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.
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.
Operating a pump off its design point has many drawbacks. Inefficiency and wasting energy across a throttled valve bothrequire more horsepower than an optimized system. Running away from the best efficiency point increases risk of degradation, which may cause recurring premature component failures due to higher radial loads, hydraulic instability, and other influences. These factors negatively affect reliability while simultaneously driving up the cost of equipment operation and maintenance. For this reason, opportunities to optimize a pump are extremely beneficial and have a very short payback period.
The benefits of modifying pump performance to better match system demand were demonstrated in a recent project undertaken at a Gulf Coast refinery. The refinery had a single-stage, double suction (BB2) pump where the required output had been greatly reduced from the original design. The mechanical seals were repeatedly failing, which resulted in frequent maintenance and seal replacements. The refinery partnered with Hydro, Inc to perform a field evaluation of the pump and develop a design upgrade to increase reliability and efficiency.
