ChaseThisLight
Chemical
- Nov 20, 2014
- 5
Hello, I work in a steam generation facility, and am currently having issues with condensate pumps. Forgive my ignorance, I am a recent graduate and don't know much about pumps, or the facility in general. The plant has 3 vertical condensate pumps. Two are in operation at any time, with one as a backup redundancy. The pumps transport condensate throughout the plant, including being pumped to another set of pumps for seal water. Recently, the seal water has been flashing and causing leaking of steam through the pump, meaning there is not enough discharge pressure from the pumps, and it has been necessary to operate with all 3 pumps in service. I pulled historical data, and made a calculation for pump efficiency for each pump, and each set of pumps that are in operation at each time. It looks clear to me that there are 2 pumps that are operating well below their efficiency when the flow reaches ~3500 GPM for each pump (average operation is around 3000 GPM, and max is around 4000 GPM). I tried finding a drawing of the pump, but they were installed in the 1960's and the drawings are unclear at best. When I did a calculation of the NPSH, the values I came up with are less than half of the original pump curve suggests (again a curve from the 60's or 70's). I don't really even know what I am looking for, but I have a lot of questions. Is there a resource available to learn about pumps, and how to troubleshoot issues? I don't believe there is a way to deadhead individual pumps to determine if a pump isn't operating, the piping and instrumentation isn't set up for that. It was something that was just kinda handed to me, and I am supposed to figure out what is going on. The data I've looked at includes, the total discharge pressure, flow from each pump, temperature entering the pump, and Amps of each pump. From these I've calculated total head, NPSH, and efficiency.
I haven't looked at the condensate vacuum pressure, or looked at how the pumps perform versus various load conditions, these are what I will be working on tomorrow. I don't know if I am being coherent, but I've been staring at this issue all week and haven't gotten anywhere, and I'm getting frustrated. I guess I am looking for direction or advice in general, any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chase.
I haven't looked at the condensate vacuum pressure, or looked at how the pumps perform versus various load conditions, these are what I will be working on tomorrow. I don't know if I am being coherent, but I've been staring at this issue all week and haven't gotten anywhere, and I'm getting frustrated. I guess I am looking for direction or advice in general, any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chase.