This book is intended for those new to the use and abuse of centrifugal pumps. It is also for those whose involvement with pumps is so occasional, that they need a reminder of the basics.

Troubleshooting Centrifugal Pumps and Their Systems, Second Edition, begins by discussing pump characteristics that can be reconfigured to suit changing conditions. Next, it provides guidance on when to withdraw a pump from service for repair and how it should be subsequently treated. It is an ideal resource for those who feel ill-equipped to analyze unsatisfactory pump system behavior, and is also a great reference for pump engineers, pump hydraulic designers, and graduate students who need systemic knowledge on centrifugal pumps and their systems. - Presents the basic mechanisms of abrasive wear in centrifugal pumps, including different wear patterns and their causes - Discusses performance improvements to help readers meet the new requirements of a pumping system - Describes repair and life improvement techniques - Includes real-world examples of troubleshooting in centrifugal pumps and systems

In the critical work of maintaining power plant machinery, operating difficulties with centrifugal pumps will inevitably occur because of the essential requirement for electric power plants to operate at all times throughout the year. The root causes and solutions for pump failure comprise major areas of study for engineers in seeking the highest availability of electricity-generating units, extending time between major machinery overhauls and providing early detection of potential failure modes well in advance of machine degradation. This guide for engineers provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of centrifugal pumps, addressing the range of pump operating problems encountered in both fossil and nuclear power plants. The book is divided into three sequential parts: Part I - Primer on Centrifugal Pumps, Part II -Power Plant Centrifugal Pump Applications, and Part III - Trouble-Shooting Case Studies. Employing effective research models developed through years of experience, the author draws on an extensive range of scholarship that covers the detrimental impact of power plant pump failures on overall plant performance, as well as the preventative measures that aid in successful pump maintenance. After covering the performance and components of centrifugal pumps, operating failure modes are covered both for fossil and nuclear power plants. This is followed by the presentation of several power plant pump troubleshooting case studies. The text also walks readers through the various other industrial applications of centrifugal pumps, as in their use within petrochemical plants and in ocean vessel propulsion systems. Recognizing the warning signs of specific impending pump failure modes is essential to minimizing the financial costs of dealing with pump operating problems. To this end, the author lays out a range of theoretical models and relevant examples in support of the essential work of power plant pump use and maintenance:

This book gives an unparalleled, up-to-date, in-depth treatment of all kinds of flow phenomena encountered in centrifugal pumps including the complex interactions of fluid flow with vibrations and wear of materials. The scope includes all aspects of hydraulic design, 3D-flow phenomena and partload operation, cavitation, numerical flow calculations, hydraulic forces, pressure pulsations, noise, pump vibrations (notably bearing housing vibration diagnostics and remedies), pipe vibrations, pump characteristics and pump operation, design of intake structures, the effects of highly viscous flows, pumping of gas-liquid mixtures, hydraulic transport of solids, fatigue damage to impellers or diffusers, material selection under the aspects of fatigue, corrosion, erosion-corrosion or hydro-abrasive wear, pump selection, and hydraulic quality criteria. As a novelty, the 3rd ed. brings a fully analytical design method for radial impellers, which eliminates the arbitrary choices inherent to former design procedures. The discussions of vibrations, noise, unsteady flow phenomena, stability, hydraulic excitation forces and cavitation have been significantly enhanced. To ease the use of the information, the methods and procedures for the various calculations and failure diagnostics discussed in the text are gathered in about 150 pages of tables which may be considered as almost unique in the open literature. The text focuses on practical application in the industry and is free of mathematical or theoretical ballast. In order to find viable solutions in practice, the physical mechanisms involved should be thoroughly understood. The book is focused on fostering this understanding which will benefit the pump engineer in industry as well as academia and students.

Specifically for the pump user, this book concentrates on the identification and solution of problems associated with existing centrifugal pumps. It gives specific examples on how to modify pump performance for increased efficiency and better quality control, which turn into long-term cost savings. Some basic theory is included to give the reader greater understanding of the problems being encountered and attacked.

We work in an industry where economic success is heavily dependent on the collective performance of our processing equipment and their operators. Without highly trained and confident operators we can never hope to realize the full potential of our complex processes. Formal and informal training must be provided regularly if continuous process and reliability gains are to be expected. There are no shortcuts to operational excellence. One training topic essential to every operators education is that of centrifugal pumping technology. The ever-present centrifugal pump is one of the workhorses of the process world, tirelessly moving fluids, ranging from the innocuous to the toxic and flammable, from one stage of the process to the next. We would be hard pressed to find a processing unit inside our complexes without a few of these in service. Their shear numbers and variety can make their mastery a challenge. This book was specifically written for process operators who regularly deal with centrifugal pumps, addressing principally those variables and factors under their control, while limiting design theory and mathematics to a minimum. The following topics and content are covered: 1. Importance of equipment reliability and what role operators play in this mission. 2. Centrifugal pump operating characteristics 3. Mechanical seals and their related seal flush plans 4. What operators should know about electric motors 5. Lubrication basics 6. Troubleshooting basics 7. How to start a pump reliability program By the end of the book, the reader should possess a clear understanding of how to operate and monitor their pumps. Three handy references are also contained in the book to answer questions as they arise in the field: 1) Operators Guide to API Flush Plans, 2) Illustrated Glossary of Centrifugal Pump Terms, 3) Glossary of Electric Motor Terms, and 4) Useful Centrifugal Pump Formulas. This book can be used as a self-paced, self-taught short course or as a companion to a live prepared short course for both inexperienced and seasoned operators. It can also serve as a handy field guide after completion of the course. The ultimate mission of this book is to provide the latest generation of operators a body of knowledge that is relevant, complete, and practical in an industrial setting for years to come.

Process machines are critical to the profitability of processes. Safe, efficient and reliable machines are required to maintain dependable manufacturing processes that can create saleable, on-spec product on time, and at the desired production rate. As the wards of process machinery, we wish to keep our equipment in serviceable condition. One of the most challenging aspects of a machinery professional or operator’s job is deciding whether an operating machine should be shut down due to a perceived problem or be allowed to keep operating. If he or she wrongly recommends a repair be conducted, the remaining useful machine life is wasted, but if he or she is right, they can save the organization from severe consequences, such as product releases, fires, costly secondary machine damage, etc. This economic balancing act is at the heart of all machinery assessments. Troubleshooting is part science and part art. Simple troubleshooting tables or decision trees are rarely effective in solving complex, real-world machine problems. For this reason, the authors want to offer a novel way to attack machinery issues that can adversely affect the reliability and efficiency of your plant processes. The methodology presented in this book is not a rigid “cook book” approach but rather a flexible and dynamic process aimed at exploring process plant machines holistically, in order uncover the true nature the problem at hand.