While everyone is making resolutions to get fit, healthy, save money, or starting a new hobby, don’t forget your pumps. Here are 5 easy Pump Tips to kick off a great year for 2018.
#1 Machinery History
Keeping good records of your equipment will help you save time when planning, performing repairs and when purchasing similar or supporting equipment. For every piece of equipment resolve to start keeping track of the EOM manuals, Spare Parts List, Distributor Contacts, Specific details such as Impeller trim size, seal settings, motor information and other relevant details.
#2 Build Up Your Knowledge
Understanding the following terms will make you a better decision maker. You wouldn’t buy a car without knowing MPG (Miles Per gallon), or getting a loan without knowing the APR (Annual Percentage Rate) interest rate, similarly knowing certain details about your pump is critical to understanding your equipment. Here is a list of key concepts to know about your pump equipment. Knowing these concepts will help you make better choices regarding pumps.
a. (BEP) Best Efficiency Point – the operating duty point range where the flow rate and pressure demand on the pump use the least amount of energy to produce results.
b. (NPSHA) – Net Positive Suction Head (available) – the amount of absolute pressure at the suction entry of the pump.
c. (NPSHR) – Net Positive Suction Head (required) – the minimum pressure required at the suction entry of the pump to keep the fluid from vaporizing.
d. Cavitation – the noisy and damaging condition within a pump due to the vaporization of fluid at the eye of the impeller and the subsequent imploding bubbles, that can cause severe damage in various ways.
#3 Bearing Health
Most pump manufacturers agree that the main cause of premature pump shutdown is bearing failure. There are a few things you can do to keep your bearings and seals healthy.
a. Have your pump and motor shafts re-aligned any time the equipment is moved, or disassembled and repaired.
b. Use a Labyrinth Seal to prevent foreign matter from entering your bearings.
c. Maintain correct oil levels in your bearings and change the fluid regularly.
#4 Mechanical Seal Health
1.The other leading cause of pump shutdown is mechanical seal failures. There are a few things you can do to help here too. Do not use shafts with an L3/D4 ratio above 60 (2,0 metric) – (Bent shafts will ruin a mechanical seal very quickly.)
2. Check your seal flush fluid source which can become clogged and reduce fluid to the seal leading to failure.
3. Keep a Backup Mechanical Seal for each pump you consider critical to your process.
#5 Get to Know Tencarva
Tencarva is one of the largest pump and process equipment distributors for the southeastern U.S. With over 100 sales engineers specifically trained on over 2,000 pumps and related equipment. If you don’t already know who your sales engineer is, make it a goal to find out and get them to stop by and introduce themselves to you. Your Tencarva Sales Team is a very friendly, knowledgeable, and resourceful bunch. Start the year off on the right foot and reach out to Tencarva to help.
