Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
(OP)
I am developing a standard of condition monitoring for centrifugal pumps, inclusive of visual inspections and vibration analysis. Does anyone have any such standard document etc??





RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
Basically it has guidelines on acceptance criteria of new and overhauled equipment as used by Lockeed Martin Space Systems.
There are other similar public domain standards like the General Motors Vibration Standard which is almost the same.
It gives ideas about numbering and placement of mesuring points.
Alarm limits, you have to develop yourself
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
Maybe this thread from maintenanceforums helps
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RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
You said:
For machines which do not run, we take data a minimum of once every three months. This requires our operators to run their spares at least this often so we can get data.
Could you expand it abit more? I'd like to know what your approach is to do vibration analysis on offline machines.
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
I am principally intersted in mechanical seal failures.
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
If a pump sits idle and never runs for a long period of time is likely to be among the least reliable pumps in the plant. A pump that runs continuously at a good operation point, with good lubrication and seal support piping is likely to be among the most reliable pumps in the plant. We run our spares to check them for problems (performance or vibration) and to keep them reliable (circulate the oil, rotate ball bearings to discourage false brinnelling, etc.).
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
JJPelin you just made my day, several years ago we abandoned a practise of switching pumps every week for 1 day. The advise of "old and wise operators", which could have been valid in the days of packing glands, but is complete disaster for mechanical seals. Guess what happened, our failure rate fell significantly. In your case the switch every month, still is not giving satisfactory results, there is room for improvement.
Currently we (maintenance) are trying to implement an operating protocol, where we want to run the duty pump for 3 months (12 weeks), switch to the backup pump for 3 weeks, so we have enough time to monitor the beheaviour of main and backup pump without unnecesarry start-stop or too short operation cycles.
This comes down to a 88-12% operating rule.
I expect too have hard evidence a year after implementation, since now we are coming out of the experimenting phase with our vibration monitoring equipment and set the layout for a durable PdM strategy.
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
Thanks guys for the interesting discussion. JJpelin, do you mean you run the spare pump for one day per calender month (every first thurseday of each months)? Svanels, I am interested to know about your operation protocol, obviously if possible.
The thing is we are getting a company to do vibration analysis survey on our equipment every three months. What do you think on how we can get the most benefit from their servise/ or what is the best effective way we can get them to do the survey? I am thinking of scheduling the pumps operation so that one runs for 10 weeks, being monitored and surveyed, being switched off and the other pump get started the day after, being surveyed and being kept running for 2 weeks and gets monitored during these period and we follow up this cycle of 10 weeks, 2 weeks again!
By the way, we have 2 turbine driven compressors and 2(A&B)x2 fin fan coolers. When one compressor is running, exchanger A is operating. How can we efficiently run those exchangers in order to:
1- be able to monitor them and ensure they are in good condition and can be swapped over if needs be.
2- How often we'd better swapping them over.
Appreciate your recommendations.
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
RE: Centrifugal Pump Condition Monitoring Standard
Regarding testing frequency, I have some comments. We test our pumps once per month if they are running continuously. We do this based on good data that suggests that the average time between when a bearing failure becomes detectable and when it goes catastrophic is about 2 months. By testing once per month, in theory you should be able to catch the vast majority of the bearing failures in the early stages (before sparks are shooting out). If you test every three months, there is a good chance that a bearing could begin to fail the day after you test and go catastrophic before you test again. Full blown vibration analysis using a contractor could be done every three months. But I would also suggest getting your operators a simple hand held meter to take overall levels on the pumps at least monthly so you are somewhat protected in between.