The hazards of slurry pump vibration

1. Affects the service life of various spare parts of the slurry pump

According to relevant data statistics, equipment failures caused by slurry pump vibration account for 74% of slurry pump failures. During the operation of the pump, due to the generation of imbalance, centrifugal force increases the load on the bearings. Vibration beyond the allowable range of the slurry pump can cause premature damage to the lubricating oil film on the surface of the bearing rolling element, resulting in ineffective lubrication and heat dissipation of the bearings, and accelerating the temperature rise and damage of the bearings.

2. Damage and leakage of the machine seal

The vibration of the slurry pump has a greater impact on the service life of the mechanical seal than the vibration of the slurry pump, but it is also the main cause of mechanical seal damage. The vibration of the slurry pump can cause the sealing end face of the machine seal to not fit stably during operation, resulting in slight material loading in the early stage. At the same time, due to the use of double end face machine seals in slurry pumps, the vibration of the machine seal can also cause the inclusion of slurry particles in the friction process between the two end faces, leading to premature damage to the sealing surface, as well as premature fatigue failure of the compression spring caused by vibration and excessive wear of the machine seal O-ring, resulting in leakage.

3. Wear and leakage of pump body

In order to improve the efficiency of centrifugal pumps, spare parts inside the pump chamber, such as impellers. The gap between the front/rear guard plate, volute and other components is designed to minimize the gap between the components. (Under the same conditions, the smaller the gap, the higher the efficiency of the pump.) Vibration can cause the pump transmission shaft to move and the shaft head to jump. This movement poses great harm to the internal components of the pump chamber, and can also cause collision or wear between the guard plate and the impeller. This situation can cause damage to some of the spare parts, resulting in the pump losing its working ability or reducing its efficiency. In addition, due to the frictional stress of various spare parts inside the pump chamber, leakage occurs at the joint surface.

4. Increased energy consumption of individual equipment

The vibration of the slurry pump will generate additional friction losses and uneven centrifugal force, which not only reduces the stability of pump operation but also lowers the efficiency of pump operation, resulting in an increase in useless work and higher electrical energy consumption when doing the same amount of work.

5. The occurrence of shaft breakage

For the drive shaft of the slurry pump, the shaft not only plays a role in driving rotation, but also stabilizes the impeller in a fixed position for smooth operation. The vibration of the pump will cause the impeller to generate unbalanced centrifugal force, which will keep the impeller at the end of the shaft in an unbalanced state and cause excessive stress on the shaft. Long term operation will inevitably lead to metal fatigue and the occurrence of shaft failure.