CAVITATION

WHY IT OCCURS: THIS OCCURS IN A CENTRIFUGAL PP WHEN

• IMPELLER ROTATES W / OUT ACTUALLY TRANSFERRING LIQUID
• PROPELLER ROTATES IN PARTIAL VACUUM DUT TO LOW OIL FLOW OR IN
OIL / GAS MIX.

INSUFFICIENT CARGO – “GASSSING UP”

• THIS OCCURS WHEN OIL LEVEL IN TANKS IS LOW.
• GAS MAY BE FROM CGO / INERT GAS
• ACTUAL DISCH RATE OF PP IS AFFECTED BY ITS NET POSITIVE SUC HD
(NPSH) – HT OF CGO ABV CENTRE OF PP BELOW WHICH PP WILL NOT
OPERATE SAT.
• IF PP RUNNING TOO FAST A WHIRLPOOL EFECT IS CREATED AROUND
TANK SUCTION WHICH PERMITS VAPOUR TO BE DRAWN INTO THE PP
ROOM.

CARGOES THAT GAS UP

HIGH VOLATILITY: DIFFICULT TO DISCH AS PPS GAS UP DURING OPS (NAPTHA).

VISCOSITY: PPS DISCH WELL WITH MED VISCOSITY –“FIRM GRIP” . WITH LOW
VISCOSITY CARGOES PPS TEND TO CAVITATE.

WHEN CAVITATION OCCURS AND SUC IS LOST A CENTRIFUGAL PP WILL OVER

SPEED AND BE DAMAGED IF SITUATION NOT RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY.

WHEN OIL LEVEL IN A TANK FALLS REDUCE SP OF PP WHICH WILL PREVENT

TURBULENCE AND WHIRLPOOL EFFECT IN THE TANK. NEVER ATTEMPT THIS
ON THE MANIFOLD V V.

VAC STRIP: SOME VSLS HAVE THIS IS SYSTEM INCORPORATED IN THE PP ROOM
WITH PUMPING SYSTEM. IT IS A SMALL SEPARATOR TANK ON THE SUC SIDE OF
THE PP WHICH SEPARATES THE TANK AIR AND VAPOUR FROM THE OIL BEFORE
CGO REACHES PP. IT ALSO CONTROLS AUTOMATICALLY THE SP OF THE PP SO TT
IT REMAINS COMPATIBLE WITH AMT OF CGO REACHING THE PP.