Lets Get Practical

Ross Mackay, Contributing Editor

Pumping Reliability

uring the last few months, Ive had the pleasure of attending various functions devoted to the discussion of Pump Reliability, both on this continent and in Europe. Our own PumpUsers Expo 2003 held in Baton Rouge, LA, in September, was significant in the number of speakers who addressed that issue from a wide variety of viewpoints as consultants, suppliers and, of course, end users. Although pump failure (and how to deal with it) has been the topic of considerable discussion since before any one of us was alive, the reasons proposed are many and varied. My own viewpoint is that pump failure tends to be caused by one or more of four underlying conditions:

the wrong pump; improper installation; inappropriate operation; and incorrect maintenance.

empowered to upgrade the condition of any and every pump that fails. This will eliminate the likelihood of reinstalling the same problem that caused the failure in the first place, thus eliminating repetitive occurrences of the same problem. Each member of the team must also be fully trained in their various duties as part of the team, regardless of their previous experience. It is important to differentiate between a Real Reliability Team and an Expedient Reliability Team. The latter can involve almost all the elements discussed above, but if it lacks the authority to do what has to be done and needs to go to someone for approval, then its effectiveness is negated. This frequently happens within companies that pay lip service to Reliability Teams, but wont follow through. Consequently, they tend to stay in Repair Mode rather than moving forward into Reliability Mode. Using Reliability Mode thinking, we can consider the four previously mentioned underlying causes of pump failure.

When we compare these to the normal failure modes on which so much time and attention are expended, I find we are coming back to the same old problem that the vast majority of energy is spent onrepairing the symptoms. All companies that are serious about reducing pump failure in their plant(s), however, will inevitably reject the reactive maintenance or repair mode in favor of a wider approach to total pump reliability. Any such approach must, by necessity, involve a number of different departments within the company. So Lets Get Practical. Any permanent cure for repetitive pump failure must first begin with a more systematic approach to the problem. This can best be accomplished by a Reliability Team whose members cross over traditional departmental boundaries.

The Wrong Pump

The pump may not be right for the system, either because the system has changed, because the pump has deteriorated beyond an economical level of redemption or because the pump was inaccurately selected in the first place. A wise man once said, It is difficult to correct a problem using the same muddled thinking that created it in the first place. If the system has changed, do we select another pump using the same criteria as was previously used, or do we consider (new?) factors such as Life Cycle Costing? However, if the pump has simply deteriorated, do we replace it with a current version of the same pump without any evaluation of new products with new criteria? It is fairly obvious that, if we had the wrong pump in there to begin with, a complete reevaluation of the system demands is called for and should be reviewed in detail.

The Reliability Team

The Reliability Team needs to be a self-managed group that has a clear mandate to increase the reliability of the pumping equipment in the plant. It should be responsible for establishing and ensuring compliance with all procedures involved in the creation, operation and maintenance of the pumping system. In addition, the team should be
10
DECEMBER 2003

Improper Installation
Pump installation requires both hydraulic and mechanical considerations. A pump must be installed in such a position that it will be supplied
PUMPS & SYSTEMS

www.pump-zone.com

with the correct pressure and flow characteristics needed for reliable operation. This often requires some very specific piping orientation, installed in such a way as to ensure that no external stresses are being imposed. Alternatively, the minimal amount of stresses which may be necessary can be absorbed by the pump and foundation. A significant number of problems are created by poor installation practices because of the perceived limits of responsibility between the pump supplier, the contractor and the system designer. It is only by bringing all disciplines into the discussion and considering how a decision by one party may impact the work of another that such misconceptions can be overcome. For example, when deciding to squeeze a pump into a corner, some thought regarding the accessibility of the unit for future maintenance work is essential. Also, the subsequent routing of the piping must permit an appropriate flow pattern into the suction nozzle.

installing it improperly and operating it inappropriately. Unfortunately, these mechanics and millwrights have rarely been supplied with the information and training needed to help them even identify a pump design problem.

Training
In every area, training is a vital part of the process to improve pump reliability, and it should never be just limited to skills training. People who know why they are doing a job, will always outperform those who simply know how. Even the approach to training must be carefully considered. One of the most dangerous can be a Needs Analysis program that is overly simplified to the point of having management ask the staff where they need training. I noticed years ago that when I dont know what I dont know, I dont know that I need to know. In addition, if no one has criticized what Ive been doing for the last 20 years on the job, why would I assume my actions or expertise need to be improved? However, when I realize that I am not achieving a result that I want, it usually makes sense to me to change the method by which Im trying to achieve it. This can only occur when I have identified the desired result and made a commitment to achieve it.

Inappropriate Operation
Regardless of popular opinion to the contrary, the pump is a slave to the system. Consequently the pump can only do what the system permits it to do. The system may not choose to allow the pump to operate within that very small window of reliable operation that is inherent in every centrifugal pump. This problem is particularly ominous if the strategic policy of a given facility is to allow a group of system operators to run the plant with little or no knowledge of the ramifications of some pump decisions they will be called to make. Few Operations people understand that bearing failure can be a result of the set position of the discharge valve, simply because nobody has ever bothered to inform them.

Experience
Many organizations think themselves fortunate if they have a long-serving team of experienced people in the plant. Yet experience is a double-edged sword. Each individual is familiar with the equipment and is therefore confident that they can handle any eventuality; usually because they have already done so. This takes us into the same old cycle of treating the symptom rather than evaluating and coming to terms with the real underlying problem. So Lets Really Get Practical. A real pump reliability program must be a corporate commitment involving a long term investment and a significant amount of training, not just to improve skill levels, but also to increase the awareness of the detrimental ramifications of some of the practices currently being considered as normal.
Ross Mackay specializes in helping companies increase their pump reliability and reduce operating and maintenance costs through consulting and education. He can be reached at 1-800-465-6260, or through his newly updated and revised web site at www.rossmackay.com

Incorrect Maintenance
The function of a Maintenance Department is to keep the equipment in good condition. That is frequently interpreted as the ability to take a pump apart, replace the worn or broken items with new parts and put it back together again. When the pump is reinstalled, it will normally run as well as it ever did before. . . for a while. In most plants, the maintenance mechanics are unjustly blamed for many problems. In fact, they do a much better job than is generally realized. That does not mean to say they dont make mistakes. The difference is that not only does the Maintenance Department have to fix the problems it creates, it must also fix the problems that everyone else may have created by purchasing the wrong pump,

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

www.pump-zone.com

DECEMBER 2003

11