VERTICAL PUMPS

Vertical Pumps
Introduction
Basic

Design
Malfunction Behavior

Introduction
Vertical

pumps are not usually

permanently monitored.
Most often the data taken on a vertical
pump is casing data using a seismic
transducer.
The discharge piping tends to be stiffer
parallel to the piping than perpendicular
to the piping.

Vertical Pump
Flanged adjustable coupling

Registered fit
Assures positive alignment

Semi-open or
enclosed impellers
Optional wear rings
On bowls and impellers for low maintenance costs.

Basic Design
Driver
Column Assembly
Bowl Assemblies
Shaft
Impellers
Bearings
Shaft

Packing

Vertical Centrifugal Pump

Vertical Pump Bowl Assembly

Canned Pump

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Orbit-Timebase From Motor

Mid-Span Orbit-Timebase Showing

Rub

Mid-Span Full Spectrum Showing Rub

Suction Bell Orbit-Timebase Plot

Rubs
Rubs

are very common in vertical pumps.

At the wear rings the impeller rings rub
the bowl rings.
As the bearings wear the extra clearance,
combined with the flexible shaft, allow the
impellers to orbit farther off of geometric
center.

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Vertical Pump Assembly

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Shaft Cracks
To minimize

the chance of breaking

a pump shaft, make sure the pump is
properly assembled.
Record the coast down time, a pump
that is binding internally will coast
down quicker.

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Malfunction Behavior
Rubs
Unbalance
Fluid-Induced

Instabilities

Misalignment
Shaft

Cracks
Shaft Bow
Loose Rotating Parts

Loose Rotating Parts

Often

impellers are not keyed to the

shaft to avoid the stress
concentrations.
If the pump has only one impeller
then the pump will not produce the
flow or pressure it normally does.

Loose Rotating Parts (continued)

In

a multi-stage pump the loss of one

impellers work will cause the
discharge pressure to drop by an
amount (roughly) equal to the design
discharge pressure divided by the
number of stages.