Pumps and systems magazine

The Magazine For Pump Users Worldwide February 2010

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12 Suction Specifi c Speed Calculator

16 Acceleration Head58 Chemical Market

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2 FEBRUARY 2010 www.pump-zone.com PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Letter from the Editor

PUMPS & SYSTEMS (ISSN# 1065-108X) is published monthly by Pumps & Systems, a member of the Cahaba Media Group, 1900 28th Avenue So., Suite 110, Birmingham, AL 35209. Periodicals postage paid at Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing offi ces. Subscriptions: Free of charge to qualifi ed industrial pump users. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualifi cations. Annual sub-scriptions: US and possessions $48, all other countries $125 US funds (via air mail). Single copies: US and possessions $5, all other countries $15 US funds (via air mail). Call (630) 482-3050 inside or outside the U.S. POSTMASTER: send change of address to Pumps & Systems, PO BOX 338, Batavia, IL 60510-0338. ©2009 Cahaba Media Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of any advertisements, articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Cahaba Media Group. Cahaba Media Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy or appropriateness of the advice or any advertisements contained in this magazine. SUBMISSIONS: We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by the editors, by sending us your submission, you grant Cahaba Media Group, Inc. permission by an irrevocable license to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish and adapt your submission in any medium on multiple occasions. You are free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned.

is a member of the following organizations:

Chuck Stolberg was one of the fi rst people I met in the pump industry. We immedi-

ately connected. We were both former sportswriters who made the transi-tion from newspapers to the world of pumps. “The pump industry can be a sport,” he told me when I joined him and his wife, Carol, for a lovely dinner in St. Louis in the spring of 2008. “The good news . . . we are all on the same team.”

It is with great sadness that the entire Pumps & Systems family says goodbye to Stolberg, long-time executive director of the Submersible Wastewater Pump Association (SWPA) and a loyal member of the P&S Editorial Advisory Board. He was an engaging man with a passion-ate dedication to work and family. It was my pleasure to know him.

He was 61. Stolberg led the development of SWPA

engineering guides such as The Submersible Pump Handbook and The Submersible Grinder Pump Handbook, as well as educational PowerPoint-based programs focused on promotion of sub-mersible pump technology.

“He has been the backbone of the Association for decades,” says Bob Domkowski, business development manager for ITT Water & Wastewater and a SWPA Executive Board

Member. “Through his tireless efforts, the Association membership grew, serving the needs of the member sub-mersible pump manufacturers. Under his leadership, membership statistical reporting programs were expanded and the annual Submersible Pump Industry Outlook and SWPA college scholarship programs were initiated.”

Stolberg was involved in SWPA for about 25 years and served as executive director most of that time.

“He has always been the driving force behind the organization, and has used his exten-sive industry knowledge and contacts to develop and improve the SWPA organization to the point it is today,” says Chris Caldwell, direc-tor of engineering for ABS USA and president of SWPA. “Chuck was a very kind and gentle man, with a friendly easygoing nature. He cared deeply about the SWPA organization and its members. I will miss his knowledge and leader-ship, but the organization will continue, and we are determined to recover from this loss.”

Stolberg is survived by his wife, three chil-dren and seven grandchildren.

PUBLISHERWalter B. Evans, Jr.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER VP-SALES

George [email protected]

205-345-0477

VP-EDITORIALTambra McKerley

EDITORMichelle Segrest

[email protected]

MANAGING EDITORAlexandra Ferretti

[email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR—ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Julie [email protected]

205-314-8265

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSJoe Evans, PhD

Terry Henshaw, PELaurel Donoho

Dr. Lev Nelik, PE, APICS

INTERNMonique Jones

SENIOR ART DIRECTORGreg Ragsdale

PRODUCTION MANAGERLisa Freeman

[email protected]

CIRCULATIONTom Cory

[email protected]

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESCharli K. Matthews

[email protected]

Derrell [email protected]

205-345-0784

Mary-Kathryn [email protected]

205-345-6036

Mark [email protected]

205-345-6414

A Publication of

P.O. Box 530067Birmingham, AL 35253

Editorial & Production Offi ces1900 28th Avenue South, Suite 110

Birmingham, AL 35209Phone: 205-212-9402

Advertising Sales Offi ces2126 McFarland Blvd. East. Suite A

Tuscaloosa, AL 35404Phone: 205-345-0477 or 205-345-0784

Editorial Advisory Board William V. Adams, Director, New Business

Development/Corp. Mktg., Flowserve Corporation

Thomas L. Angle, PE, Vice President, Product Engineering, Weir Specialty Pumps

Robert K. Asdal, Executive Director, Hydraulic Institute

Bryan S. Barrington, Machinery Engineer, Lyondell Chemical Co.

Kerry Baskins, Vice President, Grundfos Pumps Corporation

R. Thomas Brown III, President, Advanced Sealing International (ASI)

John Carter, President, Warren Rupp, Inc.

David A. Doty, North American Sales Manager, Moyno Industrial Pumps

Ralph P. Gabriel, Director of Product Development, John Crane

William E. Neis, PE, President, NorthEast Industrial Sales

Dr. Lev Nelik, PE, Apics, President, Pumping Machinery, LLC

David C. Orlowski, President & CEO, Inpro/Seal Company

Henry Peck, President, Geiger Pumps & Equipment/Smith-Koch, Inc.

Mike Pemberton, Manager, ITT Performance Services

Earl Rogalski, Sr. Product Manager, KLOZURE®, Garlock Sealing Technologies

Charles G. Stolberg, Executive Director, Submersible Wastewater Pump Association (SWPA)

Charles G. Stolberg


THE AFTERMARKET

Babbitt Bearing Repair for a Power Plant

Pat Trentler and Jim Jenkins, Quadna, Inc.How skilled aftermarket Babbitt bearing experts helped a power plant return to service.

Cost Reductions Through Life Cycle ImprovementsGeorge Harris, Hydro, Inc. and Ken Babusiak, HydroAire, Inc.

A case study on the methods used to improve the reliability and extend the life of descaling pumps in a steel mill.

PUMP SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION & ENERGY CONSERVATION

Meeting Increased Demand for Effi cient Pump Designs

Dr. David Japikse, Concepts NRECA look at the possibilities and tools available to improve pump designs.

RENTAL PUMPS, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

When It Makes More Sense to Rent Pumps

Heather Schlichting, RSC Equipment RentalRenting the right pump for a project may improve a company’s bottom line.

Maximizing Your Rental ExperienceKirsten Petersen Stroud and Robert Thompson, Thompson

Pump & Manufacturing Co., Inc.Tips for ensuring a positive pump rental experience.

PRACTICE & OPERATIONS

Water Reuse and Energy Generation in Gaojing Power Plant

Flora Tong, Dow Water & Process Solutions, Asia Pacifi cHow membrane technology was used to reuse blowdown from cooling towers in a power plant.

MARKET UPDATE

Chemical Market UpdateWalter Bonnett, PSG

While the chemical industry had a trying 2009, advances in pump technology signal a bright future.

Table of Contents

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28

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58

52

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23

DEPARTMENTS

Readers Respond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

P&S News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Pump Ed 101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Joe Evans, Ph.D.Suction Calculators

Pumping Prescriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Dr. Lev Nelik, P.E., APICSRetrofi tting Lift Stations with Submersible Motors

Understanding NPSH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Terry Henshaw, P.E.Acceleration Head

Maintenance Minders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Dennis Onken, LUDECA, Inc.Are Your Vertical Pumps Throwing Money Down the Drain?

Effi ciency Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Tom O’DonnellMetering Expectations

FSA Sealing Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42How Can Packing Solve My Sealing Problem?

HI Pump FAQs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Hot oil pumps; reciprocating power pumps; rotary pumps

Product Pipeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Pump Users Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

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12 Suction Specific Speed Calculator



Optimization

12 Suction Specific Speed Calculator



Optimization

20

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Rebuild With Loctite® Nordbak® Wear Resistant Coatings.

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Readers Respond

November CoverI just received my November

issue of Pumps & Systems Magazine and wanted to let you know that it is a great resource. But I had one question—the cover shows a line of pumps with what appears to be a new installation as the fi rst pump with several old pumps behind it. The eccentric reducer on the suction piping is installed with the fl at side down (FSD). Best practice for most pumps that I am involved with is to install an eccentric reducer with fl at side up (FSU). All the older pumps behind this new installation appear to have their reducer with FSD. Is there something specifi c about this application where a designer would specify the reducers FSD or is this a mistake on the installer’s part?

Josef Hoffman

Jimmy Gross of Dickow replies: Mr. Hoffman is quite observant. Normally the reducers

would be installed in the opposite position. Our magnetically coupled side channel pump (type HZM) is self-priming and is suitable for gas applications, so in this instance the reducer orientation is not an issue.

November Pump FAQsIn the fi rst question of the November 2009 Hydraulic

Institute Pump FAQs, the paragraph beginning with “For bal-ancing slurry pump…” should have read: “For balance of slurry pump type impellers, refer to the latest edition of ANSI/HI 12.1-12.6 Rotodynamic (Centrifugal) Slurry Pumps for Nomenclature, Defi nitions, Applications and Operation.”

Pump Challenge #5 Response

In response to your Pump Challenge #5, “Correctly Sizing Pipe,” (Pumping Prescriptions, November 2009), I am providing the following response.

Regarding, “Why and how do pump manufacturers select suction and discharge fl ange dimensions for a particular fl ow rating?”, I am not a pump manufacturer, nor do I work for one, but I have heard of some pipeline industry rules of thumb, which seem to work well. One such rule of thumb is a fl uid velocity limit of 10 ft/sec within the pump suction inlet when the pump is operating at its BEP. Based on this limit, a pump rated at a fl ow rate of 100 gpm would need to have an inlet fl ange size of 2 in to meet

the 10 ft/sec velocity criteria. If the pump inlet fl ange was 1.5 in size, the corresponding velocity would be about 18 ft/sec, which is too high by this sizing criteria. Although a 3 in suction inlet would also meet this velocity limit, the pump inlet would be oversized and the pump may tend to run at a lower effi ciency or have other operational issues.

As for the discharge fl ange size, the only rule of thumb of which I am aware pertains to using a discharge fl ange size that is one standard pipe size smaller than the suction fl ange. In the case of a 2 in suction fl ange, the next smaller standard pipe size of 1.5 in would apply for the discharge fl ange. Thus, the appro-priate ANSI dimensions would be 1.5 x 2-6 for a pump with rated fl ow of 100 gpm.

Regarding, “Determine if you could hook up a supply tank to the pump suction fl ange using 1.5 in pipe to handle 100 gpm,” based on the answer to the previous question, the appropriate pump suction pipe size would be a minimum of 2 in size to match the pump suction fl ange. If we assume the use of nominal 2 in steel pipe size, 2.375 in OD, 0.154 in WT, 2.067 in ID for the pump suction line, and if the pumped fl uid is water, then the frictional pressure drop would be approxi-mately 7.5 psi per 100 ft length of 2 in line.

The frictional pressure drop would be approximately 38.8 psi per 100 ft of length if the suction pipe was 1.5 in XS steel pipe. Depending on the NPSH required by the pump, the static suction head (or lift), fl uid vapor pressure and distance between the supply tank and the pump, one can determine if the 7.5 psi per 100 ft length for 2 in pipe size is acceptable to meet the NPSH required at 100 gpm. If NPSHA is lower than NPSHR, then the pump suction line size should be increased to produce lower friction losses at 100 gpm, unless some other system changes can be made to increase NPSHA.

Regarding, “Is a 1 in discharge fl ange sized well for this pump fl owing at 100 gpm?”, the direct answer would be no. Based on the previous answers, a 1.5 in discharge fl ange would be appropriate for this pump.

However, the size of the downstream discharge piping should be determined so that the resulting system resistance curve will intersect the pump head curve at 100 gpm. In the pump curve provided in Pump Challenge #2, the pump head rise at 100 gpm was approximately 120 ft for a 6 in impeller. The discharge pipe size should be selected so that the resulting frictional pressure drop at 100 gpm plus the static elevation change is approximately 120 ft.

This Pump Challenge seemed to be quite thought-provoking. Whether my answer is good, bad or ugly, I certainly enjoyed the challenge.

Thomas J. Hill, P.E., Lead Pipeline ConsultantGL Industrial Services, Houston, TX

Lev Nelik responds: A very good answer, Tom! Your second part goes even

beyond my explanation (see solution published in the December issue, which essentially refl ects what you said). Your explanation of the effect of friction on losses and suction side

PUMPS & SYSTEMS www.pump-zone.com FEBRUARY 2010 7

NPSH concerns when piping is too tight, as well as added power required to drive the motor when discharge pipes are too tight, is excellent.

Pump Challenge #5Dr. Nelik, my answer to Pump Challenge #5 is below:

1. Maximum suction pipe velocity is limited to 8 ft/s; on the discharge, it is 15 ft/s as per the Hydraulic Institute.

2. Calculations are made such that the velocities remain in this range. However, certain other factors also affect the pipe size selection: a. A larger diameter pipe selected will be more costly to pur-

chase, but the frictional head drop in such a pipe will be less. For this reason, a pump with low head can be used and demands a smaller motor.

b. Since the frictional losses are less, the energy consump-tion will be less.

c. A larger diameter pipe, which is stiffer than a smaller diameter one, requires less support and installation cost.

d. Due consideration should be given to the fact that the stress at the pump fl anges will be higher for a large diam-eter pipe.

There are advantages and disadvantages associated with either option. A breakeven point exists between the two options as the system confi guration, site, application and other con-straints. Pipe sizes are selected based on limiting velocities fi rst and then on the above four criteria.

Juned Ansari, Energy Auditor NBI Water, Aurangabad

Expansion Joint Performance

I read with interest the article titled, “How do expansion joints improve performance of mechani-cal seals?” (Sealing Sense, September 2009). The authors Marty Rogin and Jim Richter did a great job explaining how pump seal perfor-mance can be improved through the use of expansion joints. I think it is important, however, to mention some particulars on these joints. My company had a failure of a bel-lows-style expansion joint in a process line on the discharge side of a pump. This failure was attributed to misapplication: fl ow through the joint exceeded the manufacturer’s maximum recommended velocity. Because the joint was on the discharge side of the pump (highest pressure point), its failure resulted in a signifi cant amount of discharge. Although this spill did not result in a catastrophic incident, it had the potential.

It is vitally important that the expansion joint

manufacturer’s literature be consulted before specifying and installing a joint. Joints have limits on pressure and tempera-ture that must be matched to process conditions. Control rods, shields and internal sleeves are available that help ensure long term, reliable performance. Bolt torque values and tolerances for angular, axial and parallel offsets are specifi ed and must be met during installation. Joints need to be inspected periodically to ensure these tolerances continue to be met, there are no signs of cracks or leaks, etc. Additional guidance is available in the manufacturer’s literature.

Expansion joints seem to be relatively simple devices on the surface, but as our company found out “no good deed goes unpunished” when they are not carefully applied!

Peter Montagna, Engineering ManagerKing Industries, Inc.

Elastomeric Expansion JointsThis is in response to the FSA’s article on elastomeric

expansion joints. In my 10 years experience with machinery and rotating equipment, the majority of the pump and seal failures I have seen are not due to piping strain. I agree that elastomeric expansion joints will reduce the pipe strain on a pump, but they are not a substitute for poor piping design. In cases where you are pumping highly hazardous chemical (such as fuming sulfuric acid or hazardous waste) the risk associated with failure of the expansion joint prohibits their use. It is more reasonable in my opinion, to ensure that piping is designed, fabricated and installed such that the forces on the pump nozzles are within the manufacturer’s limits.

Piping stress analysis programs are routinely used to ensure that loads on the piping are within ASME limits. It is incum-bent on the project team and the equipment owners to ensure that the analysis extends to the pump nozzles for cold, hot and transient cases. It is not suffi cient for piping designers, fabri-cators and installers to arbitrarily design a piping system and install an elastomeric expansion joint to compensate for poor engineering.

E. Peter Morenc, P.E.Reliability Engineer, Rhodia, Baton Rouge

P&S

Coming in April 2010!

Are you an upstream oil and gas professional? This Spring, Pumps & Systems is proud to introduce Upstream Pumping Solutions, a new publication specifi cally targeted to the upstream pumping market. Maintenance and troubleshooting tips, technical primers and case studies make Upstream Pumping Solutions an indispensible guide for approaching pumping problems in the fi eld.

To sign up for a FREE copy, go to www.pump-zone.com/upstream-pumping-solutions.html.


P&S News

PEOPLEPUMP SOLUTIONS GROUP (REDLANDS, CA) announces that Dover Fluid Manage-ment, a segment within Dover Corpora-tion, has named Dean E. Douglas as presi-dent of Pump Solutions Group (PSG™). In this position, Douglas will report to Soma Somasundaram, executive vice presi-dent of Dover Fluid Management.

PSG is a conglomeration of six pump manufactur-ers and technologies, including Blackmer® (Grand Rapids, MI); Wilden® (Grand Terrace, CA); Neptune™ (Lansdale, PA); Griswold™ (Grand Terrace, CA); Mouvex® (Auxerre, France); and Almatec® (Kamp-Linfort, Germany). www.pumpsg.com

ABB (ZURICH, SWITZERLAND) names Daniel Huber as business unit manager for the company’s Control Systems business within the Process Automation Division. Huber will be responsible for the global product business of ABB’s portfolio of control systems.

ABB produces power and automation technologies. www.abb.com

GRUNDFOS PUMPS CORP (OLATHE, KS) names Andrew Warrington as the new president of Peerless Pump Company and its subsidiaries.

Grundfos produces pumps and pumping systems for the residential, commercial-building, process-industry mar-kets and water-supply and water-treatment industries. www.grundfos.com

COMMTEST (KNOXVILLE, TN) appoints Tim Whitacre as a corporate solutions specialist, and Chris Keniston and Shane Smith as customer success engineers.

Commtest produces vibration analysis and monitoring equipment. www.commtest.com

FLUID SEALING ASSOCIATION (WAYNE, PA) appoints Edward Marchese as vice president of its Board of Directors. Marchese is president of Proco Products, Inc. (Stockton, Calif.). Marchese also serves as chairman of the By-Laws Committee and as a member of the Executive, Nominating, Publicity and Strategic Planning Committees. FSA also appoints Greg Raty to its Board of Directors. Raty is vice president of Slade, Inc. (Statesville, N.C.). Raty also serves as chairman of the Compression Packing Division

and as a member of the Strategic Planning and Publicity Committees.

FSA is an international trade association representing the fl uid sealing market. www.fl uidsealing.com

THOMPSON PUMP & MANUFACTURING (PORT ORANGE, FL) celebrates the 25th employment anniversary of Dale Conway, vice president of engineering. Conway currently oversees all engineering departments and technical aspects of the pump business including manufacturing engineering, quality assurance and research and development.

Thompson also offi cially launches a new and improved website with enhanced navigation and expanded informa-tion on products, services and support.

Thompson provides pumps, pumping equipment and engineering expertise. www.ThompsonPump.com

LOCKWOOD, ANDREWS & NEWNAM, INC. (HOUSTON, TX) names Kevin Calderwood, P.E. as the director of engineering and senior project manager of the fi rm’s Sacramento offi ce. Calderwood will lead the fi rm’s business development as well as project execution efforts for clients throughout California.

LAN also announces that the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), a region-wide voluntary association of local governments in the 13-county Gulf Coast Planning region of Texas, has contracted it as one of the pre-qualifi ed fi rms of its PlanSource program.

LAN is a full-service consulting fi rm offering planning, engineering and program management services. www.lan-inc.com

BROOKS INSTRUMENT (HATFIELD, PA) names Mike Bayda as global level product manager. Bayda will lead efforts to enhance global market penetration of Brooks’ level measurement products. He will report to Vice President Tim Scott.

Brooks produces advanced fl ow measurement, control and level solutions. www.BrooksInstrument.com

GODWIN PUMPS (BRIDGPORT, NJ) appoints John Hughes, safety specialist, to the Godwin Environmental Safety & Health (ESH) team located at its Bridge-port (NJ) world headquarters. Hughes will regularly visit each of the company’s 26 branch locations to help managers and employees observe and address known and

Tim Whitacre Shane Smith

Dean E. Douglas

Daniel Huber

Kevin Calderwood

Dale Conway

Mike Bayda

John Hughes


potential workplace hazards. He will assist in the development of safer work habits to promote company-wide improvements in overall safety.

Godwin maintains rental pumps and related equipment for use in dewatering, drinking water supply and wastewater bypasses. www.godwinpumps.com

QUADNA, INC. (PHOENIX, AZ) names Julie Byers as assistant controller, responsible for all general account-ing activities.

Quadna engineers, fabricates and services mechanical systems. www.quadna.com

DUPERON CORP (SAG-INAW, MI) announces that Terry L. Duperon, the founder of the Dup-eron Corporation and former President/CEO, is now chairman of the board. Tammy L. (Dup-eron) Bernier, formerly vice president, COO has become President/CEO.

Duperon produces preliminary liquids/solids separation tech-nologies and screening technologies. www.duperon.com

KOCH MEMBRANE SYSTEMS (WILMINGTON, MA) names Dr. Hamid R. Rabie as senior vice president of technology. Dr. Rabie will report directly to KMS’ President, David H. Koch, and will manage all research and development activities within the company.

KMS also received NSF International certifi cation for its new reverse osmosis and nanofi ltration ele-ment construction operation located in Wilmington, Mass.

KMS produces membrane fi ltra-tion technology and engineering sup-port. www.kochmembrane.com

AROUND THE INDUSTRYDOW CORNING (MIDLAND, MI) has acquired two chemical grade silicon manufacturing assets from Globe Specialty Metals, in an acquisition valued at approximately $175 million.

Dow Corning specializes in silicones and silicon-based technology. www.dowcorning.com

Julie Byers

Terry L. Duperon

Tammy Bernier

Dr. Hamid R. Rabie

Do you have flows up to1,400 US GPM (320 m3/hr),heads up to 3,400 feet (1,000 m), pressures up to1,500 psig (100 bar),temperatures from 20˚F to 300˚F (-30˚C to 149˚C), and speeds up to 3,500 RPM? Then you need Carver Pump RS Series muscle!

Designed for moderate to high pressure pumping applications, the RS isavailable in five basic sizes with overall performance to 1,000HP. As astandard, with a product lubricated radial sleeve bearing and two matchedangular contact ball bearings for thrust, it only takes a mechanical seal onthe low pressure, suction side to seal the pump. Optional features includeball bearings on both ends with an outboard mechanical seal, various sealflushing arrangements and bearing frame cooling. These features make the RS ideally suited for Industrial and Process applications includingPressure Boost Systems, Boiler Feed, Reverse Osmosis, Desalination and Mine Dewatering. Whatever your application, let us build the muscle you need!

1967 Nova Pro Street

RS Series

Creating Value.Carver Pump Company2415 Park AvenueMuscatine, IA 52761563.263.3410Fax: 563.262.0510www.carverpump.com



P&S News

TRASK-DECROW MACHINERY (SOUTH PORTLAND, ME) recently reached an agreement with Weir Specialty Pumps (www.weirpowerindustrial.com) to be its sole, authorized New England industrial distributor.

Trask-Decrow offers sales and service of premium energy-effi cient industrial pumps and air compressors throughout New England. www.trask-decrow.com

GENUINE PARTS COMPANY (BIRMINGHAM, AL) announced that its Industrial Parts Group, Motion Industries, has entered into a agreement to acquire substantially all of the North American assets of BC Bearing (BC Bearing, US Bearings and Norcan), headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Motion Industries is an industrial parts distributor of bear-ings, mechanical power transmission, electrical and industrial

automation, hydraulic and industrial hose, hydraulic and pneumatic compo-nents, industrial products and material handling. www.motionindustries.com

EAGLEBURGMANN (HOUSTON, TX) announces that EagleBurgmann Saudi Arabia Ltd. has greatly expanded its production capacity in Saudi Arabia. Sales, production and a service center have been set up on an area of approximately 2,000 m² in a new building in Al-Khobar, 30 km from the most important air and seaport in the eastern province.

EagleBurgmann manufactures me-chanical seals, systems, packing and expansion joints.www.eagleburgmann.com

ADVANCED DESIGN TECHNOLOGY (LONDON, UK) appoints Nfotec Digital Engineering (division of SIKA Interplant Systems Ltd) as distributor of ADT products and services in India.

ADT produces advanced turboma-chinery design methods. www.adtechnology.co.uk

SYNCHRONY, INC. (ROANOKE, VA) announces it has received an order from McQuay Intl for serial production of integrated drive trains to be used in high effi ciency chillers.

Synchrony produces magnetic bear-ings and high-speed drive trains. www.synchrony.com

SKF USA INC. (LANSDALE, PA) recently donated $75,000 of condition monitoring equipment, software and training programs to the Texas A&M University Department of Industrial Distribution for its new DXP Pump Laboratory.

SKF USA Inc. provides bearing, sealing, lubrication and linear motion technologies. www.skfusa.com

No matter which pump type you have, KSB can handle the diagnostics, repair or parts regardless of the manufacturer. KSB offers you a full service repair shop, with skilled technicians to service your pump. Contact KSB for your next repair.



UPCOMING EVENTSHYDRAULIC INSTITUTE ANNUAL MEETINGFebruary 19-23Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort / Marco Island, FLPresented by the Hydraulic Institute973-267-9700 / www.pumps.org

RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD CONFERENCE & EXPOFebruary 23-25Austin Convention Center / Austin, TXPresented by PennWell Corporation888-299-8016 / www.renewableenergyworld-events.com

WQA AQUATECH USAMarch 9-12Orange County Convention Center / Orlando, FLPresented by the Water Quality Association 630-505-0160 / www.wqa-aquatech.com

INTERNATIONAL PUMP USERS SYMPOSIUMMarch 15-18George R. Brown Convention Center / Houston, TXPresented by the Texas A&M University Turbomachinery Laboratory979-845-7417 / turbolab.tamu.edu

FSA SPRING MEETINGApril 14-16Palm Beach Gardens, FLPresented by the Fluid Sealing Association 610-971-4850 / www.fl uidsealing.com

INTERPHEXApril 20-22Jacob K. Javits Convention Center / New York, NYPresented by Reed Exhibitions 888-334-8704 / www.interphex.com

PUMPTECMay 3-4Chicago, ILPresented by Pumping Machinery, LLC770-310-0866 / www.pumpingmachinery.com

OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCEMay 3-6Reliant Park / Houston, TXPresented by OTC972-952-9494 / www.otcnet.org

WINDPOWER CONFERENCE & EXHIBITIONMay 23-26Dallas Convention Center / Dallas, TXPresented by the American Wind Energy Assoc. 202-383-2512 / www.windpowerexpo.org

AMERICAN WATER WORKS CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION June 20-24McCormick Place, West Building / Chicago, IL Presented by the American Water Works Association 303-794-7711 / www.awwa.org/ACE10

P&S

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Pump Ed 101

Last month I reviewed an Excel-based Radial Thrust Calculator and showed how it can predict the mag-nitude of unbalanced radial thrust when a centrifugal

pump is operated to the left of BEP. This month we will explore another calculator that can help identify pumps that may be problematic when operated on either side of BEP.

I suspect that most readers will agree that Terry Henshaw’s year-long series on NPSH (Understanding NPSH) has been extremely useful and informative. His September, October and November 2009 columns addressed an NPSH topic that may have been new to many of us. Suction Specifi c Speed (S or Nss) and its effect on NPSH margin can be a useful parameter in identifying pumps that could have a high potential for suction recirculation-induced cavitation. As Henshaw said, S is an indication of the aggressiveness of an impeller eye design. As the ratio of eye diameter to peripheral diameter increases, NPSHR typically decreases, but a reduction in a pump’s stable window of operation can be an unexpected byproduct.

As shown below, the equation for S is similar to the equation for Pump Specifi c Speed (Ns). The only difference is that Head (H) is replaced with NPSHR.

S = N √Q / NPSHR0.75

S is directly proportional to the pump speed in RPM (N) and the square root of pump fl ow in GPM (Q). It is inversely proportional to NPSHR to the three quarter power. Therefore, S will increase with an increase in speed and/or fl ow and decrease with an increase in NPSHR. NPSHR is also an indication of the aggressiveness of the impeller eye design. Lower values of NPSHR usually indicate a larger eye diameter ratio. As Henshaw mentioned in his September article, a fl ow reduction at the entrance of a large eye can result in a partial reversal of fl ow toward the suction pipe. The vortices created by such a reversal can lead to the onset of cavitation.

An Excel-based Suction Specifi c Speed calculator is

Joe Evans, Ph.D.

Suction Calculators

Pump Ed 101

Figure 1


shown to the left of Figure 1 and is available for download from my website (www.PumpEd101.com). Entering the required data in the three yellow cells will result in the calculation of S. The chart below the calculator shows the stable window of operation for several values of S. Normally, suction recircula-tion occurs at low fl ows, but with increasing values of S, suc-tion recirculation will begin at higher than expected fl ow rates. Many experts specify that pumps with a value of S greater than 9,000 may require a sizeable increase in NPSH margin if they are to maintain a stable window of operation.

Another indicator of potential suction recirculation is a quantity known as Suction Energy (SE). (Reference: H.P. Bloch and A.R. Budris, Pump Users Handbook, Life Extension/Fairmont Press). SE is an indication of a liquid’s momentum at the impeller eye and takes S a step further. As shown in the equation below, it is the product of the eye diameter (De), pump RPM (N), suction specifi c speed (S) and specifi c gravity (SG).

SE = De x N x S x SG The SE calculator appears to the right of Figure 1.

Entering the required data in the highlighted cells will result in the calculation on SE. The table below the calculator shows the values for the start of high and very high suction energy for

several pump designs. Pumps that exhibit a high SE can expe-rience vibration, noise and minor cavitation damage. Those with an extremely high SE can experience more severe erosion due to cavitation.

The example used in both calculators is a dry pit non-clog with a 12 in suction and a two vane, 18.5 in impeller. BEP fl ow is 5,000 gpm @ 105 ft and requires a NPSH of 10 ft. Both calculators confi rm very high values of S and SE, which indicate that a large NPSH margin is required for this pump to operate at off BEP fl ows.

Igor Karassik was the major force behind the develop-ment of suction specifi c speed. In the mid-80s he wrote a three article series titled “Centrifugal Pump Operation at Off Design Conditions.” They are written in a simple Pump Ed 101 style and are available on my website under the “Other Pump Topics” tab. They are defi nitely worth reading.

P&S

Joe Evans is responsible for customer and employee edu-cation at PumpTech Inc, a pumps and packaged systems manufacturer and distributor with branches throughout the Pacifi c Northwest. He can be reached via his website www.PumpEd101.com. If there are topics that you would like to see discussed in future columns, drop him an email.


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In the February 2008 issue, we discussed various ways to lift water (“Lifting Water: What Are Your Pump Options?”, Pumping Prescriptions, available at www.

pump-zone.com). Starting with the 4,000-year-old Archimedes Screw, we touched on the advantages and dis-advantages of options including the vertical sump, wet sub-mersible pump, dry submersible, dry well close proximity design and dry well U-jointed shafting option.

As always, we received comments and feedback from many of you, including the question: How do I move from my situation to a better one? In other words, is it possible to retrofi t a less-than-optimal installation with a better solu-tion, and how?

Webster’s Dictionary defi nes the verb to retrofi t as: 1. Provide with parts, devices or equipment not available

or in use at the time of the original manufacture2. Fit in or on an existing structure3. Substitute new or modernized parts or equipment for

older ones

Retrofi tting compromises between two extremes: repair of the component(s) within the installation versus complete replacement of the entire installation.

A retrofi t is considered when the old equipment begins to fail too frequently (for instance, the pump shafts break every year) and when a partial modernization of the instal-lation is signifi cantly less expensive than removing the entire system and replacing it with a more modern one. For example, replacing a lift station with a new one could cost a municipality tens of millions. In such a case, new ideas, technologies and methods can solve the problems of old, obsolete and outdated designs.

Recent fl ooding from natural disasters, like storms and hurricanes, has added a new dimension to the challenges facing municipalities. The options described in the February 2008 article may not all provide foolproof assurance against a statistically unlikely, but potentially disastrous, fl ood.

Sump pump or dry pit (close proximity or U-jointed) options keep the motor far from the pump and protect against fl ood, but a long shaft imposes unbalance whip forces that can increase with time and reduce pump reliabil-ity. Submersible pumps (either wet or dry) solve the issue of the motor for awhile, but their windings are separated from the pumpage by a mechanical seal. If it fails, the pumpage can fl ood the windings and kill the motor. Another possible option is a submersible motor not directly coupled to the wet end, but with a regular coupling between it and the pump.

One of the benefi ts of retrofi tting with a submersible motor is that the wet end (the pump) does not change. The regular motor (whether coupled in close proximity or sepa-rated by long, U-jointed shafting) is removed and replaced with a submersible motor. The shaft of the submersible motor is not directly attached to the pump impeller and is separated by the seal. The bearing housing of the pump is modifi ed to have its shaft separately coupled to the motor shaft.

During normal operation, such a retrofi tted installation operates normally as a dry or wet motor. In the event of fl ood-ing, even of the entire station, the submersible duty motor is not affected; it continues to operate as a regular submersible motor since it is designed to operate underwater.

Such a retrofi t saves the millions required to construct a new station or remove it from a fl ood zone. At a mini-mum, it saves hundreds of thousands that would be needed to replace the entire pump with a new design and modify the piping to fi t to the fl anges of a new pump.

Dr. Lev Nelik, P.E., APICS

Retrofi tting Lift Stations with Submersible Motors

Pumping Prescriptions

Submersible Motor Setup


The compactness of the design makes it more effi cient, and saves energy. Typical water lift stations have motors with a wide range of horsepower. Operating a relatively small motor (say, 400 hp) costs more than $250,000 a year, assuming non-stop operation at $0.10/kWh energy cost. Even a 10 per-cent savings would amount to $25,000 year, not to mention provide a more reliable, dependable design.

It is easy to design an expensive system, but not so easy to avoid com-plexity and maintenance issues. In con-trast, it takes time and attention to detail to design a simple, reliable system.

As always, we welcome feedback, questions or suggestions and will include as many as possible in a future issue of Pumps & Systems. In the mean-time, keep on pumping!

P&S

On pump-zone.com…Read more of Lev Nelik’s Pumping Prescriptions.

Dr. Nelik (aka “Dr. Pump”) is presi-dent of Pumping Machinery, LLC, an Atlanta-based fi rm specializing in pump consulting, training, equip-ment troubleshooting and pump repairs. Dr. Nelik has 30 years expe-rience in pumps and pumping equip-ment. He has published more than 50 documents. He can be contacted at www.PumpingMachinery.com.

In the event of flooding, even of the entire station, the submersible duty motor is not affected; it continues to operate as a regular submersible motor since it is

designed to operate underwater.



Acceleration Head for Centrifugal Pumps

If a centrifugal pump is started with the discharge valve open too far and with a low discharge pressure, the liquid in the suction line may accelerate at a rate that

causes the suction pressure to drop below vapor pressure. In other words, you can cause cavitation by allowing the pumpage to accelerate too rapidly in the suction line.

If the pump’s capacity is controlled by a quick open-ing valve on the discharge side (such as seen in steel mill descaling systems), the pump may be provided with insuf-fi cient NPSH when the pumpage is accelerating to the rated capacity.

The equation for calculating the head drop due to the acceleration (assuming uniform acceleration) may be reduced to the following:

ha = L(V2 - V1)gt

(19-1)

Where:ha = Head required to accelerate the liquid in the suc-

tion line, feet or meters L = Total length of the suction line, feet or metersV2 = The fi nal velocity of pumpage, feet/sec or meters/

secV1 = The initial velocity of pumpage, feet/sec or

meters/secg = Acceleration of gravity (32.2 ft/s2 or 9.8 m/s2)t = Time increment that pumpage accelerates from V1

to V2, seconds

Acceleration Head for Reciprocating PumpsPulsing Flow Requires More NPSHThe fl ow in the suction and discharge piping of a recipro-cating pump is not constant. The pumpage must accelerate and decelerate a number of times for each revolution of the crankshaft. Because the liquid has mass, and therefore inertia, energy is required to produce the acceleration. This energy is returned to the system upon deceleration, so there is no loss. However, suffi cient NPSH must be provided on the suction

side of the pump to accelerate the liquid to prevent cavita-tion in the suction pipe and/or pumping chambers.

Figure 1 plots the ideal relative fl uid velocity in the suc-tion pipe for a typical triplex power pump as a function of the rotative angle of the crankshaft. (To achieve this ideal velocity profi le, the pumpage must be incompressible, and the pump valves must open and close at the beginning and end of the plunger stroke, which is often not the case.) Acceleration may be more clearly visualized if we change the scales on this curve. If we change the abscissa from degrees of rotation to time (which is done by dividing by 360 and revo-lutions per second), and change the ordinate to pipe velocity rather than relative velocity (by multiplying by average pipe velocity), we have a plot of velocity versus time in the suc-tion pipe.

Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time (dv/dt), we can determine acceleration simply by measuring the slope of the velocity curves. We see that a triplex pump produces maximum acceleration at 0 deg, 120 deg and 240 deg of crankshaft rotation.

The Acceleration Head EquationWe can calculate the mass of liquid in the suction line, and its acceleration. Then using Newton’s second law (F = ma) we can calculate the force required to accelerate that mass. We can then convert this to pressure by dividing by the cross-sectional area of the pipe. Fortunately this has already been done, and appears in a number of documents. The fi rst known appearance of the equation shown below was in a sec-tion of Marks’ Handbook (5) by Elliott Wright. The author accepted and promoted it, and it subsequently appeared in Hydraulic Institute standards (2). Those documents provide the following equation:

ha = LVNCgk

(19-2)

Where:ha = Acceleration head, feetL = Actual length of suction line, feet (not equivalent

length)V = Average liquid velocity in suction line, feet/secondN = Speed of pump crankshaft, revolutions/minute

Terry Henshaw, P.E.

Acceleration HeadThe Thirteenth in a Series

Understanding NPSH


C = Constant depending on pump type= 0.400 for single-acting simplex= 0.200 for single-acting duplex= 0.115 for double-acting duplex= 0.066 for triplex= 0.040 for quintuplex= 0.028 for septuplex= 0.022 for nonuplex

g = Gravitational constant = 32.2 feet/sec2

k = Constant depending on fl uid compressibility= 1.4 for non-compressible liquids such as deaerated water= 1.5 for most liquids= 2.5 for compressible liquids such as ethane

Two or More Pumps Running in Parallel If two or more pumps operate in parallel, with a common suction line, acceleration head is calculated for the common line by assuming that all pumps are synchronized, acting as one large pump. (The capacities of all pumps are added to determine line velocity.) Figure 1. Relative Velocity of Liquid in the Suction Pipe of a Triplex Power Pump



Understanding NPSH

Dampening the Pulsations Any characteristic of the suction system that tends to absorb the pulses from the pump will reduce acceleration head. The suction stabilizer, therefore, helps those systems with exces-sive acceleration head and/or with gas entrained in the liquid. (The most effective suction stabilizer is a fl ow-through type that also separates free gas from the liquid. Any excess gas must be vented from the stabilizer, possibly piped back to the vapor space in the suction vessel.)

According to Hydraulic Institute standards (2), a properly selected, installed and maintained dampener will reduce the effective length of the suction line in the above equation to about 10 pipe diameters, i.e., for a 6 in suction pipe, L would be about 60 in (5 ft). This would result in a calculated accelera-tion head in Problem 1 (right) of only 0.7 psi.

Another effective method of reducing acceleration head on an atmospheric-pressure suction system is to install a sec-tion of soft hose as part of the suction line, adjacent to the pump.

Shortcomings of This EquationEquation 19-2 is not sophisticated enough to compensate for such factors as system elasticity and the velocity of a pressure wave in the pumpage (sonic velocity due to liquid elasticity). It is therefore recommended for use only for relatively short, non-elastic suction lines.

Miller (3) reported that his tests indicated acceleration head to be much less than calculated with the above equation. Some fi eld installations also operate satisfactorily with NPSHA considerably less than this equation indicates as necessary. On the other hand, some installations require NPSH that agrees favorably with this equation.

The reason for these discrepancies is not known, but, in addition to the above, it may be due to gas, such as air, being liberated (or trapped) in the suction line. Any gas entrained in the liquid, or collected at a high point in the suction piping, tends to absorb the pulsations from the pump, and thereby reduces acceleration head.

Some pump operators have reported that suction stabi-lizers, which were designed to also separate and accumulate gas, have, to their surprise, required periodic venting. If the stabilizer had not been in the suction line (or did not have this separation feature), the pump would have ingested gas, possibly resulting in shock operation, or in the extreme case, causing one or more pumping chambers to become gas bound or vapor locked. Without the stabilizer, the agitation in the suction line would have been greater, and more gas could have been liberated. The pressure shocks caused by gas ingestion can cause failure of pump and system components (1).

The Water Hammer EquationFor a quick closing (or opening) valve, reference 4 provides the equation for water hammer as follows:

h = cV/g (19-3)

Where:h = Head increase or decreasec = Sonic velocity in liquidV = Change in velocityg = Acceleration of gravity

This equation provides the maximum head that a quick operating valve can generate. Note that the length of the pipe is absent from the equation, and enters into the evaluation only to the extent that it determines how fast the valve must close (or open) to be considered as quick operating. This equa-tion could therefore be used to calculate a more accurate pump acceleration head if we could accurately determine the change in velocity of the pumpage in the pipe.

Unfortunately, the velocity change is more complex than shown in Figure 1, because it is dependent on the fl uid com-pressibility, the clearance volume in the pumping chamber and the effectiveness of the valve springs in closing the pump valves quickly enough for smooth pump operation. (A weak or broken spring, on either a suction or discharge valve, will cause a signifi cant velocity change.) All these factors are diffi cult to establish for fi eld installations.

At one time, one pump vendor produced power pumps that, because of unique construction of the fl uid end, could not be equipped with springs on the suction valves. A vendor of pulsation dampeners once remarked (without knowing the reason) that that pump brand required twice the discharge dampener of other vendors’ pumps. Sound level tests, on a number of brands of power pumps, also revealed that the springless pumps were noisier than equivalent pumps with

Problem 1. Acceleration Head for a Reciprocating PumpA 5 in stroke triplex plunger pump, with 3 in diameter plungers, is running 250 rpm and pumping 109 gpm of lean oil with a specifi c gravity of 0.78. The suction line consists of 40 ft of 6 in schedule 40 pipe. The actual lengths (not equivalent lengths) of all elbows and tees are included in the 40 ft. Calculate the acceleration head in feet and PSI. (Let k = 1.5.)

V = 0.409 QD2

= 0.40910962

= 1.24 ft/s

ha = LVNCgk

= 40x1.24x250x0.06632.2x1.5

= 17 ft

ha = 172.31

0.78 = 6 psi


valve springs. Adequate springs are required on both suction and discharge valves to provide a quiet, smooth run-ning power pump.

References

1. Henshaw, Terry L., Reciprocating Pumps, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., Inc., 1987.

2. Hydraulic Institute Standards, Hydraulic Institute, 9 Sylvan Way, Suite 360, Parsippany, NJ 07054-3802.

3. Miller, J. E., “Experimental Investigation of Plunger Pump Suction Conditions”, ASME Paper 64-PET-14, 1964.

4. Daugherty and Ingersoll, Fluid Mechanics, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Co., NY, 1954.

5. Marks’ Mechanical Engineers’ Handbook, 6th Edition, pg. 14-6, McGraw-Hill Book Co, New York, 1958.

P&S

Terry Henshaw is a retired consulting engineer who designs pumps and related high pressure equipment and conducts pump seminars. For 30 years, he was employed by Ingersoll Rand and Union Pump. Henshaw served in various posi-tions in the Hydraulic Institute, ANSI Subcommittee B73.2, API 674 manu-facturers’ subcommittee and ASME Performance Test Code Committee PTC 7.2. He authored a book on reciprocat-ing pumps, several magazine articles and the two pump sections in Marks’ Handbook (11th Edition). He has been awarded six patents. Henshaw is a reg-istered professional engineer in Texas and Michigan, is a life fellow of the ASME and holds engineering degrees from Rice University and the University of Houston. He can be reached at [email protected].

THE PERFECT COUPLINGWORLDWIDE.

R+W America | Phone: (888) 479-8728 | E-Mail: [email protected] | Internet: www.rw-america.com

Mining Equipment Transportation Systems Marine Propulsion Steel MillsTunnel Boring


Adequate springs are required on both suction and discharge valves to provide a quiet, smooth running

power pump.


The Aftermarket

Babbitt Bearings

Babbitt bearings, frequently found in large steam tur-bines and generators in major power plants, can pro-vide years of service if properly maintained.

By using state-of-the-art technology and repair prac-tices, aftermarket suppliers who specialize in Babbitt bearings can repair equipment and increase the life of Babbitt bearings by:

Converting from lead to • tin-based alloys, producing a strengthened bond and an increased bearing lifeProviding centrifugal cast-• ing, which can be a better alternative to static pours to strengthen the bondConverting from cast iron •

housings to steel, which creates a better bond and increases overall strengthEnhancing machining practices and reducing need for • hand scraping

Once a Babbitt bearing has been reconditioned, repair centers should quality check the bearings, ensure proper shaft clearances and oil relief, see that oil holes are sized per specifi cations and concentric-ity and that all parts undergo an ultrasonic inspection to ensure proper bonding.

To ensure a long service life, it is imperative during the casting process that new Babbitt material must be free from contamination

Babbitt Bearing Repair for a Power PlantPat Trentler and Jim Jenkins, Quadna, Inc.

How skilled aftermarket Babbitt bearing experts helped a power plant return to service.

Left: A damaged bearing after removal from the shaft.

Above: Centrifugal casting machine during a Babbitt repair.

Right: Babbitt after service and repair


and meet stringent specifi cations. Specifi c temperatures for both the Babbitt and bearing must be maintained to prevent the removal of tin, and oxidation to the shell. Specifi c revo-lutions per minute must also be maintained during the spin cast process. Other critical elements are good bonding of the Babbitt to the bearing shell, as well as proper outside dimen-sions, joint line contact and pin alignment.

While Babbitt bearings are durable, like any bearings, they can eventually fail when operated in adverse condi-tions or when catastrophic occurrences occur within rotating equipment. The later is exactly what happened to one U.S. power plant during a typical busi-ness day.

Power Plant ReliabilityEnsuring power is available for busi-nesses and residents 24 hours a day is a challenge for any power generating entity. When one of the largest electric generation and transmission coopera-tives in the United States experienced a problem with a turbine, an aftermarket supplier specializing in Babbitt bearings received the call for help.

The coal-fi red power plant experi-enced a forced shutdown of one of its turbines. Through a series of simultane-ous and unlikely events, both the pri-mary and back-up oil lubrication pumps became inoperable, causing a loss of lubrication supply to all of the critical Babbitt bearings within the turbine and generator set. The loss of lubrication signifi cantly damaged the turbine and generator Babbitt bearings.

Babbitt, like most bearing types, requires lubricant to reduce friction and remove heat from the bearing, rotating shaft and stationary housing. Babbitt bearings are a fl uid fi lm, or hydrody-namic, type of bearing, meaning that a fl uid fi lm of lubricating oil is required between the bearing surface and shaft. The oil fi lm actually supports the shaft as it lubricates, reduces friction and removes heat. This bearing type is used in critical equipment because of its unique ability to handle high shaft speed and vibration. These unique bear-ings are also used for their imbeddabil-ity in the event impurities are present in the operating environment.

Immediately following the forced shutdown, the after-market supplier was one of the fi rst companies put on standby to assist with upcoming repairs. Due to the potentially signifi -cant fi nancial impact to the plant from lost production, the repairs required an around-the-clock effort to meet necessary deliveries and restore power generation capabilities.

Once the cooperative was able to fully assess the damage,



The Aftermarket

it found signifi cant damage to nine bearings, four of which ultimately required a complete rebuild of the bearing shells as well as rebabbitting; nine oil defl ectors required rebuilding as well.

The most serious damage to bearings and defl ectors came from the turbine journal contacting the bearing shell once it had worn through the Babbitt lining. The excessive heat

buildup caused warping in all of the critical fi t areas.Restoring these bearings to a usable condition required

a weld build up of the spherical bearing seat on the bearing outside dimension and stress relief of the shell, followed by the centrifugal casting of the Babbitt. In addition, prior to fi nal machining, it was necessary to mill the split lines to restore fl atness and re-drill and pin all of the alignment holes.

After repairing the bearing bore, the fi nal restoration step was machin-ing of the spherical bearing seat on the outside dimension of the bearing that had been welded previously. Because this critical surface must be exact in its size, the ball seats were fi nish machined on a CNC lathe, then hand-fi t to their housings to ensure they met the OEM’s specifi cations.

Through the course of the repairs, the aftermarket supplier met all required delivery dates while upholding the high standard of quality required for this type of work. The project, from initial con-tact through completion, took approxi-mately fi ve weeks, requiring multiple overnight bearing shipments, which weighed up to three tons each. Most of the work was performed by Babbitt repair specialists in a centralized loca-tion; however, due to the extent of the machine work required, and the rush nature of the project, other resources and vendor partners were called upon to assist.

P&S

Pat Trentler is the Casper branch manager for Quadna, Inc., 1320 Overlook Drive, Casper, WY 82604, 307-234-

6979, [email protected].

Jim Jenkins is the Salt Lake City area manager for Quadna, Inc., 3245 South Bouwhuls Drive, West Haven, UT

88401, 601-317-1820, [email protected].



More than 15 years ago, a 160 in plate mill was experiencing signifi cant mainte-nance problems with its descaling pumps;

the typical mean time between repairs was only 6 to 8 months. Some rebuilt pumps even failed on start-up.

Descaling is one of the more severe, but criti-cal, services in a steel mill. The pressures are high and the rapid changes in fl ows and pressures severely impact the pumps. At the same time, the pumps’ performance can signifi cantly impact the quality of the steel produced.

Improvements to these pumps were imple-mented in various phases over several years. The path was not always straightforward and required close cooperation and teamwork between the after-market service provider and mill personnel to imple-ment various upgrades.

Root Cause Analysis—Rotor Condition AnalysisAt the start of the project, all of the pumps, which had been in service since the early 1970s, were exhibiting high noise levels along with abnormally high vibration, erosive wear and consis-tent, frequent maintenance problems.

The fi rst step was to comprehensively analyze the pump rotor in a process called Rotor Condition Analysis. The Rotor Condition Analysis report, coupled with analysis of fi eld oper-ating conditions, provided the forensic evidence to identify the root causes of pump problems. This data, when analyzed in conjunction with the operational data, vibration readings and other fi eld information, enables the aftermarket provider’s engi-neers to troubleshoot the pump and develop recommendations to solve the identifi ed problems.

Recommendations: Engineering Review and UpgradesEngineering review of the rotor and the fi eld data revealed multiple issues. Because of the pumps’ complexity and critical nature, the engineers and mill personnel agreed to implement upgrades in a phased approach, analyzing system improvements at each phase.

The problems affecting pump life can be categorized as system problems, mechanical problems, material selections and hydraulic problems.

System ProblemsThe fi rst major improvement, implemented in the late 1980s, was adding a water fi ltration system to remove sand from the descale water. This improvement not only solved the erosive wear problem, but also made it feasible to address the other issues.

Cost Reductions Through Life Cycle ImprovementsGeorge Harris, Hydro, Inc. and Ken Babusiak, HydroAire, Inc.

A case study on the methods used to improve the reliability and extend the life of descaling pumps in a steel mill.

Figure 1: A typical sectional view of a descaling pump


The Aftermarket

Mechanical ProblemsPump Clearances and ConcentricitiesAnalyzing the dimensions of the impeller running clearances, cover-to-cover fi ts and volute-to-cover fi ts revealed that these clearances exceeded the aftermarket provider’s best practice rec-ommendations by 30 to 200 percent.

Reduced running clearances increase the pump’s overall

effi ciency by reducing the amount of internal leakage. Tighter clearances have been shown to reduce vibration by increasing damping in the pump.

Concentricities are extremely critical to a pump’s life cycle. Maintaining concentricities allows pumps to be built with tighter fi ts and clearances and better balance, all of which contribute to improved pump life. If the rotating impeller ring

turns are not concentric with the sta-tionary case wear rings, then some dia-metrical clearance is needed to prevent rubbing as the pump is operated.

Eccentricity can occur if:The shaft is not straight.• The wear rings on the impellers are • not concentric with the impeller bore.The case wear rings are not concen-• tric to the casing bore.The fi t between the impellers and the • shaft is loose (clearance) instead of tight (interference).The fi t between the stage pieces is • loose instead of tight.

All of these issues had to be addressed in the upgraded pump rebuild.

Manufacturing a pump shaft with a stringent T.I.R. requires a skilled machinist and properly prepared shaft-ing material. Specially heat-treated material ensures that residual stresses do not cause bowing during or after the machining process.

Balancing to 1W/NMany texts indicate that rotor unbal-ance accounts for 70 percent of rotat-ing equipment vibration problems. The excessive clearances and loose fi t of the components on the original rotor indi-cated a rotor with signifi cant, unaccept-able unbalance.

For increased reliability and longer run times, the aftermarket provider dynamically balances the impellers and rotors of high-energy pumps to a strin-gent standard of 1W/N, where W rep-resents one half the weight of the com-ponent being balanced and N represents the operating speed. For comparison, API 610 recommends balancing to 8W/N for multistage pumps operating below 3,800 rpm.

Unlike many centrifugal pumps, barrel pump rotors must be disassembled

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after the rotor has been balanced and reassembled when the ele-ment is stacked. To maintain the same degree of balance during the stacking process, impellers must be repositioned in the same location and position using the same keys and locating rings with which they were initially balanced. Careful marking of the components ensures that the right parts get put in the correct positions. Impeller bores with shrink fi ts and vertical stacking ensure that parts return to their original balance positions.

When possible, the aftermarket provider further check balances the rotor with the coupling installed. This precision approach to balancing requires additional time and cost, but can signifi -cantly extend pump life.

Material Selections The aftermarket provider previously worked closely with Dr. Elemer Makay, a leading authority on high energy pumps, who pioneered the use of a special gall resistant and free machining grade of stainless steel for wear rings. When hard-ened, this upgraded material permits the pump to be built with tighter running clearances without seizing. In phase 2 of the implementation, the impellers, stage pieces and twin volutes were upgraded to a special stainless steel to improve weldability.

Rotor Stabilization ImprovementsUpgraded Design of Stationary Wear ComponentsThe original pump was furnished with “saw tooth” grooves on the stationary wear components: case wear rings, dif-fuser bushings and break down bushings. The saw tooth geometry disrupts fl ow,

causing high turbulence and increased friction coeffi cient.Past experience with the saw toothed grooving in abrasive

service applications indicates that saw tooth grooves trap and locally increase the concentration of abrasive particles. Coupled with high turbulence, this results in an accelerated wear rate and larger running clearances.

The aftermarket provider upgraded the stationary wear

Figure 2. Vertical assembly of a multistage barrel pump

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components by furnishing Lomakin grooves (see Figure 3). This improvement helps extend a centrifugal pump’s wear cycle by damp-ing the vibration.

Rotor CentralizationThis process involves the centering of the rotating hydraulic compo-nents (impellers) within the stationary hydraulic components (dif-fusers or volutes) and must be performed to implement the A gap modifi cation. It may also improve pump effi ciency and reduce axial thrust loads. Before upgrading, the pumps’ impeller-to-volute center-lines were typically separated from each other by as much as ±0.090 in. The rotor was centralized to signifi cantly reduce turbulent fl ow.

Hydraulic Design ImprovementsA and B Gap Modifi cationsFigure 4 shows the geometry associated with the A and B Gap modi-fi cations, which Dr. Makay pioneered in the 1970s for high-energy boiler feed pumps.

Coupled together, these modifi cations improve the shape of the head capacity curve at part load, stabilize axial thrust developed by the impellers, provide positive rotor dynamic damping and increase pump effi ciency.

As descale pumps are in severe service, operating continuously between minimum and rated fl ows, these improvements usually

Figure 3

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result in longer life. It was thought that the A and B gap modi-fi cations would also reduce vibration.

While vibration levels were reduced, the high vibration at three times running speed did not decrease as anticipated. This

led to a phase 3 improvement.

Vane Pass FrequencyThe descale pump was originally manufactured using both three and fi ve vane impellers in the same rotor. In the last phase of the upgrade implementation, all impellers were converted to fi ve vanes, which substantially reduced the vibration at vane pass frequency. The fi ve-vane impeller is the current, standard confi guration.

Following this upgrade, vibration was measured at just 0.17 inches/second.

George Harris is president of Hydro, Inc., a global pump aftermarket company with 40 years experience specializing in pump engineering, repair, testing and fi eld services. Ken Babusiak is vice president of HydroAire, two Chicago-based service centers in Hydro’s North American network that includes locations in Los Angeles, Houston, Beaumont, Deer Park, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Edmonton and Monterrey. For questions or comments, please contact them at [email protected] or [email protected].

Figure 4

(continued on page 60)

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Pump System Optimization & Energy Conservation

While turbo pumps cover the full range of specifi c speeds, the overwhelming majority run at low specifi c speeds and are comprised of an inlet

pipe or duct, an impeller and an exit volute. Recent design advances have been few since some producing companies do not have a single hydrodynamicist on their staffs.

By contrast, industrial process pumps, including boiler feed pumps, have a complex inlet, an impeller of any spe-cifi c speed (and may require special treatment to deal with higher velocities), a diffuser and either a return channel or a crossover to deliver the fl ow to the next stage, in the case of the multistage machines. (Industrial process pumps include irrigation pumps and deep well pumps for home or business water supply.)

Progress toward assisting pump designers to deliver superior, effi cient pump designs for these complex construc-tions must be predicated on the basis of possible design improvements, the tools to assist such work and the avail-ability of necessary staff. Improving pump design is a worthy goal; according to The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research fi rm, “Global demand for fl uid handling pumps is forecast to increase at a 4.4 percent annual rate to $47 billion in 2012.” To address this chal-lenge, we will look at what is needed technically and then what is becoming available.

Possibilities for Improvement Figure 1 is a well-known plot from Stepanoff (1948, 1957), showing roughly the breakout of losses in various pumps. To achieve superior designs, we must mitigate these losses. Similar diagrams exist for radial compressors and turbines

because they all have the same core issues involved: friction dominates at low specifi c speeds, and kinetic energy effects dominate at high specifi c speeds. (For instance, items 5a and 5b in Figure 1 are actually kinetic energy effects also found in other machinery classes.)

Figure 1 shows that at low specifi c speeds, the process is dominated by friction (particularly disk friction) and, in some cases, leakage losses. On a direct assault, we will make little headway against such a tough challenge. At high spe-cifi c speeds, the game changes: one must be careful to deal with kinetic energy effects (disk friction may be a tiny con-tributor), so we must treat all viscous processes with care and achieve excellent diffusion and overall control of the fl ow fi eld. This is a different design challenge, and one for which superb tools exist.

Meeting Increased Demand for Effi cient Pump DesignsDr. David Japikse, Concepts NREC

A look at the possibilities and tools available to improve pump designs.

Figure 1. Estimated distribution of loss elements in typical centrifugal pumps. (from Japikse, et al., 1997)

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Pump System Optimization & Energy Conservation

Do not forget the middle ground in Figure 1 because the highest effi ciencies are found there. Effi ciencies can be several points higher than at nearby higher and lower specifi c speeds. A change in speed is needed to reach this middle ground, at least for many instances where both head and fl ow may be frozen.

Speed can be adapted quite easily today and carries a small price for gaining effi ciency, a price often compensated by improved part load operations and savings. Our traditional reliance on simple synchronous motors needs to be updated, and, in some cases, greater care will have to be taken to avoid cavitation (see below). The good news is that higher rotational speeds lead to smaller diameter machines, which afford greater design opportunity. One of these opportunities is the potential to include a proper diffuser to achieve a more effi cient stage, and while these are now used worldwide for high performance engineered pumps, they are not common for mass-produced pumps.

Figure 2 gives an example of a pump stage reported in the past in Holland.

With better design speed, some reduction in diameter and a diffuser included, there is the possibility of a performance gain—one that is worthy of real design optimization. Other possibilities exist as well, including the usage of high perfor-mance crossovers for multistage pumps, such as shown in Figure 3.

These crossovers have been shown to have excellent dif-fusion and low losses, a fact that can be carried over to many other applications.

Tools to Improve Performance Clearly, possibilities exist to achieve improved performance. The modern tools to improve the designs include Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and three dimensional (3-D) fi nite ele-ment stress and modal analysis (FEA). Interestingly, however, these tools will not achieve much if we stay locked in the design world of the past and try to tweak low speed designs where disk friction will dominate. An inexperienced designer might pick

up a point here or there with such tools, but a better designer probably does not leave such glitches in his designs in the fi rst place.

When modern applications are considered with modern motors and controls, it is tempting to start into new designs with some of the available modern tools available. However, much has been learned from experience that should not be lost at this stage of the process.

Meanline design must come fi rst so that intelligent choices are made for the optimal inlet velocity triangles, both with respect to effi ciency and cavitation avoidance. Likewise, the exit velocity triangles must be carefully selected and matched to the diffusers downstream, a process that has been handled better in the compressor industry than in the pump industry. Therefore, we would be well-advised to borrow a few pages from compres-sor design experience in this particular case. One should never miss the opportunity to sort out issues at the meanline level; otherwise, one pays for such oversights all the way through the process and never fi xes the damage done.

For the past 50 years, designers have learned how to develop good stages without CFD, and better ones today aided by CFD. Using conventional blade shaping techniques with

Figure 2. A conventional clear water pump with an added diffuser cascade. The impeller is not explicitly shown; it sits at the outer circle inside the diffuser cascade. (from Japikse, et al., 1997)

Figure 3. Vertical pump stage with impeller and continuous crossover; orderly streamlines are shown throughout. (from Japikse, et al., 1997)

Figure 4. The use of CFD (left) and FEA (right) permits welcomed precision in the design of advanced pumps and troubleshooting of earlier pumps. Note the pressure distortion in the volute exit bend; this has been reduced by using overlap prior to the bend. This distortion is a primary source of radial sideloads on pump systems with reduced service life. Note the need for improved fi llet radius in the FEA example.


through-fl ow solvers permits clear exercise of the skills and results of the past fi ve decades.

Optimization is key for competitive success today. The skilled practitioner of modern design can explore from a stress (FEA) and a performance (CFD) basis and has several alternative codes available in each area. At this point, one considers the full impact of open versus closed impellers on the details of leak-age, thrust and optimum blade design. One looks at the process of design for minimum weight and stress to maxi-mize life and lower cost but keep best performance. Material selection enters in, including even plastics (which are rather common today in many pump applications). In addition, the choice of metals, when required, is made with greater confi dence.

CFD is based on a full 3-D solu-tion of the Navier-Stokes equations, which are the full viscous fl ow equa-tions governing the processes of inter-est. FEA is the full 3-D solution for the solid body forces and the body response to the operation of the hardware. Figure 4 illustrates some of the computational possibilities.

It is only recently that we could even dream of possible solutions for these equations, and only the last few years have given us fast, powerful com-puters for individual usage with these systems. We must, therefore, be careful of shortcomings that might accompany these powerful but new tools.

ConclusionEven though we use billions of pumps today, there will be a large increase in the number of pumps in use worldwide, and we need all of the effi ciency that we can get to minimize the power usage. This will be achieved by a combination of historical experience and powerful new tools such as CFD and FEA.

P&S

David Japikse is chairman of the board, founder and CEO of Concepts NREC (www.ConceptsNREC.com) where he oversees the design and development of various centrifugal com-pressor, pump and turbine stages including the development of design tools. Japikse has written or coauthored seven books: Axial and Radial Turbines, Advanced Experimental Techniques in Turbomachinery, Introduction to Turbomachinery, Advanced Topics in Turbomachinery Technology, Centrifugal Compressor Design and Performance, Centrifugal Pump Design and Performance and Turbomachinery Diffuser Design Technology,


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Maintenance Minders

Vertical pumps are a popular choice in the water indus-try because they provide many advantages. A vertical pump typically uses one-quarter of the fl oor space of a

motor-driven horizontal pump. The driver is off the fl oor and less prone to fl ood damage. Since impellers are always sub-merged, they are self-priming and can start at full capacity.

Vertical pumps are designed to be “self-aligning” due to the rabbet fi t between pump and driver, thus eliminating the need for precision shaft alignment. Notwithstanding these advantages, this article will focus on the need for alignment of vertical pumps.

Many assume that since the pump and driver have a rabbet fi t that there is no misalignment. This is theoretically correct, since the excellent machining of the mating surfaces suppos-edly guarantees it. In practice, however, this is most often not true. Misalignment occurs on this type of drive as often as on horizontally mounted drive systems (Shaft Alignment Handbook, 3rd Edition, John Piotrowski, pg. 678).

Aligning this equipment to precision alignment toler-ances will produce the same benefi ts that have long been proven to occur with horizontal drive machines, such as extended equipment life, increased effi ciency and reduced vibration levels. With today’s modern laser alignment sys-tems, the process is greatly expedited, producing even greater savings through reduced labor costs.

Consider the following when implementing an align-ment program for vertical pumps.

Alignment Program Considerations First, what technology will you use? Dial indicators have been a tried and true method alignment method for many years but have a steep learning curve and can be tedious under the best circumstances. Typical dial indicators have a resolution of .0001 in, but some modern laser alignment systems have 1 micron resolution. This resolution makes them extremely accurate while greatly simplifying and speeding up the precision align-ment process with easy-to-understand graphical results and instructions that guide the user through the alignment process. They also provide reporting and documentation capabilities.

Second, what are the radial clearances between the shaft and the pump housing or support structure? If a laser-based system is used, will the components and bracketing fi t? Current laser alignment systems can function with as little as

Are Your Vertical Pumps Throwing Money Down the Drain?Dennis Onken, LUDECA, Inc.

Figure 1. Motor fl ange setup screen from a laser tool for a vertical pump alignment application.

Figure 2. Results screen with shim corrections for fl ange bolt locations from a laser tool.


3 in of radial clearance from the shaft and 90 deg rotation. Third, has the pump ever been precision-aligned? With a vertical drive applica-

tion, shimming at the driver’s fl ange bolts corrects angular misalignment and sets the pump shaft and driver shaft parallel. Once the shafts are parallel, moving the driver laterally corrects for offset misalignment. This may require that the typi-cally tight rabbet fi t clearances meant to ensure proper alignment be machined and opened to allow for movement of the driver relative to the pump. This is often the case on vertical pump applications and can be accomplished by either machining the driver fl ange, or machining the pump housing or support structure fl ange.

Another consideration is what coupling type is used. Vertical applications that use fl exible style couplings are the most straightforward. Multistage vertical turbine pumps have rigid type couplings. When installed, this coupling type not only trans-fers torque from the driver to the pump, but it is also adjusted axially to “lift” the entire pump shaft assembly to set the impeller clearances in the bowl. Once the proper lift is set for impeller clearances, the coupling is assembled and becomes rigid. In other words, there is no fl ex once the coupling is installed. Even these types of alignments can be expedited in a timely manner with some of today’s laser systems.

Cardan shafts are a popular coupling choice for vertical applications in the water industry. Cardan shafts differ from conventional couplings in that they have a u-joint on either end of the coupling spacer and can accommodate large offsets between pump and driver. They function just like the drive shaft on an automobile. What is critical in cardan shaft alignment is the angularity at each fl ex plane, not offset. The pump and driver shaft must be parallel, but have intentional offsets to create angles at the u-joints to ensure proper lubrication of the needle bearings in the u-joint. With the use of cardan type brackets, even this typically diffi cult align-ment is expedited with modern laser alignment systems.

Conclusion Typical industries that use vertical pumps include oil refi neries, water treatment plants, pond lift station pumps and paper mills. Some cooling towers also feature vertical pump applications. The commitment to implement precision laser alignment of vertical pump applications can be justifi ed in part by the positive feedback and benefi ts of similar suc-cessful programs for horizontal drive applications. It must have the support of manage-ment and properly trained personnel, and involve the right laser alignment system.

Everyone involved in implementing a precision vertical alignment program must understand that modifi cations may have to be made to existing equipment before the alignment can be effected. Rabbet fi ts may need to be machined to increase clearances and allow for offset misalignment correction. When a motor or pump that has not been previously laser aligned goes for repairs, the rabbet fi ts should be machined to increase clearances so that eventual alignment corrections can be made. Jacking bolts should also be installed on the support structure in the four chosen cardinal directions to facilitate the alignment process.

The benefi ts of precision alignment of vertical pump applications far outweigh the initial cost of the preparation needed to allow for necessary alignment correc-tions. This initial cost is typically a one-time event, unless the driver or pump hous-ing rabbet fi ts are rebuilt or equipment is replaced. Increased equipment life means less unscheduled downtime. A smoother running machine means greater effi ciency and energy savings. This alone can justify precision alignment of vertical pumps. How much money are poorly aligned vertical machines costing you?

P&S

Dennis Onken is an application specialist and instructor at LUDECA. He has more than 31 years of heavy industrial experience primarily in the oil, gas and power generation industries, and 15 plus years directly related to alignment of rotating equipment. He can be reached at 305-591-8935 or [email protected]. ci

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The Challenge

At their simplest, metering pumps are used to inject liquids at precisely controlled, adjustable fl ow rates, which is a process called metering. As defi ned by the

Hydraulic Institute’s Metering Pump Section, controlled-volume metering pumps are reciprocating, positive displace-ment pumps typically used for the injection of chemical additives, proportional blending of multiple components or metered transfer of a single liquid.

Metering pumps pump chemical solutions and expen-sive additives for products manufactured in a wide variety of industries, including industrial, medical, chemical, food and dairy, pharmaceutical and biotech, environmental, fuel cell and laboratory. Metering pumps are designed to pump into low or high discharge pressures at controlled fl ow rates that are constant when averaged over time. Metering pumps consist of a solenoid drive or a gearbox with motor, control mechanism and pump head with valves to control the fl ow direction through which the liquid pumped enters the inlet connection and exits the discharge connection.

Since liquids are only slightly compressible, they can be discharged at high pressure by metering pumps. Gases, on the other hand, are much more compressible, making them incompatible with metering pump use. Therefore, problems can occur in a metering pump application when gas bubbles enter the pump head. When this happens, the pump can suffer from vapor lock, in which the pump will stop pump-ing the liquid that contains gas bubbles while repeatedly compressing and decompressing the bubbles.

Another challenge in the use of metering pumps can occur when the pump’s outlet pressure is lower than the inlet pressure. When this situation arises, both check valves will open simultaneously and the liquid will fl ow through the pump head uncontrollably from inlet to outlet. A properly rated pressure-differential check valve placed downstream of

the pump will arrest this undesirable fl ow condition.Despite these concerns, metering pumps remain ver-

satile, relied-upon technologies for the safe, accurate and effi cient injection of a unique array of chemicals up to 20,000 cps and slurries containing up to 10 percent solids. This article will help the user defi ne the variables to evaluate when choosing and installing the proper metering pump or complete chemical-feed system. Choosing the proper system will not only help inject liquids or slurries regardless of viscosity, but also ensure that it is done in an effi cient, environmen-tally friendly and energy-wise manner.

The SolutionSize does matter when determining the proper metering pump for an application—specifi cally, the size in terms of capacity of both the pump’s fl ow rate and discharge pressure. Simply put, metering pumps should not be oversized. In fact, a

Metering ExpectationsTom O’Donnell

Choosing the correct metering pump will ensure that liquids are injected in the most precise, effi cient, environmentally friendly and energy-conscious manner.

Effi ciency Matters


metering pump should be sized so that its maximum expected fl ow rate is 85 to 90 percent of the pump’s capacity, which leaves additional capacity, if needed. At the other end of the spectrum, a metering pump’s minimum capacity should never be less than 10 percent of the capacity; anything less will affect the pump’s accuracy.

Determining the proper fl ow rate and discharge pressure cannot be done until the types of substances to be pumped are identifi ed per the application, including the viscosity of the liquid or if it is a slurry. Standard metering pumps handle clear liquids with viscosities generally ranging from water—which has a viscosity around 1 cps—to 1,500 cps. Special liquid ends for applications outside this viscosity range are available for viscosities up to 5,000 cps. When considering true slurries or liquids with even higher viscosities, special tubular diaphragm heads are compat-ible with viscosities to 20,000 cps and slurries that contain 10 percent solids.

Materials of construction are another consideration. When selecting a meter-ing pump, consider any corrosion, erosion or solvent action that may occur when handling specifi c substances. For example, solvents may dissolve plastic-headed pumps, acids and caustics are only compatible with stainless steel or certain steel alloys, and abrasive slurries can erode some materials. The best metering pump lines are available in a range of construction materials, allowing the end user to choose the best option for his specifi c applications.

When considering the type of head the pump should feature, remember that double-diaphragm heads with leak detection and alarm capabilities are available

Planning a Metering Pump Installation A metering pump installation must be planned from the day tank or liquid source up to the injection point. Remember that metering pumps will push against great pressures but they will not pull for great distances. Since it is easier to prime and more forgiving, a fl ooded suction is always preferred, and must be used for fl uids where vapor pressure might be less than the suction lift.

Be careful to limit the suction to 4 ft in a suction-lift application, and a foot valve must be used in a top-mount application. Limit the length of a fl ooded suc-tion to 6 or 7 ft and use an adequately sized line with minimized bends, elbows or other restrictions. When considering the piping, the safest rule-of-thumb for selecting suction pipe size is to use one size larger than the pump suction connec-tion. For discharge piping, specify piping suitable for the discharge pressure.

Other accessories to consider when planning a metering pump installation include:

Suction strainer • Flanges, unions or compression fi ttings • Isolation valves • Calibration column • Relief valve • Back pressure valve • Pressure gauge • Pulsation dampener • Injection quill and check valve •

Remember that when replacing equipment or changing chemical programs, it is best to ask questions. Will the new program operate at the same feed rates as the previous one? Is the equipment properly sized for the new products? How well has the equipment been operating? Any problems with reliability, accuracy or unusually high maintenance requirements? There is no better start to a new chemical-feed program than to ensure that the chemical is delivered accurately with trouble-free equipment.

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Effi ciency Matters

for applications where any diaphragm failure must be sensed immediately.

Selecting a driver is also an area of concern. A driver should be chosen by matching it to the available utilities, which usually include electric, air, gas or other means of driving the pump. When the pump’s parameters are determined, consider the environment in which the pump will operate. Hazardous

area requirements must be identifi ed when selecting the driver. When evaluating a hazardous environment, remember to con-sider dust, which can ignite, just like fumes or vapors.

Will the pump be used indoors or outdoors? If it is located outdoors, it should be sheltered from direct sunlight. For temperature requirements, most pumps will operate in freezing conditions, provided that the pumped fl uid will not

freeze and that the correct lubricants are selected. In this case, freeze protection and heat-tracing may be required, while operation in corrosive environments may require special pump coatings.

Determining the pump’s control method is next on the list of determin-ing factors. The choices usually include manual continuous operation, on/off operation or automatic proportional control in response to a process signal.

In general, metering pump fl ow rates can be manually adjusted with a micrometer dial. This manual con-trol allows the pump to be operated between 10 and 100 percent of capacity by changing the stroke length. By com-parison, a manual variable speed drive changes the stroke speed. A combina-tion of the two may allow additional adjustability or turndown over the range of the drive, depending on the pump’s stroking speed. For example, a pump operating at 75 strokes per minute (which could be decreased to 15 spm) would allow a 5:1 turndown on speed when using the variable speed drive and a 10:1 turndown on stroke length when



using the micrometer dial.Metering pump fl ow rates can also

be controlled automatically (in response to a process signal) by electric position-ers that change the pump’s stroke length, or by variable speed drives that alter the stroking speed. Using a positioner gives the operator a full 10:1 turndown, which is the full adjustable range. Using a variable speed drive will supply only as much turndown as the ratio of the pump stroking speed divided by the pump’s minimum operating speed.

Remember that it is not practical to use a variable speed drive on motor-driven pumps that normally operate at less than 100 spm to 150 spm. Slowing the motor causes each stroke to take longer from start to fi nish and, as a practical matter, motor-driven pumps should not be operated at less than 15 spm. Electronic diaphragm pumps, which are pulsed by a solenoid, can operate at less than a single stroke per minute because the characteristic and timing of each stroke, from start to fi nish, is the same at all stroking speeds. The moving parts in modern diaphragm pumps offer long, reliable service at all stroking speeds. The highest stroking

A driver should be chosen by matching it to the available utilities, which usually include electric, air, gas or other means

of driving the pump.

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speeds should be avoided with viscous or abrasive chemicals. When automatic or electric stroke positioners control a metering pump, the

number of doses remains constant and the dose size is reduced, thus keeping the doses uniformly distributed in a constantly fl owing line. Use of a variable speed drive changes the stroke speed, while the size of the dose injected on each stroke remains the same, but makes the doses less frequent. This, however, can produce an

undesirable process result in a constantly fl owing line as the discreet slugs of chemi-cal are more widely separated than if a constant dose interval were maintained.

Finally, consider the application and quality level. Is the unit used for inter-mittent operation in an HVAC or light-duty application where economy is an important consideration? Is the unit for an industrial plant/waste-treatment facil-ity/refi nery/power plant where ruggedness and additional features are required? Is initial cost or life cycle cost more important?

P&S

Tom O’Donnell is senior product specialist for Lansdale, PA-based Neptune Chemical Pump Co. (www.neptune1.com), an operating company with the Pump Solutions Group (PSG™). He can be reached at [email protected] or 215-699-8700. PSG (www.pumpsg.com) is comprised of Wilden®, Blackmer®, Griswold™, Neptune™, Almatec® and Mouvex®.

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Do you have a large rotating drum that cannot keep a vacuum, or a pump that uses an exorbitant amount of water annually just to keep the packing operat-

ing satisfactorily? What about a problematic fl ange joint? This article will show three examples of how compres-

sion packing can solve these diffi cult sealing problems.

Sealing a Large Rotating DrumProblemIn a paper mill bleaching and rinsing process, a 12 ft diam-eter drum washer is designed to maintain a vacuum to pull water from the paper stock. The drum rotates at about 5 rpm and handles acidic bleach chemicals that are off the pH scale. The temperature is 160 deg F. Seals are required at both ends of the drum.

Anyone who has tried to seal a vacuum knows that nature abhors a vacuum. In addition, the old drum washer wobbles as it turns, so that vacuum is even more likely to be lost.

The packing needed to address these problems, includ-ing corrosive chemicals, moderate temperatures, imperfect rotation (run-out) and the need to maintain a vacuum.

Solution: Energized Compression Packing The packing manufacturer’s application specialist consid-ered all factors and offered lubricated PTFE packing to withstand the corrosive media and temperature. The more diffi cult problem was how to maintain positive contact with the sealing surface to achieve a reliable seal. All packing has some degree of resilience, which is a property more asso-ciated with rubber, but PTFE packing is not particularly resilient.

A novel packing system was designed to create resil-ience and maintain positive seal contact as the drum wob-bled through its rotations. An infl atable polymeric hose was installed behind the PTFE packing. The air pressure inside the hose added the needed resilience, enabling the packing to track the drum surface as it rotated (see Figure 1).

How Can Packing Solve My Sealing Problem?

This month’s Sealing Sense was prepared by FSA Members Jim Drago, Chris Boss, Rex Carriker and Phil Mahoney

From the voice of the fl uid sealing industry

SEALING SENSE

Figure 1. Vacuum drum washer packing system

Figure 2. Hose with braided PTFE tape


This prospective solution, however, introduced a new problem—the hose’s chemical compatibility. The strong bleach could degrade the hose, causing it to fail. Compression packing fabrication technology provided the solution, and the hose was wrapped with PTFE tape (see Figure 2).

An effective wrapping could only be done with a com-pression packing braider. The tape was wrapped using a round braider, equipment common to any compression packing manufacturer. An added benefi t of the solution to this tan-gential problem was that the burst strength of the tubing increased, allowing higher pressures that improved the seal’s quality and life.

ResultThe result was a long-lasting seal that held a vacuum under less than perfect conditions.

Excessive Usage of Water and Energy with Flush for PackingProblemThe pumps in a paper mill move condensate; circulate fl uids, feed stocks and chemical liquors; and transfer bleach stock. Many of the fl uids are mixed with abrasive solids that shorten packing life. Mechanical seals are often not suited for the abra-sive fl uids and worn equipment. The frequent replacement of packing adds the burden of additional packing purchases, labor hours to repack and lost production due to downtime.

Each pump handling abrasive fl uids uses 4 gpm to fl ush destructive abrasives from the packing. This equates to 2,100,000 gallons/year/pump of wasted water into the pumped fl uid. Additionally, energy is wasted to remove unwanted water from the media stream.

A paper mill, which contains many pumps, needed a solu-tion to conserve the costly resources of water and energy.

Solution: Enhanced Compression Packing SystemGiven these issues, another packing solution may seem coun-terintuitive. However, there are packing systems specifi cally designed to work in abrasive fl uids and reduce water consump-tion. An engineered combination of braided carbon fi ber, braided fl exible graphite, lantern rings and fl ush water fl ow controls combine to achieve the desired result. The graphite materials have low friction to accommodate a spinning pump shaft with little fl uid to cool it. The lantern fl ush ring and fl ush controls keep out abrasives and keep the packing cool enough to operate with a long life.

ResultWith installation of the updated packing system, the fl ush water required dropped to 0.5 gpm. The water savings amounted to 1,840,000 gallons/year/pump. An added benefi t was less energy was wasted removing the water from the system media.

Sealing Sense is produced by the Fluid Sealing Association as part of our commitment to industry consensus technical education for pump users, contractors, distributors, OEMs and reps. As a source of technical information on sealing systems and devices, and in cooperation with the European Sealing Association, the FSA also supports development of harmonized standards in all areas of fl uid sealing technology. The education is provided in the public interest to enable a balanced assessment of the most effective solutions to pump systems technology issues on rational Total Life Cycle Cost (LCC) principles.

The Compression Packing Division of the FSA is one of six with a specifi c product technology focus. As part of their mission they develop publications such as the recently published joint FSA/ESA Compression Packing Technical Manual and the Pump &Valve Packing Installation Procedures pamphlets. These are primers intended to complement the more detailed manufacturer’s documents produced by the member companies. In addition to English some are avail-able in a number of other languages, including Spanish and German.

The following members of the Compression Packing Division sponsor this Sealing Sense series:

A. W. Chesterton Co.Carbon Etc.Daikin America, Inc.DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C.Empak Spirotallic Mexicana SA de CVGarlock Sealing TechnologiesW.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.GrafTech International Holdings, Inc.Greene, Tweed & Co. /Palmetto, Inc. John CraneLatty International S.A.Leader Global TechnologiesLenzing Plastics GmbHNippon Pillar Corporation of AmericaSEPCO - Sealing Equipment Products Co.SGL Technic Polycarbon DivisionSlade, Inc.Teadit InternationalTeijin Aramid USA, Inc.YMT/Inertech, Inc.


Problematic Flange Joint ProblemIn a coal-fi red power plant—the domain of spiral wound and fabricated metal gaskets—a 50-year-old gate valve was leaking steam at 1,020 deg F and 2,350 psi at its bonnet joint. The valve’s bonnet fl ange sealing surface was worn, irregular, cut and scratched. The groove that received the gasket was uni-form, but its depth now varied from 0.040 in to 0.120 in. Traditional gaskets would not seal due to expansion during thermal cycling and required frequent retightening or replace-ment (see Figure 3).

Solution: Compression PackingYes, braided packing works for a fl ange—not just for pumps and valve stems. A braid composed of fl exible graphite and carbon fi ber was installed in the groove of the valve’s bonnet joint. The packing’s ability to easily conform to surface imper-fections and withstand high temperatures and pressures made it the best solution for the surfaces of the irregular fl ange.

ResultThe bonnet joint was sealed, did not require re-tightening when thermally cycled and lasted longer than traditional gasket solutions.

ConclusionThe conformability, fl exibility and wide range of material combinations and designs enable packing to seal many diffi -cult, unconventional applications. These capabilities, coupled with other packing systems components, can provide effective

sealing solutions that reduce the con-sumption of valuable water and energy resources.

If you have a sealing problem, con-sider a discussion with your packing manufacturer.

For more information on this topic see the following sections in the newly pub-lished FSA-ESA Compression Packing Technical Manual: How packing works, Valve packing types, Pump packing types, Specialty equipment packing, Advances in compression packing, Protocol for proper packing selection and Defi nition and uses of compression packing.

Next Month: What are the basics for applying expansion joints?

We invite your questions on sealing issues and will provide best efforts answers based on FSA publications. Please direct your questions to: sealingsensequestions@fl uid-sealing.com.

P&S

Figure 3. Problem valve bonnet joint

FSA Sealing Sense

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Q. We have an application for pumps handling hot oil at 700 deg F. What special care should we take in selecting and installing such pumps?

A. Pumps for handling oils within the range of 150 deg C to 450 deg C (300 deg F to 850 deg F) are commonly termed hot oil pumps.

It is important that suffi cient NPSH be available, as the liquid is almost always near the boiling point.

Provision should be made to allow self-venting of vapors from the impeller eye by venting the suction eye of the fi rst stage except where the suction nozzle is in a vertical upward position. The stuffi ng boxes and bearing housings should be provided with cooling jackets.

The glands should be of the smothering type. If pack-ing conditions require seal oil, lantern rings—together with the necessary pipe connections—should be provided. During operation, the seal oil pressure in the lantern ring should be held to a minimum of 175 kPa (25 psi) above stuffi ng-box pres-sure. Mechanical seals must be chosen specifi cally for the oil, temperature, pressure and speed.

The materials used for the construction of hot oil pumps should have a uniform coeffi cient of expansion and should be selected with particular reference to the oil’s corrosive nature, as well as the actual pumping temperature.

Due to the high pumping temperature, the pump support should be arranged in such a manner to permit expansion of

the pump casing without adversely affecting the coupling alignment.

API Standard 610 Centrifugal Pumps for General Refi nery Service may be used for more information.

It is important that the suction and discharge piping be supported to avoid pipe strains imposed on pump nozzles. The unit must be aligned at the operating temperature.

Q. Are there guidelines for the basic speed ratings for reciprocating power pumps?

A. Yes. However, conditions of installation and variations in design signifi cantly infl uence the selection of speed. The values in Table 1 are intended to serve as guidelines for basic speed ratings based on pumping cold water.

For an intermediate stroke length, speed may be interpolated.

Note that these speeds are intended only as reference points. Some manufacturers offer their pumps for operation at or above these basic speeds. Others recommend lower speeds.

When a pump originally designed for low viscosity liq-uids is used for liquids of higher viscosity, basic pump speed reduction is necessary to obtain proper valve dynamics and prevent liquid separation. When viscosity ranges from 65 to 6,500 mm2/s (300 to 30,000 SSU), Figure 6.46 should be used to determine the appropriate reduction in basic speed. Only

PUMPFAQs®

Table 1

Single-acting plunger-type power pump

Stroke length Basic speed

mm in rpm

50 2 750

75 3 530

100 4 420

125 5 360

150 6 315

175 7 290

200 8 262

Double-acting piston-type power pumps

Stroke length Basic speed

Mm in rpm

50 2 140

100 4 115

150 6 100

200 8 90

250 10 83

300 12 78

350 14 74

400 16 70


pumps specifi cally designed for high viscosity service should be used for liquids with viscosities above 6,500 mm2/s (30,000 SSU). See Section 6.3.2 in ANSI/HI 6.1-6.5 Reciprocating Power Pumps for details on the calculation of liquid velocity through valves.

Q. I understand that rotary pumps perform well when handling viscous liquids. How does the performance change as the liquid viscosity increases?

A. A pumped fl uid’s viscosity typically affects pump ratings as follows:

The net positive inlet pressure required (NPIPR) increases with increasing viscosity, as shown in Figure A.

The required pump input power (Pp) increases with increasing viscosity, as shown in Figure B.

Figure 6.46

Figure A

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HI Pump FAQs

The maximum allowable pump speed (n) decreases with increasing viscosity.

The pump slip (S), as shown in Figure C, decreases with increasing viscosity.

Exercise care in applying these generalities to non-Newto-nian fl uids, as the viscosity may change within the pump due to shear. When the apparent viscosity of a non-Newtonian fl uid can be determined, then these generalities can be applied.

Because the exact relationship between viscosity and pump ratings depends on the pump design and on the application conditions, refer to the pump manufacturer’s published data for

a particular pump, or consult the manufacturer when consider-ing viscous fl uid pump applications.

Energy put into a fl uid to overcome resistance to shear causes a fi nite temperature rise of the fl uid. Consult manu-facturers for recommendations on rotary pump applications involving fl uids that are shear- or temperature-sensitive.

For more information about rotary pumps, see HI Standard, ANSI/HI 3.1-3.5 Rotary Pumps for Nomenclature, Defi nitions, Application and Operation.

Rat

e of

flow

Actual flowat 7 bar

Figure B

Figure C

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Using the latest materials technology and hydraulic design, GIW MDX pumps are built to extend pump operating cycles under varying conditions typical of mill circuit applications. Fewer unscheduled outages and more up time translates into increased production and profitability. Contact your local GIW Representative to learn how GIW MDX pumps can increase your mill productivity.

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Q. We are operating several centrifugal pumps on a water supply system. After one year of operation, the underside of the impeller blades exhibits pitting damage. The NPSH available (NPSHA) in the system is higher than the NPSH required (NPSHR) by the pump. What is causing this problem?

A. Cavitation typically causes such damage. NPSHA often must be greater than NPSHR by a factor of about two times or more to suppress the formation of cavitation bubbles.

Testing determines a pump’s NPSHR to be that NPSH when the total head developed by the pump is reduced by 3 percent due to the blockage in the impeller by the cavitation bubbles. The complete elimination of cavitation bubbles may take NPSHA values as high as fi ve times the NPSHR.

When pitting damage occurs, and the NPSHA cannot be increased, impellers made of more pitting resistant

material may solve the problem. The results from research conducted by Cooper and Antunes have been tabulated in Figure D for some typical impeller materials.

P&S

CA15 S.Steel 410BHN

Aluminum Bronze

Titanium

CF8M Stainless

CA15 Stainless

CB7 Stainless

Monel

Ni-Resist

Manganese Bronze

Carbon Steel

Aluminum

Tin Brz. (Gun Metal)

Cast Iron

Low Relative Resistance High

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Note: Rate of wear due to cavitation erosion increases with increased temperature.

Figure D. Relative resistance table

Pump FAQs® is produced by the Hydraulic Institute as a service to pump users, contractors, distributors, reps and OEMs as a means of ensuring a healthy dialogue on subjects of common techni-cal concern.

HI standards are adopted in the public interest and are designed to help eliminate misunderstandings between the manufacturer, the purchaser and/or the user and to assist the purchaser in selecting and obtaining the proper prod-uct for a particular need.

As an ANSI approved standards developing organization, the Hydraulic Institute process of developing new stan-dards or updating current standards requires balanced input from all mem-bers of the pump community.

We invite your questions and will endeavor to provide answers based on existing HI standards and technical guidelines. Please direct your inquiries to: [email protected].

For more information about HI, our publications, Pump LCC Guide, Energy Saving Video-based educa-tion program and standards please visit: www.pumps.org. Also visit our new e-learning portal with a com-prehensive course on “Centrifugal Pumps: Fundamentals, Design and Applications,” which can be found at: www.pumplearning.org.

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©2010 Vibralign, Inc.

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Rental Pumps, Tools & Equipment

When dealing with a reputable provider, renting can provide all the advantages of having a pre-mium piece of equipment, without the costs or

responsibilities of ownership. When a pump needs service or repairs, the rental provider does them. Businesses no longer have to worry about how to dispose of a unit at the end of its usable life. A wide assortment of reliable rental equipment can be delivered to a jobsite quickly, giving convenient access to the right equipment for almost any task.

State of the Industry—2010 OutlookWith the economic challenges the United States faced in 2009, 2010 will continue to be the time for companies to consider renting versus owning.

Businesses continue to look for ways to cut back and minimize their expenses. Fewer companies are willing to spend the necessary amount of money to expand their fl eet or purchase new equipment, especially when older, less reli-able machines are still part of their overhead. With credit more diffi cult to obtain, companies want to avoid having any asset not used on a regular basis on their books.

“Renting is a great option for those who need a specifi c pump for one phase of a project but do not foresee getting that much use out of the equipment in the long run,” said Robert Dotson, western regional manager, RSC Equipment Rental Pump and Power Division. “Even in cases where they think they may use it frequently, it is worth comparing the cost of renting versus owning the equipment.”

The Importance of Green Accountability As we enter an age of greater transparent accountability for climate change, rental companies are providing innovative solutions for pump users to meet new equipment emission standards.

Newer equipment units such as Tier 3 options are gener-ally cleaner-burning and more fuel effi cient, so when renting

pumping solutions, it helps to deal with rental providers who have a younger fl eet and are knowledgeable about environ-mentally friendly options. It also makes a big difference if their units have been properly maintained and serviced.

When Renting Makes SenseFor users, renting offers independence to accomplish things that were out of reach before the right equipment was avail-able and affordable.

Renting makes sense when a business would rather accomplish something than add to its possessions, when a tool or pump solution will be used once (or just once in a while), when storage space is tight, when the purchase price is high and when money has to stretch. Rental equipment has another intrinsic advantage—it is generally more power-ful, better built and more thoroughly tested than equivalent products offered for sale to consumers. “Rental tough” equip-ment is contractor quality or professional-vendor quality. It is designed to do an outstanding job.

Furthermore, because industrial equipment is such a

When It Makes More Sense to Rent PumpsHeather Schlichting, RSC Equipment Rental

Renting the right pump for a project may improve a company’s bottom line.


large investment, many companies are forced to keep an asset that becomes devalued quickly and pay for the storage and maintenance of infrequently used equipment. In contrast, rental fl eets have an average lifespan of just fi ve years, making them younger, less prone to problems and more environmentally sound, letting out fewer emissions than older diesel engines.

Rental companies have taken the rental equipment industry beyond just machinery, adding benefi ts that are beyond cost. Portable trailers custom-stocked with specialized tools and small equipment are available for short-term projects. Onsite maintenance prevents costly downtime and increases productivity. Software allows users to manage their fl eet, costs, time and rental spend more effi ciently—all issues that are particularly important to long-term projects with large job sites.

How Renting Affects the Bottom LineRenting equipment provides a tremendous economic benefi t to users. Renting a pump solution means spending money only when and where the equipment is needed. If equipment sits idle, it can be expensive. Renting equipment also means getting the best equipment for the job, because the type of pump needed and when it is needed can be specifi ed.

Working with rented equipment can even simplify bidding and billing processes. The rental invoice is the only accountable cost fi gure.

P&S

Heather Schlichting is communications specialist at RSC Equipment Rental, 6929 E. Greenway Parkway Suite 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85254, Phone: 480-905-3341, Fax: 480-905-3400, [email protected], www.RSCrental.com.

The Top 12 Reasons for Renting

1. Control Expenses—Renting provides signifi cant savings over buying to improve the bottom line.

2. Inventory Control—Extra equip-ment is available when needed, so equipment inventory remains at a minimum.

3. The Right Equipment for the Job—Renting lets businesses fi t the type and size of equipment to the job for economy and safety.

4. 24/7 Customer Care—Day or night, businesses can reach dedi-cated customer service representa-tives who can access their account and resolve any problem quickly.

5. Save On Storage/Warehousing—Eliminating the need for large equipment storage areas and build-ings can signifi cantly reduce costs.

6. Reduce Downtime—If equip-ment breaks down, the rental provider will fi x it effi ciently so the job crew can keep working.

7. No Costly Repairs Or Upkeep—The rental provider can take care of the equipment’s maintenance, so a repair shop, spare parts inven-tory, mechanics or extra staff are not needed to take care of inven-tory maintenance records.

8. Save Disposal Costs—Businesses will not need to spend the time and money preparing, advertising and selling used equipment.

9. Cost Control—Renting simplifi es bidding and billing, so the rental is the only accountable cost.

10. Equipment Tracking—The presence of continuous billing on rented equipment establishes personal accountability.

11. Less Hassle With Licenses—Save time on equipment licensing and registration costs and paperwork.

12. Conserve Capital—Rent needed equipment and use capital for other, potentially more profi table, ventures.



In many cases, users rent pumps to help them meet specifi c project requirements. The user does not always want to purchase a pump because he may

not have the knowledge, manpower or time to service and maintain it properly, so renting is an option.

A rental can also come to the rescue when a cus-tomer’s pump fl eet has already been committed and/or additional pumps are needed—for instance, during emergency repair situations. Even for customers who ultimately plan to purchase a pump, rentals offer a way to “try before you buy.” Other benefi ts of renting include the ability to use the latest technology and the knowledge that an authorized dealer has maintained and serviced the rental equipment.

Time and money are valuable on a job—and when both are in short supply, equipment rental can be the

Maximizing Your Rental ExperienceKirsten Petersen Stroud and Robert Thompson, Thompson Pump & Manufacturing Co., Inc.

Tips for ensuring a positive pump rental experience.

Information to Gather Before You Rent 1. What needs to be accomplished with the pump (the application) 2. What type of liquid will be pumped–be specifi c about the liquid

and its properties 3. If any solid matter is in the liquid 4. The distance the liquid will be pumped 5. How quickly the liquid needs to be moved 6. Any special considerations or auxiliary equipment needed in the

jobsite environment 7. If noise is an issue 8. Type and size of hose or piping used 9. Where on the jobsite the pump will be placed10. Where the liquid will be discharged

Three 16 in electric-driven self-priming primary pumps alongside four 12 in diesel drive backup sewage pumps perform in Sioux Falls, SD.



answer. It is important to rent wisely since the wrong pump rental can waste both time and money.

In order to ensure that they get the right pump for the job, pump rental customers need to be prepared to answer many questions, and the rental company needs to be prepared with answers.

Equipment rental centers need detailed, accurate infor-mation about the application’s fl ow, lift and pressure require-ments. With this information, trained pump rental center per-sonnel can provide the right pump and piping for a successful job. Without detailed information and a knowledgeable staff, a customer may end up with a pump that either cannot do the job or cannot do it effi ciently.

The rental company should fully understand all the spe-cifi cs about the intended application before renting a pump. The more information gathered, the more accurate the pump recommendation.

Common pumps available for rental are standard cen-trifugal, diaphragm, trash and submersible. The majority of these pump types are within the sizes of 2 to 3 in and each is designed for different applications. Table 1 is a general pump selection table that identifi es which pump type is best suited for a specifi c application.

Tip: A classic mistake is renting the least expensive pump available. The best overall value is usually not the cheapest priced. Keep in mind that certain appli-cations require certain pumps to perform the job most effectively. For example, discuss fuel consumption and effi ciency with the pump rental provider.

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Upon identifying the pump type that best fi ts the applica-tion, check the pump performance curve supplied by the pump manufacturer. The pump performance curve shows the pump’s capabilities at different volumes and will match the correct size pump to meet fl ow requirements. The rental center should be able to supply these curves and explain them.

Do not forget accessories—pumps require certain accesso-ries. A variety of sizes and lengths of suction and discharge hose or pipe are required. Quality fi ttings to connect the equipment properly are also required. Sound attenuated pumping units may be necessary for noise-restricted applications such as those in neighborhoods or near schools and hospitals.

Some equipment rental centers choose to specialize in pump rentals and provide larger, portable pumps. These pumps can be as large as 18 in in suction size diameter. With the avail-ability of larger pumps with higher performances and enhanced features, more complex applications can be tackled.

“Renting pumps requires expertise and commitment and that is why we choose our distributors and rental dealers very carefully,” says John Farrell, VP of Sales, Thompson Pump & Manufacturing Co, Inc.

Pump renters agree there is no substitute for working with an experienced rental company when analyzing plans and spec-ifi cations, anticipating challenges and ultimately deciding what equipment is best for the application. A rental company plays a key role with a successful pump rental. They should offer prompt response to service calls and a proactive willingness to

help the customer overall. With a variety of pumps and systems available—and a vari-

ety of applications in which a pump is used—it is no surprise that a successful pump rental demands special attention from the renter and supplier alike. In that case, everybody wins.

P&S

Kirsten Petersen Stroud is the marketing manager and Robert Thompson is project manager for Thompson Pump, 4620 City Center Drive, Port Orange, FL 32129, 386-767-7310, [email protected] and [email protected], www.thompsonpump.com.

Tip: Keep in mind that a pump that is easy to operate with user-friendly controls and gauges requires less operator time and reduces costs.

Information to Gather Before You Rent for Complex Pumping Jobs

In addition to the 10 questions in “Information to Gather Before You Rent,” be sure to discuss these additional items: 1. The primary equipment (pumps) 2. Any standby equipment 3. Any pressure requirements for pumping the fl uid 4. Turnkey installation requirement 5. Fusion of piping required 6. Transportation/mobilization 7. Environmental concerns 8. Fueling 9. Maintenance10. 24/7 pump watch required 11. Any special equipment features such as automatic

start/stop, monitoring, auto-notifi cation and telemetry

Application

End Suction Centrifugal Diaphragm Trash Submersible Positive Displacement

Abrasive Liquid X

Clear Liquid X X X X

Coffer Dams X X X X

Deep Wells X

Fast Seepage Ditch Water X X

High-Solid-Content Liquid X X X

Manholes X X X

Mucky Liquid X X X

Muddy Liquid X X X

Quarries X X X

Silt Water X X X

Slimy Liquid X X

Slow Seepage Ditch Water X X

Wellpoints or Underdrain X

Pump Type

Table 1. Pump Selection: What pump works best for a specifi c application


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FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF


Practice & Operations

Constructed in the 1960s by Datang Corporation and located in

Mengtougou, the Gaojing Power Plant is one of the oldest power plants in Beijing. For the past 40 years, the Gaojing Power Plant has supplied 6 X 100 MW/hr of heat and electricity to local communities and industries. In 2003, with increasing environ-mental requirements from the government, the plant started using membrane technology to reuse the blowdown from its cooling towers as feed for its eight boilers.

OMEX Environmental, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, supplied three phases of a waste-water reuse system with productivity of 60 m3/h, 150 m3/h and 160 m3/h, respectively. In the second phase, an integrated solution of ultrafi ltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO) and electrodeionization (EDI) was applied; in the third phase, a dual membrane process with UF and RO was adopted after clarifi cations.

Typical Compositions of the Cooling Tower Blowdown In May 2007, the source of cooling tower makeup was changed from surface water to secondary effl uent from the Gaobeidian Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant. The waste stream contained high hardness, alkalinity, SO4

2- and silicon dioxide, which are typical characteristics of cooling tower blowdown.

In addition, the concentrations of different contaminants varied substantially with seasons and cooling tower makeup quality. The high scaling potential and unstable properties could cause problems in the subsequent wastewater reuse systems.

Process Flow and Key Treatment UnitsFigure 1 shows the process fl ow in the second phase reuse system. The blowdown water was fi rst pumped into a multi-media fi lter to remove suspended solids and reduce the tur-bidity from more than 20 NTU to around 4 to 8 NTU. The UF unit further decreased the turbidity to less than 0.4 NTU and protected the subsequent RO unit from colloids, sus-pended solids, bacteria and large molecular weight organics.

Reducing agents, anti-scalant and acid were then dosed before the fi rst pass RO system, in which most of the dissolved

Water Reuse and Energy Generation in Gaojing Power PlantFlora Tong, Dow Water & Process Solutions, Asia Pacifi c

How membrane technology was used to reuse blowdown from cooling towers in a power plant.

Figure 1. Process fl ow of the second phase reuse system

Facility Capacity (m3/h) Capacity Per Train (m3/h) No. of Trains

Multimedia Filter 270 270 1

Disk Filter 235 117.5 2UF 235 117.5 2

First Pass RO 186 93 2

Second Pass RO 167 83.5 2

EDI 150 75 2

Table 1. System information on unit operations of the second phase


solids and SiO2 were removed. The permeate water from the fi rst pass RO was then degasifi ed, and the pH was increased to 9.5 by NaOH dosing before entering the second pass RO.

In the end, EDI was installed for fi nal demineralization to meet the requirement of boiler makeup. The key treatment units in the second phase reuse system are listed in Table 1.

Plant PerformanceFigure 3 plots by time period the silt density index (SDI) of the UF permeate for both phases of the reuse system. For the third phase system, a constant SDI value less than three (usu-ally around 2.5) indicated a good and stable UF operation per-formance. In the second phase, however, the SDI value varied from three to four, probably due to higher turbidity of the UF infl uent in the second phase. After approximately fi ve years of operation, the UF membrane can still produce quality water that meets the required RO feed water quality.

The salt rejection rate of the fi rst pass RO was stable between 97 and 98 percent, while that of the second pass varied from 71 to 93 percent (see Figure 4). This is due to the fact that the conductivity of the second pass RO was as low as 40 to 80 μs/cm. The conductivity is in many cases the most important quality parameter of the product water. Since carbon dioxide is not rejected by the membrane, it is present in the product water, where it reacts to form carbonic acid and causes the conductivity to increase. The passage of carbon dioxide can be prevented by adjusting the feed water pH to RO to a value of about 8.2. At this pH, most carbon dioxide is converted into hydrogen carbonate, which the membrane rejects. The prob-lem could also be solved by installing a degasifi er, as was the case in the Gaojing Power Plant.

The recoveries of the two-pass RO systems were 75 per-cent and 90 percent, respectively. For the second phase system with EDI after the RO system, the effl uent resistance increased

to above 14 MΩ-cm.UF could only remove a small portion of the organics,

with effl uent CODMn around 4 to 8 mg/L into the RO systems. The fi rst pass RO unit was able to reduce COD level to below 2 mg/L, with rejection rate around 70 to 80 percent; however, in the second pass, the RO unit almost could not remove any more organics (see Figure 5). The organics that passed the fi rst pass RO probably weighed less than the molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of the RO element.

NaOH was dosed in the fi rst pass RO effl uent to increase pH of the second pass RO infl uent. It also helped to increase silica rejection of the second pass RO (see Figure 6). The silica level could be controlled below 10 parts per billion (ppb) in RO permeate. EDI further reduced silica to less than 3 ppb.

Chemical Dosing and Cleaning ProcessOxidant dosed in UF infl uent and backwash water to pre-• vent biological growthReduce agent dosed in RO feed to protect RO from oxida-• tion; dosage controlled by online ORP monitorAnti-scalant dosed in RO feed to avoid CaCO• 3/CaSO4 scaling pH adjustment between fi rst and second pass RO• UF unit was backwashed every 30 minutes, with air scrub • every fi ve hours. Clean in place (CIP) was performed every three months. RO unit was cleaned at pH 12 fi rst and then at pH 2 at 30 deg C. The CIP frequency was once per month.

P&SFlora Tong is an application development specialist for Dow Water & Process Solutions, Asia Pacifi c, 936, Zhangheng Road, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Shanghai, China, +86 2138511671, [email protected], www.dow.com.

Figure 3. SDI of UF permeate (second and third phase)Figure 4. Salt rejections of the RO units (second phase)

Figure 5. COD removal rate in RO system (second phase)

Figure 6. Silica rejections in second pass RO


Market Update

Executive Summary

When assessing the vast chemical industry, it is usu-ally not advisable to deal in generalities. However, as a base for the market’s examination, Beth Beloof

and Marianne Lines, authors of the recent book Transforming Sustainability Strategy into Action: The Chemical Industry, pro-vide a base for the market’s examination: “The impact of the chemical industry is felt in every area of commerce, as chemi-cals are ubiquitous in all value chains and affect all ecosystems, no matter how seemingly pristine, on the planet.”

That said, if we may indulge in one more generality, the chemical market has seen better years than 2009. In fact, a portend of the struggles that 2009 would bring was presented in late 2008 by Trey Hamblet, vice president for chemical processing for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). In a presentation in December 2008, Hamblet announced that many of the chemical processing industry’s 4,000 opera-tional plants—reacting to the dire economic forecasts that resulted from the September 2008 banking crisis—would consider major cutbacks, closures and capacity consolida-tion. Hamblet did predict, optimistically, that these actions would only be instituted as a buffer against potentially crip-pling shutdowns.

With that in mind, what is the state of the chemical industry as 2009 fades into the rearview mirror? While the economy did mandate belt-tightening across the board, most fi rms were able to weather the economic storm—which appears to be modifying—because they had already begun to incorporate sustainability.

Pumping Up the Bottom LineIn 1987, The World Commission on Environment and Development defi ned sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This corporate sustainability movement has gained momentum in recent years as many facility managers, regardless of the industry, have undertaken a top-to-bottom review of their

operations, through which they have identifi ed ineffi ciencies and taken the appropriate steps to eliminate them.

This is crucial as it relates to the chemical industry. Chemical manufacturing is precise with numerous formula-tions needed to be constructed according to a specifi c pro-cess. Industrial pumps play a major role in this manufactur-ing process. According to the United States Department of Energy’s Offi ce of Energy Effi ciency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the industrial sector consumes 33.6 percent of all energy used in the United States. Various reports state that pumping systems—the second-most widely used machines in the world after motors—account for anywhere between 27 and 33 percent of the total electricity used in the indus-trial sector.

Realizing this, manufacturers of pumps used in chemi-cal processing have begun to eliminate the ineffi ciencies in pump design that can drag down revenue and profi ts for manufacturing clients. By offering technological improve-ments in the following areas, pump manufacturers have pro-vided their clients in the chemical market with the blueprint for bottom-line-friendly sustainability in their operations.

Energy UseEverybody is looking to cut energy costs. The following tech-nological improvements, if used properly, can help a manu-facturer lower a plant’s energy consumption:

More manufacturers are building pumps that incorporate • variable frequency drives (VFDs). These pumps use electricity instead of hydraulics to create a system that controls the rotational speed of the electric motor by controlling the electrical power supplied to the motor. A VFD requires low frequency and voltage to start, and when it is running, the frequency and voltage are increased at a controlled rate without the need for exces-sive current.If you have a size 10 foot, why would you buy size 13 • shoes? Too often, plants install pumps that are larger than necessary “just in case.” However, three or four years

Chemical Market UpdateWalter Bonnett, PSG

While the chemical industry had a trying 2009, advances in pump technology signal a bright future.


down the road, too many are still using the same oversized pumps although production data has shown that a smaller, more energy-effi cient pump will work as well. Pump size does matter.Manufacturers must identify and use technologies that are • inherently more energy effi cient. For example, through the use of a number of vanes that slide in or out of slots in the pump rotor, positive-displacement sliding vane pumps have proven more energy effi cient than gear pumps. The small breakdowns that seem inevitable in any extensive • pumping application affect revenue due to downtime and repair costs. These maintenance expenses can be lessened, however, if the correct type and size of pump is used for the appropriate application. A little legwork at the beginning of the process can usually eliminate some future headaches.Walk into many plants and—admittedly in many cases by • necessity—the piping has not been optimally designed. Not only can this be an eyesore, but inadequate air fl ow due to poorly designed air systems can decrease effi ciency and increase costs. Pumping technology that helps eliminate the ineffi cient use of air will help the bottom line.

Environmental ConcernsThe corporate-sustainability movement closely relates to the green movement that dictates that all operations must be as

environmentally friendly as possible. While being energy effi -cient is a key green component, safely handling the myriad prod-ucts used in chemical processing is also a primary concern.

More pump manufacturers are developing technologies that address the concerns associated with product handling. One chief concern is a chemical spill polluting the environ-ment, or creating a safety hazard for plant personnel. To assuage these concerns, forward-thinking pump manufacturers are cre-ating pumps that feature sealless construction. Pumps without seals are less susceptible to leaks. Advances in sealless technol-ogy are being incorporated into pumps that can handle the strict requirements of chemical manufacturing.

ConclusionWhile the chemical industry will always remain a major player in the world’s economy, improvements in pump construction and operation will optimize the industry’s effi ciency.

P&S

Walter Bonnett is the director of global marketing for Pump Solutions Group (PSG™), Redlands, CA. He can be reached at 909-512-1268 or [email protected]. PSG (www.pumpsg.com) is comprised of six pump companies—Wilden®, Blackmer®, Griswold™, Neptune™, Almatec® and Mouvex®.

ANSI/HI 9.6.4 — Rotodynamic Pumps

State-of-the-Art Vibration StandardNew!

The revised 2009 edition … now the normative vibration standard for the pump industry!

✔ Uses both metric (primary) and US customary (secondary) units

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✔ Provides values for optional factory tests and field tests for most pump types

✔ Provides allowable vibration values for preferred and allowable operating regions

✔ Expanded appendix includes a suggested vibration test report form, vibration trouble-shooting chart, more

… Plus updated vibration-related information on a range of key topics important to your business.

For more information and to order, visit:

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Product Pipeline

Enclosed Full Port Inline Check ValvesProco Products produces the ProFlex 750, designed to answer enclosed body check valve requirements for slurry applications. It requires no external power sources, making operation costs obsolete. The valve’s unique design means there are no mechanical parts to break down or wear, which reduces maintenance costs. The ProFlex 750 easily allows fl ow of abrasive materials such as raw sewage, sludge or slurries. The elastomer design allows media to fl ow through without signifi cant head losses and will seal around solids trapped in the valve. Circle 221 or go to psfreeinfo.com

Tank MonitoringNitz Associates, Inc. announces its TankMeter 1000 Series, which non-intrusively determines pre-charge pressure, liquid volume and gas pressure inside any tank. It is ideal for fuel, oil and water systems because the tank does not need to be taken off-line, drained or weighed. The TankMeter has a handheld Wireless Remote Display that automatically and wirelessly synchronizes tank information up to a range of 200 ft. It holds more than

1,000 readings per tank and stores data on over 200 tanks simultaneously. TankSoft software is ideal for archiving readings and plotting trend lines.Circle 224 or go to psfreeinfo.com

High Pressure TubingInnovative Pressure Technologies (IPT) intro-duces High Pressure Tubing. This tubing provides good resistance to organic acids at high concentrations and moderate temperatures, to inorganic acids (e.g., phosphoric and sulfuric) at moderate concentrations and temperatures, to salt solutions (e.g., sulfates, sulfi des and sulfi tes), and in caustic environments. 316L Stainless Steel tubing can be used in sulfuric acid concentrations even above 90 percent at low temperature. It is rated for use in temperatures from -100 deg F to 600 deg F (-73 deg C to 315 deg C), with maximum working pressure of 20,000 psi (1,030 bar) or 60,000 psi (4,140 bar). Tubing is sup-plied in 18 to 22 ft lengths, with custom lengths available upon request. Typical applications include heat exchangers, condensers, pipelines, cooling and heating coils, as well as applications in the offshore oil and gas, chemical, petro-chemical, pulp and paper and food industries. Circle 225 or go to psfreeinfo.com

P&S

Product Pipeline

Cost Reduction Through Improved Life CycleThrough these upgrades, the pump’s life cycle was extended from approximately 8 months to 60 months, which represented signifi cant cost savings. The following estimates the mill’s cost savings based on today’s dollars in the chart on the right.

ConclusionThe longest running upgraded pump was in continuous service for more than nine years. Instead of fi ghting constant down-time, mill personnel could direct their time and budgets to new areas of improvement. More reliable pump performance also translated into a better quality product.

P&S

Estimated Pump Repair Costs before UpgradesCost of an average rebuild $80,000Installation and removal $15,000Cost per pump per repair cycle $95,000

Cost per pump over 60 months (7.5 repairs) $712,500

Number of pumps 3

Total estimated cost for three pumps over60 months $2,137,500

Estimated Pump Repair Costs after UpgradesCost of upgraded rotor $130,000Installation and removal $15,000 $145,000

Number of pumps 3

Total cost – 60 months $435,000

Estimated cost savings over 48 months $1,702,500

(continued from page 27)

The Aftermarket

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERSAdvertiser Name R.S. # Page Advertiser Name R.S. # PageABZ, Inc. 155 61

Alfred Conhagen, Inc. 133 26

All Prime Pumps 141 63

Applied Industrial Technologies 101 5

Arroyo/Phantom Pumps 134 53

ASI 111 17

Blue-White Industries 112 11

Carver Pump Co. 113 9

Corrosion Fluid Products 156 61

Dan Bolen & Assoc. 142 62

Electro Static Technology 114 24

Emerson Industrial Automation 126 40

Equipump 157 61

Frost & Sullivan 135 59

Garlock Sealing Technologies 102 IBC

GIW Industries 115 48

Graphite Metallizing Corp. 143 62

Hydraulic Institute 136 59

Hydro, Inc. 103 1

Inpro Seal 104 BC

ITT Goulds Pumps 127 35

Junty Industries, Inc. 144 62

KSB 117 10

Load Controls 118 27

Machine Support, Inc. 128 44

Meltric 145 62

Metrafl ex 129 13

Monofl o 119 21

National Pump Co. 120 31

Neptune Chemical Pump Co. 131 37

NOC 158 61

Palmetto Inc. 137 47

Perifl o Pumps 130 51

Pump Users Symsposium 105 45

PumpBiz, Inc. 121 38

Pumping Machinery 159 61

R+W Couplings Technology 116 19

Rebound Products Inc. 122 22

Ruhrpumpen 106 3

Schlumberger 123 39

SEPCO 124 25

Serfi lco 138 47

SERO Pump Systems 146 63

Simerics 107 41

Sims Pump Co. 100 32-33

Sims Pump Co. 100 63

Standard Alloys 125 15

Summit Pump, Inc. 148 62

Superbolt 139 26

Synchrony 108 IFC

Tamer Industries 149 63

Trachte USA 150 62

Trask-Decrow 151 63

Tuf-Lok International 152 63

Verder 140 53

Vertifl o 153 63

Vesco 154 62

VibrAlign 132 49

Wood Group Surface Pumps 110 29

* Ad index is furnished as a courtesy and no responsibility is assumed for incorrect information.

P U M P U S E R S M A R K E T P L A C E M A R K E T P L A C E P U M P U S E R S



“Serving the Pump & Rotating Equipment, Valve, and Industrial Equipment Industry since 1969”

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9741 North 90th Place, Suite 200Scottsdale, Arizona 85258-5065

(480) 767-9000 • Fax (480) 767-0100Email: [email protected]

www.danbolenassoc.com

EXECUTIVE SEARCH/RECRUITING

Pump Industry Sales Sales Engineer

Graphite Metallizing Corporation has Sales opportunities in various geographic regions of the U.S. We manufacture GRAPHALLOY self-lubricating bearings specifically for pumps, high temperature and submerged applications, places where ordinary bearings fail.This is an independent, position, supported by strong sales, marketing and engineering staff at our headquarters. Responsibilities include selling and promoting our products to pump manufacturers, refineries, chemical plants, process industries and more. Pump experience, a technical degree, and mechanical aptitude are required. Refinery experience is a plus. Graphite Metallizing is a growing, ISO-9001 certified, manufacturer of bearings and bushings for industry. We have a long established reputation for quality and customer service.

Submit your resume with salary history to [email protected] or fax to

Recruiting at (914) 968-8468.For more information, see our website at

www.graphalloy.com



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P&S Stats and Interesting Facts


P&S Stats and Interesting Facts

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53

-0.40%

-0.20%

0.00%

0.20%

0.40%

0.60%

0.80%

1.00%

Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09

Pump and Pumping Equipment Manufacturing

Air and Gas Compresor Manufacturing

Pump and Compressor Manufacturing

Chemical

Food, Beverage and Tobacco

Petroleum and Coal Products

Mining

Paper

65.00%

70.00%

75.00%

80.00%

85.00%

90.00%

Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09

$1.50

$1.70

$1.90

$2.10

$2.30

$2.50

$2.70

$2.90

Nov-08 Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09

Average Price of Gasoline

Average Price of Diesel Fuel

Rig Count (U.S.): Jan. 2, 2009 - Jan. 7, 2010

Num

ber

of

Rig

s R

unni

ng

Week

Month-to-Month Percentage Price Change in Pumps and Compressors

Plant Capacity Utilization by Industry

Average Fuel Prices (United States)

Source: Baker-Hughes Inc.

Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release

Source: Energy Information Administration

The Producer Price Index program of the U.S. Department of Labor measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output. These charts detail the month-to-month percentage change in selling prices. Source: U.S. Department of Labor

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The Inpro/Seal Company has been in the business of bearing protection for rotating equipment for 32 years and counting. We have been supplying bearing protection for the IEEE-841 motors since they were first introduced to industry. It is only logical that we would expand into the field of motor shaft current mitigation to protect motor bearings. The CDR is:

Machined entirely out of solid corrosion resistant and highly conductive bronze, the CDR/MGS is capable of carrying 12+ continuous amps. They are made exclusively by the Inpro/Seal Company in Rock Island, IL, to ensure consistent quality and same-day shipments when required.

The CDR and MGS (Motor Grounding Seal) products were developed in our own Research and Experimentation Laboratory and then extensively tested and evaluated by professional motor manufacturing personnel. Our standard guarantee of unconditional customer satisfaction of product performance applies. We stand behind our products.

When you order a CDR or MGS from Inpro/Seal, you are assured of the complete responsibility for technology and performance from a single source. We want to earn the right to be your first choice for complete bearing protection.

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For more information visit www.inpro-seal.com/CDR or contact800-447-0524 for your Inpro/Seal Representative.


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