When properly installed and maintained, a vertical turbine pump can provide years or even decades of hard-duty service. However, this does largely depend on starting conditions. When a VTP is installed properly from the start, it will likely have a much better lifespan.
It’s best to have your vertical turbine pump installed by qualified professionals who can certify its functionality. However, here are a few tips to keep in mind during installation and early calibration.
Five Tips for Installing and Maintaining a Vertical Turbine Pump
1. Clean all surfaces thoroughly
Few things can foul an installation more quickly than attempting to attach dirty parts. Everything should be cleaned and dried thoroughly before beginning installation. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to achieve the intended seals and pressure, or they will degrade quickly after installation.
2. Keep all documentation from the seal(s) manufacturer
Different seals have different tolerances for pressure and flow. Generally, the only way to know these tolerances is through the original documentation. You want to always have this on hand for installation and ongoing maintenance, to ensure you stay within recommended tolerances.
3. If you cannot achieve tolerances, start troubleshooting with the pump to driver coupling
The pump-to-driver coupling is usually going to be the easiest assembly to get at, and it’s often the culprit when you cannot get your desired runout. Check all seals and connectors. Even slight variations in the hardware can cause issues, and the coupling may even need rework.
4. Next, check the seal housing
If the pump-to-driver coupling is fine, the next most likely source of trouble is the seal housing. This can usually be removed without removing the motor. While you’re checking the seal housing, also check the runout between the seal housing and the driver shaft. If there is too much runout, then the problem is in the discharge head.
5. Finally, check the shaft perpendicularity
If you still cannot find the problem causing excess runout, it’s probably not with the seals – but could be a problem with the shaft itself. The shaft needs to be perfectly perpendicular to function properly. Fortunately, most assemblies have screws for correcting the shaft positioning.
FloRight Pump & Controls has decades of experience installing, maintaining, and repairing pumps in a wide variety of scenarios. If you ever need assistance installing or troubleshooting a vertical turbine pump, please contact us for assistance.
