Specialist for Pumping Technology

Session 15 –
Start-Up, Commissioning
& Troubleshooting
Centrifugal Pumps
Simon Smith March 2022
 Presenter Profile – Simon Smith
Simon graduated with an honours degree in
Chemical Engineering from the University of
Surrey in 1978 and began a long career in
the engineered pump industry spanning 40
years (so far!) with Peerless Pump, BW/IP
International / Flowserve, SPP Pumps,
Ruhrpumpen and Ebara Cryodynamics.
Over his long career he has filled various
roles as Applications Engineer / Manager,
Project Manager, Key Account Specialist,
Vertical Pump Product Specialist,
International Sales Engineer / Manager /
Director and he has considerable experience
in Training & Mentoring young engineers.

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 RuhRPumpen Short Courses
Here is a listing of all the previous courses.
 No 1 – API610 12th v 11th editions
 No 2 - Curve Shape
 No 3 – The Importance of System Curves
 No 4 - Selecting the Right Pump for the Application
 No 5 - NPSH & Nss
 No 6 - Mechanical Seals & Systems
 No 7 - Firepumps
 No 8 - BB5 Barrel Pumps
 No 9 - Pump Instrumentation
 No 10 – Non-Destructive Examination
 No 11 - Vertical Pumps (Part 1) Type VS1, VS2, VS3
 No 12 – Vertical Pumps (Part 2) Type VS4, VS5, VS6 & VS7
 No 13 – Performance Testing of Centrifugal Pumps; the What, the Why & the How
 No 14 – Testing & Inspection of API 610 Pumps
Any you have missed you can get from our website using this link https://short-courses.ruhrpumpen.com/
Or from www.ruhrpumpen.com and follow the link to RP Short Courses

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 RuhRPumpen Short Courses www.ruhrpumpen.com

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 RuhRPumpen Short Courses https://short-courses.ruhrpumpen.com/

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 Session 15 –
“Start-Up Commissioning & Troubleshooting
Centrifugal Pumps”

Aimed at Process and Mechanical Engineers, and Consultant Engineers who

specify pumping equipment as well as Applications & Sales Engineers
selecting and quoting them.
This session is not going to turn you into qualified Installation &
Commissioning Engineers but it will help you to have an intelligent
conversation with them!

Source Material – Jennifer Knox Global Product Line Manager BB4/BB5

- Ian James – former Chief Engineer Ruhrpumpen Tulsa

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 Content

• Commissioning & Start-up

o What is commissioning & Start-up?
o General Precautions & Start-up checks
 Seal safety checks
o Start-up Procedure
o Commissioning Checklist

• Troubleshooting
o What is Troubleshooting?
o Basic Requirements for trouble free operation
o Centrifugal Pumps – 5 Common Problems
o General troubleshooting Flow diagrams & Charts
o Troubleshooting – Checking 5 Major pump parameters
o Common Reasons Why Seals Fail
o 5 Types of Sealing Failures
o Seal Troubleshooting

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 Commissioning & Start-up

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 What is Commissioning?

Commissioning: Process by which an equipment, facility, or plant (which is

installed, or is complete or near completion) is tested to verify if it functions
according to its design objectives / conditions of services & or specifications.

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 What is Start-up?
What is Commissioning?

Start-up & Commissioning are essentially the same

• Steps are taken to properly prepare equipment for start-up & eventual commissioning into
fully operational process conditions.
• Once equipment is up and running it is brought to operational conditions and run for a period
of time to ensure there are no issues.
• If any problems arise, then the troubleshooting process is started.

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 General Precautions &
Start-up Checks

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 General Precautions Centrifugal
Pump for Start-up & Commissioning

1. Rotate pump shaft by hand. It should be free with no rubbing.

2. Check driver for correct rotation. Pump start-up in reverse rotation can result in the contact of metal
parts, heat generation, and breach of containment.

3. Internally flush and clean the system thoroughly to remove dirt or debris in the pipe system in order
to prevent failure at initial pump start-up.

4. Generally if the temperatures of the pumped fluid will exceed 200°F (93°C), then warm up the pump
prior to pump start-up. The pump case and rotating assembly could distort from uneven heat
transfer.

5. Do not operate the pump below the minimum rated flows or with the suction or discharge valves
closed. These conditions can quickly lead to pump failure and physical injury.

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 Seal Safety Checks for Start-up

1. Seal assembly fixtures.

2. Pipe connections tightened so that the connection can

hold pressure.

3. Disposal connection (seal leakage) installed

environmentally safe.

4. Check rotation of seal matches rotation of pump.

5. The pump should be installed & properly grouted to

foundation.

6. Flood pump and seal area with pressureless flushing

medium.

7. Thoroughly vent the seal chamber.

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 Start-up Procedure

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 Review IOM Manual

Before start up review

pump IOM manual to
check installation is per
IOM.

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 Centrifugal Pump Start-up Procedure

1. Before starting the pump, check the security of all bolting, piping, and
wiring.
2. Check all gauges, valves and instruments for proper working order.
3. Check all equipment for proper lubrication and correct rotation.
4. Open and look through the oil fill/breather to verify that the oil rings are in
their grooves.
5. Verify that the discharge valve is closed.
6. Open the suction valve.
7. Crack open discharge valve, but don’t fully open. A partially closed
discharge valve also will prevent initial cavitation. Allow pump to fill with
fluid (pump is self-venting).
• For non-self venting pumps vent pump case and seal chamber (open
vent at top of pump casing until all air is expelled from casing.)
8. Keep the valves open approximately 60 seconds to ensure that pump is
completely full of fluid.
9. Close discharge valve.

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 Centrifugal Pump Start-up Procedure

10.Uncouple the driver and the pump.

11.Start, and IMMEDIATELY STOP, the driver and observe the rotation of the
shaft.
12.Correct rotation should be in direction of rotation arrow.
• If shaft rotation is incorrect, consult driver IOM.
13.Priming accomplished and correct shaft rotation established, the pump is
ready for continued operation.
14.Securely couple the driver and the pump, and ensure the discharge valve
is open to approximately ¼ fully open.
15.Start driver again, and completely open the discharge valve IMMEDIATELY
when the operating speed has been reached.
• DANGER: Do not allow discharge valve to remain closed for any
length of time. Pumped fluid temperature will rise excessively causing
damage to pump.
16.If the pump fails to reach the correct pressure, perform troubleshooting
steps.
17.Once the pump is running, perform operating checks.
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 Commissioning Checklist

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 Pump Commissioning Checks

• Check Pump is in place and properly grouted, leveled and anchoring installed as
per specification

• Check pump data plate against design requirements and electricity supply

• Check that pump casing and system have been cleaned prior to start-up

• Ensure that pump impeller rotates in the correct direction and pump is installed in
correct configuration

• Check for noise and vibration, including evidence of cavitation under system
design temperatures (for hot water pumps)

• Check for shaft misalignment

• Check the pump pressure, corresponding flow rate and motor amps.

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 Commissioning Checklist from IOM

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 Troubleshooting

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 What is Troubleshooting?

Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to problem solving that is often

used to find and correct issues with complex machines, electronics,
computers and software systems.

• First step: gather information on the issue, such as an undesired

behavior or a lack of expected functionality.
– Other important info: related symptoms and special circumstances that may be
required to reproduce the issue.

• Next step: Eliminate unnecessary components in the system and verify

that the issue persists, to rule out incompatibility and third-party causes.

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 Basic Requirements for Trouble-Free
Operation of Centrifugal Pumps

The first requirement is that no cavitation of the pump occurs throughout the broad
operating range and the second requirement is that a certain minimum continuous
stable flow (MCSF) is always maintained during operation.

Unfavorable conditions which may occur below MCSF:

1. Deflection and shearing of shafts
2. Seizure of pump internals
3. Close tolerances erosion
4. Separation cavitation
5. Product quality degradation
6. Excessive hydraulic thrust
7. Premature bearing failures

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 Cavitation
As the suction head value gets closer to the
NPSH3 value, vapour bubbles form on the
underside of the inlet vanes of the impeller.
The closer you get to the NPSH3 value the
more bubbles will form and over a larger area
of vane.
As these bubbles are swept into higher
pressure areas they collapse with a shock

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 Suction & Discharge Recirculation
A Different kind of Cavitation
Occurs when pumps operate back on the
curve from BEP
When two flow paths within a fluid are moving
in opposing directions and in close proximity
to each other, vortices form.
These vortices result in low pressure areas
(where bubbles form) and high pressure
areas (where they collapse).

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 Centrifugal pumps
5 Common Problems

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 Centrifugal Pumps Common Problems

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 Centrifugal Pumps Common Problems

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 Centrifugal Pumps Common Problems

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 Centrifugal Pumps Common Problems

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 Centrifugal Pumps Common Problems

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 Centrifugal Pumps Common Problems

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 General Troubleshooting
Flow Diagram & Charts

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 General Troubleshooting Flow Diagram 1

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 General Troubleshooting
Flow Diagram

Check rotation direction Correct rotation

Incorrect rotation Check the pump shut-off head

Low pressure Normal pressure

Swap 2 of the 3 motor phases

Open discharge valve to rated flow

Pump is
Wear on impeller vapour
neck ring area locked Low head High head

Check suction gauge

High value System resistance

is too high
Low value
High vapour
pressure
High friction loss Low liquid level Low suction Blockage in suction pipe,
in suction piping in suction vessel head strainer or foot valve
Blockage in
casing or impeller

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 General Troubleshooting
Fault Finding Flow Chart

Particles Vapour Air being Cavitation Suction head Blockage Low liquid High
blocking pressure drawn into in the is too low in suction level or friction loss
Casing of pumped suction pipe suction pipe pipe or vortexing in in suction
and/or liquid is foot valve suction vessel piping
Impeller high Increase
level in
Ensure Ensure no suction tank
suction pipe, blockage in Unblock, Increase Use larger
Liquid joints & pipe or inspect for liquid level suction
Unblock
begins to valves are valves damage, piping
Casing and Increase
Impeller - vaporise leak-free check any
pressure on
repair as in eye of foot valve
suction
required Impeller & clean
Check all source Over pressure Reduce
strainer
joints are suction vessel number of
air tight fittings
Ensure pipe before
Consider is not blocked pump
fitting Increase Check pump is at rated flow - low
upstream of
suction suction suction pressure Consider Fit vortex
suction
strainer pressure can lead to cavitation fitting breaker plates
pressure
gauge suction in suction
strainer vessel Ensure any
Increase suction
or suction pres. or
strainer is
clear

Cool suction Check suction Cool suction Reduce any free-fall

source - to source - ensure source - to of liquid into suction
lower vapour no gas is present lower vapour vessel - to stop
pressure due to vortexing in pressure frothing/aeration
suction tank

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 General Troubleshooting Cause & Remedy Chart

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 General Troubleshooting Cause & Remedy Chart

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 General Troubleshooting Cause & Remedy Chart

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 Troubleshooting –
Checking 5 Major pump
Parameters

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 General Troubleshooting Pump
Guide

Many clues can be obtained by checking all the normal pump parameters:

1. Vibration
2. Power
3. Flow
4. Head
5. Temperatures

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 Vibration

Check vibration levels with a basic frequency analysis using a portable

vibration analyzer.

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 Vibration

Pump spectral analysis separates the

overall vibration level into amplitudes at
discrete frequencies and is helpful in
determining the cause of the vibration.
For example, a peak at the running
speed (1X RPM) may indicate rotor
imbalance, while a peak at the blade
passing frequency (BPF = Z x RPM
where Z is the number of impeller
vanes) typically indicates a hydraulic
issue.

Source – ProPump Services

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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -1

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.
Seal faces dry & rubbing (10%). Inspect seal faces, no particles & identify the cause.
Also the harmonics of this vibration can be Also check if quench is required, if pumped liquid
40%-50%, & 100% & 200%. crystalizes when it contacts atmosphere (eg:- NaOH).
Wear Rings rubbing (20%). Inspect wear ring TIR's, clearances, bearings & shaft TIR.
Also check Suction & Discharge piping accuracy & loads
FREQUENCY
Anti-Friction Radial Bearing damage (20%). Inspect bearings, check bearing fits, oil qualities & oil levels.
OF
Anti-Friction Thrust Bearing damage (90%). Inspect bearings, check bearing fits & bearing locknut.
0 - 40%
Some components Loose:-
Bearing inner race mounting (90%).
Bearing outer race mounting (90%). Check fits, dimensions and bolting tightness.
Impeller secure bolt (40%).
Casing mounting bolts to baseplate (40%).

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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -2

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.

Check levelness of foundation & baseplate.

Also check foundation & mounting bolt tightness, shims &
Foundation uneven & affecting base level (20%). alignment, & carry out a Soft-Foot check for parallelism of the
Pump and Motor mounting pads and Baseplate support pads.

Seal faces dry & rubbing (10%). Inspect seal faces, no particles & identify the cause.
Also the harmonics of this vibration can be Also check if quench is required, if pumped liquid
40%-50%, & 100% & 200%. crystalizes when it contacts atmosphere (eg:- NaOH).
Wear Rings rubbing (20%). Inspect wear ring TIR's, clearances, bearings & shaft TIR.
FREQUENCY
Also check Suction & Discharge piping accuracy & loads
OF
Anti-Friction Bearing damage (20%). Inspect bearings, check bearing fits, oil qualities & oil levels.
40 - 50%
Sleeve (Journal) bearing & bush high vibration, Inspect bearings & clearances. Also perform frequency
possible test of bearing housings. If cause is oil whirl, consider oil
oil whirl, etc. (70%) whirl resistant oval & grooved sleeve bearings.
Some components Loose:-
Bearing inner race mounting (90%).
Bearing outer race mounting (90%). Check fits, dimensions and bolting tightness.
Impeller secure bolt (40%).
Casing mounting bolts to baseplate (40%).
Incorrect flexible coupling alignment & fit (20%). Inspect coupling alignment, fits and tolerances.
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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -3

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.
Seal faces dry & rubbing (10%). Inspect seal faces, no particles & identify the cause.
Also the harmonics of this vibration can be Also check if quench is required, if pumped liquid
FREQUENCY 40%-50%, & 100% & 200%. crystalizes when it contacts atmosphere (eg:- NaOH).
OF Wear Rings rubbing (20%). Inspect wear ring TIR's, clearances, bearings & shaft TIR.
50 - 100% Also check Suction & Discharge piping accuracy & loads
Anti-Friction Bearing damage (20%). Inspect bearings, check bearing fits, oil qualities & oil levels.
Incorrect flexible coupling alignment & fit (20%). Inspect coupling alignment, fits and tolerances.

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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -4

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.

Major rotating component Unbalanced (90%). Rebalance Impeller, Rotor & Coupling.
Anti-Friction Bearing damage (20%). Inspect bearings, check bearing fits, oil qualities & oil levels.
Slightly bent Shaft (90%). Inspect & TIR check the Shaft & rebalance assembled rotor.
Check excessive nozzle loads have not distorted the Casing
from the flanges. Also check Shaft & Impeller Wear Rings
Slight Casing distortion are concentric with Case Wear Rings & Impeller is inline
with volute centerline. Also check foundation & Baseplate
alignment
FREQUENCY Seal faces dry & rubbing (10%). Inspect seal faces, no particles & identify the cause.
OF Also the harmonics of this vibration can be Also check if quench is required, if pumped liquid
100% 40%-50%, & 100% & 200%. crystalizes when it contacts atmosphere (eg:- NaOH).
(1 x Running Check levelness of foundation & baseplate.
Frequency) Also check foundation & mounting bolt tightness, shims &
Foundation uneven & affecting base level (20%). alignment, & carry out a Soft-Foot check for parallelism of the
Pump and Motor mounting pads and Baseplate support pads.

Inspect wear ring TIR's, clearances, bearings & shaft TIR.

Wear Rings rubbing (20%). Also check Suction & Discharge piping accuracy & loading,
to ensure the piping is not excessively overloading the
pump suction & discharge flange maximum nozzle loads.
Misalignment (40%). Inspect Pump Shaft, Motor Shaft and Coupling alignment.
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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -5

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.
Check the tightness of the Impeller bolt, successfully
clamping the Impeller to the Shaft. Also check casing &
impeller Wear Ring fits, clearances and TIR.
FREQUENCY
Check the Coupling fit to Shaft. If the coupling hub on the
OF
Shaft of a between bearing Pump is a taper fit on the Shaft,
150% Possible looseness of Impeller or Coupling (20%).
then check the fit is perfect using Marking Blue. If it is not
(1.5 x Running
a good fit, use grinding paste to match the tapers more
Frequency).
than 90% of the contact area. Then re-assemble & check
alignment of the Impeller, and the Pump coupling with the
Motor Coupling.

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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -6

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.
Seal faces dry & rubbing (10%). Inspect seal faces, no particles & identify the cause.
Also the harmonics of this vibration can be Also check if quench is required, if pumped liquid
40%-50%, & 100% & 200%. crystalizes when it contacts atmosphere (eg:- NaOH).
Check levelness of foundation & baseplate.
Also check foundation & mounting bolt tightness, shims &
Foundation uneven & affecting base level (20%). alignment, & carry out a Soft-Foot check for parallelism of the
Pump and Motor mounting pads and Baseplate support pads.
FREQUENCY
OF
Misalignment (50%). Inspect Pump Shaft, Motor Shaft and Coupling alignment.
200%
Bearing damage (20%). Inspect bearings, check bearing fits, oil qualities & oil levels.
(2 x Running
Sleeve (Journal) bearing & bush high vibration, Inspect bearings & clearances. Also perform frequency
Frequency)
possible test of bearing housings. If cause is oil whirl, consider oil
oil whirl, etc. (70%) whirl resistant oval & grooved sleeve bearings.
Check the accuracy of the Suction and Discharge Piping
connected to the pump. Also calculate that the piping
Excessive Suction and Discharge piping forces and
forces and moments are within the published maximum
moments. (50%)
Pump flanges forces amd moment limits, to ensure that
excessive forces would not cause casing distortion.
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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -7

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.
FREQUENCY This usually occurs with maximum diameter Impellers fitted.
OF To reduce the effect of this frequency vibration, the solution
Number of This is the Vane passing Frequency. is to cut the Volute Lip at an angle of approximately
Impeller Which is the Frequency the Impeller vanes pass 20 degrees,and radius the edge.
Vanes the casing Volute Lips (Cut-Waters). (90%) Then cut the Impeller Vanes at an opposite angle of approx
x running 20 degrees. So when each vane passes the Volute Lip it slices
Frequency and minimises the pressure pulsation.
(RPS)

Examine the Anti-Friction Bearings.

The high frequency is due to the large number of balls or rollers
causing damage to the Inner or Outer races, and the Bearing
Cage. Renew the Anti-Friction Bearings. The damage
is likely due to problems with the lubricating oil quality,
VERY HIGH
Anti-friction Bearing damage (30%). oil levels being inaccurate and the oil cleanliness. So clean
FREQUENCY.
the Bearing Housings, and renew the correct oil grade and
levels.
Also, if the Pump is VFD driven, check that the pump speed is
correct, and not over-speed. Because if it was over-speed for
any reason, the increased loads could damage the bearings.

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 Vibration Trouble Shooting Chart -8

FREQUENCY
AS POTENTIAL CAUSES (%) SOLUTIONS
% RUN SPEED.

CHECK ALL THE POTENTIAL CAUSES OF CAVITATION BELOW:-

1. If there is a Suction Filter fitted, ensure the pressures on
both upstream and downstream sides of the Filter are
monitored. To ensure the Filter is never progressively
blocking, which would cause a Suction Pressure drop &
turbulence. Which would result in Cavitation.
VERY HIGH 2. Check the Casing & Impeller Wear Ring clearances and TIR.
FREQUENCY- Because the higher the Clearances become, the greater is the
BUT, also with Wear Ring recirculation into the suction Eye of the Impeller,
the HIGH The cause will be Cavitation. (90%) which can result in Cavitation, & reduced Efficiencies.
FREQUENCIES 3. Check that the Pump flowrate is not lower or higher than
and the PEAKS recommended. As this could result in Discharge or Suction
VARYING Recirculation vortices, that can result in Cavitation & damage.
FREQUENTLY. 4. Check there are never any upset conditions that could
reduce the NPSHA, by reducing the Suction Pressure.
5. If the Pump is VFD driven, ensure the Pump is never
running at a speed higher than stated to the pump supplier,
as this would result in a much higher NPSHR value. Which
would reduce or eliminate the NPSH Margin, resulting in
Cavitation.

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 High Motor
Current:

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 Unexpected Power changes

Unexpected Power increase:

• Piping strain, if excessive, could be causing impeller

wear ring to touch case wear ring.
• Change in system resistance- Flow has increased.
• A Bypass loop may have opened, again increasing
the flow.
• Check the antifriction bearings- is the Oil mist still
being supplied. If not bearings may be being
damaged.
• Could be mechanical seal problems- Check
mechanical seal systems are operating correctly &
contain correct liquid level.

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 Unexpected Power changes

Unexpected Power decrease:

• Cavitation taking place- Good indication if Head is

reducing, & vibration increasing.
• Check if an In-Line filter is blocking, causing
cavitation and lower flows.
• Increase in system resistance-Flow has decreased.

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 Low Flow or
Low Head:

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 Unexpected Changes in Flow &
Head

• Changes in system resistance - Lower resistance = higher flows, higher

resistance = lower flows.

• Has a bypass line opened or closed?

• Is cavitation causing low head and so low flows…. If so there will usually
be increases in vibration and possibly noise.

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 Unexpected Changes in Bearing
Temperature:

• Check the Oil mist is connected and running OK.

• Increased wear ring clearance can cause increased axial thrust. This
will lead to higher thrust bearing temperatures.

• Is cavitation causing low head and so low flows…. If so there will usually
be increases in vibration and possibly noise.

• Check alignment is correct.

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 Common Reasons Why
Seals Fail
“90% of pump problems show up as mechanical seal problems.
90% of seal problems are actually pump problems”
Peter Hickman – Flowserve Seals

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 Common Reasons Why Seals Fail

• Allowing the pump to run dry

Thermal cracks in seal face caused by poor lubrication

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 Common Reasons Why Seals Fail

• Vibration
– Rotating components are out of balance
1. Seal faces can separate
2. Seal faces become damaged

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 Common Reasons Why Seals Fail

• Hammering coupling onto the shaft

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 Common Reasons Why Seals Fail

• Operator Error

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 Common Reasons Why Seals Fail

• Seal flush plan improper use or lack thereof

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 Common Reasons Why Seals Fail

• Selecting the wrong seal or materials

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 5 Types of Sealing Failures

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 “90% of pump problems show up as mechanical seal problems.
90% of seal problems are actually pump problems”

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 Sealing Failures

1. Operational Failures – About 40% of all

sealing device failures are due to
operational errors

• Insufficient Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH)

• Operating Dead-Headed

• Dry Running & Improper Venting of Seal

• Low Vapor Margin

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 Sealing Failures

2. Mechanical Failures – Contribute to about 24% of all failures

• Shaft misalignment

• Coupling imbalance

• Impeller imbalance

• Additionally:
 Misaligned pipes bolted to pump

 Avoid a bad base

 Check the bearings

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 Sealing Failures

3. Seal Component Failures – Comprise 9% of seal failures

• Have you chosen the correct facing combinations?

• What about the seal face material quality?

• Are your materials appropriate for your specific application?

• Have you selected the proper secondary seals, such as gaskets and o-rings, that are
prepared for chemical and heat attacks?

• Your springs should not be clogged or your bellows corroded.

• Look out for face distortions from pressure or heat.

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 Sealing Failures

4. System Design Failures – About 19% of mechanical seal failures are

due to a poor system design.

• Proper seal flush arrangement, along with sufficient cooling.

• Dual systems have barrier fluids; the auxiliary seal pot needs to be in the right
location, with the correct instrumentation and piping.

• Length of Straight Pipe at Suction

• All the suction/discharge and bypass piping needs to be engineered correctly

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 Sealing Failures

5. Everything Else - Other miscellaneous factors

account for only about 8% of all failures

• For example, auxiliary systems are

sometimes required to provide an
acceptable operating environment for a
mechanical seal.

• Conclusion:
o Mechanical seals are a major factor in rotating
equipment reliability
o Responsible for leaks and failures of the
system
o But also indicate problems
o Seal reliability is greatly affected by seal
design and operating environment

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 Seal Troubleshooting

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 Seal Troubleshooting
Possible Cause & Effects

• Collect Entire Seal

o Do not try to troubleshoot a seal by using only the parts that look important. You
must have both rotating and stationary parts.
o Tie mating ring and primary ring parts together.
• Examine Seal Faces
o Look for wear track in circular pattern on matting ring face.
o A proper wear track is the same dia. & width as the primary ring face dia. & width.
 This important sign, tells you pump is in good alignment and face leakage is probably not
cause if any seal problem.
o A wide wear track indicates that there is serious misalignment of pump.
• Check for chipping of seal faces
o Chipping at the OD is most often associated with fluids that flash
o Severe cavitation of the pump coupled with a hung-up seal may cause the seal face
ID to chip.
• Check the Drive Mechanisms
o Worn drive lugs or drive slots are usually caused by high face friction and loss of face
lubrication (slip-stick).
o Lack of lubrication can be caused by: installing seal with too much spring compression, to
much pressure on the faces, poor lubricating properties of the fluid, bad face combinations,
pump cavitation, a gas bubble trapped in the seal chamber at the face.

www.ruhrpumpen.com 73
 Seal Troubleshooting
Possible Cause & Effects

• Check the Spring or Bellows

o Springs and metal bellows usually break from chemical attack at time devise is being
stressed.
 Possibility of chloride and sulfide stress corrosion.
o Metal bellows seal will clog or fail if pumped product hardens, or particles become
stuck inside of the bellows
 This occurs when excessive product leakage past faces of the seal
• Check the Elastomers and Secondary Seals
o Swollen, sticky or disintegrating elastomer is normally sign of chemical attack.
o Excessive face heat can cause hardening, charring, cracking, burned appearance, or
shape changes on elastomers
• Check for Rubbing
o Look for worn spots or signs of discoloration on the seal from rubbing
o Some causes of rubbing:
o flush lines to far into the lantern connection
o primary rings rubbing the shaft
o scale build-up in seal chamber
o shaft whip caused by impeller imbalance
o shaft deflection
o set screws backed out of the seal
o worn bearings

www.ruhrpumpen.com 74
 Coming Attractions 

“An Introduction to Positive Displacement Pumps”

Thurs 21st April – 08.00 (UK BST (GMT+1)) (Eastern Hemisphere) &
17.00 (UK BST (GMT+1)) (Western Hemisphere)

Aimed at Process and Mechanical Engineers, and Consultant Engineers who specify pumping
equipment as well as Applications & Sales Engineers selecting and quoting them.
Pump engineers are generally knowledgeable about centrifugal pumps, but are less familiar
with positive displacement pumps. This session will look at PD pumps in general but with
particular focus on reciprocating plunger pumps.

Future sessions : TBA

www.ruhrpumpen.com 75
 Specialist for Pumping Technology

Q&A
www.ruhrpumpen.com [email protected]
[email protected]
RUHRPUMPEN AT A GLANCE

SALES MANUFACTURING
VERTICAL OFFICES IN FACILITIES
INTEGRATION +35 COUNTRIES IN 10 COUNTRIES

+70 YEARS +2,000 15 SERVICE

OF EXPERIENCE
EMPLOYEES CENTERS

+70,000 PUMPING SOLUTIONS INSTALLED WORLDWIDE

A GLOBAL COMPANY

MANUFACTURING FACILITIES

 USA [Tulsa]  Egypt [Suez]

 Germany [Witten]  India [Chennai]
Manufacturing facility  Mexico [Monterrey]  China [Changzhou]
& Service center
 Brazil [Rio de Janeiro]  Russia [Moscow]
Service center
 Argentina [Buenos Aires]  United Kingdom [Lancing]
MARKETS WE SERVE
Our commitment to create innovations
that offer reliable solutions to our
customers allow us to provide a
complete range of pump systems to
support core markets as:
OUR PUMP LINES
Ruhrpumpen offers a broad range of highly engineered
and standard pumping products that meet and exceed
the requirements of the most demanding quality
specifications and industry standards. Products include:
 Single Stage Overhung Pumps
Our pumps can handle head requirements as high as 13,000 ft
(4,000 m) and capacities up to 300,000 gpm (68,000 m3/hr).  Between Bearings Pumps
Moreover, our pump designs cover temperatures from cryogenic  Horizontal Multi-Stage Pumps
temperatures of -310 °F (-196 °C) up to 752 °F (400 °C).
 Vertical Multi-Stage Pumps
 Vertical Mixed Flow & Axial Flow Pumps
 Positive Displacement Pumps
 Full Range of Industrial Pumps
 Submersible Pumps
 Magnetic Drive Pumps
 Decoking Systems
 Packaged Systems
 Fire Systems
 OVERHUNG PUMPS
OUR PUMPS

CATEGORY RP MODEL DESIGN STANDARD

ISO 2858 & 15783
Sealless Magnetic CRP-M / CRP-M-CC HI design (OH11)
Drive Pumps
SCE-M API 685

IPP HI design (OH1)

HI design (OH1)
CPP / CPP-L ANSI B73.1
HI design (OH1)
CPO / CPO-L ANSI B73.1
Foot Mounted
OH1 and General HI design (OH1)
CRP
End Suction ISO 2858 & 5199
Pumps
GSD HI design (OH0)

SHD / ESK / SK / SKO

HI design (OH1)
SKV / ST / STV
SWP HI design (OH3A)

Centerline
SCE API 610 (OH2)
Mounted
SPI API 610 (OH3)

IVP / IVP-CC HI design (OH4 / OH5)

Vertical In-Line
Pumps IIL HI design (OH5)
Dimensionally compliant with ANSI B73.2

SPN API 610 (OH5)

 BETWEEN BEARING PUMPS
OUR PUMPS

DESIGN
CATEGORY RP MODEL
STANDARD
HSC / HSD / HSL
HI design (BB1)
HSR / ZW

Axially split HSM HI design (BB3)

ZM / ZMS
1 and 2 stage API design (BB1)
ZLM / ZME

HVN / J API design (BB2)

Radially split
RON / RON-D API design (BB2)

SM / SM-I API design (BB3)

Axially split
JTN API design (BB3)
Multi-stage
Radially split GP API design (BB4)
single casing

Radially split A LINE API design (BB5)

double casing
 VERTICAL PUMPS
OUR PUMPS

DESIGN
CATEGORY RP MODEL
STANDARD
VTP HI & API 610 (VS1)

VCT HI & API 610 (VS1)

Diffuser
HQ HI & API 610 (VS1)

VLT HI & API 610 (VS1)

Single
casing Volute DSV / DX HI & API 610 (VS2)

Discharge through
column – Axial flow
VAF HI & API 610 (VS3)

Separate discharge line VSP / VSP-Chem HI & API 610 (VS4)

Diffuser VLT / VMT HI & API 610 (VS6)

Double
casing
Volute DSV / DX HI & API 610 (VS7)

SMF HI design (OH8A)

Submersible pumps
VLT-Sub / VTP-Sub HI design (VS0)
 SPECIAL SERVICE PUMPS
OUR PUMPS

DESIGN
CATEGORY RP MODEL
STANDARD

Pitot tube pumps COMBITUBE HI design

API 674
Reciprocating pumps RDP ISO 13710

Vertical turbine
VTG HI design (VS6)
generator

Barge LS BARGE HI design

ZVZ HI design
Floating dock pumps
LVZ HI design

SVNV -

Cryogenic pumps VTG Cryogenic -

VLT Cryogenic
-
VLTV
Fire systems incorporate pumps,
drivers, control systems and
pipework in a single container. NFPA-20-850
Pre-packaged fire
They can be skid mounted, with UL and FM approved
pump systems or without enclosure and components
supplied with electric motor or
diesel engine.