When you think about how hard pumps work, often around the clock, it is incredible how reliable they are. When pumps go down, your facility feels the effects quickly. Unexpected pump failure can result in costly downtime and unexpected delays. With proper maintenance, you can increase pump reliability and reduce the headaches involved with repairs or pump replacement. Here are some common issues you may see with water pumps, and solutions that can keep you from getting flooded with problems.
Water Pump Parts to Check
Most pumps have common elements that are easy to check and can be quickly incorporated into a preventative maintenance plan. Some of the most important elements to remember are:
- Lubrication
- Seals
- Vibration
Lubrication is essential to keeping rotating machinery in good condition. Pumps are no exception. Remember that over-lubrication can be just as dangerous as under-lubrication, so refer to the pump manufacturer’s recommended lubrication specifications when servicing a pump. Also be sure to use the right type of lubricant based on the bearings in the pump.
Seals in good condition should show no obvious signs of leaking. Note any leaks seen at the pumps and ensure that replacement seals are ordered and kept on-site, ready for installation. During any downtime, ensure that seals are in good condition and the packing does not look compressed.
Vibration can be a pump’s worst enemy. A properly balanced pump should not vibrate excessively. If you notice that a pump is showing signs of significant vibration, something needs to be addressed. Vibrations can be caused by something as simple as fouling on the impeller or a failing motor bearing. Vibration analysis can give you more insight into the issue so that a better game plan can be developed before scheduling any downtime.
Related: How to Stay Productive During Downtime
What are Common Problems for Pumps?
Being familiar with common pump problems will give you a better idea of what to look for. While there are many issues that pumps can run into, the following are common issues that you should be aware of and know how to address.
Corrosion
Corrosion is a problem that affects almost every piece of facility equipment. Sometimes, corrosion comes from mother nature and the equipment’s exposure to the elements, while at other times, corrosion occurs due to the fluid being pumped. No matter how corrosion is occurring, it’s not a good thing.
Certain chemicals react negatively when exposed to certain metals. Pump parts are no exception. When selecting the right pump for an application, it is crucial that the type of fluid being pumped is taken into consideration. While corrosion damages equipment, sometimes the corrosion occurs slowly enough that it can be cleaned and managed over time. If the corrosion is severe, or occurs rapidly, the pump may need to be replaced with one built from a material better suited to the fluid it will be pumping.
Cavitation
When the pressure at the suction inlet of the pump gets too low, the fluid can flash from a liquid to a vapor. Think of this as air bubbles forming in a fluid as the fluid flows into the pump. These low pressure air bubbles are not a problem until they pass to the outlet side of the pump. As the fluid leaves the pump, the pressure is increased as a part of the pumping process so that the fluid can be pumped through the rest of the piping network. Because the fluid pressure is increased, the air bubbles can no longer exist and they are crushed back into a liquid. Cavitation is this process of the bubbles collapsing, which generates shock waves and vibrations that can damage the pump and impeller. These shock waves can cause mechanical damage (and ultimately pump failure) if cavitation occurs for long enough.
Cavitation can be a hard problem to solve once it has been identified. Cavitation is best resolved during the design stage by understanding the application and how the pump will need to perform. While the damage caused by cavitation can be fixed through repairs or part replacements, cavitation itself is best solved by selecting a different pump.
Wear and Fouling
Everything wears out over time and pumps are no exception. However, best practices can be used to limit how fast a pump wears out. Pumping clean fluid typically leads to less wear and fouling than pumping fluid with significant debris and particulates. Particulates in the fluid can scruff up the surfaces of the pump and, over time, reduce the pump’s efficiency. If the pump is less efficient, it will have to work harder to do the same amount of work. The harder the pump works, the quicker it will wear out.
Fouling occurs when parts of the pump get covered with buildup. This buildup typically results in a loss of efficiency and performance, as well as an increase in the rate of wear on the pump. Fouling has to be cleaned off of the pump's internal parts to restore performance.
Of course, a pump will also wear out quickly if it is not being used properly in an application. If the pump is undersized, it may have an excessive load on it, which can lead to vibrations and other stresses on the pump parts. These heavy loads will wear an undersized pump out much quicker than what you would normally expect.
Understanding how to maintain your facility’s pumps and repair them when they go down can be difficult. Luckily, Tate has teams of experts who know pumps and how to keep your facility operational. Reach out today to learn more about how Tate can help.
