Sensing Concept for Practical Performance-Monitoring of Centrifugal Pumps

A sensing concept for quantifying the performance of centrifugal pumps is proposed herein. The system uniquely combines three measurement approaches: thermodynamic efficiency monitoring, vibration monitoring, and dynamic fluid pressure analysis. The instrumentation comprises five conventional sensors; two pressure transducers, two temperature sensors, and an accelerometer. Pressure and temperature measurements are collected at the pump intake and discharge, and vibration data is collected on the axial face of the pump volute. This study discusses the theoretical basis of the proposed system and puts forth a method intended to quantify thermal efficiency, the extent of impeller wear, and the presence of cavitation, vortexing, or flow recirculation. In practice, the proposed sensor system could be employed as a static installation or a portable tool. The sensing approach is suitable for a variety of pump configurations, fluid compositions, and operating conditions.