Pumps & Systems, June 2008

A common mistake when troubleshooting a motor failure is to focus attention only on the motor. The perception is if the motor is failing, the problem must be the motor, but this is the wrong approach.

Pumps & Systems, June 2008

Vibration is one of the most damaging forces in the industrial environment. Vibration not only reduces the life of equipment, but can also adversely affect the quality of the product or the reliability of the production process. In addition to quality and performance issues, vibration costs money. You have to pay for the energy it takes to shake your equipment.  Forces generated by unbalance are among the most common sources of vibration encountered in machinery-rich environments. Balancing is one of the most common corrective activities needed to resolve vibration issues.

Pumps & Systems, June 2008

Controlling the load is essential to ensuring the gasketed joint will seal properly. Previous Sealing Sense articles have examined the types of gaskets to use, how flange finish affects gasket sealing and major pitfalls to avoid to properly assemble a gasketed joint. However, regardless of the type of gasket, controlling the load is probably the most important criteria for getting a gasketed joint to seal. A big problem is the load on the gasket cannot be measured directly and easily during installation.

Pumps & Systems, April 2007

Have you ever experienced this? The pump that you purchased for one specific performance is placed in service and operates at another point that is completely different from its original design point or BEP. Here's one way to resolve this problem.

Pumps & Systems, April 2007

Once upon a time, in power plant fuel oil transfer and injection services, it was difficult to justify replacing twin screw timed pumps when maintenance was already familiar with the equipment. Not anymore. Reengineered screw pumps have become drop-in replacements for twin screw timed pumps.

Pumps & Systems, April 2007

Most industrial centrifugal pumps carry a significant capital equipment value. Maintaining them to run close to their best efficiency point (BEP) saves in downtime, repair costs, and overall power consumption. Proactive maintenance extends the useful life of a pump, reduces breakdowns, increases longevity and reliability, and extends the mean time between failure.

Pumps & Systems, April 2007

A well-engineered and properly installed submersible pump or dry-pit pump is one of the most reliable and trouble-free components of any water or wastewater pumping system. However, as with any mechanical device, the day will come when it does not operate properly and several questions must be addressed:

1. Can the problem be identified? 
2. Can the problem be fixed?
3. How much will it cost?

Pumps & Systems, April 2007

Sometimes standard methods of vibration analysis are not enough to provide a true picture of the health of a pumping system, especially in the early recognition of an under-lubricated machine component.

Pumps & Systems, July 2008

Routine checkups, a healthy diet, and regular exercise are the prescriptions for a healthy life. The same prescriptions hold true for healthy pumps. Your pumps' "diet and exercise" is a function of how you operate them. If the fluid specific gravity, temperature, pressure or power quality are not within specifications, then their "diet" is not optimum. If they are running off the pump curve, then they are "over-exercised." Just like you, they may experience an injury or failure if they are running misaligned or are overworked.

Pumps & Systems, July 2008

Air operated double diaphragm pumps (AODDP) require the correct amount of pressure (PSI, pounds per square inch) and air (CFM, cubic feet per minute) to deliver the proper amount of fluid. A typical air operated diaphragm curve shows how the correct amount of pressure and CFM are required to deliver a required flow rate against a discharge head.