Feature

Extending pump life expectancy

Feedwater pumps are the heart of any steam generation process and as such, they are considered critical assets. When viewed from the cardiologic perspective, feedwater pump criticality becomes patently obvious, without a healthy, reliable heart, the process will degrade and eventually cease to function.

07/10/2019 11:26:08

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Just as an electro-cardiogram provides a medical expert with valuable performance data on the human heart during a stress test, field pump performance testing
provides the expert with developed head, capacity and efficiency data under normal (or abnormal) operating conditions.

Chris Muscavage, Field Technical Service Engineer, at Sulzer, looks at
the importance of pump performance testing and how it can improve plant reliability.

Fossil fuels continue to be the primary source fuel for power generation
which, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration in 2017, accounted for 62.7 percent of capacity with nuclear capacity accounting for an additional 20 percent. This
equates to nearly 83 percent of U.S. power being wholly or partially reliant upon steam generation utilising feedwater pumps.

Read the full article in the October issue of DPA.

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.