Search

Search for: Go Search

Home
About
Subscribe
Contact

Follow

The Australian pump magazine

News
Open tenders and opportunities
Contracts and tenders awarded
Newsletter back issues
Events
Features
Interviews
Projects
Technical
Standards
Pump school
Ask an Expert
Channels
LNG
Coal seam gas
Building services
Energy Efficiency
Valves
Reliability
Chemicals and plastics
Irrigation
Mining
Water & wastewater
Capability Guide

Home > Energy Efficiency > Dr Pumps top tips for maintaining pump reliability
Energy Efficiency, Features, Home slider, Pump protection, Reliability, Technical

Dr Pumps top tips for maintaining pump

reliability
Posted by Pumps Journalist October 19, 2015

Share
by Lev Nelik, P.E., APICS, Pumping Machinery, LLC

Lev Nelik, or Dr Pump as he is also known, is an international pump industry stalwart with over
30 years of industry experience and over fifty publications about pumps to his name. In addition
to his consulting work, he currently teaches pump training courses worldwide and publishes
pump tips, advice and troubleshooting on his website. Much of his advice focuses on preventative
maintenance methods to improve reliability, reduce energy consumption and optimise the
operation of pump systems. In this article, we look at some of his top tips to ensure pump
reliability.

Dr Pumps tips will keep your pumps running smoothly and

efficiently.

There are a number of reasonably straightforward but highly effective things you can do to
ensure efficient and reliable pump operation and realise substantial savings in the long term.
Whether youre new to the industry or just need a refresher after years working with pumps,
these four tips are worth keeping in mind.

Tip 1: make sure your pump is running efficiently

By making sure pumps operate as efficiently as possible, we can make substantial energy
savings and reduce running costs. While we often take pump efficiency for granted, many
pumps actually operate inefficiently. Where a pump operates on its head-capacity curve, with
regard to Best Efficiency Point flow (BEP), has a very significant impact on the pump energy
consumption.

Many plant pumps no longer operate at BEP, for various reasons including changes in plant
operation or wear on internal components.

But what is the best solution? Replacing an existing pump with one sized for the proper flow
may work, but is often very expensive. Changing piping, if possible, is often even more costly.

A much more economical, expedient, and practical solution is to modify the internal
hydraulics, by fitting the existing casing with a new impeller, specifically designed for the new
required flow.

Tip 2: make sure your operators receive regular, hands-on training

For staff working on pumps to complete their jobs as effectively as possible they need to know
pumps, not just theoretically, but on a practical, hands-on level. Pumps on the plant floor
often dont look exactly like those in a text book.

Even long-time staff may need training to keep on top of the latest technical advances in the
field.

The hands-on experience of taking a pump apart, touching and feeling its internals, coupled
with basic pump theory often achieves the best results.

Its also a good idea to train staff from different areas of the company, rather than just
maintenance. This helps operators and engineers better understand the consequences of their
actions, such as pump flow control, energy consumption and reliability issues, which are not
normally apparent sitting at the control room.

Tip 3: select a specialty material to help improve the efficiency and reliability of a
multistage pump

When designing a multistage pump system, the materials used for various components can
have dramatic impacts on the reliability and efficiency of the systems in the long term.

For instance, a huge variety of different materials can be used for pump bushings, including
metals (bronze, hardened steels), hard coatings (which can be applied by many methods
fused deposition (cold or hot methods), laser treatment, nitriding, carburising, etc.), non-
metals (thermoplastics, thermosets, composites), ceramics. All of them have benefits and
shortcomings, such as resistance to temperature, thermal or mechanical shock, machinability,
galling resistance, dimensional stability, swelling, chemical resistance, abrasive resistance
and, of course, cost.

It is important to do your research and match the material used to the pump system
application and the fluid being pumped. Desktop research alone may not be enough, it is
worth talking to a range of interested parties in the field (such as material manufacturers,
pump suppliers, and end users) and collecting feedback on their experiences.

Tip 4: check the fits and clearances of centrifugal pumps and drives

I recommend creating a robust schedule of preventative maintenance checks to keep

centrifugal pumps and drives operating efficiently and to prevent faults before they occur.

These tasks can be divided by those that need to be checked daily (e.g. flushing pumps,
checking for leaks, noisy cavitation, discolouration and temperature), monthly (e.g. refilling
oil in bearing reservoirs, cleaning oiler bulbs, cleaning, replacing guards), six monthly (e.g.
service standby pumps, apply rust preventative coating), yearly (e.g. inspect disc coupling for
signs of wear and cracks, check coupling alignment, check axial float) and seasonally.

The exact schedule for your equipment will depend on factors such as your pump system,
application and the nature of the substance being pumped.

Pump efficiency and reliability are too important to neglect until something is obviously
wrong and should be in the minds of all those working with pumps. More articles about
pumps and their maintenance can be found on Dr Pumps website
www.pumpingmachinery.com.

About Dr Pump

Dr Nelik has 30 years of experience with pumps and pumping equipment. He is a Registered
Professional Engineer, has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Manufacturing
Systems and is the author of articles, chapters and books about pumps. He is a President of
Pumping Machinery, specialising in pump consulting, training, and equipment
troubleshooting.

His experience in engineering, manufacturing, sales, field and management includes:

Ingersoll-Rand (Engineering), Goulds Pumps (Technology), Roper Pump (Vice President of
Engineering, and Repair/Overhaul) and Liquiflo Equipment (South-East Regional Sales
Manager, and later a President). Dr Nelik is a Full Member of the ASME, and a Certified APICS.
He teaches pump training courses and consults in theUS and worldwide.

Related articles
The revelation (5)
 Suction specific speed and vibration performance #2 (5)
Pump upgrade transforms power station (5)
Repetitive pump failure: the unnecessary evil (4)
The use of protective coatings on pump components (4)

Tender: sewerage system upgrade

Buyers guide: choosing the right AODD pump

Discussion
Comments are closed.

email address Subscribe

Google+

Upcoming Events

AIMEX

August 29 - August 31

WIOA Bendigo

September 6 - September 7

View All Events

Please visit our partners at Pump Magazine Online

About

About
Channels
Contact
Links
Newsletter back issues
Thank-you
Polls
Subscribe

The Magazine

Links
Thank-you
Advertising rates
Circulation
Deadlines and features
Subscribe
Technical specs

PIA News

It was five years ago today

Creating opportunities in a challenging market
How to get the best out of your pumps
Innovative solution to sewage pump station upgrade
Winning the battle against wipes

Publisher

Visit our other sites

Infrastructure Magazine

Utility magazine

Unconventional Oil & Gas

pump industry magazine

Switch To Desktop Version.

Proudly powered by WordPress. Theme: The Morning After by WooThemes.