Tag Archives: engineering

Case Study- From Liability to Reliability

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Our latest article in Pumps & Systems Magazine discusses a case where aging in‑line OH4 pumps were becoming a costly reliability risk after nearly three decades of operation.

This case study shows how a strategic retrofit to an API OH3 design dramatically improved bearing and seal reliability, reduced maintenance effort, and preserved the original footprint—all without disrupting operations. Discover how rethinking legacy equipment turned a chronic maintenance liability into a long‑term reliability win.

Read the full case study here.

Read another case study written by Freddy Cardenas Linero, highlighting a hydraulic modification for reduced flow, here.

Learn more about our Hydro Middle East service centers, where this upgrade was performed, here.

Case Study- Improving Reliability of Descale Pumps

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Our latest article in World Pumps Magazine discusses a case where advanced technology, targeted upgrades, and thinking outside the box helped a steel mill avoid costly downtime.

When facing repeated failures of their descale pumps, Hydro helped the mill salvage enough usable components from the failed pieces of equipment to return a fully functional, upgraded piece of equipment to service. By performing and in-depth root cause analysis and implementing material and design upgrades, the equipment has been transformed from a bad actor to a reliable piece of equipment.

Read the full case study here.

Podcast- Mastering Advanced Vibration Techniques: From Modal Analysis to Motion Amplification

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Hydro’s Glen Powell joined Plant Services’ chief editor Tom Wilk to talk about the evolving challenges of workforce development in the maintenance and reliability space. The conversation also touches on the role of emerging technologies like AI in reliability workflows and dives deep into vibration analysis, including its limitations and advanced applications for diagnosing issues like resonance.

Key Takeaways

  • Formal training alone isn’t enough—intentional, hands-on experience accelerates workforce readiness.
  • Bridging generational gaps requires clear career paths and trust in leadership follow-through.
  • AI tools should support, not replace, critical thinking and field expertise on the plant floor.
  • Modal analysis and motion amplification are powerful tools to diagnose and fix elusive resonance issues in aging equipment.

You can listen to the podcast below or browse all of Plant Services’ Great Question podcasts here.

Want to expand your knowledge? Explore Plant Services magazine or read our case studies focused on Hydro’s work in troubleshooting and vibration analysis.

Case Study- Solving Vibration Issues in Vertical Pumps

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Vertical pumps are especially susceptible to minor conditions that can result in elevated vibration amplitudes. The vertically suspended design and long stationary element lengths often combine into natural frequencies that are near forcing frequencies, such as running speed or even sub-synchronous faults. The complexity of these issues makes it difficult to diagnose and resolve persistent vibration issues with the type of data that is routinely available to the end users.

In-depth field testing paired with computational analysis provides a clear path to both an accurate diagnosis and a solution that has a high likelihood of success. The effectiveness of this methodology was proven for a Gulf Coast midstream company who was experiencing high vibration with their vertical freshwater pumps. By applying advanced field diagnostics, the end user was able to understand the underlying causes of the vibration and evaluate possible solutions in a theoretical environment prior to implementing them in the field.

Read the full case study, published in the May 2025 edition of Pumps & Systems magazine, here.

Read more case studies on vibration analysis and the work completed by Hydro Reliability Services here.

The Hidden Costs of Cheap Repairs 

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Why Technical Expertise plays a Critical Role in Equipment Maintenance

As the industrial world becomes more competitive, reducing costs is key for maintaining an advantage in the marketplace. As such, many end users have become more cost-conscious when approaching equipment repair. In some services- where equipment is not complex and performance doesn’t affect process availability or quality- this strategy can provide some benefit. However, the short-term gain of a lower repair price often turns into long-term cost increases when a lack of engineering capability impacts equipment reliability and performance.

The importance of engaging with a facility that has strong engineering capabilities and subject matter expertise was proven during a series of boiler feed pump repairs for a Canadian biomass power plant. Like many biomass facilities, this plant had segmental ring boiler feed pumps, also commonly referred to as BB4 pumps. This is a complex design installed in a high energy, critical application, with numerous stacked and nested components that must be kept in alignment.

In this case, a small shop had completed several repairs that had resulted in high vibration and performance issues. These pumps were a legacy design that was no longer supported by the OEM and required engineering knowledge to properly refurbish and set the balance device. As such, it was important to find a repair partner that had a strong understanding of pump design. The plant worked with Hydro’s Scotford facility to bring these “bad actor” pumps back to optimal performance.

Read the full case study in World Pumps‘ March/April 2025 edition here.