41
HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
November
2016
T
he latest pump designs and coating technologies
offer significant improvements in the long term
performance of industrial pumps. Continued
research into the processes that degrade pump
performance is being matched by the development of
better application techniques for protective coatings. By
gaining a better understanding of both the pumping
process and the factors that affect it, end users can make
significant improvements in their maintenance strategies.
Affected applications
Almost every industrial process involving liquids will
include a pump at some point. From deep sea oil and gas to
DNA sequencing, pumps are required to perform a vast
range of tasks. However, no matter what the design or the
size of the pump, central to every application is reliability
and efficiency – minimising downtime and running costs is
essential to modern industry.
For those working with large industrial pumps, often
operating in harsh environmental conditions, maintaining
pump performance in the face of a continuous threat from
corrosion and erosion can be a particular challenge. With
increased knowledge of these processes and the
techniques used to tackle them, it is possible to implement
a more cost effective pump refurbishment programme.
Corrosion
Corrosion is commonly defined as a chemical reaction
between the component surface and the reacting fluid
passing through a pump. In general, a distinction is drawn
PUMP
UP THE
VOLUME
Pharic Smith, Sulzer, UK,
and Thomas Kraenzler,
Sulzer, Switzerland,
examine the maximisation
of pump efficiency through
reduced corrosion and
erosion, allowing users to
enhance productivity and
reduce running costs.
