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Pumps & Systems, March 2008

Whether you are a multinational OEM or a mom-and-pop shop, pump systems are expensive and need to be protected. The protection system for the pump is a vital piece of the system and often can make or break a company financially. If a refinery on the Gulf Coast loses a pump or two, the company could lose millions. If a pump on the heating system of a store in the Maine North Woods fails, the pipes may freeze and the building could suffer serious damage.

Pump operators and pump manufacturers must understand the best practices for protection and return on investment. This article examines some of these protection systems and describes the best way to install them.

Pumps & Systems, March 2008

The difference between the ported disc butterfly valve from Kubota Corporation (Osaka, Japan) and a regular butterfly valve is on the disc. The disc has a fin-shaped disc tail attached to the edge of a butterfly disc, on which an oblong hole-the flow mouth-is made. The hole serves as a bypass valve. An excessively big disc tail increases the valve's pressure loss, so the unit is designed to achieve the least possible pressure loss.