An accessible guide to the main reasons pumps fail—and what can be done about it
Workhorses in many different industries, including the oil industry, water industry, chemical industry, food industry, and pharmaceutical industry to name a few, pumps are a vital contributor to maintaining and increasing the flow of production. In fact, the pump industry itself is a multi-billion dollar global business.
Taking the unique approach of addressing both pump operators and pump designers, Pump Wisdom explains the causes of failure in centrifugal pump function—whether it's pump selection, overlooked installation criteria, or the accumulation of small deviations—and maps out remedies with well defined methods that target specific issues, rather than focusing on technical generalities and theory. Clearly written and concise, Pump Wisdom relies on proven tactics for reducing pump vulnerabilities and correcting imbalances between hydraulic assembly and mechanical assembly. In addition, it supplies sound tips for detecting and rectifying risky shortcuts taken by pump designers and manufacturers. Pump Wisdom also:
- Provides a concise explanation of how pumps function
- Details the specifications to be considered when purchasing a pump
- Provides tips on the installation of centrifugal pumps in process plants
- Written in concise language that avoids excessive mathematical treatment
- Explains pump hydraulics in easy to understand terms
- Emphasizes the mechanical aspects of pumps with coverage on bearings, seals, impeller trimming, lubricant application, lubricant types, and more
Pump Wisdom sheds light on the techniques for stabilizing pump performance and maximizing pump efficiency. Its concise format allows readers to strike directly at the heart of the problem—and helps them devise strategies to prevent costly failures before they occur.
HEINZ P. BLOCH is a consulting engineer in Iowa and a licensed professional engineer in New Jersey and Texas. He served over twenty years as Exxon's regional machinery specialist in the United States. A Life Fellow of ASME, Mr. Bloch has authored eighteen books, almost five hundred papers and articles, and conducted over five hundred technical courses. He helped found Texas A&M's International Pump Users Symposium, worked as an editor on Hydrocarbon Processing magazine, and served as chairman of a yearly International Process and Power Plant Reliability Conference for close to a decade.
