Common failures in industrial pumps

Industrial pumps are indispensable assets in virtually all industrial processes, handling a variety of liquid and semi-liquid substances, including media between a gas and liquid state.

They are used in a variety of industries and applications:

• Transporting chemicals in the chemical industry to circulating cooling water in power plants
• Passing wastewater into wastewater treatment plants.
• Dosing of liquids in the food industry
• Moving fuels in logistics and transportation.

Prevent pump failures

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Pumps are often process critical components that play a direct role in the continuity of industrial production. Should they fail, it can lead to unexpected downtime, damage, quality problems or even safety risks. Thus, such a failure almost always has a direct and often a major impact on production and company performance.

Common pump failure types:

Depending on factors such as application, medium, design, flow, pressure and temperature, failure mechanisms differ. Therefore, based on their physical design and operating principles, they are classified into different categories.

Each pump type has unique physical properties. Parameters such as medium, temperature, pressure and flow influence the most sensitive failure mechanisms. Because of the numerous combinations of these parameters, failure mechanisms usually must be evaluated separately. Below are five common failure mechanisms that occur independent of type:

1. Bearing wear or damage

Cause: long-term loading, contamination or imbalance.
Effect: increased friction, heat generation and eventual failure.

2. Leakage at seals

Cause: wear or damage to shaft seals or gaskets.
Effect: fluid loss, corrosion and possible damage to motor or housing.

3. Cavitation

Cause: vapor bubble formation when suction pressure is too low or pump speed too high.
Effect: implosions inside cause damage to impeller blades or house.

4. Dry run

Cause: lack of medium due to supply error or misuse.
Effect: extremely rapid temperature rise and damage to seals and bearings.

5. Imbalance or vibration problems

Cause: poor foundation, clogged pipes or damaged impeller.
Effect: vibrations that continue throughout the plant, with damage in multiple locations.

How do you prevent pump failures with predictive maintenance?

Instead of maintaining assets preventively based on time (e.g., every 6 months), states predictive maintenance you are able to perform maintenance based on current condition. Thanks to IoT sensors, you detect abnormalities such as increased vibrations, temperature rise or current changes early - even before a failure becomes visible. By combining and analyzing this data in real time, you can predict failures, plan accordingly and prevent major damage.

Component	Failure Mode	Indicator / Marker
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Bearing (Bearing)	Worn bearing	X	X		X
	Lubrication problem	X	X
	Misalignment	X
	Decontamination		X
Bearing damage is the leading cause of failures and accounts for 40-50% of all failures
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Pump housing	Outer seal			X
	Inner seal	X		X
	Pump housing			X
	Resonance	X
Leaks are the second most common cause of failures and account for 20-25% of incidents
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Pump Performance	Cavitation	X		X	X
	Blockage (Blockage)	X	X	X	X
	Reduced performance			X	X
	Dry run	X	X	X	X
	Unstable pressure	X		X
Cavitation is responsible for 10-15% of failures
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Impeller (impeller)	Cavitation	X		X
	Erosion			X
	Corrosion			X
	Damaged coating	X		X	X
	Imbalance	X
Damage to the impeller: 5-10% from the failures
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Drive motor	Overload		X		X
	Electrical failure				X
	Mechanical failure				X
	Imbalance/alignment	X
Motor failures or power supply problems are responsible for 5-10% of the failures
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Shaft (shaft)	Curved shaft	X
	Misaligned axle	X
5-8% of failures are due to misalignment between the motor and pump
		Vibration	Temperature	Pressure/vacuum	Amp
Foundation	Loose foundation	X
	Defective muffler	X

Getting started with predictive maintenance?

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Sensors for pump monitoring:

• Vibration sensors
  Signal imbalance, cavitation, bearing damage and structural vibration.
• Infrared temperature sensors
  Detect overheating of bearings or motors when running dry or blocked.
• Pressure sensors
  Measure suction or discharge pressure to identify cavitation or blockages.
• Current sensors
  Record anomalous current consumption in case of mechanical resistance or overload.

By combining and analyzing this data in real time, you can predict failures, plan accordingly and prevent major damage.

What does predictive maintenance provide for pumps?

• Reduction of unexpected downtime and process downtime with 70%
• Reduction of maintenance costs through more targeted intervention with 30%
• Increasing lifespan in plants & assets by 20%-40%
• Real-time insights into performance and load

Avoid damage, downtime and unnecessary costs

Sensor Partners helps companies monitor their facilities smartly and wirelessly. With our predictive maintenance solution you get continuous insight into the state of your pumps, without complicated wiring or expensive installations.