If you hear your centrifugal pump making strange noises, there’s a high likelihood that it is struggling with cavitation. In simple words, this means the formation of air bubbles around the impeller. When these bubbles burst, they create high-energy shockwaves which travel across the fluid. As any Kirloskar pump dealer will explain, cavitation can cause not just noise and vibration, but also mechanical damage and performance deterioration in the long run. VEMC is one of the leading Kirloskar Pump Dealers in the country.
In This Blog, We Explain To You The 7 Common Causes Of Cavitation And Ways To Avoid Them:
1.Insufficient NPSHA (Net Positive Suction Head Available)
When the liquid in a pump vapourises at low pressure, it causes cavitation in the pump. This happens when there isn’t enough pressure at the suction end or the pump has insufficient NPSHA. To avoid cavitation, therefore, it is important that sufficient NPSHA is available so as to ensure the liquid always remains above the vapour pressure. The pump manufacturer determines the NPSH required for each pump, and your Kirloskar pump distributor can give you all the information on this.
2. High Pump Speed Or Impeller Design
When an impeller starts to rotate at a high speed (high RPM), the flow rate and head pressure naturally increase. This causes vapourisation cavitation in the pump. To avoid it, reduce the motor speed, install an impeller inducer, or add a booster pump. Ask your Kirloskar Pump Authorised Dealer for more.
3. Inlet Restrictions Of Blockages
This is one of the most common causes of inlet re-circulation cavitation. Regular check-ups of your pumps are necessary to find blockages. Remove any accumulation of debris that may be clogging the downstream filter.
4. Vaporous Or Aerated Liquids
A vaporous or aerated liquid has the inherent properties of creating bubbles that can burst to cause cavitation in the pump system. As much as possible, avoid processing such liquids through your pumping systems.
5. High Fluid Temperature or Pressure Drop
High temperature or pressure drop inside the pump can also speed up the process of vapourisation of the liquid. This can again cause vapourisation cavitation. As your Water Pump Dealers would advise, it is always best to reduce (and keep under check) the temperature of your pump, its components and the liquid itself.
6. Inadequate Npshr Margin
The NPSHR margin basically represents the safety factor by which the NPSHA must exceed the NPSHR so as to avoid cavitation. An inadequate margin means a lesser buffer and higher chances of cavitation. Speak to your Kirloskar pump dealer and ascertain all parameters to ensure the least possible cavitation.
7. Pump Maintenance And Operation
Cavitation, like any other mechanical issue can aggravate in case the pump falls into disrepair. To ensure the pump is in the best working condition, and cavitation is minimum, regular maintenance is important. Inspect the components of the pump frequently to look for signs of cavitation.
Conclusion
For more information on cavitation and other mechanical issues, feel free to speak to our experts at 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in. VEMC is the leading Kirloskar pump distributor based out of Mumbai.