47

The effect of change in
ow rate on the vibration

of double-suction centrifugal pumps

M R Hodkiewicz* and M P Norton

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Western Australia, Western Australia

Abstract: This investigation identi
es changes in the character of vibration measured on a pump bearing
housing resulting from ow below the best ef
ciency point for industrial double-suction single-stage units
with different wear conditions. The paper develops a set of vibration features that will assist in identifying
low ow conditions in double-suction pumps.

Keywords: centrifugal pump, vibration, condition monitoring, performance monitoring

NOTATION Monitoring the vibration measured on the pump bearing

housing in the horizontal and axial directions for a range of
BEP best ef
ciency point operation for a ows of 0.5–1.25 Q/QBEP is used to:
centrifugal pump
1. Identify vibration feature vectors that are most sensitive
Cp speci
c heat of water at measuring
to change in ow.
temperature
2. Determine the ow rate at which there is acceleration in
dT change in temperature of water from suction vibration magnitude. This could be used to develop
to discharge
guidelines for acceptable ows on existing pump instal-
F shaft speed of the pump (Hz)
lations.
g gravitational constant
3. Discuss the effect of internal wear conditions and design
H total head on pump decisions on the vibration response at low ow.
nF spectral peak at n 6 rotating speed of the
pump Data was collected and processed with commercially
Q/QBE ratio relating measured ow rate to the ow available transducers and software. The aim was to develop
rate at best ef
ciency point guidelines that can be used by vibration and process
Z number of vanes on an impeller engineers to develop acceptable operating ow ranges for
ZF spectral peak at the vane pass frequency of their existing equipment.
the pump

1 INTRODUCTION
This work evaluates changes to vibration data in the time
and frequency domain as the ow through a double-suction
single-stage centrifugal pump is reduced from the optimum
design ow (QBEP) to half of the design ow. Double-
suction single-stage centrifugal pumps are widely used in
industry for high volume–medium head applications.
The MS was received 10 April 2001 and was accepted after revision for
publication on 18 October 2001.
* Corresponding author: Department of Mechanical and Materials
Engineering, University of Western Australia, Nedlands 6907, Western
Australia.
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2 BACKGROUND
Vibration monitoring has been used for many years to
monitor the health of plant rotating machinery. Vibration
data is most commonly viewed in the frequency domain
resulting from the Fourier transform of the time series data.
Each rotating machine has a unique and characteristic
vibration frequency spectrum. The change in the shape of
the frequency spectrum and the appearance of peaks at
speci
c frequencies are indicative of faults associated with
the machine. The task of recognizing a fault is complicated
by a number of factors including noise, presence of multiple
faults, severity of the fault, machine geometry, speed
changes and operating conditions. The primary frequencies
of interest on a simple machine like a centrifugal pump are
the peak at rotating speed (F), harmonics at 2F, 3F rotating
speed and further multiples, bearing frequencies, vane
Proc Instn Mech Engrs Vol 216 Part E: J Process Mechanical Engineering
48 M R HODKIEWICZ AND M P NORTON

passing frequency, and sub-synchronous vibrations.
Mechanical and hydraulic excitation forces cause an
increase in vibration levels and reduced reliability in a
centrifugal pump. Mechanical forces include resonance,
mechanical imbalance, and conditions resulting from
pump wear, installation, and assembly. Hydraulic sources
result from hydraulic imbalance, vane passing forces, inter-
nal recirculation, suction and discharge recirculation, rotat-
ing stall, cavitation, surge and system instabilities.
Considerable work has been done using pressure and
velocity measuring devices to understand the change in
internal ow patterns on centrifugal pumps at different
ow rates [1, 2]. This work uses specially installed measur-
ing equipment requiring modi
cations to pump and piping
to detect the onset of ow separation characteristics of low
ow conditions. Partial ow operation affects the radial
forces on the impeller due to non-uniform pressure around
the impeller, labyrinth forces and impeller-volute interaction
[3]. Radial thrust measurements have been made on double-
suction single-entry pumps using strain gauges [4]. Compu-
tational uid dynamic analysis is increasingly being used to
model complex internal ow conditions [5].
Published vibration spectral data on the change in pump
response with ow is limited. In part this is because the
vibration response measured on the pump casing or bearing
housing is an indirect method of assessing the conditions
inside the pump. The vibration response of a single pump is
unique for a particular unit and hence measurement of a
pump is not applicable to other pumps of slightly different
design or installation due to variation in mass, stiffness,
damping, and structural response. Vibration is, however, the
most widely used condition monitoring technique, and is
available in most large facilities. Identi
cation of features
from the vibration signal that identify low ow conditions
could be used to develop operating guidelines. Frequent
periods of operation substantially below QBEP capacity
result in damage at the impeller inlet and outlet, shaft
damage, pressure pulsations, and vibrations [6].
Vibration data would be an accurate indicator if the
transfer function for the unit could be reliably determined.
The transfer function is determined by excitation of the
pump over a wide frequency range at those locations where
the real operating excitation forces are acting and measure-
ment of vibration data simultaneously at all response loca-
tions. The transfer function relates the force input and
response; it is characteristic of the machine and independent
of the actual excitation for a linear system. There are
considerable practical dif
culties involved with this and
the results for a single pump would not be widely applic-
able. An indirect modal model for multi-stage pumps was
developed to determine hydraulic forces using numerical
excitation on a computer model of the rotor/stator and actual
vibration data collected from shop performance tests [7].
The numerical model was successful in determining transfer
functions between excitation locations and response
measurement locations for a number of multi-stage pumps.
A summary of the results of previous work published for
pressure, force, and vibration spectra data on pumps subject
to hydraulic excitation is given in Table 1. Much of this
work was done on multi-stage pumps.
Considerable work has been done in the last twenty years
on attempting to understand the uid ows inside a centri-

Table 1 The effect of hydraulic excitation on pressure, force, and vibration spectra
Flow-rate
Root cause dependent Variable Reference
Impeller vane spacing deviation No Calculated force at 1 6 r/min (F) [7]
Volute casing symmetry Yes Calculated force at 1 6 r/min (F) [7]
Impeller inlet area deviation No Calculated force at 1 6 r/min (F) [7]
Suction recirculation/Flow separation at the Yes Calculated force at 0.1–0.2 F [7]
impeller eye
Yes Broadband excitation forces 0–2 F [8]
Increased randomness and peak
values in time signal
Yes Pressure pulsations at 0–0.2 F [1]
Suction recirculation (multi-stage pumps) Yes Broadband vibration sidebands at 0.85 F. [9]
Stall Only in Calculated force at 0.1–0.2 F [7]
narrow
ow range Lateral force at 0.05–0.95 F [8]
Flow separation at volute tip Yes Calculated force at ZF [7]
Secondary ow
elds Yes Calculated force at ZF [7]
Blade/casing non-uniform pressure interaction Yes Calculated force at ZF [7]
Clearance between impeller vane diameter and n/a Pressure pulsations at ZF, 2ZF [1]
volume tip (Gap B)
Pressure pulsations at ZF [6]
Clearance between impeller shroud and casing Yes Pressure pulsations and high axial [6]
(Gap A) on double-suction impeller displacement at 1.2F
Shaft axial vibration-proximity probe [10]
Impeller shrouds unequal distance from case wall n/a Axial displacement- proximity probe [6]
for double-suction impeller

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 EFFECT OF FLOW RATE CHANGE ON VIBRATION OF DOUBLE-SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS 49

fugal pump as the ow is reduced away from the best point; it is used to compare performance between pumps of
ef
ciency point (QBEP). Key experimental research data on different capacity. Dimensional data for Pump Set A from
pump behavior at low ows has been undertaken [2, 11–14]. the manufacturer’s drawings result in a calculated value for
Theoretical considerations, con
rmed by experimental the onset of discharge recirculation of 0.81 Q/QBEP [12].
data, indicate that the minimum hydraulic loss and maxi- There is as yet no universally accepted methodology for
mum pump ef
ciency is associated with: predicting or experimentally determining the onset of
suction recirculation and other low ow conditions in
1. uniform ow and pressure distribution both at the entry
industrial units. From a pump user’s perspective the more
to and exit from the impeller;
important issue is one of knowing the physical effect of
2. an axial ow symmetry;
recirculation and other low ow conditions on a particular
3. perpendicular and shockless uid entry on the rotating
pump in a particular location. The API 610 Standard [20]
vanes;
de
nes minimum continuous stable ow as the ‘lowest ow
4. gradual changes of ow velocities (direction and magni-
at which the pump can operate without exceeding the
tude) along the passageways;
vibration limits imposed by the Standard’. This is an
5. an absence of transient conditions;
incomplete guideline since it does not account for periods
6. no ow separation; and
of time of the low ow excursion, the type and intensity of
7. minimal internal recirculation around the impeller.
the recirculation condition, and its effect on the pump and
This ideal picture has been found to exist only at or near piping structure. In addition the method of vibration
the zero inlet incidence ow. The zero inlet incidence ow is measurement prescribed in the Standard does not include
determined by the impeller geometry at the inlet, and may the higher frequency vibration energy caused by damaging
vary from the best ef
ciency point (QBEP) of the pump by as cavitation events. The physical effects of low ow operation
much as 20 per cent. Although the zero inlet incidence ow are many and the potential to cause physical damage or
is the optimum reference point for performance comparison failure to the pump components or piping system is
it is not a widely available number for pump users. In this complex, requiring an understanding of uid dynamics,
paper, the commonly quoted ratio Q/QBEP has been used as structural dynamics, and ow induced vibrations.
a basis for performance comparison. Historically a two-
dimensional model is used to describe this optimum ow
condition and relatively simple design methods can be and
3 EQUIPMENT
are used to determine pump size and geometry. However,
any departure from design conditions will result in a change
The investigation reported here tested two sets of pumps, ‘A’
to the idealized, quasi-two-dimensional picture introducing a
and ‘B’, of similar size and duty, but different design
complex three-dimensional ow pattern complicated by the
con
guration and wear status. Both sets are horizontal
occurrence of transient phenomena [15]. The three-dimen-
sional ow pattern results from the pre-rotation of the uid
in the suction pipe as it approaches the impeller, recircula-
tion of uid within the impeller, and a reverse ow from the Table 2 Comparison of design data on Test Pump Sets ‘A’
impeller towards the suction. The velocity pattern in the and ‘B’
suction pipe shows a reversed axial component near the pipe
Manufacturer Pump set ‘A’ Pump set ‘B’
wall termed ‘reverse ow’, and a tangential component,
termed ‘pre-rotation’. A number of methods have been Size 350 6 400 mm 300 6 400 mm
Installation date 2000 1997
tested to determine experimentally the onset of recirculation Speci
c speed 1210 1300
[11, 16, 17, 18]. Each of these methods requires the use of Suction speci
c speed 9980 10,300
in-ow measuring devices in speci
c locations requiring Number of pumps 4 3
Impeller diameter 453 mm 498 mm
special modi
cations to the pump. The theoretical predic-
Volute Single Double
tion of suction recirculation is not a trivial exercise and to Duty ow 405 l/s 463 l/s
date no purely analytical methods have been proven. Empiri- Duty head 60 m 71 m
cal methods of predicting the onset of suction recirculation Duty power 264 kW 364 kW
Flow at BEP 347 l/s 450 l/s
have been developed [19]. Important work by Makay and Zero incidence ow 383 l/s not available
Barrett [11] showed that impeller design parameters, blade Maximum ef
ciency 90.2% 88.5%
NPSH 5.5 m 4.5 m
loading, and loading distribution over the blade surface, Number of vanes 7 6
were primary determinants in the onset of ow separation Pump bearings 2 6 radial radial and thrust
and hence recirculation. Vibration mm/s
RMS NDE bearing
Guidelines for the onset of recirculation for the two sets
housing horizontal/axial
of test pumps predict an onset of suction recirculation based Pump 1 0.8/1.0 Not tested
on the pump speci
c and suction speci
c speed at approxi- Pump 2 0.7/1.0 1.8/1.2
Pump 3 0.7/0.8 1.8/0.9
mately 0.73 Q/QBEP [16]. Q/QBEP is a dimensionless ratio Pump 4 0.7/1.3 2.0/1.1
relating the measured ow to the ow at the best ef
ciency
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50
split-case, double-suction, single-stage pumps in water-
delivery applications driven by four-pole motors. The ‘A’
set of four pumps is a new installation, and the ‘B’ set of
three pumps has been run continuously since 1997 with no
rebuild work. The two sets were selected to compare the
response of similar sized pumps with different design
features, and within each set to compare the results of
different wear conditions. The signi
cant design differences
are the single versus double volute design and the use of
thrust or radial bearing on the non-drive-end pump bearing.
Both sets of pumps are installed in parallel with a common
header and discharge into a common line. The details of
each set are shown in Table 2.
4 DATA COLLECTION
Vibration and performance data was collected on each of the
pumps at discrete operating points over a range of ows
0.50–1.20 Q/QBEP by adjusting the position of a valve on the
discharge line of each pump and running multiple pumps in
parallel. At each operating point 150 seconds of vibration
data was recorded using B & K 4396 Deltatron acceler-
ometers stud-mounted on the non-drive end bearing hori-
zontal and axial locations and on the suction ange of the
pump in line with the ow as shown in Fig. 1. A dynamic
pressure transducer, PCB S101A04 was installed only on
the ‘B’ set of pumps. The transducer was mounted on a port
on the suction piping. The vibration and pressure data was
stored on a 16-bit Sony 208Ax digital tape recorder.
Fig. 1
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M R HODKIEWICZ AND M P NORTON
Performance data providing ow, pressure, and pump ef
-
ciency was measured using a Yatesmeter.
The Yatesmeter is a thermodynamic pump performance
meter using data collected from static pressure transducers
and thermocouples located in the suction and discharge
piping and power data from the motor power supply. The
meter measures the energy dissipated as heat to the water as
it moves from the suction to discharge of the pump. This
heat change has been shown to model accurately the energy
losses experienced by the pump [21]. The pump ef
ciency
can be calculated from:
1
Pump efficiency ˆ µ
´¶ …1†
Cp dT
1‡
gH
5 DATA PROCESSING
Data from the digital tape recorder was post-processed using
a National Instrument PCI-4552 board providing four chan-
nels of simultaneously sampled 16-bit data up to 30 kHz per
channel. The board has a dynamic range of 90 dB, built in
anti-aliasing
lters and uses delta-sigma modulated A/D
conversion. All the data processing was done with National
Instruments LabVIEW software. The tape data was sampled
at two sampling rates (25 kHz and 2 kHz) to obtain low
resolution–high frequency data (3 Hz bandwidth) and high
resolution–low frequency data (0.5 Hz bandwidth).
Transducer location for data collection
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 EFFECT OF FLOW RATE CHANGE ON VIBRATION OF DOUBLE-SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS 51

The digital time waveform
les were processed using
purpose built LabVIEW programs to calculate statistical,
frequency and cross-spectral vectors; these are summarized
in Fig. 2. Details of each of the calculations are given in the
Appendix. These feature vectors were related to the pump
performance data to determine how the vibration measured
on the pump was affected by operation at ow rates below
the best ef
ciency point. In addition, the feature vectors were
examined to determine if there was correlation between
selected vectors and loss in ef
ciency for the seven pumps.
Feature vectors based on the un
ltered vibration and
pressure signals are calculated over the entire sampled
time period. Vectors based on the fast Fourier transform of
the time signal are 50% overlap sampled and averaged; 50
averages were used for the signals sampled at 25 kHz and 30
averages for the signal sampled at 2 kHz.

Fig. 2 Data processing owsheet

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52 M R HODKIEWICZ AND M P NORTON

Fig. 3 Measured pump ef
ciency and relative ow Q/QB E P for Pump Sets ‘A’ and ‘B’

6 PUMP PERFORMANCE CURVES summarized in Tables 3, 4 and 5. Graphs illustrating the

The Yatesmeter data was used to produce operating curves
for the two sets of pumps, Set ‘A’ and Set ‘B’; these are
shown in Fig. 3. The operating curve plots pump ef
ciency
(Z) against relative ow, where relative ow is Q/QBEP.
There is close correlation between the curves for Pump
Set ‘A’ reecting their new condition. Set ‘B’ shows a
difference in head between the pumps across the ow
range due to a difference in wear condition.
7 RESULTS OF VIBRATION MEASUREMENTS
The changes in statistical, spectral and cross-spectral feature
vectors with change in ow through the test pumps are
features discussed in the Tables are provided in Figs 4–11.
8 GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
The graphs show the average value for each set of pumps,
‘A’ and ‘B’ and one standard deviation either side of the
mean. The dashed line represents the new Pump Set ‘A’, the
solid line, the old set ‘B’.
Figures 4–6 show the change in statistical vibration
vectors calculated from the time series data. Figure 7
shows the overall vibration in the 10–1000 kHz band calcu-
lated from the averaged spectra. Figure 8 illustrates the
change to the vane pass frequency. Vane pass pressure
pulsations produced by the impeller vane wake passing the
volute cutwater are inherent to volute style pumps. The

Table 3
Change in statistical vectors with ow
RMS vibration to 10 kHz
RMS vibration to 1 kHz
Variance
Kurtosis
Vibration in frequency band
10–1000 Hz (mm/s) calculated
from averaged spectra
Change in statistical vectors with ow on Pump Sets ‘A’ and ‘B’
Summary
° Linear rise in value as ow is decreased for Pump Set ‘A’ at axial location only.
° Increase for Pump Set B in axial and horizontal locations below 0.8 Q/QBEP.
° Magnitude of Set ‘A’ greater than Set ‘B’ in axial location below BEP despite ‘A’ being
a new installation.
° Rise in value for all pumps as ow is reduced. Magnitude of the rise is more marked
at the axial location.
° Average value for RMS to 10 kHz is 2–3 6 average value for RMS to 1 kHz due to substantial
contributions above 1 kHz.
° Variance calculations give identical shaped and spaced curves to the RMS graphs.
° No signi
cant change in kurtosis across the pump ow range. Average kurtosis 3–3.5.
° Low magnitude values (< 2 mm/s) for Pump Set ‘A’ across ow range measured horizontally, slight
increase at very low ow.
° Signi
cant increase in value for Pump Set ‘B’ measured horizontally. Large standard deviation
for the ‘B’ set due to different wear conditions.
° Average value for Set ‘B’ at 0.6 Q/QBEP is signi
cant at 4.8 mm/s.
° Axially all the pumps in tight amplitude range rising in value as ow is reduced.

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 EFFECT OF FLOW RATE CHANGE ON VIBRATION OF DOUBLE-SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS 53

Table 4
Change in spectra with ow
Vibration at vane pass frequency
Vibration at 1 6 and 2 6 rpm
Spectrum to 500 Hz
Spectrum to 10 kHz
Change in vibration spectra with ow on Pump Sets ‘A’ and ‘B’
Summary
° Pump Set ‘A’ has constant amplitude, low magnitude peak across ow range.
° Pump Set ‘B’ has marked increase in vibration on both axes below BEP.
° Magnitude for Set ‘B’ is substantially higher horizontally than axially.
° Vibration response for ‘B’ depends on wear conditions with amplitudes ranging from
0.7–4.2 mm/s at 0.55 Q/QBEP compared to 0.6–1.2 mm/s at BEP.
° Average peak values are constant across ow range for both pumps except Pump Set ‘A’
which rises in the axial location at low ow.
° Magnitude of 1 6 rpm (F) readings are twice those at 2 6 rpm (2F).
° Horizontally Pump Set ‘B’ has highest values due to wear and imbalance.
° Axially Pump Set ‘A’ has the highest values.
° Main spectrum component is peak at vane pass frequency.
° Appearance or increase in higher harmonics (3F and above) and ‘haystack’ patterns.
° Increase in the noise oor.
° Appearance of a low amplitude peak at 2 6 vane pass frequency (2ZF).
° Slight elevation in amplitude at all frequencies.
° Increase is more evident below 2 kHz.
° Effect of averaging the spectra removes the transient high energy conditions that contribute to the
elevated overall RMS values.

Table 5
Change in cross spectrum at vane
pass frequency with ow
Coherence
Cross spectrum phase difference
Change in cross-channel spectra with ow on Pump Sets ‘A’ and ‘B’
Summary
° Coherence value at low and high ow is > 0.95, this drops to ¹ 0.8 in the ow range 0.8–1.0 Q/QBEP.
° For Pump Set ‘A’, the phase difference has a step change of 90–129¯ in the ow range 0.8–1.0 Q/QBEP.
° Pump Set ‘B’ experiences a phase change with ow but the magnitude and ow point differs for each unit.

Fig. 4 Overall RMS vibration m/s2 (0–10 kHz) versus relative ow with (a) bearing housing horizontal, and
(b) bearing housing axial

frequency of vane pass pressure uctuations is equal to the
pump rotational speed multiplied by the number of impeller
vanes Z (ZF). Harmonics of the vane pass frequency may
also be present. The interaction of the pressure pulsation and
the pump structure produces vibration that can be detected
on the bearing housings. The radial gap between impeller
vane outer diameter and the volute cutwater affects the
magnitude of the vibration measured at vane pass frequency.
The magnitude of the pressure pulsations decreases as the
radial gap increases. Uneven casing wear, non-uniform
pressure interaction between casing and impeller and the
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clearance between the impeller shroud and casing inuence
the magnitude of the measured vibration at vane pass
frequency.
Figure 9 illustrates changes in the low frequency range of
the vibration spectra. The low frequency vibration spectra
for all of the pumps tested were examined for sub-synchro-
nous vibration peaks. The presence of a sub-synchronous
vibration peak at 0.2F is widely quoted in the literature as
indicative of unsteady ow and recirculation. No sub-
synchronous vibration peaks were noted on these pumps
even at ows as low as 0.34 Q/QBEP on Pump Set ‘A’.
Proc Instn Mech Engrs Vol 216 Part E: J Process Mechanical Engineering
54 M R HODKIEWICZ AND M P NORTON

Fig. 5 Overall RMS vibration m/s2 (0–2 kHz) versus relative ow with (a) bearing housing horizontal,
and (b) bearing housing axial

The cross spectra phase and coherence between the

non-drive-end bearing housing horizontal and axial loca-
tions and non-drive-end bearing housing axial and a
xed
location, the suction ange, were examined for all signi
-
cant frequencies. The cross spectrum phase difference and
coherence was approximately constant across the tested ow
range for the frequency band at rotational speed (F). The
average coherence value at F for the data set was greater
than 0.91.
The cross spectra coherence and phase at vane pass
frequency (ZF) is shown in Fig. 11. The coherence at
vane pass frequency showed values greater than 0.9 at
both low and high ow rates; this value dropped to below
0.8 for ow rates 0.8–1.0 Q/QBEP.
The cross spectrum phase difference at the vane pass
frequency between the bearing housing axial accelerometer
Fig. 6 Kurtosis calculation on time signal to 10 kHz versus and suction ange accelerometer shows an approximately
relative ow 120¯ phase change between the low ow and design ow

Fig. 7 Vibration (mm/s) in the 10–1000 Hz frequency band calculated from averaged spectral data versus
relative ow with (a) bearing housing horizontal, and (b) bearing housing axial
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 EFFECT OF FLOW RATE CHANGE ON VIBRATION OF DOUBLE-SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS 55

Fig. 8 Amplitude of the spectral peak at vane pass frequency (ZF) versus relative ow with (a) bearing
housing horizontal, and (b) bearing housing axial

Fig. 9 Comparison of vibration spectra (mm/s) at below BEP and at BEP ow versus relative ow with
(a) bearing housing axial (Pump A1), and (b) bearing housing axial (Pump B4)

ranges for the single volute Set ‘A’ pumps. The relationship 9 DISCUSSION
is not repeatable on the Set ‘B’ double volute pumps,
although a phase shift around the design point is still Experimental measurements of radial thrust using strain
evident. gauges on the bearing housings of double-suction single-
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56 M R HODKIEWICZ AND M P NORTON

Fig. 10 Comparison of vibration spectra m/s2 to 10 kHz for below BEP and at BEP ow (Pump A2, bearing
housing horizontal)

Fig. 11 (a) Cross spectrum coherence, (b) cross channel phase difference at the ZF frequency versus relative
ow

stage single volute pumps of similar speci
c speed to Pump ‘A’ and ‘B’. The vibration data is therefore giving a
Sets ‘A’ and ‘B’ have shown [4]: representative picture of the underlying radial thrust action
of the impeller inside a double-suction pump providing the
1. A minimum radial thrust at BEP. Flow below BEP results
transfer function of the structure is not varying signi
cantly
in an increase in radial thrust reaching a maximum at
across the pump operating range.
part-loads between 0.5 Q/QBEP and shut off.
The non-drive-end bearing housing in the axial direction,
2. The change in magnitude of a dimensionless radial thrust
in line with the shaft of the pump, is the optimum location
coef
cient at 0.6 Q/QBEP is two to three times higher than
for the detection of low ow conditions in double-suction
at BEP.
pumps. An RMS calculation on the accelerometer time
3. The angle of radial thrust application moves through
signal without integration as ow is reduced below BEP
approximately 150¯ between 0.8 and 1.2 Q/QBEP.
will give a clear indication of the operating point at which
4. A marked increase in static and dynamic thrust as the
vibration accelerates. The RMS vibration to 1 and 10 kHz
sealing gap clearance increases. This is due to the
measured on the bearing housing axial shows a change in
absence of bearing action by the labyrinth gap and
gradient around 0.7–0.8 Q/QBEP for both sets of pumps.
increased leakage ow in the lateral spaces causing
This is consistent with the empirically determined value
differential pressures on the shroud surface.
for the onset of discharge recirculation for these units of
The radial thrust measurements described above are 0.73 Q=QBEP. The axial direction is a better indicator of low
consistent with the vibration data measured on Pump Sets ow conditions in part due to the off design ow pattern
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 EFFECT OF FLOW RATE CHANGE ON VIBRATION OF DOUBLE-SUCTION CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
directing a portion of the discharge ow along the outside
surface of the impeller shrouds. The diverted ow is not
stable and the balance of the impeller is upset causing
dynamic axial forces [10]. In addition, axial thrust on pump
impellers is sensitive to tolerances and to labyrinth ow [3].
Measurements on Pump Set ‘A’ show higher magnitude
vibration and a greater increase at low ows measured on
the bearing housing axial compared to the horizontal direc-
tion. The magnitude of the axial data is equal to or at high
frequencies exceeds the values reported for the older units,
Set ‘B’.
The magnitude of the 2F spectral peak of the vibration
velocity increased as the operating point moved below
0.8 Q/QBEP. The magnitude of the change varied with the
pump set and the orientation of the transducers, horizontal
or axial. Data on a wider selection of double-suction pumps
is required to con
rm a relationship between the 2F spectral
vibration peak and Q/QBEP ratio.
The magnitude of the vibration at vane pass frequency
measured in the radial and axial directions should be
examined as a key indicator of internal condition related
to impeller–volute clearance and labyrinth wear. Measure-
ments of vane pass frequency vibration on the bearing
housing axial for Pump Set ‘B’ show an increase in gradient
below 0.8 Q/QBEP. The magnitude of the vibration at vane
pass frequency at bearing housing horizontal for Set ‘B’ is
signi
cant, ranging from 4.2 mm/s (B2), 2.2 mm/s (B4) and
0.7 mm/s (B3) at 0.6 Q/QBEP compared to values of 0.6–
1.2 mm/s at BEP. Similar measurements on Pump Set ‘A’
show an increase in gradient of the curve below 0.8 Q/QBEP
but the magnitude of the values are low.
The cross-channel coherence between an accelerometer
placed on the bearing housing axial and a
xed location at
high and low ow values will return a value close to 1.0 at
vane pass frequency. For single volute pumps with speci
c
speed values around 1200 there will be a change in the cross
channel phase difference of approximately 120¯ between 0.8
and 1.2 Q/QBEP.
This work has shown that the Set ‘A’ pumps can be
operated in their present condition across a wide ow range
0.7–1.2 Q=QBEP without a signi
cant vibration penalty. This
is a ow range in line with that calculated empirically as
acceptable to avoid suction recirculation. This ow range
will, however, change with time due to internal wear on the
units as shown by the different vibration response, particu-
larly at vane pass frequency between the three pumps in Set
‘B’, which have different internal wear conditions.
10 CONCLUSION
Vibration data collected for a range of ow rates 0.6–1.2
Q/QBEP can be used to determine acceptable operating ow
regions for double-suction single-stage pumps. The internal
wear condition of the pump will affect the magnitude of the
vibration measured on the bearing housing axial at low
E0801 # IMechE 2002
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57
ows. Improved monitoring and control of ow within the
desired operating region and the elimination of low ow
excursions will improve the reliability of the pump.
11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work received funding from the Alternative Energy
Development Board (WA). The authors wish to thank the
System Investigations Unit of the Water Corporation of
Western Australia for the Yatesmeter pump performance
data.
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" #
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APPENDIX ° Velocity 10–1000 Hz (mm/s)

The velocity Root-Mean-Square (RMS) value may be
Statistical vectors calculated from the acceleration and corresponding
frequency values using the equation [23]:
° RMS (root mean square)
r


n¡1 r


"
´2
´2
´2 #
1X 2 1 a1 a2 an
Cx ˆ x nrms ˆ ‡ ‡¢¢¢‡
n iˆ0 i 2 o1 o2 on

Proc Instn Mech Engrs Vol 216 Part E: J Process Mechanical Engineering E0801 # IMechE 2002
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