Month: February 2019

If you have ever worked with centrifugal pumps, chances are you have personal experience with the issue of broken shafts. However, you may not have a good understanding of the reasons why centrifugal pump shafts break. Here is some information about the top three causes of broken centrifugal pump shafts.

Metallurgical/Manufacturing Process Flaws

Manufacturing and metallurgical process flaws are one cause for centrifugal pump shafts to break. Flaws can shorten the lifetime of shafts and cause them to fail prematurely. When a shaft breaks prematurely, many people blame the manufacturer. However, the truth is that shaft breakage is often a result of the operating conditions of the pump. Manufacturing flaws are rarely the cause of shaft failures.

Vibration

Vibration is typically caused by misalignment between the motor and pump shafts for long coupled centrifugal pumps. Other system problems such as cavitation, and operating outside the best efficiency point for the pump can cause excessive vibration as well. The pump bearings start to wear, and the shaft begins to move laterally. This causes the shaft to flex and then fail. The vibration harmonics place extra stress on the shaft of the pump.

Imbalance

Imbalance causes problems while the centrifugal pump is running. Some of the factors that tend to cause impeller imbalance include the following:

• Trimmed and an unbalanced impeller
• A new and unbalanced impeller
• Vanes are out of plane or bent
• A foreign object stuck in the vanes
• There is a buildup of product on the impeller
• A plugged balance hole

For more information about the top three causes for centrifugal pump shafts to break contact the professionals at W. P. Law, Inc.

Offering superior levels of functionality and requiring minimal space, multi- port ball valves make it easier to clean equipment, improve general process reliability and guarantee compact processes. Within hygienic processing areas, the demand for cleanliness and reliability of a production facility is exceptionally high. Multi-port ball valves exceed this demand by facilitating necessary separation processes (chromatography and filtration, for example) to ensure media purity by capably maintaining sterile processing conditions.

Common problems such as corrosion in tank installations, valve manifolds and pipe systems are significantly reduced when using multi port ball valves.

5 Advantages for Using Multi-Port Valve Blocks

1. During fermentation, a multi-port ball valve can help ensure a dependable sterile barrier
2. The versatility of multi-port ball valves allows them to be used in plating operations, chemical operations, beverage/food industry and in water treatment processing plants, to name a few applications
3. Ball valves are the first choice in distribution, feeding, cleaning and draining applications. They not only simplify distribution systems significantly but also help eliminate leaks
4. Multi-port valves can be equipped with position indicators, pneumatic or electric actuation, lockout/tagouts, and multiple ball structuring
5. Substantially reduce dead legs while being designed for maximizing draining

Multi- port ball valves distributed by W. P. Law, Inc. are machined from a single block of material so that no internal welds exist that could compromise functioning.

Learn how your processes will benefit from industry-leading W. P. Law, Inc. products by contacting us today.

Turf managers often face the unenviable task of producing safe and robust athletic fields after the winter chill has done its share of damage. Although athletic field managers and grounds crews are at the mercy of Mother Nature’s warmth — to some degree — there are things that can be done in the off-season to minimize setbacks. By taking proactive measures in the off-season, athletic fields can be at their optimal playing conditions come spring. These are must-do steps to ensure top quality playing surfaces.

Soil Fertility

Turf that receives heavy traffic requires appropriate nitrogen replenishment in the off-season. Among the best ways to revitalize worn athletic fields is by utilizing nitrogen and experts generally call for one-quarter to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of turf, depending on the type of grass.

Another essential step is to ensure that the phosphorous and potassium levels in the soil are optimal for growth. Fertility generally requires the ongoing testing and oversight of an athletic field expert. Many schools, universities, and sports organizations outsource these responsibilities to specialists.

Why Aeration Makes a Difference

During the cool off-season, turf can continue to grow at a productive rate. Among the best practices for off-season fields is to properly aerate and topdress while traffic is minimal. Some fields can be aerated in late fall while others are best served during spring. The determination about these practices is generally a matter of traffic and the type of turf. Grass enjoys the best chances of complete recovery from compaction through such core cultivation measures in the off-season because the practice helps water to deliver vital turf nutrients.

Appropriate Off-Season Irrigation

It stands to reason that sports fields have changing irrigation needs from season to season. Weather conditions, temperature and traffic impact athletic fields and are drivers in appropriate management. Soil also plays an essential role in the approach irrigation professionals take as well.

While some adopt the general principle that deep and infrequent irrigation is a tried and true method, clay and sandy soils may not hold moisture in the same manner as others. Irrigation procures must be crafted to account for the type of soil, season, amount of traffic and type of turf among other factors. Getting it right requires experience.

Contact an Athletic Field Specialist

Maintaining quality athletic fields that are safe and aesthetically pleasing calls for the practical knowledge and expertise of a specialized company. A high-level sports field requires precise irrigation and fertilization measures all year. The professionals at W.P. Law have been providing irrigation services for athletic fields for nearly 50 years. Don’t wait for your team to start pre-season practice, call W.P. Law to maximize the safety and beauty of your athletic fields today.