Installation and Operation Manual
SA-07-11-87, Rev A
50
January 2019
TROUBLESHOOTING
Pump Diagnostics
Several system factors may affect the
performance of the pump. These factors are:
•
Temperature
•
Specific gravity
•
Suction pressure
•
Driver speed
•
Flow rate
•
Control characteristics
These factors as well as internal problems must
be considered when analyzing pump system
performance. The following table gives diagnostic
information that can be useful when analyzing
pump performance problems.
Table 1. Pump Diagnostics
Situation/Symptom
Possible Cause
Investigative/Corrective Action
No flow, no
pressure at start-
up.
Pump not completely filled with liquid.
Bleed all vapor or air from port 6.
Allow more cool-down time if pumping
low temperature fluid.
Check suction line for air leak if suction
pressure is lower than atmospheric.
NPSH
actually
lower
than
NPSH
requirement listed on specification sheet.
Suction line blocked – check suction
screen and valve.
Excessive pressure drop through
suction piping.
Flow restricted by vapor pockets in
high points of suction line.
Suction tank level or pressure too low.
Entrained air or vapor in pumped fluid.
NPSH reduced by presence of more
volatile fluid in process fluid.
Failure of drive component, such as
interconnecting shaft or impeller key, or item
missing from assembly.
Disassemble and inspect.
Reverse direction of rotation.
Direction of driver shaft rotation must
be as shown by arrow on pump casing.
Note: Impeller and driver rotate in the
same direction.
Insufficient total
head.
Flow too high.
Check total head and flow rate against
performance curve.
Wrong direction of driver shaft rotation. (It is
possible
for the pump to develop greater than 50
percent design total head in this condition).
Direction of driver shaft rotation must
be as shown by arrow on pump casing.
Note: Impeller and driver rotate in the
same direction.