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Pumps: Failure Modes and Ways to Investigate the Cause

AIChE Clearwater Convention 2009; Dr. Jürgen Weinerth

Pumps:Pumps:

Failure Modes Failure Modes and and Ways Ways toto

Investigate the Investigate the CauseCause

Dr. Juergen Dr. Juergen WeinerthWeinerthFriatecFriatec -- Rheinhuette GmbH & Co. KGRheinhuette GmbH & Co. KG

RheingaustrasseRheingaustrasse 96 96 –– 989865203 Wiesbaden, Germany65203 Wiesbaden, Germany



FRIATEC-Rheinhütte GmbH & Co.KGRheingaustraße 96-98D-65203 WiesbadenGermany

Founded in 1857 as an iron foundry

Tel.: +49 - (0) 611 - 604 - 0Fax: +49 - (0) 611 - 604 - 328

Webpage: www.rheinhuette.deEmail: [email protected]

24h Service: +49 - (0) 172 -7 25 98 51Email service: [email protected]

Employees: 280Turnover: EURO 42 Mio.



Standardized chemical pumps

Magnetic drivepumps

Chemical pumps in heavy duty design

Circulation pumps Vertical chemical pumps

Liquid ring vacuum pump



Quote Quote from from HansHans--Jürgen BittermannJürgen Bittermannofof Process TechnologiesProcess Technologies: :

Wrong operation and wrong selectioncauses 90 to 95 per cent of pump failures!

Problems can only be avoided if it is understood what caused them!

17.12.2007



Broken shaft at the coupling end of a vertical pump

Damaged submerged bearings of a vertical pump

Cracked mechanical seal of a axial flow propeller pump

Abnormal increased spare part consumption

Some more pictures...

Case ExamplesCase Examples



Wrong Operation

Broken Shaft at the Coupling End of a Vertical Pump



Vertical Pumpfor Hot SulphuricAcid

QPump = 600m³/hH = 30m

99,5% H2SO4T = 220°C



Complete Metallurgical Analysis of the Shaft



Wrong Process Operation

Damaged submerged bearings of a vertical pump



Vertical Pumpfor Ammonium NitrateSolution

QPump = 55m³/hH = 39mT = 157°CNPSHA = 3,5mNPSHR = 3,0m



Incorrect Operating Data

Cracked Mechanical Seal ofan Axial Flow Propeller Pump



Axial Flow Propeller Pump QPump = 6000m³/hDN 700 for 9% Phosphoric H = 7mAcid T = 130°CMaterial Alloy 825 (2.4858) P = 13 bar



Information from the customer:

-Propeller did not turn anymore-Leackage at the mechanical seal

After site inspection:

-Cracked seal ring on atmospheric side-Pump has to be operated at 170°C!



Abnormal High Spare Part Consumption



Fertilizer Plant in Norway



Various horizontal heavy duty chemicalpumps

Nitric andPhosphoric Acid

T up to 135°C

Pumps have been running over 10 years, since 2 years increasedspare part consumption



Step 1: List of the 5 Items with the highest spare part consumtion(according to the customer)



Step 2: Preparation of a specific questionnaire sheet



Information such as:

•Serial-Number•Installed Impeller Diameter•Information Regarding the Fluid•Current Operating Conditions•Pipe Layout

Step 3: Collect information on the plant site



Analysis:

•Original Data Sheet•Compare the ProvidedInformation•Analysis of the Duty Point

Step 4: Analysis of the information



Step 5: Current and differential pressure measurements



Step 6: Analysis of the result and plant visit



Some more Pictures...

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