A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump

Cavitation is one of the major problems associated with the operation of centrifugal pumps. Cavitation occurs when vapour bubbles that are formed due to a drop in pressure in the pipes upstream of the centrifugal pump implode under the added pressure within the volute of the pump. These implosions...

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Main Authors: McKee, Kristoffer, Forbes, Gareth, Mazhar, Muhammad Ilyas, Entwistle, Rodney, Hodkiewicz, M., Howard, Ian
Other Authors: WCEAM
Format: Conference Paper
Published: Springer 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31108
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author McKee, Kristoffer
Forbes, Gareth
Mazhar, Muhammad Ilyas
Entwistle, Rodney
Hodkiewicz, M.
Howard, Ian
author2 WCEAM
author_facet WCEAM
McKee, Kristoffer
Forbes, Gareth
Mazhar, Muhammad Ilyas
Entwistle, Rodney
Hodkiewicz, M.
Howard, Ian
author_sort McKee, Kristoffer
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Cavitation is one of the major problems associated with the operation of centrifugal pumps. Cavitation occurs when vapour bubbles that are formed due to a drop in pressure in the pipes upstream of the centrifugal pump implode under the added pressure within the volute of the pump. These implosions wear away the impeller, and sometimes the volute itself, which if left unchecked, would render the pump inoperable. Much research has been done in the detection of cavitation through: indicators in certain audible frequencies, drop in the net positive suction head, visual inspection using a transparent casing and a stroboscopic light, paint erosion inside the volute and on the impeller, changes in pressure within the flow or volute, and vibration within certain frequency ranges. Vibration detection is deemed as one of the more difficult methods due to other structural and environmental factors that may influence which frequencies may be present during the onset of cavitation. Vibration measurement however is most easily measured and deployable in an automated condition monitoring scenario.It is proposed that an increasing trend in a set of statistical parameters, rather than a firm threshold of a single parameter, would provide a robust indication for the onset of cavitation. Trends in these statistical parameters were obtained from data collected on a pump forced to cavitate under several different operating conditions. A single cavitation indicator is outlined utilizing these statistical parameters that can quantify the level of cavitation in a centrifugal pump.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-311082017-02-28T01:38:49Z A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump McKee, Kristoffer Forbes, Gareth Mazhar, Muhammad Ilyas Entwistle, Rodney Hodkiewicz, M. Howard, Ian WCEAM condition monitoring vibration severity levels octave band spectrum cavitation centrifugal pumps Cavitation is one of the major problems associated with the operation of centrifugal pumps. Cavitation occurs when vapour bubbles that are formed due to a drop in pressure in the pipes upstream of the centrifugal pump implode under the added pressure within the volute of the pump. These implosions wear away the impeller, and sometimes the volute itself, which if left unchecked, would render the pump inoperable. Much research has been done in the detection of cavitation through: indicators in certain audible frequencies, drop in the net positive suction head, visual inspection using a transparent casing and a stroboscopic light, paint erosion inside the volute and on the impeller, changes in pressure within the flow or volute, and vibration within certain frequency ranges. Vibration detection is deemed as one of the more difficult methods due to other structural and environmental factors that may influence which frequencies may be present during the onset of cavitation. Vibration measurement however is most easily measured and deployable in an automated condition monitoring scenario.It is proposed that an increasing trend in a set of statistical parameters, rather than a firm threshold of a single parameter, would provide a robust indication for the onset of cavitation. Trends in these statistical parameters were obtained from data collected on a pump forced to cavitate under several different operating conditions. A single cavitation indicator is outlined utilizing these statistical parameters that can quantify the level of cavitation in a centrifugal pump. 2012 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31108 Springer restricted
spellingShingle condition monitoring
vibration severity levels
octave band spectrum
cavitation
centrifugal pumps
McKee, Kristoffer
Forbes, Gareth
Mazhar, Muhammad Ilyas
Entwistle, Rodney
Hodkiewicz, M.
Howard, Ian
A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
title A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
title_full A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
title_fullStr A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
title_full_unstemmed A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
title_short A single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
title_sort single cavitation indicator based on statistical parameters for a centrifugal pump
topic condition monitoring
vibration severity levels
octave band spectrum
cavitation
centrifugal pumps
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31108