PROACTIVE PUMP FUNDAMENTALS

Manage the data and maximize efficiency

Taking pictures of pumps as they are shipped out and/or received benefit both
end users and distributors, should you need to duplicate the order or return for
warranty. All images courtesy of Motion Industries
It is the middle of the night and you get a call that a process pump in
your system went down. This halts the entire production floor, which
causes hurried calls to on-site maintenance workers, distributors
and/or pump repair shops looking to expedite a fix. You have the
pump tag and serial information, motor information and pipe size but
nothing else, and there are no repair parts in the crib! The distributor
that sold the pump tells you there is an eight-week lead time for a
replacement pump, which is not acceptable. Not only that, but they
also don’t have the impeller trim information or the system head curve
to properly size a new pump.
Reactive actions cause every level of the supply chain, from the
manufacturer to end user, to become less efficient. This could include
time-consuming phone calls to find a sufficient replacement or hasty
repairs that end in more shutdowns. These problems can be easily
avoided with proactive pump fundamentals that need to occur at the
time of the pump purchase.
The intent of this article is to shed light on simple pump sizing
fundamentals that distributors should provide, and what end users
should request, to reduce the overall inefficiencies that plague the
process pump industry.

Beyond application data

Let us backtrack to the beginning: your application required proper
sizing for the process pump, which would be specific to your needs
and take into account all of your requirements. You or your local
pump specialist makes sure that the pump selection will meets all
your needs. That includes flow, pressure, temperature, pH and net
positive suction head available (NPSHa) requirements, as well as
elastomeric and metallurgic compatibility — if it is for continuous or
intermittent duty — and correct voltage, phase and controls to fit your
needs. You find the right pump that fits your current or new
application and you order it; installation has already been completed
and the pump is in full operation. What steps are we missing?
We could successfully leave after the sale/purchase and install,
however, that leaves the plant susceptible to potential loss in uptime
and costly temporary fixes. For anyone trying to find a solution for a
breakdown, it is like having a ring of keys and the clock is loudly
ticking while you try multiple keys to unlock the solution, feeling the
pressure rise with each failed attempt.
Fundamental question
Like with most large purchases, you would receive a manual, receipt
and warranty information. For process pumps, the problem is simple
if you only have the IOM (installation, operation, maintenance)
manual, in which case you are NOT setting yourself (or the
purchaser) up to be a proactive success. To answer the above
question of what steps are we missing, see the following:

• Application data (this includes the inputs used to size the pump)
• Pump curve
• System head curve
• Warranty information
• Data system to manage the data for different lines, applications,
plants and locations
Why do you need all this information? You need it if your intent is to
become proactively efficient. Whether you are the end user,
distributor or direct manufacturer, this information is used only if there
is a problem. Using these proactive fundamentals increases your
reliability and, in turn, your retention as a transparent solution
provider.
Application data
When a new pump is sold (or purchased if you are the end user),
make note of all the pump system inputs you used to size and select
the pump. This includes:
1. Flow
2. Pressure
3. What fluid or material is being pumped (if the pump is being
used with multiple liquids, notate this as well)
4. Operating temperature at point of install
 5. pH
6. Specific gravity
7. Viscosity
8. Size/Amount of any particulates
9. SDS (Safety Data Sheet/Formerly MSDS)
10. NPSHa
11. Discharge and suction conditions (piping)
12. Elastomeric and metallurgic compatibility
13. Schedule of operation (i.e., continuous duty)
14. Electrical (voltage, phase)
If you have multiple pumps or collected other data that were used to
size and select a pump, make note of that, and keep it in a place that
is accessible. Making detailed drawings of the system piping with
fittings to see the full process is particularly useful, should a part of
the process or piping be changed later, causing the system to
potentially change. These can be engineered drawings signed off by
the purchaser to verify that the system that is being installed is to
their specification.
Pump curve
It may seem strange to focus on including a pump curve — however,
would you know what the potential output for the pump should be
without it? Having a pump curve would allow you to develop a
baseline if system issues arise. For instance, if you are wanting to
increase the flow or pressure output from your pump, you can check
the pump’s capacity based on the pump curve. For centrifugal
pumps, if you aren’t at the full diameter trim for the impeller, you
could purchase a new impeller without having to replace the pump
(dependent of output increase), and be sure to verify that a larger
impeller does not overload the existing motor.
Be sure to include the NPSHr (Net positive suction head required)
along with the pump curve from the selected pump and be sure that
your NPSHa (available) is greater than your NPSHr (required). This
information is typically located on or below the curve and it should be
noted what the corresponding requirement is for the selected pump; if
it is not there, the pump manufacturer should be able to provide it.
This simplified system head curve example shows where your
operational pressure and flow will be in relation to how the pump will
perform.
System head curve
While a system head curve sounds similar to a pump curve, it is not
the same thing. A system head curve is the combination of the
pump’s performance curve and the total dynamic head (TDH). When
this is overlaid on top of the pump performance curve for the pump, it
will show where the pump will be performing on the curve. This
accounts for the system head, friction loss (piping length, piping size,
fittings, radius of bends, etc.) and difference in elevation between the
suction and discharge. This is, in fact, one of the most overlooked
components of proper pump sizing and application, and is something
that is critical to the life and operation of the pump. This is a larger
topic, however, for the purpose of this article, it should be mentioned
that it is an important fundamental step in operating process pumps.
Warranty information
Warranty information seems simple enough, but how many times do
you see the warranty information listed with purchase order, serial
number, date of order, date the pump was received, install date and
who installed the pump? These are fine details that can be asked
should a warranty issue present itself. Most distributors have records
going back on purchase orders — however, having a redundant
system in place can save you time and money should a catastrophic
failure happen to the initial record. It is a huge time-saving step if a
failure occurs.
Managed pump system data
The article has been building up to this section so far with what
records should be kept for a pump (or any equipment asset for that
matter). How do you currently store your data? Bar napkin? Folders
filled with papers that have been stapled too many times? For those
who remember filing away project files, there wasn’t an easy process
to filter your results. It involved foraging through each file trying to find
what you were looking for. All kidding aside, having a redundant or
cloud-based data management system is crucial in quickly producing
mass amounts of on-demand data. Saving large project files per each
pump project isn’t so bad. Consider though, if you are a vendor who
has a customer with multiple lines, applications and locations, and
they call asking for specific information. The same goes for an end
user — trying to find information on a specific asset may be
cumbersome if you have a large-scale operation with many pump
assets. Depending on your operation or customer base, find a
scheme that works best to establish an organized view of all facets of
your new data management system. Including pictures of the pump
when it ships/arrives, its storage area location and installation
location are also helpful ways to protect your pump asset.
Conclusion
Breakdowns are never good for anyone. Fundamental practices that
anyone from an end user to a distributor should take away from this
article are 1) record the steps and data used in selection and
ordering, and 2) provide an efficient process to make breakdowns,
repairs and replacements less of a hassle.