Does anyone have ideas on how to carry out pump efficiency tests for pumps in parallel and in operation, without having to stop any one of  the other pumps that are not on test (centrigugal pumps and recips as well).What are the consequences of "no-flow" tests while in operation. Can it be carried out while all pumps are in operation without affecting any of the pumps, and can it replace efficiency tests in a crude pumping station ? I have also looked for International standards for procedures on efficiency tests. Does anyone know of any ? 
 

I don't understand why anyone would want to conduct efficiency tests on operating centrifugal pumps, particularly when running in parallel with other centrifugal pumps. If you're trying to determine whether or not pump performance is degrading with time you should be measuring pump head at some specific flowrate and comparing the result to a baseline test of the performance of the pump when first run in your in your facility. If that was a single pump test and your condition monitoring test has to be with two or more pumps running in parallel you'll have to figure out fire pumps what the decrement in head should be between single and multi-pump system resistance curve intersections with the head-flow curve from the original baseline facility test or else by using the pump manufacturers test loop curves which may not apply to your facility if the inlet piping configurations are significantly different. The test standards for efficiency like the Hydraulic Institute Standard and the ASME Power Test Code for Centrifugal Pumps apply to manufacturers' tests and do no cover in-service tests to my knowledge. The manufacturer and the Code people expect the pump user to provide the correct inlet piping to provide the "guaranteed" pump performance. I also don't understand why you are operating reciprocating pump in parallel with centrifugal pumps. If you hope to get more information then you'll have to provide input to make your question intelligible.

2011-08-30

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