Impellers

In rotating equipment, excessive vibrations can be a serious source of many problems both to-be and pre-existing. Finding the sources of excessive vibrations in machinery can sometimes be a challenge, though a necessary step to resolve current issues and prevent future downtimes for rotating equipment. This article explores three common causes of vibrations in rotating equipment, such as centrifugal pumps, in an effort to prevent further issues due to excessive vibrations. Th

Shafts are an integral part to centrifugal pumps. Shafts create rotation for the motor, couplings, and the impeller, altogether generating centrifugal force to pump liquids. Therefore, any issues with a pump’s shaft will inevitably lead to not only unnecessary downtimes, but also the potential for more components of the pump, i.e.  the impeller   or  bearings  to become damaged. There are three likely causes for a pump’s shaft to become damaged, namely: excessive vibrations,

A pump cannot be deemed to be “efficient” if it is not pumping its intended level of flow. When a centrifugal pump is not pumping enough liquid, the impediment is usually due to issues relating to the impeller within. This article attempts to briefly describe the four major causes of low flow in pumps.             The first major cause of low flow in a pump relates to having too much clearance. “If clearances are too wide for the type of fluid pumped, excessive slip will occu

An integral component to a centrifugal pump’s functionality is its impeller. Without an impeller, centrifugal force cannot be generated upon the entering liquid. Thus, without an impeller, a centrifugal pump cannot function at all whatsoever. For this reason, proper care is necessary for a pump’s impeller so as to prevent pump downtimes and ensure maximum length of a pump’s continual operation. Damaged impellers can also lead to  low flow in pumps . The top 3 most common caus

(Above) Reason 2: Improper installation of packing seal can lead to damage of a shaft due to shaft-sleeve area being impossible to seal. When sealing pumps, there are two major types of seals most frequently used: mechanical seals and packing seals (AKA compression packing). Most of the seals on pumps are mechanical seals, though packing seal pumps a re sometimes used instead. Packing is usually chosen over mechanical seals because packing seals are much less expensive, as