TECHNICAL MANUAL

TEH-1166B
Principles of
Centrifugal Pump Construction
DISCHARGE
VOLUTE
SUCTION OPENING
IMPELLER
BASE
MOTOR
PUMP SHAFT
BEARING ASSEMBLY
COUPLER
CONTENTS
PRINCI PLES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP OPERATI ON ......... 1
I MPELLERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4
SUCTION PIPING AND SUCTION LIFT .................. 5
MATERIALS USED I N PUMP CONSTRUCTION ............. 8
PUMP MOTORS ....... . . . .......................... 10
PUMP BEARI NGS",,', ........ . ......... . ...... 10
PUMP SEALS ....... .. .... .. . .......... .. .... 12
PUMP COUPLERS ........................ . .. ...... 21
PUMP BODIES .. , .... ,', ......... .. , . .. .. .. . . .... 24
TYPES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS .............. . . .... , 29
PRINCIPLES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP OPERATION
A centrifugal pump is designed on the principle o f imparting velocity to the liquid
which it is handling, then directing the liquid with its acquired velocity to the
point o f use. Vel oci ty is given to the liquid by using the " centrifugal force "
whi c h is generated whenever an object is rotated around a central axis . The object
being r otated tends to flyaway from the center of rotation due to its vel ocit y.
The centrifugal f o rce increases proporti onately with the speed of r otati on.
/'
'"
'-...... ./
-
0
j
Q
,I
Figure 1 Figure 2
As an example , consider a can with a series o f small holes aro und the rim at the
bottom and with an axle mounted in its center as in Figure 1. If we fill the can
with water , the water will drain by gravity from the holes. If we rotate the can
slowly with a fresh filling o f water, the inner walls of the can wi ll impart veloc-
ity to the water and it will drain fr om the holes at an increased rate. The faster
we turn the can, the mo re velOCi ty energy is given to the water and the faster we
drain the can . Figure 2 illustrates this fact. We can also increase the rate o f
drainage or " pumping" by increasing the diameter of the can, whi ch in effect allows
more vel ocity to be imparted to the water due to the increased speed at the can I s
rim. This r otating c an represents the " impeller ", the device whi ch increases the
vel oc ity of water in a centrifugal pump.
Now, suppose we close up the opening on top of our can and place a compound pressure
gauge in the cover. If we begin with a full can of water and are performing our
1
2
experiment at sea level, the gauge will read zero psi gauge pressure or 14.7 psi
absolute pressure. With the can at rest, no water will leak out because a state of
equilibrium exists between the pressures inside and outside the can. Water can 't
leave the bottom openings unless air can enter to displace it. If the can were now
rotated, water would leave the holes as bef ore due to the velocity imparted to it
and the gauge in the cover would indicate a drop to below atmospheric pressure, a
vacuum. Theoretically, we should be able to empty the can in this manner and create
a perfect vacuum in the can. Of course, as soon as we pumped all the water from the
can, air would enter the holes and break the vacuum, since the can would have
nothing to pump but air at this point. Air, having very little density compared to
water , cannot readily be pumped by a centrifugal pump impeller and centrifugal pumps
are, for this reason , very inefficient air pumps . This is why a centrifugal pump
must be "primed", or flooded with water , in order to pump at all. Vents are often
included in the pump design to allow the operator to insure that all air is removed
and the pump is completely flooded with water before putting it in operation. In
order to vent a pump, turn it off then open the vent and allow system pressure or
s t ~ i c head to push air from the pump body. If you try to vent a pump while it is
running, water will come out of the vent due to centrifugal force, but any air will
%emain trapped around the center of the impeller.
To further explain the centrifugal pumping process , let us use our "can impeller" to
construct a centrifugal pump. Figure 3 shows our impeller with its shaft supported
by a bearing, being dIiven through a coupler by an electric motor. The impeller is
i.nstalled in an enclosure, the "volute", which collects the water leaving the im-
peller and directs it out through the pump discharge. The impeller opening or "eye "
is located at the pump suction opening . The entire apparatus is mounted securely on
a steel base.
The suction opening of our pump is connected to the source of the fluid to be pumped
and the discharge side is connected to the point of use. When the pump motor turns
the Shaft, fluid is delivered to the discharge opening and pressure in the inlet, or
eye of the impeller drops. The pressure at the discharge rises because of the
action of the impeller and volute. The pressure differential between the fluid
source and the impeller eye causes fluid to enter the suction side of the pump at
the same rate as the fluid leaving the pump discharge.
Discharge
/ 1/
Pump Shaft
Bearing Assembly
Coupler
Volute
Suction
f /
Opening
- -T - - ,,- -
7
"-
,
I
C
'j
'\
e ~ . ",
Motor _,_ .' J
\
~ ~
'I
\
- -
<
r---
/
Impeller
'\
/ / \
Base
Figure 3
-r- Eye
Single Suction Impeller
Figure 4
The r otating can impeller used in
this illustration would be very in-
efficient and was used only to de-
scribe the principles involved. In
actual practice, a number of curved
blades or "vanes " are provided in-
side the impeller to pick up the
fluid and increase its velocity.
These blades are shaped to stream-
line the flow pattern, and minimize
turbulence. Figure 4 s hows a typi-
cal impeller with the proper direc-
tion of r otation . Notice that the
blades or vanes always " slap" the
water - they do not "dig in" .
3
IMPELLERS
Impeller and Volute
Figure 5
Figure 5 shows the impeller inside
the pump volute with arrows indi-
cating the direction of water flow.
The portion of the volute at the
narrowest passage between the im-
peller and volute is called the
"cutwater" , where fl ow from the
'---Cutwater pump toward the discharge begins.
Eye
Figure 5 illustrates why the im-
peller direction of rotation must
be toward the discharge opening for
proper operation . Reverse rotation
of the impeller will greatly reduce
the flow rate compared to forward
rotati on . Reverse rotation also
increases turbulence and motor
loading.
Impellers of the type just described a r e cal led "single suction" , since all the
water enters at one side of the impeller as s hown in Figure 6.
,

II
..
II
Single Suction Impeller Double Suction Impeller
Figure 6
Figure 7
In some cases , the pump impeller is cons tructed so that the water enters at both
sides as in Figure 7 . This is called a "double suction" impeller. Impellers like
these which have a wall or " shroud" enclosi ng the vanes on both sides are c alled
"closed" impellers. Closed impellers are used whenever the pumped liquid is free of
large particles which might clog the impeller passages. where moderately sized par-
ticles are included in the pumped liquid, the front shroud is omitted and the im-
peller is called a " semi - open" impeller. In cases where larger solids must be han-
dled with the liquid, such as in sewage pumping, both shrouds are omitted and the
impeller is of the " open" type . For pumping relatively clean water , closed im-
pellers are more efficient than open impellers .
Impellers can be made from a variety of materials s uch as cast iron , plasti c ,
b r onze, or stainless steel depending upon the t ype of fluid to be pumped, its tem-
perature, and the amount of abrasive solids it might contain. They will always be
designed with smooth surfaces and streamlined flow passages to cut down on friction
losses.
SUCT I ON PIPING AND SUCTION LIFT
Because a centrifugal pump can elevate water in its suction line, it is sometimes
said that the pump " lifts " the water . The pump does not actually lift the water ,
but makes it possible f o r atmospheric pressure to lift it . As we saw earlier, a de-
crease in pressure takes place in the eye of the impeller and the suction line when
a pump oper ates . The liquid in the suction line rises in response to atmospheric
pressure pushing it up the line.
Total
Vacuum
Atmospheric
Pressure
34 '
Figure 8
Figure 8 shows a closed tube that ' s been
filled and inverted into a beaker of water.
Using cold water at sea level, atmospheric
pressure will support a column of water
about 34 feet high . Therefore, a pump
could lift water this high ("suction lift")
if it we r e capable of pulling a total vac -
uum in its suction line . This is not pos-
sible due to the vapor pressure of the wa-
ter and the fact that no pump can be 100%
efficient. Some centrifugal pumps are ca-
pable of as much as 26 feet of suction lift
at sea level at reduced efficiencies and
assuming that the liquid vapo r pressure is
low enough , but most centrifugal pumps are
5
6
limited to a total suction lift of 15 feet when used with their published capacity
curves. Keep in mind that friction losses in the suction piping will reduce even
further the actual amount of suction lift t ha t a given pump may be able to achieve .
Special primi ng systems or pump designs a r e required to keep a pump primed in the
static suction lift situation. An exampl e is shown in Figure 9.
Priming
;,A"'- Connection
t
Suction Lift
-
Foot Valve and Strainer ____ -\.
-
- .
- - -
Figure 9
In order to cause flow under conditions of suction lift, the suction line as well as
the pump body must be primed. This means t hat a type of check valve , sometimes
called a " foot val ve ", must be installed at t he i nlet end of the suction line to
hold the prime whenever the pump stops . A strainer is usually placed ahead of the
foot valve to keep out trash which might cause leakage of the foot valve. Figure 9
shows the use of a centrifugal pump to raise water from a pond for irrigation, with
the various components described above.
Since the pump must maintain a partial vacuum in its suction line to insure suction
lift , it is vulnerable to any leaks in t his line which will allow air to enter and
break the vacuum. A small leak will greatly reduce pumping efficiency and a leak of
any consequence will stop the flow al t ogethe r . An external priming connection can
be used to refill the pump if it should lose its prime.
Where the liquid source is above the pump suction, a "static suction head" exists.
As long as air is properly vented, the pump will always be primed and will deliver
water whenever it operates.
Load
Boiler
Closed System
Figure 10
t
P=p
/
This is also true for a pump installed in a
closed piping system, where the pump is always
fl ooded and the pump head is used onl y t o
overcome the circuit pressure drop caused by
friction losses. Figure 10 represents a
closed system. when the pump in a closed sys-
tem is not operating, only the static pres-
sure , that is , the pressure due to the weight
of the water plus any extra imposed pressure,
will show on the gauges. This is illustrated
in figure 11 (Pump Off - Static Pressure Only) , where 4 psi has been added to pres-
surize the highest point in the system, plus the static elevation of the s ystem
equals a total o f 12 psi at the boiler. When the pump starts , the pressure readings
change to show the additional pressure head created by the pump. The pump head i s
always completely used up by friction losses as water fl ows through the closed loop.
The 20 psi discharge pressure shown on the right is equal to the 12 psi static pres-
sure plus 8 psi caused by the head of the pump . As water flows through the system
back to the pump suction, all the pump head is used up ~ n c u s ~ n g flow and overcom-
ing the pressure drop of the system. The pump suction gauge will continue to read
12 psi of static pressure only.
4
4
15
14
Flow

~
12
"
12
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
16
12
~
~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~
F
12
17
20
Flow
19
~
Pump Off - Static Pressure Only Pump On - Static Plus Pump Head
Figure 11
MATERIALS USED IN PUMP CONSTRUCTION
Centrifugal pumps are constructed of vari ous metals , alloys and other materials,
depending on the fluid being pumped and its temperature . In this manual, we will
limit our discussion to the materials commonly used in general pumping and HVAC
applications.
7
8
Bronze Fitted Pumps
Bronze fitted pumps have a cast iron ("fer r ous
lt
) pump body or volute , a steel shaft ,
and a bronze impeller. The metal parts of the seal assembly are made of brass or
some other non corroding material. These pumps are used in closed heating or
chilled water systems where very little or no make-up water is required. They hold
up well in this service, since the water in a closed system quickly becomes chemi-
cally inert as far as corrosion of iron pump parts is concerned. With no free oxy-
gen in the water, excessive corrosion of the volute is limited. The bronze
impeller, the heart of the pump, is inherently resistant to corrosion. These pumps
are also used for pumping fresh water at relatively low temperatures, since corro-
sive action on the ferrous pump parts drops off sharply with reduction in tempera-
ture. Typical examples are hydronic system pumps, irrigation pumps, cooling tower
pumps, sump pumps and process pumps.
All Bronze Pumps
In these pumps, the volute, the impeller and all other wetted parts are made of
bronze or other non ferrous materials. The steel pump shaft is equipped with a
bronze sleeve at the impeller end to prevent contact with the water thus avoiding
corrosion . Bronze pumps are used in higher temperature fresh water systems where
the bronze fitted pumps would have their working parts and the cast iron pump body
affected by corrosion. Typical examples are for recirculation lines in domestic hot
water systems and pumping hot process water .
Stainless Steel Pumps
New methods of working with stainless steel have allowed the use of deep drawn
stainless steel plate for pump volutes and impellers. The pump shaft can be stain-
less steel or carbon steel , and the seal components could be bronze or stainless
steel. Since these materials are inherently resistant to corrosion, they are often
used in many of the same applicati ons as the all bronze pumps. They can also be
used in place of the bronze fitted pump, or in applications where even a small
amount of iron corrosion would be unacceptable, as in pumping inks or dyes. They
are limited to applications where the pumped liquid will not cause damage to the
stainless steel material.
PUMP MOTORS
Any prime mover; a steam turbine , diesel engine , etc . could be used to drive a cen-
trifugal pump. This manual is concerned only with pump applications that use elec-
tric motors.
Motors are enclosed in a casing that provides some protection from water and dirt.
Most motors used with hydronic system pumps are "open, drip proof " desi<Jns ,
(abbreviated as ODP) , which gi ve minimum protection from spray and overhead drips .
Other designs are available which give more protecti on , such as " totally enclosed,
fan cooled" I (TEFC) I and " e xplosion proof ".
Motors are available to operate in a variety of horsepower ratings , temperature
ranges , and voltages. They can be constructed f o r use with 60 Hz current to drive
pumps at one of a number of different constant speeds , for example , 1150, 1750 or
3450 rpm. Most common pump designs use one of these rotational speeds. Motors can
also be equipped to provide variable speed to minimize pump operating costs.
Although standard motors usually have good efficiency ratings , some people prefer to
use special high efficiency motors.
PUMP BEARINGS
Like motors , pumps are equipped with various types of bearings to support the shaft
with minimum friction , noise, and wear.
Shaft
,---- Oil Cap
Wick
~ l e e v e Bearing
Oil Lubricated Sleeve Bearing
Figure 12
Sleeve Bearjnqs
Figure 12 illustrates a typical lu-
brication system for a sleeve bear-
ing . The wi ck lubricated bearing
shown in Figure 12 uses the capillary
action of a wicking material to feed
oil to the bearing. woolen wicks are
the traditional material , although
synthetic materials have also been
developed which can absorb a great
deal of oil. These wicks are packed
in the oil reservoir, and oil ~ s
added until the wi ck is completely
oi l - soaked, and the reservoir below the wick is full of oil. The wicking material
carries oil to the top of the bearing, where a hole in the sleeve allows oil to coat
the shaft . As the shaft rotates , it spreads the oil in a thin film between the
9
10
shaft and the stationary sleeve bearing. In effect , the shaft is supported on this
oil film as it rotates, reducing friction and noise , and carrying away heat . Figure
12 shows a sleeve bearing used in small pumps. As a rule, the oil in these bearings
is not changed, since the oil chamber is packed with wicking which tends to keep
dirt and other foreign matter out of the oil . If the wick should become non-
absorbent due to a build up of dirt , it can be replaced in many pump designs. Motor
bearing wicks , and synthetic wicks rarely need to be replaced.
High grade non-detergent mineral oils or synthetic oils of the type and viscosity
recommended by the manufacturer for the conditions under which the pump or motor is
running are preferred. If these lubricants are not available, SAE 20W oil may be
used with satisfactory results . A program to insure that these bearings are period-
ically lubricated will help avoid running the pump or motor without oil . This can
cause overheating and ruin the shaft. Checking and lubricating these bearings twice
a year , at the beginning and midway through the heating season for example, is often
sufficient , but where a pump or motor is operating in a high temperature area, it
may need oil more frequently .
Grease
Fitting
ohaft \
r e a s e ~
Relief
Outer Race
,-- Ball Bea ring
,-- Inner Race
Typical Ball Bearing
Figure 13
Ball Bearings
Figure 13 shows a typical ball bear-
ing. The bearing inner ring or
"race" rotates with the shaft usually
by means of a tight press fit , while
the bearing outer ring is stationary
in the bearing housing. Rotation of
the shaft is converted into rolling
friction by the ball bearings that
are held between the two rings. The
snug, but not tight, fit of the outer
race prevents stresses or binding of
the bearing due to expansion of the
shaft with heat. Some pumps or mo-
tors are equipped with "permanently
lubricated" bearings and require no
lubrication - they are simply re-
placed when they wear out. These
bearings are packed with grease and supplied with a shield on each side which re-
tains the grease and keeps out dirt . The bearing in Figure 13 has a grease shield
only on the inner side so it can be re-greased . The bearing housing is provided
with a grease fitting and grease relief hole for that purpose. These bearings re-
quire lubrication at regular intervals to replace the old grease and its accumulated
dirt with fresh, clean grease. This is done by removing the drain or relief plug
from the bearing housing and adding grease until all the old, dirty grease is forced
out of the relief hole. The shaft should be turning during this process. The re-
lief plug should not be replaced until the bearing has cleared itself of all excess
grease through the relief port . Greasing these bearings without opening the relief
port will pack the bearing solidly with grease and cause overheating and possible
bearing failure . That's why some designs don ' t include a plug for the relief hole.
PUMP SEALS
The point where the pump shaft enters the pump body must be provided with a seal to
prevent leakage of water from the pump, or air into the pump . The two most commonl y
used sealing devices are mechanical seals and compression packing rings.
Compression Packing Ring Type Seals
Figure 14 shows a stuffing box and packing rings.
o
Flushing Connection
Lantern Ring
Packing Rings
Stuffing Box
Stuffing Box and Flushed Packing Rings
Figure 14
Gland
11
12
The stuffing box is part of the pump's backplate. The packing rings are made of
graphite impregnated cord or Teflon formed into split rings that fit snugly around
the shaft. They are compressed into the stuffing box by means of a packing gland
which is pulled in by a pair of gland nuts and bolts as shown. The "lantern ring"
in the center of the stuffing box distributes flushing water from the discharge of
the pump throughout the s tuffing box to cool and lubricate the shaft as it turns
against the packing rings . It l s important that the packing gland be loose enough so
that the packing drips steadily. Too much packing pressure wi ll reduce leakage ,
causing heat to build up in the stuffing box, hardening of the packing rings , and
scoring of the shaft sleeve. In operation, the pump must be checked regularly and
the packing adjusted to maintain a proper leakage rate as the rings wear and the
lubricant is squeezed out of them. After a period of time, the packing will lose
its resilience and lubrication. This is often accompanied by overheating of the
stuffing box and excessive leakage if the gland is backed off to allow cooler
operation. At this point, the packing must be replaced with the proper type and in
the proper sequence as called for in the instructions. Earlier pump
designs sometimes used the packing rings without a flushing connection. Cooling
leak-off was simply flowed from the pump, past the rings of packing, to the gland.
Water
Flush
Stuffing
Lantern Ring-
J
Drain
Bell & Gossett Series 1510 Pump With Stuffing Box Construction and Flushed Packing
Figure 15
Figure 15 shows a pump equipped with a stuf fing box and flus hed packing. Notice the
flushing line that allows water from the discharge of the pump to cool and lubricate
the rings in the stuffing box. There's a drain connection, and sometimes a shallow
pan, to catch the leak-off from the stuffing box to avo id spilling water on the
floor. Since the compression packing rings have a tendency to cut grooves in the
pump shaft if they dry out and overheat , all pump shafts that use packing are
equipped with replaceable shaft sleeves that rotate with the shaft and rub against
the packing. If the packing should become dry , and score the sleeve, it ' s economi-
cal to replace the sleeve rather than the shaft.
A water deflector or "slinger ring" is a piece of composition material installed on
the shaft between the stuffing box and the bearing . Its j ob is to intercept excess
water that leaks from the stuffing box and throw it out at right angles to the shaft
to keep the bearings from becoming wet. Water in the bearing oil or grease could
cause corrosion and failure of the bearing.
Because of the constant leak-off from packed type pumps , make up water must be
regularly added to the system. This water usually carries oxygen with it, causing
corrosion and other system problems. In o rder to avoid these problems, most
hydronic system pumps are equipped with mechanical seals instead of packing rings.
One of the most important features of the mechanical seal is that it doesn ' t require
any leak-off . Therefore , the amount of makeup water is greatly reduced thereby
avoiding corrosion and air control problems . A mechanical seal goes a long way
toward making the hydronic system a truly " closed system".
13
14
I
,
I
(
!
!
I
(
I
Ceramic Seal Insert ----,
Graphite Seal Ring
Compression
Ring
-.

. ..
( Impeller
(
I
(
)
I
,
\
l
,
Mechanical Seals
,
Internally Flushed Mechanical Seal
Figure 16
Figure 16 shows a typical mechanical seal installed around the shaft ins tead o f the
stuffing box gland and packing rings. This seal has a hard c eramic ring around the
shaft . This statio nary ring, or " seal insert" fits int o a recess in the pump b ody
with a rubber gasket behind it t o f o rm a watertight seal. The insert is kept fr om
turning by means of a retainer pressed into the recess whi c h engages flat s on eac h
side o f the ring, or in s ome designs, by an il L" shaped rubber c up or boot whi c h a c ts
t o prevent both leakage and rotati on. A "seal ring", often made of graphite, r o-
tates against the lapped fa ce of the ceramic and forms the primary seal . The
graphite seal ring is backed up by a rubber bellows and c ompression ring which fits
tightly on the pump shaft preventing leakage along the shaft , and insuring that the
seal ring will rotate with the shaft . The rotating seal ring is held tightly
against the stationary ring by means of the seal spring . The bellows allows the
spring to push the seal ring forward to make up for wear without disturbing the c om-
pression ring on the shaft. System water always flows around and between t he seal
faces , carrying away the fricti onal heat that builds up as the seal rings r otate
against each other. That's why a pump must never be run dry - lack o f cooling water
will destroy the seal faces in short order. Some of this flus hing water evapo rates
in the process , and a tiny amount o f vapo r is l ost from the pump. A shaft sleeve is
sometimes installed under the compression ring to prevent pitting. These sleeves
protect the shaft and are easily replaced if necessary . No maintenance Or adj ust-
ments to the seal are needed . In the event that the seal becomes wo rn and leaks, it
is replaced. It ' s good practice to replace all seal parts . That's why most seal
kits contain all the parts needed for a new seal. If a combination of new and old
seal rings and seal inserts are installed together , they will probably leak because
the old part takes up a certain wear pattern that can ' t be matched by the new part.
Bell & Gossett Series 1510 Pump With Internally Flushed Mechanical Seal
Figure 17
The pump in Figure 17 is the same pump that was shown before with the stuffing box
and compression packing rings . The internally flushed mechanical seal does not re-
quire the stuffing box construction, so the volute cover plate is simpler in design,
and often less expensive . The seal operates in a "seal cavity" formed by the cover
plate and the back of the impeller . This cavity insures that the seal gets plenty
of water ci r culation to keep it running cool . It ' s called an internally flushed
seal because no external flush lines are needed. The volute , impeller, and base are
essentially the same as in the packed type pump. A water slinger is installed
15
SEAL CARBON
SEAL HOUSING
GASKET
SHAFT SLEEVE
,
ASSEMBLY A.O
/DRI'" COLUIR
SET S ~ E W S
CUP POINT
PUNP SHAFT
+--- --'t---1H--- --- -----
COMPRESS TO "
SHAFT SLEEVE
SET SCREWS,
DOG POINT
Typical Externally Flushed Mechanical Seal
Figure 19
Another kind of mechanical seal is used where high system temperatures, high
alkalinity, or high concentrations of water treatment chemicals might cause the
internally flushed mechanical seal in Figure 16 to fail prematurely . The seal in
Figure 19 has a stationary carbon insert , (seal carbon) backed up by an 0 ring in
the seal housing, or " seal cap". The rotating seal ring is made of tungsten
carbide, an extremely hard material , which has been lapped to a high degree of
flatness, Instead of a compression ring, this seal uses an 0 ring to prevent
leakage along the shaft , and a stainless steel collar and multiple spring assembly
to drive the seal and hold the seal faces tightly together. Multiple springs
provide a more constant sealing pressure compared to the single spring design. The
whole seal is mounted on a shaft sleeve, and fits in the pump stuffing box. The
stuffing box construction is required because this seal needs to be flushed by water
from the discharge side of the pump . Unlike the packing ring construction, this
seal has no leak-off out of the pump ; all of the flush water goes back into the pump
except for the tiny amount that evaporates in the process of cooling off the seal
faces.
These seals are more expensive than the simpler , internally flushed seal , but they
hold up longer in systems where high concentrations of chemicals would build up
solids between the seal faces as the water evapor ates , and act as an abrasive to
ruin the seal faces.
17
18
In this seal , the shaft sleeve is o ften made of stainless steel , and is mechanically
locked to the shaft by a drive collar, rather than the adhesive used in other pump
designs.
Figure 20 shows how the externally flushed mechanical seal fits in the stuffing box
in place o f the packing, lantern ring, and gland.
Flush Line
rbon Insert and 0 Ring
Seal Cap I
Sleeve
Carbide Seal Ring
Spring Assembly
,
-
Externally Fl ushed Mechanical Seal
Figure 20
Notice that the flush line applies water directly to the seal face where the
rotating and stationary rings make contact .
Although this mechanical seal is built to hold up under higher system temperatures ,
it lasts longer if the water in the seal chamber is cooled to about 180F. This
cooling can be accomplished by a heat e xchanger which uses city water to cool the
system seal flushing water as shown in figure 21.
Cool Flushing Water -,
Hot System Water -,
Air Vent ~
Cooling Water to Drain
Temperature Control Valve
City Cooling \"later ----'
Thermal Protection Switch
opens at 220F --.
Heat Exchanger
Heat Exchanger to Cool Seal Flushing Water
Figure 21
For a one gallon per minute flow of flushing water , and a s ystem temperature of
about 250F, the heat exchanger would have to cool the flush water to about 125F ~ n
order to get a temperature of about 180F at the seal. A typical heat exchanger
installation is shown in Figure 21. The temperature control valve varies the flow
of city water to provide constant temperature flushing. The optional high
temperature cut off switch will stop the pump motor if the flush wa ter temperature
gets too high. Since there is no leak- off , all the flushing water that leaves the
pump to go to the heat exchanger returns to the system at the seal .
Seals of all designs can be damaged by suspended solids in the system wa ter. These
solids may be dirt or grit left over from system construction, or they may be mag-
netic iron oxide particles which result from corrosion of the p ~ p ~ n g These solids
are suspended in the water, they are not dissolved in it like wat er treatment chemi-
cals. They can cause seal wear and failure by collecting between the seal faces and
acting like an abrasive to score even the hard tungsten carbide seal ring material
used in externally flushed seals. A sediment separator is sometimes installed on a
pump that must handle water wi th large concentrations of these solids. A typical
sediment separator is shown in Figure 22.
19
20
Seal Flush
Sediment--",
Sepa ra tor ___
Suction
Sediment Separator Installation
Figure 22
Seal flushing water from the
discharge of the pump is
pumped to a conical sediment
separator whi ch gives it a
whirling motion .
Centrifugal force acts on
the heavier particles sus-
pended in the wat er , hurling
them to the rim of the sepa-
rator , and back to the suc-
tion side of the pump . The
relatively clean wat er from
the center of the sediment
separator is then sent to
flush the seal as shown .
Many systems require water treatment chemicals . Closed systems that are clean and
tight need relatively little treatment if they are properly cleaned on start up, but
open systems like cooling towers sometimes require large doses of several different
chemicals to control corrosion or algae growth. Boiler feedwater in steam systems
usually requires significant treatment to avoid oxygen pitting and corrosion in the
boiler . In these cases , it ' s best to mix the chemicals and inject them downstream
of the pump discharge so they can mix with the system and become fully diluted . If
chemicals are simply dumped into the pump suction, the high chemical concentration
and abrasive action of undissolved chemicals can destroy the impeller and seal.
PUMP COUPLERS
The pump coupler is required to :
(1) transmit power from the motor shaft to the pump shaft , and
(2) compensate for minor misalignment between the pump and motor shafts .
While couplers will do this within the tolerances established by the coupler manu-
facturer, you should keep i n mind that the closer the shaft alignment , the better
and more quietly the pump will operate. Operating a pump with severe misalignment
between the shafts will result in noisy operation, early coupler failure and possi-
ble pump o r motor bearing failures.
Shaft alignment may be accomplished by means of a straightedge or dial indicator,
depending on the coupler manufacturer ' s specifications. The straightedge method is
acceptable for most small pumps. The dial indicator method is preferred for larger
pumps or where the coupler requires methods are fully ex-
plained in other ITT Bell' G03sett publications. Shaft alignment for pumps operat-
ing at 3450 rpm is more critical than for pumps operating at 1150 or 1750 rpm.
Pump couplers are furnished in several basic types; the equalized spring type , the
flexible disc type, and the drop out sleeve type.
.,... ......
,
. 1'
Figure 23 shows the coupler used on
small pumps where quiet operation is
essential. The motor turns the pump
shaft through four springs i n tension,
with the torque balanced on all
springs by an equalizing bar. This
coupler requires no maintenance and is
trouble free provided alignment is
proper. Shaft misalignment is the
most common cause of coupler breakage
and noise. Motors with resilient mo-
tor mountS are sometimes over oiled
Equalized Spring Coupler with excess oil spilling on the rubber
Figure 23 mountings. constant oil soaking
causes deterioration of the mounting and sagging of the motor shaft. Mountings
should always be checked for this condition when coupler breakage occurs . This kind
of coupler wi ll usually break long before significant damage can occur to more ex-
pensive pump components like bearing assemblies or the impeller. Since these cou-
are inexpensive, this of fers low COSt protection for the pump.
photogragh courtes y of Lovejoy , Inc.
Flexible Disc Coupler
Figure 211
Figure 24 shows the typical flexible
disc , or '1 jaw" type coupler. These
are used on applications where ex-
tremely quiet operation is re-
quired and for larger motors than the
spring type coupler can handle. The
motor drives the pump through
the flexible center member, or
"spider" , which abso rbs misa-iignment
or shock. The spider should be
hecked for wear if the pump vibrates ,
or is noisy . The flexible disc should
never be tightly bound between the two
21
22
coupler halves. Maintai n the slight clea rance called f or i n the coupler specifica-
tions furnished by the manufacturer to allow f or thermal growth of the shafts .
Sleeve bearing motors which may have considerable end play should have this coupler
clea rance checked when the motor is at i ts magnetic center.
photogragh courtesy of T.B. woodis Sons Co.
Flexible Sleeve Coupling
Figure 25
photograph courtesy of T.B.Woodl s Sons Co.
Drop-Out Type Spacer Coupling
Figure 26
The flexible sleeve coupler shown
in figure 25 is used with even
larger pumps and motors. The
sleeve may be in t wo pieces held
together by a wire ring as s hown,
it may be a single piece split to
fit over ,hafts that are close to-
gether , or it may be a single, un-
split piece . The coupler flanges
may f it directly on the shafts as
shown, or they may bolt to hubs
that fit on the shafts to form a
"spacer coupling" as in Figure 26 .
This coupler design is particu-
larly important with base mounted
pumps that can be serviced wi thout
moving the motor. These " true
back pull out " pump designs save
maintenance time by not requiring
movement of t he motor to replace
the seal or bearings , or service
the impeller , therefore extensive
realignment of the shafts after
service is not required. There
are a number of different coupler
sleeve materials in use. Be care-
ful to replace a sleeve with the
3ame kind of material as the orig-
inal since other sleeve materials
can cause problems in alignment
and sleeve wear. Pumps that require couplers are equipped with a coupler guard,
either as a sepa rate piece, or as part of the bearing assembly design. To avoid
i njury, always replace any removable guards after se rvicing the pump.
PUMP BODIES
Centrifugal pump bodies are manufactured in several types depending on the type of
impeller to be used and the pump application . Pumps using single suction impellers
may be "end suction" , or "in-line" pumps. We ' ve already seen examples of end
suction pump bodies . Double suction impeller pumps may have ho rizontal split case
o r vertical split case bodies. The refers to the manner in whi ch the
pump body opens for assembly or maintenance .
Horizontal Split Case Pumps
Stuffing Boxes
Bearings
Upper Half
Impeller
Line
Typical Horizontal Split Case Pump
Figure 27
Figure 27 shows a typical horizontal split case pump, the traditional kind of pump
used in many industrial appli cations. The pump is split along its horizontal axis
at the pump shaft and is disassembled by removing the top half of the volute , which
access to the r otating assembly, the shaft and impeller. The double suction
impeller is mounted at about the midpoint of the shaft , making it necessary to have
two seals or stuffing boxes and bearings at each shaft end. This drawing shows the
stuffing box, flush lines, and compression ring packing, but pumps like this are
also available with mechanical seals, as shown in Figures 28 and 29.
23
24

Bell & Gossett Horizontal Split Case Pump
Figure 28
Horizontal Split Case Pump with Externally Flushed Mechani cal Seals
Figure 29
Vertical Spl i t Case , Double Suction Pumps
Bell & Gossett Vert ical Split Case Double Suction Pump
Figure 30
A vertical split case double sucti on pump is shown in Figure 30. This model has
both the suction and discharge flanges at the top, an advantage in installing piping
in a crowded equipment room.
Bell & Gossett Verti cal Split Case, Side Suction Pump
Figure 31
25
26
In figure 31, the vertical split case pump has it ' s suction flange rotated 90
0
to
accommodate the larger suction pipe sizes required for the high flow rates that this
pump can handle . In both versions of the vertical split case pump, the internal
construction featu r es are about the same as shown i n the following section view.
Section View, Bell & Gossett VSC Pump
Figure 32
The volute is split vertically at each end of the pump by removing two volute cover
plates from the main pump casting. The double suction impeller is located in the
middle of the pump, and it requires two seals or stuffing boxes , as well as two
bearings. Like the horizontal split case pump, they are located on opposite sides
of the impeller , but unlike the horizontal split case pump, they are closer to the
impeller, giving the pump shaft mOre support. Unlike the horizontal split case
pump, servicing one bearing or seal does not disturb the other. Different seals are
available for this pump, including compression rings, and the externally flushed
mechanical seal. The internally flushed seal is the most popular since it is rated
to handle the system temperature, alkalinity, and water treatment chemical concen-
trations most often found in closed heating and cooling systems.
End Suction Pumps
Bell & Gossett Series 1510 End Suction Pump
Figure 33
Figure 33 shows a single suction pump. Pumps like this are called
"end suction" designs because the water enters the suction eye of the impeller at
the end of the pump. In this case, the water leaves from a centerline discharge ,
which makes for easier venting. The single volute cover plate can be removed from
the back of the pump for servicing the seal or removing the impeller. Leakage is
prevented by an 0 ring around the cover plate. The stainless steel impeller is
keyed to the shaft and held in place by means of a washer and capscrew. There 's
only one seal, because the shaft penetrates the pump in only one place. The bearing
assembly consists of a casting which contains two bearings and the pump shaft.
Notice that both bearings are on the same side of the impeller.
Piping connections differ between horizontal split case pumps and end suction pumps .
The horizontal split case is "straight through", with suction in one end and
27
28
discharge out the othe r in the same plane, at right angles to the shaft. End
sucti on pumps have the suction piping enter the pump 1s end and the discharge line at
right angles to the suction line.
TYPES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
Centrifugal pumps may be Ilbase mounted" r like the one in Figure 33, where the pump,
bearing assembly , and motor are all mounted on a common base ready for installation
on a f oundati o n. They may be " in-line" for installation directly in the pipe line
without a base. Either of these may also have separate pump and motor shafts
connected by a coupler, called " long coupled", o r " flexibly coupled" ; or the motor
shaft may be common to both the motor and pump in which case the pump is called
"close coupled" . Finally, many of these pumps c an be f ound with different seal
options as already described.
Bell & Gossett Series 1531 Base Mounted, Close Coupled Pump
Figure 34
In Figure 34, the motor has an extended shaft which enters the pump body through an
opening in the cover plate . The mechanical seal, shaft sleeve, and single suction
impeller are mounted on the motor shaft so there is no coupler or pump bearing
assembly. The motor bearings are usually grease lubricated ball bearings sized to
carry the impeller load.
Close Coupled, Base Mounted pump Installation
Figure 35
The motor a nd pump are attached by means of a combination coverplate and bracket .
The pump can be mounted on a foundation by means of the motor legs with the pump
body supported by the motor and bracket. Once the pump is installed in a piping
s ystem, you can get access t o the seal and impeller by unbolting the coverplate, and
sliding the motor and bracket back from the pump . That ' s why it ' s important to
attach the motor to the foundation by using capscrews that extend down through the
motor legs into threaded fittings in the f oundation as shown in Figure 35 , rather
than studs that mount upward from the foundation i nt o the motor legs . If studs and
nuts are used, the moto r will not slide back t o allow pump service.
Although these close coupled pumps are more compact than base mounted pumps , they
aren't necessarily smaller in capacity . In fact , many close coupled pumps use the
same volute and impeller as the base mounted version, and therefore have about the
same pumping capacity . Their advantage is in the compact size and smaller base
required.
29
30
HorizQotal LiDe Mounted Pumps
Bell & Gossett Series 100 "Booster"
Figure 36
"Circulator s " are small pumps mounted with the shaft horizontal in the system
piping. They are sometimes called "line mounted", or "in line" pumps because the
piping supports the pump - no base is required. The B&G "boo.ster " got its name
because it wa s originally installed to aid, or "boost ", the gravity circulation in
older s ystem.s . Gravity systems are no longer being designed since pumped
circulation is so much mo re efficient and economical, but the name has stuck. The
Series 100 booster shown in Figure 36 is typical of the small , in line pumps used in
closed heating or cooli ng systems to provide flow up to about 100 gpm. This pump
has a single suct ion impeller mounted in an iron or bronze body , a bearing assembly ,
and a motor mounted in a bracket that bolts t o the bearing assembly. Since the pump
is used io applications where quiet ope ration is a requirement, it uses oil
lubricated s leeve beari ngs in the motor and i n the pump bearing assembly and a
spri ng t ype coupler. The resi lient motor mount.s isolate motor noise or vibration
from the system. It is designed with an internally flushed mechanical seal for
simple maintenance and long life.
Bronze const ruction boosters are recommended for use in domesti c , or fresh water,
s ystems .
Series 100 Section View
Figure 37
Though these smaller pumps have many of the same design features as the larger ones ,
t here a r e some differences.
The copper shaft sleeve is permanently pressed onto the shaft , so if it should get
pitted or badly scratched, or if the bearing surfaces of the shaft should get
sc r atched o r burned, simply replace the whole shaft. The water slinger is built
into the shaft sleeve as a small flair in the sleeve material. The pump seal is a
smaller version of the internally flushed seal described before, and while there are
no other seal design options available , a numbe r of differ ent seal kits containing
parts made with different materials can be used in these small pumps to suit
differ ent system temperatures or chemical conditions. The impeller may be made of
bronze , plated steel , or plastic depending on the age and size of the pump. Some
impeller designs promote circulation around the seal by means of a shroud
surrounding the seal as shown above. Some plastic impellers are built in t wo
pieces .
31
32
Oil Wick
Groove
Alignment Notch
Oil Distribution Hole
Housing Sleeve
Replaceable Front Bearing with Sleeve Removed
Figure 38
The front bearing is easily replaced, but the bearing closer to the coupler, the
rear bearing, is not. In the unlikely event that the rear bearing should fail,
simply replace the bearing assembly casting. Figure 38 shows the replaceable front
bearing housing and sleeve. The sleeve bearing is shown separate from the bearing
housing for clarity only. In practice, the sleeve is very accurately and
permanently pressed into the housing. The hole at the top of the sleeve allows oil
to form the film between the shaft and the sleeve that lubricates the shaft. The
collar around the sleeve bearing is designed to carry thrust forces caused by slight
movement of the shaft parallel to the shaft axis. The groove in the housing is
where the wick lies. The little notch in the housing insures that the bearing is
aligned properly in the housing, with the wick slot at the top.
This replaceable bearing is held in the beari ng assembly by two bolts that sc rew
into the bosses shown on each side of the housing. Be careful not to over tighten
these bolts , since it is possible to pull the threads out of the housing material.
33
5
6
Xylem Inc.

8200 N. Austin Avenue
Morton Grove, Illinois 60053
Phone: (847) 966-3700
Fax: (847) 965-8379
www.bellgossett.com
Bell & Gossett is a trademark of Xylem Inc. or one of its subsidiaries.
2013 Xylem Inc. TEH-1166B January 2013
1) The tissue in plants that brings water upward from the roots;
2) a leading global water technology company.
Were 12,500 people unied in a common purpose: creating innovative solutions
to meet our worlds water needs. Developing new technologies that will improve
the way water is used, conserved, and re-used in the future is central to our work.
We move, treat, analyze, and return water to the environment, and we help people
use water efciently, in their homes, buildings, factories and farms. In more than
150 countries, we have strong, long-standing relationships with customers who
know us for our powerful combination of leading product brands and applications
expertise, backed by a legacy of innovation.
For more information on how Xylem can help you, go to www.xyleminc.com
Xylem