Where We Go Wrong In

Pump Design
Dick Hawrelak

Presented to ES317Y in 1999 at UWO

 Introduction


5% of large property damage
losses are caused by failures in
pumps.

Average Trended Loss was
$19.2MM, the lowest of all unit
operations.
Typical Pump Sketch
 Poor Mass Balances


Normal mass balance.

Start-up, shut down or upset.

Recycle conditions on EBV closure.

Pump design for multiple services are
tricky.
Multi-Discipline Design

Line sizing.

Check valve sizing.

Control valve sizing.

Orifice plate sizing.

Viscosity corrections.

Light density hydrocarbon
corrections.
 Control Valves

Poor CV selection - pump running
on by-pass…may need two CVs.

If too large DP taken across control
valve, it may be better to trim
impeller, save CV wear & energy.
Blocked-in Operation.

Pumps can explode in a short
period of time if left running while
blocked-in.

Pump explodes, pieces rocket
275m, hits truck, kills driver.

Pump leaks, liquid catches fire and
destroys plant.
Suction Conditions


Poor NPSH causes pump
cavitation, high vibration &
ultimately pump failure.

Pump fails to perform as designed
without suitable NPSH.
 Suction Specific Speed

SSS = rpm(Q)^0.5 / (NPSH@ BEP)^0.75

Pumps operating at SSS greater than
11,000 had a high failure frequency.

Low capacity operation causes inlet
recirculation, impeller erosion, shaft
deflections, bearing failures and seal
problems which lead to leakage.
 Maintenance

Poor alignment causes bearing
problems and ultimately pump
failure.

If seal leakage rate too high, select
better mechanical seal (single,
double, triple).

Require a good preventative
maintenance (PM) program.
 Check Valves

If Check Valve designed properly, it will
prevent back flow.

If Check Valve not designed properly, it
will chatter continuously and destroy
seal seat faces in a short period of time.

Without back flow protection, hazardous
flooding conditions can occur on pump
shut-down.
 Phase 4 Design Checks


Preliminary Phase 2 & 3 pump
calculations not confirmed in
Detailed Design, Phase 4.

Pumps fail to perform as designed.

Corrections costly during start-up.
 Pump Selection


Hundreds of pumps to select from.

Which selection is best?

Which RPM to use?

What HP size & type of motor to
select, explosion proof, TEFC?

Download Durco PUMPSEL on
internet (program is free).
Typical Pump
Selected Pump
 Dissolved Gases

Absorbed gas follows Henry’s Law xa =
(pp / Pt) / H.

Dissolved gases are like entrained
bubbles. Residence time in suction
vessel may be too short.

Dissolved gases causes problems
similar to NPSH cavitation.

Prevent vapor entrainment with vortex
breakers.
 Material Transfer

Need multiple checks on quantity
of material transferred to storage.

Weigh scales, level checks,
mass = (flow rate)(time) on
computer.

Time control EBVs to minimize
Water Hammer problems.
 Excess Flow Protection


Pumps cannot be allowed to run out on
the impeller curve, may burnout motor if
motor not selected for runout.

May need excess flow protection.
Possible Exam Questions

What is the problem of running a pump
while it is blocked in?

What is the hazard created by poor
pump alignment?

What is the hazard created by poor
mechanical seal selection for a pump?

What is the hazard created by low
capacity operation of the pump?

Why is it necessary to provide adequate
NPSH for a pump?
 Summary

This short list is indicative of some
of the problems caused by poor
engineering discipline in pump
design.

Recommend you obtain a copy of
the Chemical Plant Design
programs and follow the
procedures built into the pump
design spreadsheets.