Case Study: Upgrade Your Pumps for Reduced Steam Consumption
A major unit at a petrochemical facility in Asia recently upgraded a Byron Jackson boiler feed pump with Vespel® CR-6100 non-metallic wear rings. This pump is driven by a single stage steam turbine. The objective of the upgrade was to reduce steam consumption.The case wear rings in the 9 stage pump were upgraded to Vespel® CR-6100 , along with the center and throttle bushings. Using the non-metallic composite Vespel® CR-6100 allowed a reduction in the wear ring clearance. All components were fabricated with the Boulden PERF-Seal® design, which helps the pump achieve higher efficiency and improved stability compared to conventional smooth bore wear rings.
Benefits of Updating Case Wear Rings to Composite Materials
After the upgrade, plant personnel measured steam consumption assuming the same pump operating conditions as before the upgrade. The results were the following:- Total efficiency improvement of nearly 5%.
- As the customer operates pump for 140 days per year, steam savings are $26,000 per year.
- Radial vibration after the upgrade was significantly reduced by nearly 50%.