discharge side—the height the water must be lifted. The velocity of the water contributes a separate energy term (velocity head) used for calculating exit speed and flow rate, not part of the discharge head itself. Suction head relates to the suction side conditions, and atmospheric head is the ambient pressure, which is typically accounted for differently in gauge-head calculations. So, the discharge head is governed by the static discharge head.