Vibration and Acoustic Evaluation of a Large Centrifugal Wastewater Pump, Part 1: Background and Experiment

Abstract

An extensive series of vibration and acoustic measurements has been conducted on a large (63 inch diameter three-vane impeller) centrifugal wastewater pump at a municipal pump station. Vibration measurements on the pump bearing housing exceeded the design specification at most operating blade-passing frequencies (BPF). The purpose of the testing was to determine the primary mechanisms of the vibration, including contributions from an acoustic resonance (within the piping system) and the pump’s hydrodynamic near-field. In Part 1, the physical mechanisms of pump vibration and overall experimental results are presented.