Slurry Pump IIoT and Automation
- Design 4 -
Description:
As the device that adds energy to the pipeline system, slurry pumps often see accelerated wear rates and frequently determine the process maintenance cycle. Tracking and optimizing pump wear performance becomes a critical activity for the Reliability Engineer. Unfortunately, the most important wear parts are not easily accessed between inspections and operators often “run blind” for long periods of time. This leads to the under-utilization of parts through conservative replacement practices, and to occasional, unexpected failures and downtime when conditions change. Efforts to optimize wear performance, such as trials of new materials or regular clearance adjustments, also suffer from lack of accurate, mid-cycle data.
In this presentation we explore the recent application of two digital technologies associated with monitoring and optimizing slurry pump wear performance:
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An IIoT solution for tracking real-time wear of slurry pump suction liners and casings, including measurement of part thicknesses and the impeller-to-liner clearance (“nose gap”) that influences liner and impeller wear.
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An automated device for making fast and accurate nose gap adjustments with improved safety and a minimum of maintenance time and labor.
An overview of these technologies is presented along with some operating experiences in both lab and field.
Presenter:
Robert Visintainer
VP Engineering and Research & Development, GIW Industries
Robert has worked in the design, testing, sales and manufacture of centrifugal pumps since 1981, with special focus on slurry pump hydraulic and mechanical design. He currently serves as V.P. of Engineering and R&D for GIW Industries, Inc., a world leader in slurry pump and solids transport technology, with responsibility for product design, materials development, and GIW’s unique Slurry Hydraulic Test Lab.
Robert has contributed to many developments and innovations in slurry pump design and wear prediction technology, takes an active role in GIW’s industry leading Technical Training Program, and contributes to scientific conferences, journal papers and short courses on a regular basis. An honors graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, he holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Physics.