Brandon Stein | ITT Flow Technologies

| IMAGE 1: A pump operating closer to its BEP generally experiences less vibration, reduced wear and more consistent performance. (Image courtesy of ProCast, an ITT Company)

Ask chemical processors what keeps their operation moving and they will probably point to the pumps, among other things. That is because pumps keep critical fluids circulating through every stage of production. In other words, if a pump stops, the impact is felt almost immediately. Keeping a pumping system functioning properly requires identifying potential problems and addressing them before they occur.

Reliable operation is not determined by a single event. It is built over time through thousands of engineering decisions, from selecting the right pump to supporting aging equipment and continually evaluating how the entire system performs. Facilities that take this approach spend less time reacting to failures and more time preventing them.

Match the Pump to the Process

Every chemical process places different demands on pumping equipment. Flow rates, temperatures, pressures, fluid properties and solids content all influence how a pump will perform over time.

Years ago, engineers had fewer choices when selecting equipment. Today, pump manufacturers offer designs that feature a much broader range of hydraulic options, allowing engineers to more closely match pump performance to the application.

A pump operating closer to its best efficiency point (BEP) generally experiences less vibration, reduced wear and more consistent performance. Better hydraulic matching also gives facilities greater flexibility as production requirements evolve. Selecting the right pump establishes the foundation for everything that follows.

One facility learned this lesson while drawing water from a nearby river for use in its process. Seasonal fluctuations in water levels and changing environmental conditions created operating challenges that were not fully anticipated when the original equipment was selected.

Rather than treating the symptoms as routine maintenance issues, engineers revisited the application’s operating requirements and identified opportunities to better match the pumping equipment to the actual conditions. The result was both improved pump performance and a more reliable system because the equipment was better aligned with the work it was being asked to do.

Processes Evolve

Even when a pump is correctly specified on day one, the process surrounding it rarely stays the same from that point on.

Increases in production volumes, changes in raw materials and shifts in process chemistry, for example, become the norm and contribute to ever-evolving operating conditions.

It is not uncommon to find pumps that have been in service for 30, 40 or even 50 years. In many cases, they are still doing exactly what they were designed to do. The question is whether they are still operating in the environment they were designed for. Small changes in pH, temperature or solids concentration can have a major impact on wear rates and corrosion over time.

Material technology has also advanced considerably. Alloys that were not practical decades ago may now offer longer service life in demanding chemical applications.

That does not mean every process change requires replacing a pump. It does mean engineers should periodically revisit the assumptions behind the original design rather than assuming yesterday’s solution is still today’s best option.

To Replace or Not to Replace, That Is the Question

One of the most common assumptions during maintenance is that replacing a failed component with an identical one will restore reliability. While it might in some cases, it could also recreate the conditions that caused the failure.

Consider a facility replacing a large pump casing using the original material specification because that is what the historical drawings called for. Shortly after installation, the new casing begins deteriorating just as quickly as the one it replaced.

The replacement was not defective. It simply reflected a process that no longer existed. Over time, the facility’s operating conditions had changed enough that the original material selection no longer matched the application’s demands.

Experiences like this reinforce the idea that replacement projects should be viewed as engineering opportunities, not just procurement exercises. The same thinking applies to legacy equipment as a whole. Many chemical processing facilities continue operating pumping systems that have delivered reliable service for decades.

Replacing an entire installation is not always practical, necessary or economical. In those situations, engineered replacement components, updated materials and thoughtful design improvements can extend equipment life while improving reliability and simplifying maintenance.

Think Beyond the Pump

Pumps almost never operate alone. The motor, controls and supporting equipment all influence system performance, yet troubleshooting efforts often focus solely on the pump. When reliability issues emerge, it is worth stepping back and asking whether the entire system is still operating as intended.

In one chemical processing application, engineers investigated recurring overheating and reliability concerns that initially appeared to be pump-related. A closer evaluation showed the pump itself was not the primary issue. It was determined that parameters and control points could not change. The best solution for the facility was to improve how the motor provided input to the application’s operating requirements.

This change helped stabilize performance, reduce energy consumption and improve reliability without replacing the entire pumping system.

Examples like this demonstrate why it is important to evaluate the complete system rather than concentrating on a single component. Small improvements in motor performance, speed control or operating efficiency can reduce mechanical stress throughout the system and extend the life of equipment already in service.

The Importance of Periodic Reviews

Another challenge facing many chemical processors is the gradual loss of institutional knowledge. The engineer who originally specified a pump or selected a particular material may have retired decades ago. Maintenance records often explain what was installed, but not why those decisions were made.

As experienced personnel leave the workforce, periodic engineering reviews become increasingly valuable. Revisiting long-standing specifications can reveal opportunities to improve reliability, incorporate newer materials or better match equipment to today’s operating conditions without fundamentally changing the process. Periodic specification reviews provide an opportunity to ask important questions, such as:

Would we make the same decision today?
Has the process chemistry changed?
Are operating temperatures different than they were when the equipment was originally specified?
Have newer materials become available that would improve corrosion resistance or extend service life?
Do inspection requirements still align with today’s materials and operating conditions?

Looking Beyond the Next Repair

The highest-performing pumping systems are not necessarily the newest. They are the ones that continue adapting as the processes around them change. Maintaining legacy equipment, revisiting material selection as operating conditions evolve, improving replacement strategies and evaluating the performance of the entire pumping system all contribute to long-term reliability.

Pumping systems require ongoing attention throughout their service life. Facilities that periodically challenge long-standing assumptions, evaluate the complete system and make thoughtful engineering improvements are often better positioned to improve uptime, reduce maintenance and support changing production demands for years to come.

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Brandon Stein is the global product manager for ITT Flow Technologies. In this role, he collaborates with sales teams and manufacturing operations to deliver centrifugal pumps and replacement parts to users. For more information, visit procastparts.com.

In This Issue

Cover Series Chemical Processing