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Pitfalls in Puerto Rico: Rescued by Reverse Engineering

diagramWhen the experts at Hydro were called on to reverse-engineer parts for a large circulating water pump in the Caribbean, they were concerned to discover an OEM-provided suction bell had failed during service. All internal ribs were lost and the bearing holder was found loose within the assembly. Not only had the suction bell failed, but the customer was facing excessive lead times for the parts needed for the refurbishment of the pump.

After a meticulous review of the suction bell design, it became clear that low manufacturing costs had been prioritized over reliability. Instead of providing the customer with a cast component, the OEM had provided a suction bell that had been fabricated, resulting in an excessively thin wall thickness. Continue reading

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Ares Panagoulias Recognized by Pumps & Systems as a “Top 10 Pump Professional”

a group of people in a roomHydro is excited to announce that our very own Ares Panagoulias has been chosen by Pumps and Systems Magazine as one of “2021’s 10 Pump Professionals to Watch”.  This annual list is compiled and curated by the editors and the editorial board of Pumps and Systems Magazine, the premier industry publication for the North American Pump Industry. The list recognizes some of the best and the brightest in the pump industry.

a group of people posing for the cameraAn Eye Toward the Future

Ares has been with Hydro since August of 2011, starting as Test Lab Engineer, then quickly rising through the ranks to become Test Lab Manager, then Sales & Engineering Manager of Wireless Condition Monitoring, and now he is The Director of Condition Monitoring and Test Lab.

Ares’ contributions to both Hydro and the pump industry are quite substantial given the relatively short time he’s been in the field. His commitment to keeping Hydro on the cutting edge of pump technology is one of the many reasons we agree that Ares Panagoulias is a standout in the pump industry. Congratulations Ares!

https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/10-pump-professionals-watch-ares-panagoulias

Case Study: Batch of 21 Pumps Tested & Validated Under Expedited Conditions from Hydro, Inc. on Vimeo.

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Moving Forward Together – Centaur Monitoring & Diagnostic Center

a group of people sitting at a desk in front of a windowHydro is proud to announce the inauguration of the Centaur Monitoring and Diagnostic Center at the HydroAire Service 40th Street location in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The M&D Center supports end-users who monitor their critical equipment through Hydro’s condition monitoring service, Centaur. Having a dedicated space for monitoring and analysis facilitates a quick response when emergent issues are detected.

Ease of Mind: An Expert Set of Eyes

Centaur allows real-time remote access to live and historical equipment data, enabling Hydro’s team of skilled vibration specialists to perform advanced asset monitoring in tandem with the equipment end users. As part of Centaur’s standard service offering, the engineering team provides monitoring oversight, monthly health reports, and advanced analytical support.

The Centaur engineering team is supplemented by Hydro’s global engineering network. As an unbiased presence in the aftermarket for over 50 years, Hydro has amassed critical experience over a broad spectrum of manufacturers, designs, and applications. This cross-OEM experience is leveraged when making diagnoses and recommending remedial actions. Continue reading

Hydro, Inc.’s Centaur IIoT Solution Detects Cracked Coupling at Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Hydro recently began monitoring several pump-motor trains at a municipal wastewater treatment plant using Hydro’s condition monitoring solution, Centaur. Centaur collects and stores real-time vibration and temperature levels. Hydro’s in-house analysts use this data to support end-users by evaluating equipment condition and making recommendations to minimize downtime and maximize the lifespan of the monitored machinery.

 

 

For this installation, the Centaur engineering team outfitted wireless accelerometers at specific points on multiple machine trains. The monitored locations include the motor outboard bearing housing, motor inboard bearing housing, pump inboard bearing housing, and pump outboard bearing housing, as shown below.

Continue reading

(Free Webinar) Resonance: A Sleeping Giant

Hydro is pleased to announce we will be collaborating with Pumps & Systems to host a webinar focusing on structural resonance. The free webinar will be held on Thursday, October 21, at 11 a.m. CDT.

Resonance is a condition that is often misdiagnosed and commonly goes undiagnosed, resulting in persistent high amplitude vibration issues for long periods. Resonant excitation occurs when a forcing function (generated by rotating equipment) coincides with a structural natural frequency. This problematic occurrence typically results in highly directional vibration and increased amplitudes that can be difficult to resolve without the proper engineering approach.

Resolving structural resonance problems can be quite expensive when trial and error methods are attempted in the field (such as trying to stiffen or detune a structure). This webinar will focus on ways to identify structural resonance and how to eliminate the high vibration amplitudes that commonly accompany it without the guesswork. Hydro Reliability Services’ Glen Powell, Reliability Engineer, and Kyle Bowlin, General Manager, will be presenting.

 

 

Interested in attending the webinar? Sign-up on Pumps & Systems