A critical vertical pump for a 750 MW unit was sent to Hydro South in mid-December 2012 for inspection and repair. The massive pump weighed more than 66,000 lbs. and was 32 feet long and 12 feet tall. When the pump was disassembled, Hydro South’s engineers discovered that a large 42” x 68” section of the discharge elbow was broken, allowing direct flow to bypass the turning section and flow directly into the stuffing box area.
The discharge elbow was made of casted cast iron and could not be welded. A replacement of this size would take around eight months to order and receive. Continue reading
The OEM had provided a minimum delivery time of 10-12 weeks for both parts. Because these parts were necessary for the equipment to be returned to service, the customer sought out a qualified vendor who could provide the components in a shorter turnaround time. Hydro Parts Solutions was able to offer a 5-6 week delivery.
When 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.
