News

Case Study- Avoiding Downtime with Condition Monitoring

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Our latest article in Pumps & Systems Magazine demonstrates how early warnings from wireless condition monitoring helped industrial teams prevent costly failures and avoid unnecessary downtime—before problems became critical. This article highlights how scalable wireless condition monitoring is transforming industrial maintenance by providing continuous, actionable insight into machine health.

Through two real‑world case studies—a cold‑climate pump system and a critical chemical plant blower—it shows how subtle vibration trends and bearing wear were identified early, enabling informed decision‑making and avoiding unnecessary shutdowns or costly failures. Together, the examples demonstrate how wireless monitoring supports predictive maintenance strategies that reduce risk, downtime, and operational costs.

Read the full case study here or find more condition monitoring case studies on our Centaur Knowledge Exchange.

Ready to experience the benefits of wireless condition monitoring yourself? Apply for an obligation-free trial of our Centaur condition monitoring solution.

Pumps & Systems 10 to Watch: John Roberts

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Congratulations to Hydro’s John Roberts for being chosen as one of Pumps & Systems Magazine’s 10 to Watch for 2025! John is Senior Engineer in Hydro’s Global Engineering division, where he works with customers across the world to create solutions for their pump challenges.

When asked what led him to specialize in aftermarket engineering, John said, “What really draws me to the aftermarket side is the variety. No two projects are ever the same. You’re constantly adapting designs or methods to suit each situation, and that creativity keeps the work fresh and rewarding.”

Read more about John’s journey in the pump industry in the Pumps & Systems feature.

Interested in joining Hydro’s team of dynamics engineers? Check out our Careers page to browse current openings or to fill out a general application.

Pump Pressure Monitoring with Centaur

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Pump Pressure Monitoring with Centaur: From Data to Decision

Pump pressure monitoring is the fastest way to see what your system is feeling—especially when it’s paired with vibration data. With Centaur, Hydro turns continuous pressure and vibration signals into clear, actionable insight so teams can detect issues early, protect uptime, and schedule maintenance with confidence.

Why Pump Pressure Monitoring Matters (with Vibration)

When pressure trends are viewed alongside vibration, you gain a complete picture of hydraulic and mechanical behavior. That correlation exposes the why behind alarms, validates root cause, and supports smarter maintenance timing that protects MTBR/MTBF and energy costs.

Case Study – Pipeline Pump Pressure Monitoring

At a midstream pipeline station receiving batches of different refined products, Centaur captured upstream and downstream pressure on three pumps and correlated those signals with vibration. As batches transitioned, operators could see pressure deviations drive vibration change—flagging anomalies early and guiding intervention before conditions escalated. Long-term pressure trends also revealed efficiency drift tied to wear, informing work scheduling when it created the most reliability value.

Case Study – Differential Pressure at Intake Screens

A European nuclear utility installed differential pressure sensors across four river-water intake screens with alarms every ~10 seconds. With Centaur, the site moved from fixed backwash schedules to demand-driven cleaning—reducing wasted energy, extending screen and pump life, and maintaining reliability during high-debris periods.

From Monitoring to Predictive Maintenance for Rotating Equipment

Centaur combines sensors, connectivity, and Hydro’s engineering oversight to turn signals into decisions. Monthly health reports, analytics, and targeted recommendations help teams move from reactive responses to proactive planning—translating data into fewer surprises and more uptime.

See how pump pressure monitoring paired with vibration delivered earlier alerts and smarter maintenance decisions across pipeline and intake-screen applications.

Download the full Centaur pressure monitoring case study (PDF)

Ready to Modernize Your Program?

Talk to Hydro about pump condition monitoring for your critical assets—pipelines, cooling water systems, and plant utilities. We’ll help you pair pressure and vibration to detect issues earlier, confirm root cause faster, and plan maintenance with confidence.

Contact your local Hydro Service Center to talk through your application or schedule a demonstration here.

Centaur: Flexible Connectivity, Secure Data

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Every plant is different. Some need the convenience of cloud access. Others demand the security of keeping data on-site. With Centaur, you don’t have to choose.

Cloud Deployment – Simple & Accessible

  • Cellular or Wi-Fi/Ethernet communication
  • No maintenance: Hydro handles all updates
  • Access data anywhere, anytime
  • Quick setup for fast deployment
  • Multiple backup redundancies for security
  • Seamless integration with PI, CMMS, System 1

On-Premises Deployment – Secure & Controlled

  • Local PC or server keeps data fully on-site
  • Full dashboards and tools without external exposure
  • Controlled outside access via “digital escorts” or .csv exports
  • Integration with enterprise platforms (PI, CMMS, System 1)

Complete Monitoring Ecosystem

  • Vibration & temperature sensors (single & tri-axial)
  • Pressure transducers
  • Wired submersible accelerometers
  • Battery-powered transmitters
  • Gateways (110/220VAC or battery powered)

With Centaur, you get continuous live data, expert reports, and 24/7 oversight from Hydro’s dedicated Monitoring Room.

The Bottom Line

Cloud or on-premises — Centaur adapts to your needs.
You get secure, reliable data flow that fits your environment, your compliance standards, and your operations.

See Centaur in action
Get a 15-minute consult to map the best data path for your site (cloud, on-prem, or hybrid) and walk through deployment, security, and integrations. Schedule a demo here.

Explore real-world results
Read Centaur case studies featuring advanced vibration analysis and measurable reliability gains here.

Join Our Lecture | 2025 Turbo Pump Symposia

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Hydro is proud to be presenting again at the 2025 Turbo Pump Symposia in Houston, TX! Join presenters Dr. Gary Dyson and Freddy Cardenas Linero as they discuss a case study where advanced engineering was used to dramatically increase flow of a shipping pump in an oil and gas terminal facility.

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 2:00 – 2:45pm | Room 370A

Centrifugal pumps are critical to fluid handling systems, but as operational demands evolve, optimizing performance becomes essential. This lecture will present a successful hydraulic re-rate of a propane shipping pump (P-1010) at Phoenix Park Gas Processors’ Hull facility in Texas, aiming to double railcar loading capacity without major system modifications. Instead of replacing the pump, a process requiring over 40 weeks of lead time and costly infrastructure changes, the project used a duplicate unit sourced from the aftermarket. It was reverse engineered, hydraulically redesigned, and optimized using CFD simulations to shift the Best Efficiency Point from 350 GPM to 800 GPM while reducing head by 60%.

The study highlights the importance of combining CFD analysis with mechanical evaluation to ensure reliable performance. It outlines a structured methodology from feasibility assessment to installation, including modeling, manufacturing, quality control, and commissioning. This project demonstrates how a targeted hydraulic re-rate can extend equipment life, increase throughput, and reduce energy use and capital costs, all while maintaining existing mechanical and system constraints.

Find out more about this year’s Turbo Pump Symposia here.

Learn more about Hydro’s Engineering Services.