Maintenance Of Reciprocating Pump

In this article, I will share with you some tips on how you can maintain a reciprocating pump.

Anyway, if you understand the working principle of a reciprocating pump then it will be easier for you to troubleshoot it.

You might like this: Reciprocating Pump: Components, Types, Working Principle & Application

In this article, I will share with some of the main parts of the pump you should focus on when it comes to maintaining it.

Maintenance of any machine is very important since it maintains its working capacity and increases the longevity of the machine.

With that much said, let me share with you how you can maintain a reciprocating pump.

Maintenance of reciprocating pump;

1. Replace worn-out parts of the reciprocating pump.

This is the first part that I will be discussing in this section of this article.

The parts of the reciprocating pump that results in its efficiency are very essential.

As you know there is great contact between the cylinder and the piston, not forgetting the connecting rod and the piston.

So, there is a need for you to check if the parts of the reciprocating pump that are worn out to replace them.

Piston rings, the cylinder holding the plunger and valves are prone to wear since they do the heavy work of the pump.

If the piston rings are worn out you should replace them with the immediate effect since they will result in low pumping capacity of the pump.

For the pumping mechanisms of the reciprocating pump to work the expected way, there should be a good compression of the liquid within the cylinder.

The piston rings play a big part when it comes to that point.

On the other hand, if the valve is worn out then there will be a leakage and this will result in a low capacity of pump operation.

Replace the worn-out parts of the reciprocating pump if you want to maintain the high operating capacity of the pump.

2. Check the alignment of the piston rod with the crankshaft and connecting rod.

The alignment of the piston rod and with the connecting rod is very important to be checked.

You should understand that the movement of the piston within the cylinder largely depends on the movement of the connecting rod which is connected to the crankshaft.

If there is misalignment between these three parts then be sure that there will be excessive wear on the piston rings and the plunger.

So, ensure that there is no misalignment of any kind to prevent this from happening.

The misalignment will not only cause excessive wear but also reduce the longevity of the pump.

The cylinder accommodating the piston will at last wear out if this is not corrected immediately.

3. Lubrication of the moving parts of the pump.

Sufficient lubrication should be maintained in the reciprocating pump since the pumping mechanisms of the pump depend on the movement of the pistons.

If there is little or no lubrication then this will affect the movement of the pistons within the cylinder.

When the movement is slowed or completely stopped due to lack of lubrication the pump won’t work effectively.

The capacity of the reciprocating pump will be affected, there will be excessive wear of the piston ring and the discharge pressure will be low.

To prevent all these problems you have to ensure that the parts that need to be lubricated are sufficiently handled.

The lubrication of the joints that connects the connecting rod to the piston and crankshaft to the connecting rod also should be sufficiently lubricated.

The motor’s moving parts should also be lubricated since they provide the power to move the piston via the connecting rod.

If the rotation of the motor is affected so is the movement of the piston within the cylinder.

4. Analyse the vibration of the reciprocating pump.

You can use the vibration coming from the reciprocating pump to identify if it has any faults.

You might like this: Advantages & Disadvantages Of Vibration In Machines

If there is excessive vibration of the reciprocating pump than the intended one then this should let you know that there are several parts of the pump having an issue.

The moment there is excessive vibration of the pump while it’s operating you should check on the following things;

Check on the tightness of the whole reciprocating pump.

The tightness of the accessories that are mounted on the pump.
The hold bolts also may be the cause of the excessive vibration of the reciprocating pump.
Check on the alignment of the piston rod with the connecting rod and the crankshaft too.

If the whole reciprocating pump is not tightly fastened then you will have to fasten the nuts and bolts.

Ensure that the accessories of the pump are tightly mounted on the pump to prevent excessive vibration and noise.

The holds bolts should be frequently checked and if they are loose they should be fastened.

These hold bolts are important since they keep the reciprocating pump in place thus preventing it to cause any leakages or disconnect from the suction and delivery line.

The alignment of the piston rod and connecting rod and crankshaft with the connecting rod is something that should be checked to ensure that there is a smooth movement of the piston of the connecting rod and the piston.

Proper alignment of the piston rod and connecting rod should be maintained to prevent wear of the piston rings and noise from the pump.

5. Check the packing of the pump.

The packing of the reciprocating pump is important since it contributes to the efficiency of the pump.

Several problems are associated with the packing of the reciprocating pump, which are;

Wrong packing of the pump.
Misalignment of the packing.

Loose packing gland.
Worn out parts of the packing.

If the packing of the reciprocating pump is not correct then you should ensure that it’s packed the right way.

Ensure there is the proper alignment of the packing as this will increase the packing life.

If the packing gland is loose ensure that it’s tightened and replace any parts of the packing gland that are worn out.

Also, don’t forget to improve the lubrication as this will increase the life of the packing gland.

6. Check the suction and discharge line of the pump.

The suction and discharge lines are very essential since they aid in the intake and discharge of liquid within the cylinder respectively.

So, if there is anything wrong with either the suction or the discharge line of the reciprocating pump then the pumping mechanism will be interfered with.

Let me start talking about the suction line. The suction line has the suction valve, which its main function is to allow the liquid into the cylinder.

If the valve will be clogged with dirt or worn out this will affect the intake of liquid within the cylinder.

This will eventually affect the discharge of the reciprocating pump since there will no enough liquid to be pumped.

Replace the worn-out valve and clean them if they are dirty.

The delivery valve also should be cleaned and replaced if worn out.

If the delivery valve is worn out then this means it will allow the backflow of the liquid back into the cylinder, this will result in a lower discharge.

The other thing you should also ensure it’s done to maintain the reciprocating pump is to clean the whole cylinder.

Dissemble the reciprocating pump and clean the plunger and the cylinder once in a while.

When you do the things I have shared with you in this article then you will be maintaining the reciprocating pump.

Thanks for reading, if you have any questions leave your comment. See you in my next article.