Vibration monitoring of pumps

Firstly, the purpose of monitoring pump vibration is to protect the equipment’s bearings; by detecting high levels of vibration in a timely manner and shutting down the pump to investigate the cause, it is possible to avoid greater losses. It’s better to have it than not, but of course it’s also necessary to reassess the necessity of the vibration monitoring system, or to consider alternative solutions, such as installing a vibration sensor in the bearing area that has remote transmission capabilities.

There’s no need for that; we have a unit with a capacity of 600 cubic meters, a head of 115 meters, and a power output of 315 KW, yet it doesn’t even have online vibration monitoring.

It’s not necessary; generally, it’s required for left-turn devices on highways. For regular maintenance, it’s sufficient to carry out proper inspections.

It is necessary to install it. You are struggling with deciding on what type of online vibration monitoring system to use; here are a few suggestions for your reference: 1. The simplest approach: Install a vibration sensor at each bearing at the ends of the pump, and use transmitters to transmit the vibration signals to your control room for display. 2. If it is necessary to read the vibration data on-site, the signals also need to be sent remotely to the control room: a vibration sensor is installed at each bearing of the pump, and the readings are displayed on an on-site gauge; simultaneously, this gauge transmits the vibration signals to your control room for display. 3. More powerful online vibration monitoring with vibration analysis: In addition to the equipment specified in Option 1, vibration analysis instruments are also required ； For the same supplier, the prices of these 3 options increase gradually.

Are no stress calculations done on the pipelines now? Normally, we perform stress calculations first, and then we just install an on-site vibration monitor, right?

Are no stress calculations done on the pipelines now? Our usual approach is to perform stress calculations first, and then install an on-site vibration monitor

If the price of this pump is relatively high, it can be considered; if it’s just an ordinary oil pump, checking the current through motor control will suffice

Vibration monitoring is certainly necessary. It allows one to keep track of the pump’s operating condition at any time, enabling early warnings in case of failures and preventing minor issues from turning into major ones, thus reducing maintenance costs. However, it is also important to consider the cost-benefit ratio. Depending on the role of this pump in the system, if a sudden failure leads to significant consequences, then investing in a monitoring system is essential. If the impact isn’t severe, a vibration detector costing a few hundred dollars will suffice for regular checks.