Byron Jackson Transfer for Refinery
Application: Internal Transfer Pumps for Refinery
Pump Details: Byron Jackson Model MVILD
Pump Type: Vertical In-line
A refinery was experiencing problems with their oil lubricated vertical in-line pumps (API type OH3). After running for two to four months, the pumps were losing flow and lubrication pressure, causing a rise in bearing temperature and resulting in abrupt catastrophic failure of the thrust bearing.This failure also caused damage to the mechanical seal, pumping ring and impeller.
One of these pumps was sent to Hydro with a request to investigate the failures. Hydro's engineers realized that the pump's design, in dynamic condition, was creating a vacuum that had a siphon effect.
The modifications that Hydro implemented to prevent oil from being siphoned out of the sump were very simple and quite inexpensive. In 2007, engineers modified all five pumps, which are still running without any signs of problem. These modifications enabled the refinery to save $195,000 in first-year cost savings.