I would appreciate advice from those with experience: if cavitation occurs in a pump, does that necessarily mean the pump is damaged? What if it happens? How do we deal with it?

Cavitation in a pump is generally manifested by loud noises inside the pump casing and severe fluctuations in the pressure gauge at the pump outlet. A pump that experiences cavitation for a short period of time may not get damaged, but it has a significant impact on the mechanical seal, easily leading to its failure and leakage. When cavitation occurs for an extended period, the pump becomes practically unusable. Firstly, its flow rate and pressure do not meet the requirements of the process; Secondly, the impeller will definitely get damaged, not to mention the leakage issues. If cavitation occurs in a new pump right from the start of use, it is a problem related to the pump selection; the responsibility lies with the designers, and the pump needs to be replaced. Generally, modifying the existing pump is not considered, as methods such as changing the conditions of the pump’s suction pipeline or adding an impeller to the pump require thorough evaluation. Controlling time and costs presents additional challenges. Moreover, even if such modifications satisfy the current operating conditions, they will result in too little design margin for the pump, posing potential problems in future use and being detrimental to subsequent production and maintenance. If the old pump was in good working condition before but now suddenly develops cavitation, then it is necessary to check the operating conditions at the inlet as well as the composition of the working medium. Issues such as an abnormally low suction pressure, an abnormally high suction temperature, an abnormally increased resistance in the suction pipeline for some reason, or an abnormally lower saturated vapor pressure due to a change in the composition of the working medium should be identified, and appropriate actions should be taken to address these problems.

The most immediate sign at the site is a sudden drop in outlet pressure, accompanied by noise! The pump won’t break in a short period of time!