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Chemical Process Leak in Boston

Chemical Process Leak in Boston

Problem: A chemical processing plant in the Boston area experienced a critical failure when the diaphragm on their AODD pump tore during operation. As a result, process fluid began escaping through the muffler, creating both a safety hazard and potential contamination issue.

Additionally, the system was experiencing vibration, causing the connected pipes to shake. This combination of fluid leakage and excessive vibration posed risks to personnel safety, equipment integrity, and process reliability, requiring immediate attention to prevent further damage and potential downtime.

Spill Prevention in Contact Lens Factory

Spill Prevention in Contact Lens Factory

Problem: A highly sterile production facility manufacturing liquid materials for contact lens production experienced a critical failure of an air operated diaphragm pump. The pump’s diaphragm ruptured, causing the expensive chemical product to spill across the floor. Beyond the immediate material loss, the incident created contamination risks in a controlled cleanroom environment and exposed the process to costly downtime.

Diesel Transfer Pump

Diesel Transfer Pump

Problem: The diesel transfer pumps on an offshore platform had never operated reliably or automatically since installation. This forced operators to transfer diesel to the electrical generators manually, resulting in significant delays and safety risks.

Chronic issues included:
• Recurring diaphragm ruptures
• Diesel leakage at the muffler
• Hose failures
• Excessive vibration in pump and piping
• Frequent instrument damage (pressure transmitters, PSVs, filter elements)
• Low and inconsistent transfer pressure
• Extremely long transfer times (6–8 hours for a 30% fill)

Root Causes Identified:
1. Pump suction pressure significantly exceeded recommended limits, producing severe water hammer effects and subjecting PTFE diaphragms to damaging pressure spikes.
2. Process air regulator pressure was set too high, further increasing pressure peaks and accelerating failures.
3. The original pump design lacked necessary stabilizing accessories to control pulsation and protect downstream components.

Filter Press

Filter Press

Problem: The Franklin Brine Treatment Plant uses a Wilden diaphragm pump to charge a filter press with brine water oil/sludge. When first charging the filter press with the diaphragm pump, the filter screens are clean and product flow is exceptionally fast. Because of the reciprocating design of the pump, product flow is pulsating. The pulsating flow produces pressure spikes which cause damage to the filter screens. The piping is CPVC plastic because the brine water is corrosive. The pulsating flow also causes vibration which results in leaky pipe joints.

Chronic Pulsation Issues at Power Plant in Central PA

Chronic Pulsation Issues at Power Plant in Central PA

Problem: The facility experienced persistent pulsation and vibration in a process line operating with two pumps. Operators noted:

- Poor pulsation control
- Unstable pressure readings
- Concerns that the dampener was “not working”
- Consideration of taking the dampener offline


Initial discussions suggested potential equipment malfunction. However, system layout and installation practices had not yet been fully evaluated.

During the site visit, the system configuration was reviewed in detail. Two critical issues were identified:

1. One Dampener Serving Two Pumps
Both pumps were discharging into a single pulsation dampener—an arrangement not suitable for proper attenuation or balanced operation.

2. Improper Dampener Placement
The dampener was installed well outside the recommended 10 pipe diameters from the pump discharge. At this distance, the unit could not effectively mitigate pressure fluctuations.

These conditions explained the apparent performance issues despite the dampener itself being fully functional.

Centrifugal Pump Startup

Centrifugal Pump Startup

Problem: An internationally known tool manufacturer located in the Pacific Northwest was experiencing severe pipe vibration in an overhead manifold system. The system delivers coolant to several production grinding machines. The coolant is delivered to the manifold by a 300 gpm centrifugal pump located in a reservoir on the plant floor. When the pump is started, a ball valve at the pump discharge is opened and fluid is pushed vertically up to the horizontal manifold. The manifold does not stay filled with liquid during idle periods so, when the pump is started the coolant flowing into the manifold must first push the air trapped in the manifold out the machine coolant nozzles before coolant reaches the machines. Since air moves more quickly out of the nozzles than liquid, when the coolant reaches the nozzles the velocity of the coolant is instantly reduced and a water hammer effect occurs creating severe pipe vibration.

View All Dosing Filling Water Hammer Spill Prevention Filter Metering Injecting Pulsation Dampening Spray Coating Transfer Inlet Stabilization
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