Article written by FCX Performance, Inc
There can be many reasons why your industrial pump is underperforming or not working properly. When your mission critical equipment is down, it’s important to know the steps you can take to quickly bring your machine back up to speed. Here is a breakdown of common pump issues and how you can resolve them:
Your Pump Is Making Excessive Noise
If you find your pump operating at a louder volume than normal, it’s a good idea to shut the pump off and examine it. You may discover that your pump’s impeller is rubbing against the internal components or that the bearings need to be replaced. To fix the impeller issue, you will need to confirm the impeller setting. If your impeller is off spec, you will need to disassemble your pump.
Finally, you can check your suction pressure. Insufficient suction pressure can lead to cavitation among many things. To combat the poor suction pressure, you may need to redesign the suction piping, minimize elbows and fittings in the piping arrangement, or add pressure to the suction source (increase pressure to the supply tank).
Your Pump is Not Meeting the Designed Flow Rate
Entrained air on the suction side of the pump can often be the cause of an underperforming flow rate. To prevent entrained air from clogging up the suction system, you must first check to make sure that all pump and piping connections have a tight fit. If there is a vortex forming at the suction source, you should install a vortex breaker. Depending on the type of pump, check to make sure your pump is meeting the minimum submergence requirement to avoid pulling a vortex.
As stated in Your Pump Is Making Excessive Noise, a pump’s underperforming flow rate can also be due to insufficient suction pressure (see that section for solutions).
Your Pump is not Providing Discharge Flow or is Producing Lower Flow Than Expected
The direction of rotation of your pump's impeller will impact what flow your pump is producing. If the direction of rotation is opposite from its intended use, you may need to confirm the motor wiring is correct to ensure its rotating in the correct direction.
Furthermore, your pump’s suction could be plugged or clogged, causing little to no discharge flow issues to your system. To fix this issue, you may consider implementing filtration to your process. Replacing your current pump with a larger one can help counter the low performing discharge flow. You can also try diluting your solution to reduce the solid content in the fluid if possible.
Understanding what your pump is struggling with is the first step to getting your system back on track. Some fixes may be easier than others. Our experts are ready to help you navigate the best solution for your system!
