EFFECT OF BALANCE QUALITY GRADE ON BALANCING OF A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Vibration due to mass imbalance in rotating parts such as in pump impellers is an important engineering problem. It is a very important factor to be considered in modern machine design, especially where high speed and reliability are significant considerations. Due to mass imbalance excessive vibration occurs and may lead to decrease in fluid velocity and pressure which may cause cavitation in the pump. Reducing rotor vibrations generally increases the service life of the rotating machinery. International Standard ISO 1940/1 is a widely accepted reference for selecting rigid rotor balance quality. This paper presents effect of balancing a Boiler Feed Pump (BFP) on two different grades G6.3 and G2.5 as specified by ISO 1940/1 and their effect on the pump performance considering the vibration as the parameter.