How does cavitation occur in pumps

Once inside, the air has nowhere to go but along for the ride. As the liquid is swished around, the air forms bubbles which then gets popped under pressure by the impeller. Checking on components and the performance of your pump is a great way to identify early warning signs of cavitation. One or a combination of the following symptoms can be a result of cavitation:.

In addition to the above, operating a centrifugal pump to the far right of the BEP or off the end of curve can cause cavitation.

Now that you know what to look for, and understand the different types of cavitation you might encounter, you can formulate a plan to prevent cavitation, saving large amounts in maintenance and replacement parts. Remember the five different forms of cavitation? Preventing vane passing or vane syndrome cavitation is relatively easy.

Any less and cavitation will begin. This can be a tricky one to prevent. Even the smallest amount of air being sucked into the system could over time cause cavitation. Going over your installation with a fine tooth comb to make sure all joints and connections are sealed properly, is the best approach. By preventing cavitation, you will significantly increase the efficiency and lifespan of your pump. Remember, prevention is worth a thousand cures, so take the time to carry out a thorough maintenance program and it will save you in the long run.

Detect a failing pump before it becomes a major problem: Learn about Condition Monitoring for Pumps and other Rotating Equipment. Global Pumps provide the latest remote condition monitoring technology available in Australia.

Tags: Maintenance. Peristaltic Hose Pumps. Air Operated Diaphragm Pumps. Slurry Pumps. Magnetic Drive Pumps. Drum Pumps. Follow Us. Copyright Global Group of Companies. All Rights Reserved. Part of the Intrax Group. Privacy and terms of use. Privacy and terms of use Sitemap Related Articles. What is Pump Cavitation? Types of Cavitation There are five different types of cavitation. Skid Systems By Market. Success Stories. Skid System Store. Skid System Repair Services.

Emergency Repair. John Crane Seal Repair. Root Cause Analysis. Skid System Refurbishment. Valve Automation. Floor Coatings. Video Library. Media Kit. Crane Engineering. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Shop Our Products. Optiflow Pump Skid Systems. Our Services. Markets We Serve. Recent Blog Posts. Subscribe By Email. In the case of a submersible pump — whether hydraulic or electric — pump cavitation instances are much harder to detect, but thankfully are also rare.

If it is evident that performance has drifted too far to the right or left of the BEP curve, steps should be taken to increase pressure on the suction side of the pump to eliminate the vacuum.

The end-user must remove the pump from the application to check for cavitation damage. Taking a good, hard look at the impeller will show the telltale signs of wear immediately. One of the simplest ways to prevent pump cavitation is to properly operate a pump best suited for the application.

In the rental industry, for example, it is common for the end user to lack a working knowledge of pump technology. Instead of running a pump at the ideal rpm for the job at hand, some well-meaning rental customers push pumps too hard to move fluid at faster rates.

If a pump works well at 1, rpm, the belief is that it will work even better at 2, rpm. If a pump is correctly sized and not starved, the pump will run at the intended speed while maintaining the BEP.

Altitude also has a major effect on pump cavitation. When pumps operate at higher altitudes, special attention must be given to make sure that cavitation does not occur since liquids boil at a much lower temperature. The boiling point of a liquid depends on the vapor pressure of that liquid matching the pressure of the gas above it. The lower the pressure of a gas above a liquid — as happens at higher altitudes — the lower the temperature at which the liquid will boil.

This effect increases the likelihood of water turning to a gas inside a pump, potentially leading to damage from cavitation. High-lift applications must be carefully handled as well. It is necessary that the height of the pump reference plane be set in the safety range relative to the suction water level.

It represents the total head provided by water at a certain temperature relative to the vapor pressure. The required NPSH hsv for pressure decreases at the pump impeller inlet to the minimum pressure, which should be lower than hsv. Keeping an eye on fluid temperature will also keep cavitation at bay because the conditions for vaporization become more favorable as liquids heat up.

Closely monitoring fluid levels will also help since neglecting a pump as it continues to create suction in muddy conditions will only hasten cavitation. With careful planning — and the knowledge of job site parameters that most industry professionals possess — a cavitation crisis can be easily avoided, ensuring functioning pumps and proper flow for the life cycle of the job. Mike Klimes is an application engineer for Tsurumi America, a division of Tsurumi Manufacturing, and has more than 20 years of engineering and manufacturing experience.

He is responsible for solving customer issues by offering in-depth performance analysis through the complete lifecycle of pumping applications.