Case Study

The client was a local steel mill that needed new pumps for their mill coolant. The mill was built in 1958 and was experiencing some typical, although extreme, wear and tear on their pumps.

Of the five pumps required to run the facility, one was particularly broken; the double suction pump’s casing and impeller were badly damaged and the shaft had broken in half due to a bearing failure. A new replacement pump was considered but cost prohibitive piping and baseplate changes and pumping modifications would have been required. After consulting other pump manufacturers, the client was told that their part was broken beyond repair. However, at Energy engineering services, we know that anything can be fixed.

Even if the client was able to find a new pump at a reasonable price, it is very difficult to find a pump that will have the same flow and operate the same way as the original model. Pump Reverse Engineering is a valuable service that not only avoids long lead times and high costs, but also preserves the original function of obsolete parts.

Using the worn and broken parts, Energy engineering service was able to Reverse Engineer the complete rotating element including the impeller, bearing housings, shaft, sleeves, and rings. In addition, we were able to perform a massive weld repair on the machining and casing. The result was a fully functional pump where all the pieces fit together as if in their original state. With an 11-week turnaround time, the repaired pump is now operating at the original head, flow, and duty point.