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NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, July-August 2016
Hydraulic Design of Pump Critical Dimension in 2D
Leveraging Technology
for a Custom Designed Pump
3D Modeling and
Assembly Checking
Analysis of Mold Design Using Solidification Simulation
2.
3.
4.
Design and Assembly of 3D Models for Evaluation of Casting,
Rigging and Layout
Custom building a unique pump can
provide an innovative solution to a pump
problem. Hydro, Inc., recently had the
opportunity to design and build such a
pump for one of our customers. This
challenging case represents an opportunity
to tackle a persistent performance issue by
using new technologies to engineer, design
and
manufacture
a
new
pump
custom-tailored for a particular application
in an aggressive time frame.
Overview of problem:
A nuclear plant
had 10 identical pumps installed in its
service-water systems. Formidable
power-supply
and
cooling-media
constraints,
design
issues,
and
poor-quality manufacturing by the OEM
caused numerous operational problems.
The motor was overloading on a regular
basis due to inefficiency of the existing
pumps. The plant was having a hard time
juggling a HP limit—the existing driver
had to be used thus limiting maximum all
owable BHP.
Further complicating the issue, highly
corrosive, full-strength seawater from the
estuary area of a blackwater river served
as the cooling media. Because of this
brackish, tannic water, the bowl assembly
experienced high pitting and crevice
corrosion beyond repair.
The decision to build a custom-designed
pump:
Between August 2009 and October
2014, Hydro had been contracted five
times to complete repairs on these pumps.
During the course of these repairs,
analysis of data from testing results
performed following each repair, Hydro
came to a number of conclusions that led
to the recommendation to consider
custom-designing a pump for this specific
application.
A key factor that led to recommending a
custom built pump came from test results
performed
following
each
repair.
Additional evaluation and assessments of
performance testing results revealed other
problems that greatly affected performance
and reliability.
1.
