Issues related to the recycling of cooling water in centrifugal pumps
Thread Content
There are over 30 centrifugal pumps in the company that require cooling water. It is planned to collect this cooling water using underground tanks and then use pumps to deliver it to the centrifugal pumps, thereby enabling recycling. However, if the pump used to transport water stops operating unexpectedly, it will prevent the proper supply of cooling water. If operators fail to detect this issue in time, it will result in significant damage to the mechanical seals of numerous centrifugal pumps. How should this system be designed to solve the above problems? Thank you all for your suggestions. Search
Just add a backup pump, right?~
Two pumps, one in use and one as a backup. The cooling water required for 30 pumps isn’t that much, and small pumps aren’t very expensive either.
Backflow, or pressure alarms when water is supplied, make it easy to detect such problems
The water used for the mechanical seal should be deionized water; it is not recommended to collect it and reuse it directly. If the mechanical seal fails and fluid from the pump leaks out, it will contaminate the quality of the sealing water, and it’s not appropriate to use that water without treating it first. Does your process system require water replenishment? If the requirements regarding water quality are not strict, collecting this water for use as a supplement to the system can be a good option.
If it is necessary to collect and reuse the centrifugal pumps, it is recommended to use a buffer tank together with pumps (one in use and one as backup). This setup allows external water to be supplied to the buffer tank, ensuring an adequate water supply, while the backup pump guarantees uninterrupted water delivery. The above are merely suggestions; it is still recommended to use clean water as the sealant water.
The inlet water for the pump cooling system is connected to the main circulating water system; the pressure of this main circulating water is monitored remotely, with alarms in place as well. The return water from the pump cooling system is collected in the tank you mentioned, and a small centrifugal pump is used for this purpose – such pumps are less likely to break down, and if maintenance is needed, the water can be temporarily discharged into a ditch. This water is then sent back to the circulating water tank. This is the most economical approach!
The recirculating cooling water that flows back on its own is collected in underground tanks and should then be sent to the cooling facility. Cooling water is provided by the circulating water system.
It is best to connect the cooling water inlets of all centrifugal pumps to the main circulating water pipeline; the circulating water supply generally does not get interrupted, as there are backup pumps in place. The return water from the centrifugal pumps is then collected and pumped back into the circulating water tank.
For the cooling water of mechanical seals, using softened water is beneficial as it prevents scaling. It is a separate system; the equipment uses pumps, and a pressure alarm can be set up to automatically trigger the start of a backup pump.
In favor of installing a backup pump and a high-level tank