IN THIS eBOOK

Are you setting your pump up to self-destruct?

Check out these 27 common ways positive displacement

pumps are inadvertently destroyed, and be sure not to
make the same mistakes.
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

About the Author

Kurt Schwei is a Field Sales Manager for Crane Engineering
with a long history of pumping experience. He has designed
fluid-handling systems, controls & components for a variety of
industries including Pulp & Paper, Food, Beverage, and Gen-
eral Industry. Kurt strives for continuous improvements, and
provides a high level of technical expertise and professional
support to his customers and team members.

Page 2
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

27 Ways to kill your

POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT pump
Positive Displacement Pumps
You could kill one, you could kill them all with these fatal operational errors.

1. OVERPRESSURIZATION (PLUGGED DISCHARGE LINES OR DEADHEADING)

With any positive displacement pump, operating with a plugged discharge line or
deadheading (operating against a closed valve) will have disasterous results. Unlike
centrifugal pumps, that will cavitate under these conditions, positive displacement
pumps will continue to generate flow and pressure until something gives. It could be
the pipe, the pump, or both that are critically destroyed.

2. PIPE STRAIN
Any time a pipe pulls on a pump, pipe strain occurs. The pull of the pipe on the
pump can be caused by improperly supported pipes, or misalignment between the
pipe and the pump. Connecting a pump to a pipe that is too high can cause base
plate damage, pulling the threads out of the base plate, along with nozzle break-
age, mechanical seal failure, and premature lobe, gear, stuffing box, and casing
wear.

Page 3
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

3. Poor SUCTION piping design and/or installation

Having a poor piping design can have a big effect on how the pump will perform.
Designs with inverted Us on the suction side can trap air, while designs with a
90 immediately before the pump can cause turbulence inside the pump. Both result
in suction problems and pump cavitation.

4. using too little, too much, or the incorrect lubricant

Lubrication is the #1 cause of prema-
ture bearing failure. Using too little
lubricant can cause the bearings to
seize, while too much lubricant retains
heat inside the bearing, and damages
bearing components.

5. Improper Alignment
Up to 50% of damage to rotating ma-
Helpful Hint:
chinery is directly related to misalign- Theres more information about
ment. This means increased vibration, lubrication on Cranes Fluid
Connection Blog!
premature seal and bearing failures,
Read: The Truth Behind Lubrication &
and increased power consumption. Over-Greasing

6. CAVITATION
Cavitation can be caused by a number of factors, including too high viscosity for
the selected pump size, causing the pump to produce excessive noise or vibration,
seal leakage, damage to internal pumping mechanisms, and reduced flow.

Page 4
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

7. AIR ENTERING THE SUCTION LINE

When you think of cavitation, most people think of centrifugal pumps, but cavita-
tion can occur in positive displacement pumps as well. When air enters the suction
line in ways like suction line leaks, issues with tank design, water vapor, the bub-
bles created implode due to the pressurized fluid inside the pump. Like centrifugal
pumps, the bubbles cause erosion of the surfaces inside the pump.

8. PUMPING HIGHER VISCOSITY FLUID THAN DESIGNED

It is important not to put higher viscosity fluid through a pump than which it was de-
signed. Doing so can cause the pump to have difficulty priming, pumping the fluid,
generating flow, and overheat the pump as well as the motor.

9. NOT FOLLOWING INITIAL STARTUP PROCEDURES NOTED IN THE PUMP MANUAL

Improperly starting up the pump can cause the motor to trip and the shaft to twist,
causing orbital movement - directly related to internal parts contact, seal failure,
and shortened bearing life.
Starting up the pump dry will destroy
components, or the entire pump all
together.

10. SELECTING THE WRONG MATERIALS

OF CONSTRUCTION
Using the wrong materials of construc-
tion can (and will) lead to premature
degradation, corrosion, fluid contami-
An example of chemical attack on a progressive
nation, excessive wear, and leaks. In
cavity pumps stator.
abrasive applications, a casing that
cannot withstand abrasive fluid will Helpful Hint:
wear faster and increase clearances, Learn more about material selection on
our blog!
drastically reducing the performance Read: 4 Tips For Better Materials of
of the pump. Construction Selection

Page 5
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

Helpful Hint:
Chemical attack, for instance, invites NPSHA is affected by dirty or restricted
damage of mechanical seals, o-rings, pipes, system changes, changes in
fluid properties, and more.
stators, and other components.
Read: 9 System Changes That Screw
With NPSH
11. INSUFFICIENT NPSHA (NET POSITIVE
SUCTION HEAD AVAILABLE)
Causes pump cavitation, erratic flow,
impeller and case damage, and loss
of performance.

12. mechanical seal installation er-

rors
Improperly installing the mechanical
seal will cause damage to elastomers
(o-rings or boots), among a wide vari-
ety of other issues. Mechanical seals can be very sensitive as the faces are incredi-
bly flat (measured in light bands of flatness). Even a small amount of dirt or oil (such
as fingerprints) can cause the faces to not seal properly.

13. improper use of or completely omitting mechanical seal flush plans

It is critical that a mechanical seal flush plan is properly in place. Not having one
sets up a scenario where dewatered product and contaminates can build up, the
seal experiences excessive heat, and ultimately shortens its life.

14. selecting the wrong mechanical seal or seal materials due to lack of
knowledge
Lack of knowledge and information accounts for the majority of mechanical seal
failures. Consider normal operating conditions, potential for off-design excursions
and non-process activities, such as cleaning, steaming, acid and caustic flushes.

Page 6
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

15. incomplete OR OMITTED failure analysis

Always try to get the root of the problem when making pump repairs. Oftentimes,
forces outside the pump are causing it to fail. By only fixing the symptoms and not
addressing the system as a whole, you may end up making the same repair on the
pump again.

16. operators relying heavily on reactive maintenance, rather than pre-

ventative or predictive maintenance measures
Reactive maintenance accounts for unnecessary equipment downtime, increased
costs, and equipment instability. Consider a preventative maintenance program with
a schedule of maintenance to be performed, laser alignment and balancing, or a
predictive maintenance program using technology like vibration analysis, to get
ahead of problems before they happen.

Gear Pumps
17. ALLOWING THE PUMP TO RUN DRY
Allowing a gear pump to run dry will
cause premature bushing and shaft
wear, and unlubricated teeth to rub
together and wear away. The heat
generated by the friction will cause
the cogs to expand and rub the hous-
ing, ultimately resulting in lost perfor-
mance at best, completely destroying
the pump at worst.

Page 7
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

18. PUMPING HARD SOLIDS

Due to the tight clearances in gear
pumps, gear pumps dont do well with
large, hard solids. Some smaller, sus-
pended solids can be pumped through
gear pumps, but these applications
typically wear out gear pumps quickly
due to the abrasive wear of the pump
components.

19. NOT PRE-HEATING A CHOCOLATE

PUMP BEFORE STARTUP
Chocolate must be completely melted
inside the pump, at the seals, and
through the piping before start up. Be
sure youre using a pump with jack-
eted features to circulate hot water or
low pressure steam to heat the pump
and melt the chocolate inside. Many
failures are caused by improper opera-
Helpful Hint:
tion.
Learn more about pumping chocolate
on our blog! Read: 6 Common Pitfalls
for Pumping Chocolate

Page 8
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

Air Operated Diaphragm Pumps

20. INCORRECTLY CONNECTING THE AIR
SUPPLY PIPE TO THE PUMP
The air supply pipe should should
come from an inverted tee. This al-
lows water and compressor oil to stay
away from the air motor on the pump.
If water and oil gets into the air motor,
the pump wont function properly, and
could possibly stall.

21. FLOODING THE EXHAUST LINE

Air operated diaphragm pumps can be submerged in fluid (as long as it is compat-
ible with the housing and fasteners), but if the fluid level rises too high and flows
into the exhaust line, the pump will be flooded and destroyed.

22. OPERATING AT HIGHER PRESSURES THAN MAXIMUM PRESSURE RATINGS

This seems like an obvious one, but it still happens! Operating AODD pumps at
pressures higher than theyre rated for leads to leakage, bulging and ripped dia-
phragms, bent inner plates and shaft.

Page 9
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

Rotary Lobe Pumps

23. POOR TIMING OF LOBES
Rotary lobe pumps have timing gears to align the lobes. If the pump is disassem-
bled, then reassembled without paying close attention to the timing, the lobes wont
mesh properly, and will be likely to bind the pump and damage the lobes.

24. SIZING THE PUMP FOR A FLUIDS AT REST VISCOSITY ONLY

Some products have dynamic viscosity. When shear is applied, the fluid may thin
out, or thicken. If the fluid is shear thinning, it will not lubricate the pump enough,
causing premature wear. On the otherhand, if the fluid is shear thickening, the mo-
tor could trip out, or the pump could take the brunt of the additional pressure, caus-
ing the weakest part of the pump to
fail (shaft, seal, etc.).

25. INSUFFICIENT FRONT OR BACK

CLEARANCE
Sufficient front clearance between the
rotors and the casing is especially cru-
cial when solids and elevated temper-
atures are involved. Typically, the rotor
material will expand quicker than
the casing because its a larger mass
of material. When it makes contact
with the casing, the pump will bind or
cause scoring, resulting in increased
slip, and lowered efficiency.

Page 10
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

Peristaltic (Hose) Pumps

26. POORLY MAINTAINED HOSES
Over time, the pressure of the pumps cams will wear on hoses. Leakage occurs if
the position of the hose is not periodically changed to allow for even wear. Some
pumps have leak detection, but some do not. Should the hose leak, the internals of
the pump can be damaged beyond repair.
Progressive Cavity Pumps
27. ALLOWING THE PUMP TO RUN DRY
Running a progressive cavity pump
dry can have serious repercussions for
the stator. Excessive heat can burn,
give an orange peel texture, or blister
and crack the elastomer.

Page 11
 2 7 WAY S T O K I L L Y O U R P O S I T I V E D I S P L A C E M E N T P U M P

Conclusion
When it comes to positive displacement pumps, be aware of their operating conditions!

Energy usage and pump maintenance account for MORE THAN than 50% of the pumps
total cost of ownership. The main culprits of rotating equipment failure are caused by the
sealing device, couplings, hydraulics, static joints, and bearings.

Dont let your pump be the next statistic!

Read the pump manual, train your operators, and identify the bad actors in your facility
to help prevent costly pump repair.

Page 12