Case Studies

diagram, engineering drawing

Wireless Sensor Data Integration Into Existing Plant Historian

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A large American energy company wanted a new data collection system to be integrated into its site historian along with process trending software to better diagnose system-related issues that can lead to maintenance issues.

Thanks to the help of an aftermarket service company, the energy company combined multiple sources of data and can now view complex mechanical vibration phenomena in parallel with plant process data. By comparing the two sets of data side by side, plant personnel will correlate process conditions with mechanical vibration data.

The service provider’s history of pump and rotating equipment knowledge helped to provide actionable analysis of pumps and other rotating equipment health—and a mechanism to provide additional engineering solutions to complex problems. Combined with the energy company’s focus on reliability and a history of maintaining their equipment, this system provided an improved method of data collection and analysis.

Source: https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/wireless-sensor-data-integration-existing-plant-historian

The Hidden Dangers of Shaft Stiffness

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The pump shaft is the central component of the rotating element and is responsible for transmitting energy to the rotating components. The shaft carries the impellers, sleeves and couplings for the rotating element assembly. The stiffness of the combined assembly is responsible for ensuring that the pump stationary components do not come into contact with the rotating components.

Unfortunately, this is not always achieved and many pump rotors cannot be described as classically stiff. This can have dire consequences for machine reliability, particularly if, during the rotor build process, the technicians are not aware of the subtleties of the machine design.

Source: https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/hidden-dangers-shaft-stiffness

How to Diagnose Thrust Pad Failure

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thrust pad failure

Many high-energy multistage machines use thrust compensation devices to limit the amount of axial thrust a bearing must accommodate.

The BB3-style machine (axially split pump) uses its opposed impeller construction to limit thrust, while a BB5 machine (radially split pump) uses a balance drum or disc arrangement to fix the issue.

At the higher end of the pump energy spectrum, despite the use of thrust-limiting devices, there is a need to employ a sleeve tilting pad thrust bearing and lubrication system to handle the axial thrust.

Source: https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/hidden-dangers-shaft-stiffness

Engineering Analysis Resolves Startup Issues at Middle Eastern Plant

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During the commissioning and startup of an alumina processing plant in the Middle East, a significant recurring pump issue was causing delays to the commissioning of the facility. When de-energizing the equipment, the live steam condensate vertical can pumps experienced repeated failures of all installed units. These seizures occurred at both the design fluid temperature and when pumping cold water.

Because this was a new plant in the commissioning phase, the equipment was under warranty. However, negotiations with the OEM were lengthening the challenged startup schedule. There was little insight into the root cause of the equipment failure.

As the repeated failures were affecting the plant commissioning date, the large architect, engineering and construction (AEC) firm in charge of plant commissioning decided to contact an independent, aftermarket service provider located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to conduct an assessment to determine the root cause of the pump failures and provide solutions.

Source: https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/engineering-analysis-resolves-startup-issues-middle-eastern-plant

The Dangers of Operating Pumps at Low Capacity

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Operating at low flow places the machine under a great amount of duress. It is always wise to have a mental picture of what is happening within the passages of the machine to understand why this is the case.

The days have long passed where pump vibrations were viewed as a matter of mechanical balance. Now, we recognize that even if the pump had perfect mechanical balance, it would still exhibit vibrations.

The intensity of this remnant vibration turns out to be flow related with its minimum level being at or around best efficiency point (BEP).

Source: https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/dangers-operating-pumps-low-capacity