Reasons for the drop in outlet pressure of the condensate pump

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In our workshop, the pressure of the condensate pump gradually decreased from the normal level of 1.0 Mpa to 0.5 Mpa. There is no filter at the inlet, and during the drainage process, it was observed that the water was yellow in color; this is likely due to a high amount of rust present in the water； The external flow rate of the pump also decreased significantly, resulting in a high level of liquid in the upstream condensate tank, with a tendency for it to rise slowly. After examining it, the technicians in our workshop all concluded that it was due to vapor lock (it might be because the condensate pump has been running for a long time, resulting in high temperatures that caused some of the condensate to vaporize; however, I don’t think so. Since the pump was designed as a condensate pump, this situation must have been taken into account. Moreover, this issue didn’t occur in the previous months either, and there were no changes in the process operations, so it’s unlikely that sudden temperature increases caused the condensate to vaporize. I wonder if it could be related to rust or other impurities present in the condensate, as the water discharged is quite cloudy). However, the current and voltage levels at the site remained stable, while vibration and noise levels were slightly higher. I would like to ask fellow sailors: what are the reasons for the reduced performance of the condensate pump? What impact will an incorrect cranking direction have on the pump? Thank you all for your answers!