- Many pump failures can be predicted using modern monitoring techniques and tools. New, innovative reliability-centered practices for pump monitoring are covered in this paper, specifically: pump seal leaks, cavitation, and vibration-related failures. By using predictive maintenance techniques and tools, customers can move to predictive maintenance, helping to minimize environmental and business impacts.
The following are three innovative methods for increasing pump availability using predictive technologies and reliability-centered maintenance best practices:
- Pump Seal Monitoring
- Cavitation Monitoring
- Vibration Monitoring
1). Pump Seal Monitoring:
- The latest edition of API Standard 682 now shows a preference for level and pressure transmitters instead of level and pressure switches in order to provide the signal to annunciate the level or pressure alarms. The use of transmitters provides an improved view of the pump seal flush reservoirs. A level signal also allows for monitoring the rate-of-change of a reservoir level for earlier indication of potential seal failure.
2). Cavitation Monitoring:
- For high head multistage pumps that cannot tolerate cavitation even for a brief time, users monitor discharge flow and pressure, the integrity of the level instrument on the suction vessel, and the differential pressure across the suction strainer to help prevent cavitation from occurring.
3). Vibration Monitoring:
- Vibration monitoring allows for the detection of the presence of any one of many common causes of pump failure, such as worn bearings, worn shaft coupling, misalignment, impeller damage, cavitation, foundation, or frame faults
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