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Pump
Integration, Inc. personnel have successfully conducted pressure
pulsation tests on centrifugal compressor installations and
reciprocating pump installations allowing their clients to determine
the required system modifications to smooth out large destructive
pressure pulsations. We have also conducted temperature measurements
in extreme environments such as the inlet gas stream of a jet
engine's high pressure turbine or a somewhat less exotic temperature
survey of a boiler feed pump with split casing during the transient
from standby to hot operation. Pump integration personnel have also
designed, built and programmed customized data acquisition systems
to meet a client's specific needs.
PRESSURE
PULSATION TESTS 
The
application of fast response dynamic pressure transducers and the
magnetic or digital recording of these signals to the study of
fluids in pumping systems allows the investigator to gain a valuable
insight into system behavior. The traces at the right show the
instantaneous suction manifold pressure (top trace), cylinder
pressure (second from top trace) and discharge manifold pressure
(third from the top trace) relative to a key phaser signal from the
crankshaft of a reciprocating pump (bottom trace).
The data was
recorded at on site during the operating condition just prior to
large pressure pulsations experienced by the pumping system and was
reduced into plots for study at a later time. If allowed to fully
develop over time excessive pressure pulsations can reduce the
pump's volumetric efficiency and be destructive to the system. These
pulsations can be controlled with various damping schemes depending
on the information gained by a review of the dynamic pressure
traces. The selection and application of the best damping scheme can
reduce their effect on cylinder filling, volumetric efficiency and
mechanical fatigue of the pumping system.
Dynamic
pressure measurements have also proved helpful in the study of water
hammer effects in cooling spray systems for steel mills to provide
damping schemes which isolate the water hammer from the centrifugal
pumps supplying the cooling water. In addition, dynamic pressure
tests have been used to investigate the relationship of acoustic
resonance in the cross over section of a BFP to pump bearing housing
vibration.
TRANSIENT
TEMPERATURE SURVEYS 
The
installation of custom high temperature thermocouple probes imbedded
in the leading edges of a jet engine's HP turbine inlet vanes for
the purpose of total temperature measurements of the burner can exit
gas temperature is a high risk measurement made in a hostile
environment. Pump Integration, Inc. personnel have successfully made
these types of measurements for their clients. The plot at the right
shows the temperature vs. time profile of a jet engine's HPT inlet
gas temperature for several probes. The goal of this test was to
document the radial and circumferential temperature distribution for
several types of burner cans in an effort to determine the most
efficient design. The plots showed the burner characteristics for
each design and allowed a basis for comparison of combustor
performance.
The
measurement of boiler feed pump casing metal temperature
distribution during the transient from standby to hot service is
another case where reliable temperature measurements can give the
investigator and indication of case warping and possible binding of
the pump shaft on the impeller seals.
DESIGN
OF COMPUTERIZED DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS 
The
design of customized data acquisition systems is another area where
Pump Integration, Inc. personnel have supplied clients with reliable
engineered solutions to their test and measurement requirements. The
plot at the right comes from the preliminary work to provide a
continuous monitoring package for vibration and performance
operational history of boiler feed water pumps to be supplied by a
pump manufacturer. It shows the "Historical Trend
Analysis" page of the program ensemble that allows the user to
select operational points of interest to be investigated by the Pump
Performance Program. The "Pump Performance Program" and
"Alarms Summary Program" completed the Software ensemble.
These core programs formed the basis for a software functional
specification that was written and used to develop this product by
the vendor supplying the data acquisition hardware.
Other
computerized data acquisition system projects that have been
designed, built and commissioned include a single stage test rig for
compressor performance evaluation, a performance test facility for
Navy pumps, and a portable performance data acquisition system for
screw compressors. |
