Fault Detection of a Centrifugal Pump Impeller: Correlation of Pressure Pulsation Characteristics with Casing Vibration Analysis

As a critical component, the impeller plays a key role on the safe and efficient performance of the centrifugal pump. It is however subjected to various defects, inter alia, erosion and van tip faults. Vibration techniques already used for condition monitoring mainly relied on statistical characteristics of vibration signals which highly depend on design features and types of pumps. They do not show the physics behind phenomenon either. This study combines the experimental vibration signature analysis and fluid flow simulations. The correlation existing between vibration measurement and pressure pulsation characteristics enables us to develop proper features for detection/diagnosis of van tip faults.