Maintenance Tip: Cavitation Failure Analysis
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| Cavitation is caused by the presence of gas bubbles under high pressure being suddenly subjected to a low pressure. This causes the bubbles to burst (implode) and release energy to the metal surface, which causes the fracture of small, minute pieces of metal from the base casting. |
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Possible Causes
Seal Water/Liquid Compressant
- Incorrect seal water (liquid compressant) rates
- Operation of liquid compressant above its
vapor pressure
- Liquid compressant saturated with minute
gas bubbles under pressure
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Possible solutions
Seal Water/Liquid Compressant
- Ensure proper seal water/compressant rate
- Lower vacuum
- Change liquid compressant
- Remove bubbles from liquid compressant
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Blocked Discharges
- Discharge port, pump outlet or
drain blocked
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Blocked Discharges
- Unblock all ports, outlets and drains
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Improper Clearances
- Clearance wide on pumps operating at
high vacuum levels
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Improper Clearances
- Ensure proper clearance is maintained
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Improper Working Pressure
- Working beyond maximum operating
pressure (vacuum or compressor)
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Improper Working Pressure
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A Nash Field Service Technician can help you diagnose a cavitation issue, and a Nash WebSentry can alert you about poor conditions before problems begin. For more on these options, use the links below.
To see this maintenance tip in pdf format, click here
To see a list of our field service offerings, click here
To read more about the WebSentry Process Monitor and Datalogging system, click here
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