1

Unit 6 Pumps At any one time in a ships machinery space there will be a considerable variety of liquids on the move. The lengths of pipe work will cover many kilometers, the systems are often interconnecting and most pumps are in pairs. The engineer must be familiar with each system from one end to the other, knowing the location and use of every single valve. The various systems perform functions such as cooling, heating, cleaning and lubricating of the various items of machinery. Each system can be considered comprised of pumps, piping, valves and fittings, which will now be examined in turn. Pumps A pump is a machine used to raise liquids from a low point to a high point. Alternatively it may simply provide the liquid with an increase in energy enabling it to flow or build up a pressure. The pumping action can be achieved in various ways according to the type of pump employed. The arrangement of pipe work, the liquid to be pumped and its purpose will result in certain system requirements or characteristics that must be met by the pump. A pumping system on a ship will consist of suction piping, a pump and discharge piping. 6.1. Pump types There is a variety of pumps necessary in order to suit the needs of auxiliary machinery systems, which are in large number and have many functions. To comply the Classification requirements, a naval pump design must fulfil the following conditions: Provisions to be made to prevent the penetration of pumped fluid into bearings. However, this does not apply to the pumps where the pumped fluid is also used for lubrication of the bearings. The pump glands set on the suction side are recommended to be fitted with hydraulic sealing system. If the design of the pump does not preclude the possibility of pressure rising above the rated value, a safety valve is to be fitted before the first stop valve, on the pump casing or on the delivery piping. In pumps intended for transferring flammable liquids, the by-pass from safety valves is to be situated on the suction side of the pump. Provisions should be made to prevent hydraulic impacts; the use of by-pass valves for this purpose is not recommended. The critical speed of the pump rotor is not to be less than 1.3 of the rated r.p.m. The pumps provided with self-priming devices should ensure operation under dry-suction conditions, and as a rule, are to be fitted with arrangements preventing the self-priming device from operating with contaminated water. The self-priming pumps should have a spot for connecting a vacuum-pressure gauge.

For pumps using hot combustible fluids, the shaft sealing should be in such a manner that the leakage not to build-up vapors and gases in an amount that could lead to a flammable mixture of air and gas. Provisions should be made for precluding the possibility of overheating and ignition of the sealing rotating part due to friction energy. When materials with a low electro conductibility are used for the pumps, provision is to be made for removing the electric charges by introducing some conductive additions in these materials or by using devices for discharging the electric charges and removing them from the body.

There are three main classes of pump in marine use: displacement, axial flow and centrifugal. A number of different arrangements are possible for displacement and centrifugal pumps to meet particular system characteristics. 6.2. Displacement The displacement pumping action is achieved by the reduction or increase in volume of a space causing the liquid (or gas) to be physically moved. The method employed is either a piston in a cylinder using a reciprocating motion, or a rotating unit using vanes, gears or screws. A reciprocating displacement pump is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1., to demonstrate the operating principle. The pump is double alternately drawn in and discharged. As the piston moves upwards, suction takes place below the piston and liquid is drawn in, the valve arrangement ensuring that the discharge valve cannot open on the suction stroke. Above the piston, liquid is discharged and the suction valve remains closed. As the piston travels down, the operations of suction and discharge occur now on opposite sides. An air vessel is usually fitted in the discharge pipe work to dampen out the pressure variations during discharge. As the discharge pressure rises the air is compressed in the vessel, and as the pressure falls, the air expands. The peak pressure energy is thus stored in the air and returned to the system when the pressure falls. Air vessels are not fitted on reciprocating boiler feed pumps since they may introduce air into the de-aerated feed water. A relief valve is always fitted between the pump suction and Fig. 1 discharge chambers to protect the pump should it be operated with a valve closed in the discharge line. Reciprocating displacement pumps are self-priming, will accept high suction lifts, produce the discharge pressure required by the system and can handle large amounts of vapour or entrained gases. They are however complicated in construction with a number of moving parts requiring attention and maintenance.

When starting the pump the suction and. discharge valves must be opened. It is important that no valves in the discharge line are closed, otherwise either the relief valve will lift or damage may occur to the pump when it is started. The pump is self-priming, but where possible to reduce wear or the risk of seizure it should be flooded with liquid before starting. An electrically driven pump needs only to be switched on, when it will run erratically for a short period until liquid is drawn into the pump. A steam driven pump will require the usual draining and warming through procedure before steam is gradually admitted. Most of the moving parts in the pump will require examination during overhaul. The pump piston, rings and cylinder liner must also be thoroughly checked. Ridges will eventually develop at the limits of the piston ring travel and these must be removed. The suction and discharge valves must be refaced or ground in as required. Two different rotary displacement pumps are shown in Fig. 6.4. The action in each case results in the trapping of a quantity of liquid (or air) in a volume or space which becomes smaller at the discharge or outlet side. It should be noted that the liquid does not pass between the screw or gear teeth as they mesh but travels between the casing and the teeth. The starting procedure is similar to that for the reciprocating displacement pump. Again a relief valve will be fitted between suction and discharge chambers. The particular maintenance problem with this type of pump is the shaft sealing where the gland and packing arrangement must be appropriate for the material pumped. The rotating vane type will suffer wear at a rate depending upon the liquid pumped and its freedom from abrasive or corrosive substances. The screw pump must be correctly timed and if stripped for inspection care should be taken to assemble the screws correctly. 6.4. Axial flow pump An axial flow pump uses a screw propeller to axially accelerate the liquid. The outlet passages and guide vanes are arranged to convert the velocity increase of the liquid into a pressure. A reversible axial flow pump is shown in Fig. 6.5. The pump casing is split either horizontally, or vertically to provide access to the propeller. A mechanical seal prevents leakage where the shaft leaves the casing. A thrust bearing of the tilting pad type is fitted on the drive shaft. The prime mover may be an electric motor or a steam turbine. The axial flow pump is used where large quantities of water at a low head are required, for example in condenser circulating. The efficiency is equivalent to a low lift centrifugal pump and the higher speeds possible enable a smaller driving motor to be used. The--axial flow pump is also suitable for supplementary use in a condenser scoop circulating system since the pump will offer little resistance to flow when idling. With scoop circulation the normal movement of the ship will draw in water, the pump would be in use only when the ship was moving slowly or stopped.

6.5. Centrifugal pump In a centrifugal pump liquid enters the centre or eye of the impeller and flows radially out between the vanes, its velocity being increased by the impeller rotation. A diffuser or volute is then used to convert most of the kinetic energy in the liquid into pressure. The arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6.6. A vertical, single stage, single entry, centrifugal pump for general marine duties is shown in Fig. 6.7. The main frame and casing, together with a motor support bracket, house the pumping

element assembly. The pumping element is made up of a top cover, a pump shaft, an impeller, a bearing bush and a scaling arrangement around the shaft. The sealing arrangement may be a packed gland or a mechanical seal and the bearing lubrication system will vary according to the type of seal. Replaceable wear rings are fitted to the impeller and the casing. The motor support bracket has two large apertures to provide access to the pumping element, and a coupling spacer is fitted between the motor and pump shaft to enable the removal of the pumping element without disturbing the motor. Other configurations of centrifugal pumps are used for particular duties or to meet system requirements. A vertical single stage double entry centrifugal pump is shown in Fig. 6.8. The incoming liquid enters the double impeller from the top and the bottom and passes into the volute casing for discharge. A double entry pump has a lower NPSH required characteristic which will have advantages in poor suction conditions. It should be noted that different impeller sizes can be fitted into a basic pumping element. This enables various discharge head characteristics to be provided for the same basic pump frame. A vertical multi-stage single entry centrifugal pump used for deep well cargo pumping is shown in Fig. 6.9. This can be considered as a series of centrifugal pumps arranged to supply one another in series and thus progressively increase the discharge pressure. The pump drive is located outside the tank and can be electric, hydraulic or any appropriate means suitable for the location. A diffuser is fitted to high pressure centrifugal pumps. This is a ring fixed to the casing, around the impeller, in which there are passages formed by vanes. The passages widen out in the direction of liquid flow and act to convert the kinetic energy of the liquid into pressure energy. Hydraulic balance arrangements are also usual. Some of the high pressure discharge liquid is directed against a drum or piston arrangement to balance the discharge liquid pressure on the impeller and thus maintain it in an equilibrium position. Centrifugal pumps, while being suitable for most general marine duties, are not self priming and require some means of removing air from the suction pipeline and filling it with liquid. Where the liquid to be pumped is at a level higher than the pump, opening an air cock near the pump suction will enable the air to be forced out as the pipeline fills up under the action of gravity. If the pump is below sea water level, and seawater priming is permissible in the system, then opening a seawater injection valve and the air cock on the pump will effect priming. Alternatively an air-pumping unit can be provided to individual pumps or as a central priming system connected to several pumps. The water ring or liquid ring primer can be arranged as an individual unit mounted on the pump and driven by it, or as a motor driven unit mounted separately and serving several pumps. The primer consists of an elliptical casing in which a vaned rotor revolves. The rotor may be separate from the hub and provide the air inlet and discharge ports as shown in Fig. 6.10. Alternatively another design has the rotor and hub as one piece with ports on the cover. The rotor vanes revolve and force a ring of liquid to take up the elliptical shape of the casing. The water ring, being elliptical, advances and recedes from the central hub, causing a pumping action to occur. The suction piping system is connected to the air inlet ports and the suction line is thus primed by the removal of air. The air removed from the system is discharged to atmosphere. A reservoir of water is provided to replenish the water ring when necessary. When starting a centrifugal pump the suction valve is opened and the discharge valve left shut: then the motor is started and the priming unit will prime the suction line. Once the pump is primed, the delivery valve can be slowly opened, and the quantity of liquid can be regulated by

opening or closing the delivery valve. When stopping the pump the delivery valve is closed and the motor stopped. Regular maintenance on the machine will involve attention to lubrication of the shaft bearing and ensuring that the shaft seal or gland is not leaking liquid. Unsatisfactory operation or loss of performance may require minor or major overhauls. Common faults, such as no discharge, may be a result of valves in the system being shut, suction strainers blocked or other faults occurring in the priming system. Air leaks in the suction piping, a choked impeller or too tight a shaft gland can all lead to poor performance. When dismantling the pump to remove the pumping element any priming pipes or cooling water supply pipes must be disconnected. Modern pumps have a coupling spacer which can be removed to enable the pumping element to be withdrawn without disturbing the motor: the impeller and shaft can then be readily separated for examination. The shaft bearing bush together with the casing and impeller wear rings should be examined for wear. Rotary pump

1. side suction ~ aspiraie lateral 2. screw shafts (or rotors) (in a counterflow arrangement) ~ ax cu urub (sau rotor) (aezat n poziie dublu flux) 3. external bearings (and shaft sealing by mechanical seals) ~ 4. pump casing or housing ~ carcas 5. surge chamber ~ camer de refulare 6. upward delivery ~ refulare superioar 7. spring-loaded by-pas valve ~ supap de deversare cu resort 8. spur gear assembly (for driving and driven screw shafts) ~

6.6. Vocabulary

air vessel = rezervor/colector de aer axial flow pump = pomp axial bearring = lagr, cuzinet by-pass = deviaie, canal de scpare centrifugal pump = pomp centrifugal dampen out = a umezi la exterior, a evacua diffuser = difuzor al compresorului discharge piping = tubulatur de golire displacement pump = pomp volumic electro-conductibility = electro-conductibilitate erratically = n mod accidental/ ntmpltor fittings = armturi gauge = indicator de nivel, manometru giude vane = palet culisant de ghidare gland = presgarnitur, buc hub = butuc hydraulic sealing system = sistem de etanare hidraulic idling = repaus, mort impact = impact, impuls leakage = scurgere outlet passage = canal de evacuare overhaul = revizie general pipe work = tubulatur piping = tubulatur precluding = exclus, nlturat pump = pomp ridge = margine scoop = cup, jgheab screw = urub seizure = gripare self-priming = auto amorsare suction piping = conducte de aspiraie thrust bearing = lagr de mpingere tilting pad = sistem de inversare valve = valv volute casing = carcas conic/spiralat wear rings = inel de compensare a uzurii

6.7. Grammar

Prepositional verbs Verb + on depend/rely on.. I cannot rely on him. live on (money/food) His salary is very low so he cannot live on it. congratulate/compliment (someone) on He congratulated me on my graduation. concentrate on You should concentrate on your work and forget about your problems. insist on The Chief engineer insisted on staying with me on my first watch. spend (money) on How much money do you spend on presents each voyage? Verb + in believe in I dont believe in people who are too friendly. specialize in He is a mechanic but he is specializing in computers. succeed in I hope you succeeded in finding the job you wanted. Verb + into break into My neighbors house was broken into last week. crash/drive/bump/run into When driving on the ferry the car crashed into a lorry. divide/cut/split something into (two or more parts) The course is divided into eight parts. translate from one language into another The English terms are translated into Romanian. Verb + with collide with The tanker collided with a bulk carrier, fortunately no one was injured. fill something with Fill the compartment with foam to stop the fire. provide/supply somebody with The school provides all the students with books.