Can the impeller be damaged when a centrifugal pump runs idle?
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Can the impeller be damaged when a centrifugal pump runs idle? Which is more dangerous and prone to damage, the mechanical seal or the impeller?
With prolonged idling, the mechanical seal is the first to be damaged
It can damage the impeller; for example, in centrifugal pumps made of fluoroplastic materials, the mechanical seal fails first, and as a result, the pump cover and the impeller are also damaged.
The materials used for the stationary and rotating rings of mechanical seals are generally heat-resistant (such as silicon carbide), and they will not be damaged by heat. First, it’s probably the rubber O-ring of the mechanical seal that gets burned out
When a centrifugal pump runs idle with no fluid inside it, dry friction occurs at the sealing surfaces, resulting in poor heat dissipation; the first component to be damaged is the mechanical seal. Even silicon carbide and cemented carbide surfaces cannot be dry ground.