Recent advances in upgrading large pumps
- American Hydro Corp., York, PA (United States)
The benefits of upgrading hydraulic turbines and pump/turbines via the installation of custom designed replacement runners has been well documented in recent years. The increased operating efficiency and capacity, and improved cavitation and operating characteristics of modern replacement runners bears strong testimony to the specialized design an manufacturing techniques developed by turbine manufacturers who specialize in the upgrade business. The integration of computerized design and manufacturing technologies has resulted in the production of turbine and pump/turbine runners with a quality level not approachable with traditional techniques. This same technology can have dramatic results when applied to the upgrade of large pumps. The energy utilized to operate large irrigation, storage and cooling water pumps represents a major cost to the owners of the pumps. The operation of a 25,000 horsepower pump through one irrigation season represents an energy cost of approximately $4,000,000 per year. An increase in efficiency of 2% could result in an energy cost savings of over $100,000 per year. Pump impellers are subject to cavitation and erosion damage which reduces pump efficiency and capacity and may require costly maintenance and repairs. When designed and manufactured using modern computerized methods, an upgraded impeller can operate cavitation free at higher capacities and efficiencies than the original design. The costs of pump operation and maintenance can be substantially reduced by the replacement of the impellers with impellers of modern, custom design.
- OSTI ID:
- 220061
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9507190--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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