Columns
  Jim Elsey   April 2018 
 Under Pressure: The Dangers of Vapor Pressure
Calculating NPSHr and NPSHa can prevent the pumped fluid's pressure dropping below its vapor pressure and causing cavitation.
  Ray Hardee   April 2018 
 Life Cycle Design for Industrial Piping Applications
Proper pipeline sizing helps pump water faster, more economically and more efficiently, which ultimately extends the life of the pump and improves the entire operation.
  Jim Elsey   February 2018 
 Maintaining Pump Systems for Reliable and Efficient Operation
In addition to my monthly column “Common Pumping Mistakes” the Pumps & Systems editors have asked me to write an article on the common ways that the systems can also reach out and bite you.
  Ray Hardee   January 2018 
 HVAC System Control:Thermal Load in Variable Volume Systems
Last month, we discussed how a constant volume heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system would continually pump the same flow rate of chilled water through the entire system regardless of the cooling load.
  Jim Elsey   January 2018 
 Minimum Flow Redux
I wrote a detailed article on minimum flow for the Pumps & Systems November 2015 issue (read it here).
  Lev Nelik   January 2018 
 Pumps-to-System Control of Power Plant Boiler Feed Pumps
A recent question I received from an engineer in the Middle East had to do with a “double control” of boiler feed pumps (BFPs) at his power plant. The system was controlled both by set position of the valves as well as variable speed drives. I was intrigued.
  Jim Elsey   December 2017 
 Most Common Reasons for Air Entrainment in Pump Systems
Entrained air is typically measured by volume at atmospheric pressure and not by weight. While not a totally inclusive list, the following are the most common reasons for air entrainment in pump systems:
  Jim Elsey   December 2017 
 How to Reduce or Eliminate Air Entrainment
Read Jim Elsey's "Most Common Reasons for Air Entrainment in Pump Systems" here.
  Ray Hardee   December 2017 
 HVAC System Control: Hitting a Moving Target
In last month’s column (read it here), we looked at cooling water service systems with multiple hydraulic circuits used to cool equipment in industrial/process industries.
  Lev Nelik   December 2017 
 Seal Damage Due to Loads
Author’s Note: My October 2017 Pumps & Systems column (read it here) on shaft deflection due to internal loads ended with a challenge to the readers to do their own calculations to
  Ray Hardee   November 2017 
 Streamlining Nuclear Reactor System Balancing
In this month’s Pumps & Systems column, we will look at how simulating a large heat transfer system balance found in many industrial plants can be used to streamline plant operations.
  Jim Elsey   November 2017 
 What a Drag: Effects of Fluid Viscosity on Centrifugal Pumps
A frequently stated expression around the pump industry is that viscosity is the Kryptonite of centrifugal pumps.
  Ray Hardee   October 2017 
 System Approach & Modeling Lead to a Reduced Impeller Diameter
I always start my columns saying every element found in a piping system falls into one of three categories: pump, process and control. The secret to understanding any piping system is to have detailed knowledge of the various pieces of equipment and how they work together.
  Jim Elsey   October 2017 
 How Efficient Is Your Pump System?
In a hypothetical world, if the Department of Energy (DOE) showed up at your plant to conduct an energy audit of the pump systems, what grade would you receive? Do you get an A … or an F?
  Lev Nelik   October 2017 
 Seals: Skinny Shaft Design or Improper Operation?
Seal failures are the number one headache for many operators when it comes to pump reliability concerns. However, these failures are usually indicators of an underlying issue. Seal failure is rarely caused by a problem with the seal’s design or a fault during seal or bearing production.