As your pumps get older, they will likely develop misalignment issues. This is due to the persistent movement and vibrations that make the shaft deviate from the desired position. Conversely, misalignment can cause further deviation by changing angles and orientations of the pump.
VEMC is one of the leading industrial water pump suppliers in Mumbai, and in this blog, we talk about the 4 common misalignment issues in pumps, their impact, and ways to correct them.
Coupling misalignment
This is one of the most common types of misalignment and takes place due to a build-up of heat in bearings as a result of persistent friction. This causes wear and tear on the bearings, resulting in a reduced lifespan. In case of carbon journal bearings that are lubricated by the pumped liquid, the wear and tear could take place elliptically, thus sharply reducing the pump’s functionality. In extreme situations, coupling misalignment can lead to fractures in the casing, increased noise, and shaft failure.
Shaft misalignment
In case of misalignment in coupled shafts, the shafts are forced to rotate eccentrically. This leads to an excessive consumption of electricity, creates vibrations, increases the stress on the shafts and couplings. This reduces the mechanical seal life, causes fatigue and failure, and in extreme cases, could even lead to a complete breakdown of the pump.
Misalignment in piping
This can be caused due to incorrect installation and engineering. This often takes place when fixed pipe-work is connected to a smaller pump. In this case, misalignment could take place as a result of excessive nozzle loading. Besides, if the piping is not supported sufficiently, the weight of the fluids and the self-weight of the pipe could cause it to sag. Likewise, flow of hot liquid through the pipes could cause it to expand, forcing the joints apart and leading to misalignment.
Misalignment due to foot issues
Often one or more of the pump feet aren’t making enough contact with the base. This is known as a “soft foot” situation and is common for most rotating equipment. This is often detected when the pump is rocking, but very often it may not be detected at all until it has caused complete failure or breakdown.
How to correct pump misalignment
Pump misalignment is clearly a serious problem and can be dealt with in a number of ways. Here are some of the common ones:
- Simply realign the pump along the centrelines of its shafts.
- Loosen the motor’s bolts to shift it to one side (horizontal adjustment) or add/remove shims under its feet (vertical adjustment).
- Support the piping carefully throughout the pump system.
- Use a Laser Shaft Alignment (LSA) to easily and quickly realign couplings and shafts.
For more on how to correct misalignment, feel free to give us a call on 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We at VEMC are one of the top-notch industrial water pump dealers in Mumbai.