april04-pump maintenance too high

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Process equipment engineers and technicalsales representatives certainly know theirpump products. Their knowledge can be

very helpful to those of you who have to makethe selection. For the most part, however, youare spending your companys money, not yourown. Its your responsibility--and your neck onthe line. You, ultimately, must answer for thepumps you specify, requisition or purchase.

Speaking to a graduating class at TulaneUniversity Business School, Fred Friendly, for-mer president of CBS said:

Our job is not to make up anybodys mind,but to open minds and make the agony of decisionmaking so intense, you can escape only by think-ing.

In a follow-up discussion, Friendly empha-sized the difficulty of getting college gradu-atesbright, educated future industry leaders--

PUMPS & SYSTEMS www.pump-zone.com APRIL 2004 33

Pump Maintenance

Too High?Think Twice

Before You Buy!

By George Black, Contributing Editor

An industry veteran tells howspecification decisions can impactthe cost of maintenance later on.

While a pump that is

giving you trouble may

have been the right

one when it was first

installed, before

replacing it, youll want

to take the time to

check it against whats

out there today.


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to avoid knee-jerk reactions. . . .to think out of the box. . . todare to be different and open tonew ideas.

What does this have to dowith your role in reducing pumpmaintenance and related down-time costs? Everythingespecial-ly since we all know how easy itis to simply requisition a replace-ment pump just like (or muchlike) one that has failed, ratherthan get authorization for a newand different one that may costmore.

Before automatically order-

ing a replacement for a failedpump, or specifying pumps for anew installation, you need tothink. While a pump that is giv-ing you trouble may have beenthe right one when it was first

installed, youll want to take thetime to check it against whatsout there today. You may be sur-prised at what you find.

Review the service condi-tions as they were when thatpump was originally installed.Have they changed? Examine thecauses for failure and the mainte-nance history on this installation.Keep your options open in lightof new pump designs and theavailability of new materials ofconstruction. Make your deci-sion on todays choicesnotthose of yesterday. Doing so can

help save on maintenance costsin the future.

For Example. . .One area where being open

to new ideas is especially impor-

tant is in material selection. Take,for example, that running battleover the choice of stainless steeland available plastics for the han-

dling of fluids used in the phar-maceutical industry.Prior to 2001, the standard

material of construction for fluidhandling piping and relatedequipment was stainless steelbecause of its well-known anddocumented corrosion-resistantqualities. But in January of thatyear, the following statementappeared in the IPSE Baseline Engineering Guides for New and

Renovated Facilities:Pharmaceutical equipment

and piping systems rely heavily onstainless steels to provide the nonre-active, corrosion-resistant construc-tion needed in manufacturing and

APRIL 2004 www.pump-zone.com PUMPS & SYSTEMS34


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heat sterilization. However, ther-moplastics are available that mayoffer improved qualities or lowercost.

This simple statementopened the gates for the publica-tion of data on extensive researchthat had been and is still beingconducted by DuPont, Atofinaand other manufacturers of thevarious thermoplastics widelyused by the process industries forhandling corrosive, hazardousand other aggressive chemicals,as well as for circuit board manu-facturing applications where

metallic contamination can notbe tolerated.

The high point in responseto this flood of published datawas an article published in

Pharmaceutical Engineering.Picking up on the publicdemand for lower cost pharma-ceuticals, and the revised ISPE

Baseline that suggests the possi-bility of using thermoplasticfluid handling equipmentinstead of stainless steel to cutcosts without affecting productquality, the writers noted:

Contradictory to the care-ful planning and execution ofresource expenditures, thepharmaceutical and biotech-nical industries continue to

spend untold millions of dol-lars to compensate for theshortcomings of materials of construction (stainless steeland glass) currently used in

the production of their prod-ucts. (We) suggest a redirec-tion, with the aid of fluo-ropolymer materials of con-

struction, of these millions of dollars, to more productivepharmaceutical and biotech-nology industry uses.

When materials engineeringspecialists sign their names to astatement that an industry ismisspending untold millions ofdollars because of its selection ofthe wrong materials of construc-tion, its time to sit up and take

notice.In another article on the sub-

ject published in Ultrapure Water,stainless steel pumps were indicat-ed as one of the major sources of


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creating and spreading rouge (acatchall word for the destructiveiron oxide corrosion product)found on the inside of the stain-

less steel piping in pharmaceuti-cal water systems. This rouge hasto be removed periodically byshutting down the system andpassivating the stainless steel pip-ing through the use of chemicalsolutions. According to the arti-cles authors, Robert W. Evans ofR.W. Evans and Associates, andDrew Coleman of ICOS Corp:

Rouging can first be noted

on the impeller, then on thebacking plate and/or housing.

High differential velocities

within the pumps lead to ero-

sive forces and propelling finely

dispersed particulates through-

out the entire system.

These statements not onlyreinforce the strong attack on the

conventional use of stainless steel,they put a big part of the blameon the shoulders of pump manu-facturers and pump specifiers.

One answer is to specify pip-ing systems constructed of stan-dard or double containmentPVDF or other thermoplasticpipe, as well as pumps offering allfluid contact components of thesame material.

Back to BasicsMaterial selection is just one

of the critical factors in extend-ing pump life, minimizingdowntime and keeping mainte-

nance costs low. Unfortunately,because many engineering stu-dents miss out on actual fieldapplications while in school, they

may overlook such factors whentheyre out in the real world.No wonder. Much of todays

engineering school curriculum isbased on laboratory immersiontesting results and the sophisti-cated processes involved in theirmanufacture. Thanks to a num-ber of things, including the cre-ative engineering of raw materialproducers, the willingness ofplant engineering and manage-

ment personnel to share theirsuccesses and failures and theeditorial determination andintegrity of the trade press, toname a few, there has been a con-


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tinuous, free and invaluable post-graduate course available to allwilling to read and learn. Still,facts and figures are only part of

the answer to the problemspump users face.

We all know there is no sub-

stitute for doing what doesnt

come naturally. Thinking and

rethinking is not easy. Neither is

avoiding the temptation to auto-

matically re-order a replacement,

or buy the cheapest product, or

the one with the biggest name, or

something from the friend of the

boss. In the long run, good man-agement requires doing what does-

nt come easily. But it pays off. To

see how, lets look at several major

pump problems and solutions.

Answering IndustrysNeeds

Several years ago, Gerald

Lewis, President and CEO of

Vanton Pump & Equipment,authored an article entitled Way

Back When - An Overview of

Pump Developments from BCE

to Y2K, for Pump-Zone.com.

In it, he highlighted several

pump developments of the 20th

century that he felt would

mature during the 21st. Each of

these were solutions to problems

that caused maintenance costs torise and production rates to fall.

Among them:

1. Problem: Vertical pump

failure, motor burnout andlost production due tointerruptions in fluid flow.

Instrumentation was devel-

oped to automatically shut thepumps down. This saved the

pumps and motors, but played

havoc with production schedules.

Consequently, the industry

designed cantilevered shaft

pumps that can tolerate long-time

dry running and be running full

blast when the fluid starts to flow.

2. Problem: Leakage of corro-

sive or hazardous fluids

This is a problem that

plagues all industriesand one

that has become more serious as



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Necessity. . . and InventionGerald Lewis, President and CEO of Vanton

Pump & Equipment, knows a lot about the topic

of pump developments, past and future. As ayoung engineer, Lewis had been behind the

development of the first all-plastic pump (a self-

priming, sealless peristaltic type rotary pump to

gently handle blood during heart/lung operations

without contaminating it).

As so often is the case, necessity was the

mother of this invention. Not only did this flexible

liner non-metallic pump design solve the problem

and save lives, it launched the worldwide use of

nonmetallic pumps for the handling of corrosive,hazardous, toxic, abrasive and other aggressive

fluids, as well as those demanding ultrapurity.

environmental and health regulations

have become more complex and

demanding. Despite the many advance-

ments in seal technology, the inherent

characteristics of horizontal centrifugalpumps keeps this problem alive.

One answer is to stay close to yourseal supplier to make sure the pumpsyou are using, specifying or orderingincorporate the right seals for the chem-istry, temperature and physical nature ofthe fluids you will be handling. Yet, evenif they fit the requirements, sooner orlater all mechanical seals need inspec-tion and changing. Thus, you need tocarefully consider the downtime fre-quency and time requirements for effec-tive planned maintenance schedules.Pump design plays a major role in sealselection.


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End suction horizontalcentrifugal pumps conformingto ANSI specifications offerback pull-out features that

speed seal changes. Standardhorizontal centrifugals are alsoavailable with an interestingpedestal power frame construc-tion that simplifies inspectionin the field. This design incor-porates unique sliding bardesign that permits inspectionand repositioning of theinboard shaft bearing closer tothe impeller without removingthe pump and without affect-

ing shaft alignment. It affordseasy adjustment of the bearingassembly and keeps shaft over-hang and deflection at a mini-mum, thus extending seallife. And this can be accom-plished in the field in a matterof minutes.

Another answer is to gosealless. A number of pumpdesigns fit this solution: verti-cal sump pumps, cannedpumps, flexible liner rotarypumps, diaphragm pumps,tube pumpsand if you arethinking horizontal centrifu-gals, consider magneticallydriven pumps. Again, most ofthese are available in metalsand plastics.

4. Problem: Pumping de-bris laden fluids.

Clear liquids are one thing.Dirty fluids with small solidsor stringy materials have alwaysbeen a headache but the prob-lem has been handled with avariety of tube, peristaltic,diaphragm and similar pumps

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Next time you need a seal, why not install a quality seal built

for industrys toughest services.Whether your pump needs a cartridge seal or component

seal, AST has a high performance solution that

will meet your exact needs.

Long ago, our AST 70 single cartridge

and AST 80 dual cartridge designs set the

industry standard in heavy duty applica-

tions.

Whats more, as a designer and

OEM, we maintain large inventories that

mean fast deliveries to minimize your

downtime.

And because AST seals are field instal-

lable and rebuildable you can control budget,

schedule and maintenance.

To learn more how AST seals are more than just

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with flexible casing materials.Centrifugal pumps, both verticaland horizontal have been on thedont use list until recently.

Headway has been made with thevortex recessed-impeller design,and these, too, are now availablein both metal and plastics.

Maintenance in the

Future

Pumps have been function-ing since the ancient civilizationsdating back 3,500 years or more.Accordingly, pumps are nowoften viewed as a mature indus-

try. Nothing could be furtherfrom the truth.

Those individuals with theresponsibility for creating newfluid handling and processing

systems to meet the high produc-tivity and environmentally soundmanufacturing demanded by ourrapidly changing world must not

consider themselves as living onthe inventions of a static society.Reducing maintenance costs is astep forward not backward, andwe should be taking that forwardstep whenever we have theopportunity to replace a failedpiece of equipment or order anew production system for ourplant. To stand still is to go back-wardsand expensive. P&S

Contributing Editor GeorgeBlack is a communications consul-tant with a broad background inprocess equipment and the selectiveuse of stainless steel, high alloy met-als and engineered plastics for thetransfer and storage of corrosive,abrasive, hazardous and otheraggressive chemicals, as well asultrapure water and high puritychemicals. A life member of theAmerican Society for Materials(ASM), he has been an activemember of the American Instituteof Chemical Engineers for morethan 25 years. He has served as acommunications consultant andtechnical writer for a number of leading corporations, includingInternational Nickel, CooperAlloy, Patterson Pump, SkinnerEngine Company, Kason, Croll-Reynolds, Atofina Chemicals,Vanton Pump & Equipment andmany others. In addition to writ-

ing numerous articles on the mar-keting of industrial products, hehas authored three textbooks,including Sales EngineeringAn Emerging Profession (GulfPublishing), a guide to helpengineers succeed in the advertis-ing/marketing field. E-mail himat [email protected].

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Make your

decision ontodays choices

not those of yes-

terday. Doing so

can help save on

maintenance

costs in the

future.

The Liberty Process American Pump Series is

Your Best Choice in wobble stator pumps.Our quality manufacturing and design featuresensure the highest efficiency and performancefor any flow direction or operating position.

The multi-rotor/stator configurations can betailored to your specific application. Ideal fora wide variety of abrasive or corrosive fluids.

The American Pump features, with ourcommitment to sales and support services,make Liberty Process Your Best Choice.

Our pumps are available from in-stock forimmediate delivery. So, call, fax or visit ourweb site.

Mechanical Seal or PackingConfigurations

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Pressures to 150 PSI

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Web site: www.libertyprocess.com

The innovative elastomericwobble stator is designed to provide additional

abrasion resistance and increased compressioncapabilities.

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