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Troubleshootingpumps

SUBJECT:Thepumpisnotproducingenoughheadtosatisfytheapplication109
Letmebeginbypointingoutthatthereareacoupleofthingsyoumustkeepinmindwhentroubleshootingcentrifugalpumpproblems:
Thecentrifugalpumpalwayspumpsthedifferencebetweenthesuctionanddischargeheads.
Acentrifugalpumpalwayspumpsacombinationofheadandcapacity.Thesetwonumbersmultipliedtogethermustremainaconstant.Inother
words,iftheheadincreasesthecapacitymustdecrease.Likewiseiftheheaddecreases,thecapacitymustincrease.
Thepumpwillpumpwherethepumpcurveintersectsthesystemcurve.
Ifthepumpisnotmeetingthesystemcurverequirementstheproblemcouldbeinthepump,thesuctionsideincludingthepipingandsource
tank,orsomewhereinthedischargesystem.
Mostpumpsareoversizedbecauseofsafetyfactorsthatwereaddedatthetimethepumpwassized.Thismeansthatthrottlingisanormal
conditioninmostplants,causingthepumptorunonthelefthandsideofitscurve.
THEPROBLEMCOULDBEINTHEPUMPITSSELF
Theimpellerdiameteristoosmall.
Theimpellerisrunningattooslowaspeed
Youarerunninganinductionmotor.Theirspeedisdifferentthansynchronousmotors.It'salwaysslower.Thepumpcurvewascreated
usingavariablefrequencymotorthatranataconstantspeed.Putatachometeronyourmotortoseeitsactualspeed.
Yourpulleydrivenpumpisrunningonthewrongpulleydiameter.
Avariablefrequencymotorisrunningatthewrongspeed.
Checkthespeedofthedriverifthepumpisdrivenbysomethingotherthananelectricmotor.
Thereissomethingphysicallywrongwiththemotor.Checkthebearingsetc.
Checkthevoltageoftheelectricmotor.Itmaybetoolow.
Theimpellerisdamaged.Thedamagecouldbecausedbyexcessivewear,erosion,corrosionorsometypeofphysicaldamage.
Physicaldamageoftenoccursduringtheassemblyprocesswhentheimpellerisdrivenonorofftheshaftwithawoodenblockanda
mallet.Manyimpellerdesignsdonothaveanutcastintotheimpellerhubtoeaseremoval.
Erosionoccurswhensolidsentertheeyeoftheimpeller.Thesolidscanchipoffpiecesoftheceramicthatarepassivatingtheimpeller,
causinglocalizedcorrosion.
Damagecanoccuriftheimpellertovolute,orbackplateclearanceistoosmallandtheshaftexperiencessometypeofdeflection.The
originalclearancecouldhavediminishedwiththermalgrowthoftheshaft.Keepinmindthatsomeopenimpellersadjusttothevolute
(Goulds)whileotherdesignsadjusttothebackplate(Duriron).
InanANSIandsimilardesigncentrifugalpumps,thenormalthrusttowardsthevolutehasbentthesnapringdesignedforbearingretention.
Thiscanallowtherotatingimpellertohitthestationaryvolute.
Herearesomeexamplesofshaftdisplacement:
OperatingthepumptoofarofftheBEP.
Pulleydrivenapplications.
Pipestrain.
Misalignmentbetweenthepumpanddriver.
Theshaftcouldbebent.
Therotatingassemblywasprobablynotdynamicallybalanced.
Theimpellerisclogged.Thisisamajorproblemwithclosedimpellers.Withtheexceptionoffinishedproduct,mostofwhatyouwillbe
pumpingcontainsentrainedsolids.Rememberalsothatsomeproductscansolidify,ortheycancrystallizewithachangeinfluidtemperatureor
pressure.
Impellerbalanceholeshavebeendrilledbetweentheeyeandthewearringsofaclosedimpeller.Thereverseflowisinterferingwiththe
productenteringtheimpellereye.Adischargerecirculationlineshouldhavebeenusedinplaceofthebalanceholestoreducetheaxialthrust.
Thedoublevolutecastingiscloggedwithsolidsorsolidshavebuiltuponthesurfaceofthecasting.
Theopenimpellertovoluteclearanceistoolarge.0.017"(0,5mm)istypical.Thisexcessiveclearancewillcauseinternalrecirculation
problems.Abadinstallation,thermalgrowth,ornormalimpellerwearcouldbethecause.
Alargeimpellertocutwaterclearancecancauseaproblemcalleddischargerecirculation.Wearisacommonsymptomofthiscondition.
Iftheimpellerispositionedtooclosetothecutwateryoucouldhavecavitationproblemsthatwillinterferewiththehead.
Theimpellerspecificspeednumberistoohigh.Lowerspecificspeednumberedimpellersareusedtobuildhigherheads.
Animpellerinducerwasleftoffatthetimeofassembly.Inducersarealmostalwaysneededwithhighspecificspeedimpellers.Leavingoffthe
inducercancausecavitationproblemsthatwillinterferewiththehead.
Theimpellerislooseontheshaft.
Theimpellerisrunningbackwards
Theshaftisrunningbackwardsbecauseofawiringproblem.
Thepumpisrunningbackwardsbecausethedischargecheckvalveisnotholdingandsystempressureiscausingthereverserotation.Thisisa
commonproblemwithpumpsinstalledinaparallelconfiguration.Checkvalvesarenotoriouslyunreliable.
Theimpellerhasbeeninstalledbackwards.Thiscanhappenwithclosedimpellersondoubleendedpumps
Thesecondstageofatwostagepumpiswiredbackwards.Thepumpreverseswhenthesecondstagekicksin.Youshouldhaveheardaloud
noisewhenthishappened.
Thewearringclearanceistoolarge.
ThisisacommonproblemiftheshaftL3/D4numberisgreaterthan60(2inthemetricsystem).
Youshouldreplacetheringswhentheoriginalclearancedoubles.Needlesstosaythiscanonlybedeterminedbyinspection.
Ifyouarepumpingaproductat200F(100C)ormoreyoushoulduseacenterlinedesignvolutetopreventexcessivewearringwearasthe
volutegrowsfromthebasestraightup,engagingthewearrings.
Awearringismissing.Itwasprobablyleftoffduringtheinstallationprocess.
Ahighsuctiontanklevelisreducingthedifferentialpressureacrossthepumpincreasingitscapacity.Thepumppumpsthedifferencebetween
thesuctionanddischargeheads.
Abubbleistrappedintheeyeoftheimpeller.Theeyeisthelowestpressurearea.Whenthisbubbleformsitshutsoffallliquidcomingintothe
pumpsuction.Thiscouldcausethepumptoloseitsprime.
Youcannotventarunningpumpbecausecentrifugalforcewillthrowtheliquidouttheventleavingtheairtrappedinside.
Airiscomingdirectlyintothepump.Thishappenswithanegativepressureatthesuctionside.Negativesuctionhappenswhenthepumpis
liftingliquid,pumpingfromacondenserhotwelletc.
Airiscomingintothestuffingboxthroughthepumppacking.
Airiscomingintothestuffingboxthroughanunbalancedmechanicalseal.Asthecarbonfacewearsthespringloadholdingthefaces
togetherdiminishes.
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Ifyouareusingmechanicalsealsinvacuumservice,theyshouldbeoftheOringdesign.Unlikeotherdesigns,oringsaretheonlyshape
thatsealsbothpressureandvacuum.
Thepumpwasnotprimedpriortostartup.Withtheexceptionoftheselfprimingversion,centrifugalpumpsmustbefullofliquidatstart
up.
Aircanenterthestuffingboxifthegasketbetweenthetwohalvesofadoubleendedpumpisdefectiveordoesnotextendtothestuffing
boxface.Anysmallgapsbetweenthefaceofthestuffingboxandthesplitatthesideofthestuffingboxwillalloweitherairin,or
productout.
Airiscomingintothesuctionsideofthepumpthroughapinholeinthecasing.
Airisenteringthestuffingboxbetweenthesleeveandtheshaft.Thishappensifyouconvertadoubleendedpumpfrompackingtoa
mechanicalsealandfailtoinstallagasketororingbetweentheimpellerhubandthesleeve.
Theopenimpellerwasadjustedbackwardsandnowtheclosefitting"pumpoutvanes"arecreatingavacuuminthestuffingbox.
Youneedavolutecasinginsteadofaconcentriccasing.Volutecasingsaremuchbetterforproducinghead.
Youhavethewrongsizepump.Itcannotmeetthesystemcurverequirements:
Thepumpwasnotselectedtomeetthesystemcurverequirementsbecausenosystemcurvewasgiventothepumpsupplier.
Atreplacementtimethesamesizepumpwaspurchasedbecausenoonehadcalculatedlossesinthesystem.
Thepumpwassizedfromapipingdiagramthatwasthirtyfiveyearsold.Therehavebeennumerouspipingchangesandadditionssincethe
originallayout.Inmanyinstancesadditionalpumpshavebeeninstalledandthispumpisrunninginparallelwiththem,butnobodyknowsit.
THEPROBLEMISONTHESUCTIONSIDEOFTHEPUMP.THEPUMPCOULDBECAVITATING.
Airisenteringthesuctionpipingatsomepoint.
Airisbeingpumpedintothesuctionpipingtoreducecavitationproblems
Fluidreturningtothesumpisbeingaeratedbytoofarafreefall.Thereturnlineshouldterminatebelowtheliquidlevel.
Thefluidisvortexingatthepumpinletbecausethesumplevelistoolowandthepumpcapacityistoohigh.
Airiscomingintothesystemthroughvalvesabovethewaterline,orgasketsinthepipingflanges.
Theliquidsourceisbeingpumpeddry.Ifthisisaprobleminyourapplicationyoumightwanttoconsideraselfprimingpumpinthe
future.
Thevaporpressureofthefluidistooclosetoatmosphericpressure.Whenitrainsthedropinatmosphericpressurecausestheinletfluidto
vaporize.
Thereisaproblemwiththepipinglayout.Itisreducingtheheadonthesuctionsideofthepump.
Thereistoomuchpipingbetweenthepumpsuctionandthesourcetank.Youmayneedaboosterpumporaninducer.Thehigherthe
pumpspeedthebiggertheproblem.
Thereisanelbowtooclosetothepumpsuction.Thereshouldbeatleasttendiametersofpipebetweentheelbowandthepumpsuction.
Suctionpipingshouldneverrunparallelwiththepumpshaftinadoubleendedpumpinstallation.Thiscancauseunnecessaryshaft
thrusting.
Apieceofpipeofreduceddiameterhasbeeninstalledinthesuctionpiping.
Pipingwasaddedontheinletsideofthepumptobypassapieceofequipmentthatwasinstalledonthefloor.
Apipingtopumpreducerhasbeeninstalledupsidedowncausinganairpocket.Concentricreducerscancausethesameproblem..
Multiplepumpinletsaretooclosetogether.
Thepumpinletistooclosetothetankfloor.
Thesuctionliftistoohigh.
Agasketwithtoosmallaninsidediameterhasbeeninstalledinthesuctionpipingrestrictingtheliquidflow.
Agasketinthesuctionpipingisnotcenteredandisprotrudingintotheproductstream.
Aglobevalvehasbeensubstitutedforagatevalveinthesuctionpiping.Thelossofheadinaglobevalveismanytimesthatofagatevalve.
Twopumpsareconnectedinseries.Thefirstpumpisnotsendingenoughcapacitytothesecondpump.
Thepipinginletisclogged.
Afilterorstraineriscloggedorcoveredwithsomething.
Intermittentpluggingofthesuctioninlet.
Looseragscandothis.
Ifthesuctionisfromapond,river,orthesea,grasscanbepulledintothesuctioninlet.
Afootvalveisstuck.
Acheckvalveisstuckpartiallyclosed
Thefootvalveistoosmall.
Asmallclamormarineanimalclearedthesuctionscreen,buthasnowgrownlargeonthepumpsideofthescreen.
Thesuctionpipingdiameterhasbeenreduced.
Thesuctionpipingcollapsedwhenaheavyobjecteitherhitorranoverthepiping.
Solidshavebuiltuponthepipingwalls.Hardwaterisagoodexampleofthisproblem
Alinerhasbrokenawayfromthepipingwallandhascollapsedinthepiping.Lookforcorrosioninthepipingcausedbyaholeinthe
liner.
AforeignobjectisstuckinthepipingItwaslefttherewhenthepipingwasrepaired.
Thesuctionisbeingthrottledtopreventtheheatingoftheprocessfluid.Thisisacommonoperatingprocedurewithfuelpumpswhere
dischargethrottlingcouldcauseafireorexplosion.
Thepumpinlettemperatureistoohigh.
Thetankisbeingheatedtodeaeratethefluid,butitisheatingthefluiduptoomuch.Lookforthisprobleminboilerfeedpump
applications.
Thesunisheatingtheinletpiping.Thepipingshouldbeinsulatedtopreventthisproblem.
Theoperatingtemperatureofthepumpedfluidhasbeenincreasedtoaccommodatetheprocessrequirements.
Adischargerecirculationlineisheatingtheincomingfluid.Youshoulddirectthislinetoareservoirratherthanthepumpsuction.
Steamorsomeotherhotcleanerisbeingcirculatedthroughthelines.
Theproblemisinthetankconnectedtothesuctionofthepump.
Thepumpcapacityistoohighforthetankvolume.
Thetankfloatisstuck,showingahighertanklevelthatdoesnotexist.
Thetankventispartiallyshutorfrozen,loweringthesuctionpressure.
ThereisnotenoughNPSHavailableforthefluidyouarepumping.Maybeyoucanuseaninducerorboosterpumptoincreasethe
suctionpressure.
Ahighsuctiontanklevelisreducingthedifferentialpressureacrossthepump,increasingitscapacityandloweringthehead.
PROBLEMSONTHEDISCHARGESIDEOFTHEPUMPINCLUDINGTHEPIPING
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Twopumpsareinconnectedinseries.Thefirstpumpdoesnothaveenoughcapacityforthesecondpump.Theyshouldberunningatthesame
speedwiththesamewidthimpeller.
Thepumpdischargeisconnectedtothebottomofthetank.Theheadislowuntilthelevelinthetankincreases.
Unitsinthedischargepipingshouldnotnormallybeshutoff,theyshouldbebypassedtopreventtoomuchofachangeinthepump'scapacity.
Iftoomanyunitsarebeingbypassedinthedischargesystemtheheadwilldecreaseasthecapacityincreases.Thiscanhappenifanextra
storagetankfarmisbeingbypassedbecausethestoragecapacityisnolongerneeded.
Abypasslinehasbeeninstalledinthepumpdischargeincreasingthecapacityandloweringthehead.
Pipingorfittingshavebeenremovedfromthedischargesideofthepumpreducingpipingresistance.
Connectionshavebeeninstalledinthedischargepipingthathaveincreasedthedemandthatincreasescapacity.
Thepumpisactingasanaccumulator,comingonwhenthetankleveldrops.Theheadwillbelowuntiltheaccumulatorisrecharged.
Considerthepossibilityofasiphonaffectinthedischargepiping.Thiswilloccurifthepumpdischargepipingisenteringintothetopofatank
anddischargingatalowerlevelThepumpmustbuildenoughheadinitiallytotakeadvantageofthesiphoningaction.
Adischargevalve(manualorautomatic)isopenedtoomuch.
Additionalpumptroubleshootingsubjects:
Analyzingrubmarks55
Thepumpisnotputtingoutenoughcapacity1010
Thepumpisconsumingtoomanyamps.1011

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