Signs of wear in your slurry pump
Urgent parts and process downtime are always a costly affair. So if the signs of wear in the slurry pump can be noticed, preventive maintenance can be a great step forward compared to emergency repairs.
Regular opening of the pump is certainly a good practice, but ofter there are external signs of wear and tear of the pump. By looking at these signs and treat the issues with planned maintenance, it becomes possible to avoid suprise failures and avoid extra damage.
1. Excessive leakage at the gland
Different seal technologies mean different levels of leakage at the gland. However there is always a normal amount and an excessive amount of leaking for every type of sealing used. It's important that an operator becomes familiar with what the leakage is supposed to be in order to identify an issue.
If excessive leakage is seen, a simple adjustment or a samll repair may get everything back in order. If left alone, it will become a costly repair that could have been avoided.
2. Increased power consumption
A lot of energy is put into a pump in order for it to move the slurry through a pipeline, and over time that adds up. When power consumption increases, it is an indication the pump is working harder to do the same job — or even worse, working harder and delivering less. The added energy cost does not help, but the loss in production can be extremely harmful to the bottom line.
A sudden change in power consumption, whether it is an increase or a decrease, should always be a warning sign that something is wrong.
3. Vibration
If the equipment does not have vibration, it generally means it is not operating. Some equipment (such as screens) has a high level of vibration. With a pump, high levels of vibration can be a sign of inefficiency or worn elements. Worn bearings, turbulent flow and inadequate foundations are only a few sources of pump vibration.A good operator paying attention will know something is different.
4. Pump performance
Monitoring a pump’s flow rate has multiple advantages in relation to how well a process is performing, but it can also give insight into wear components within the pump. A number of issues can reduce the flow rate (such as obstructions), but consistent and long-term decreasing in the flow rate will generally be a reflection of worn liners and impellers.
5. Belt tension and allignment
The loud, squealing noise of loose belts is annoying, but the real harm comes from the heat generated that eventually causes the belts to fail. The slippage of a loose belt also causes a loss of energy transfer between the motor and the pump.
On the other hand, excessive tension or poor alignment will put a burden on the bearing assembly and the motor mount. Something is going to give, and it is usually the bearing assembly with increased wear. Excessive tension can also decrease efficiency.
For more information, you can always contact one of our engineers.
Hebei Aojin Machinery Co., Ltd.
whatsapp: +86-13673231378