A safety alert mentions the dangers of operating pumps with suction and discharge closed and the pump continuing to operate, resulting in overheating of the trapped liquid inside the pump. Pump explosion incidents have been mentioned in the alert. The alert sends me back 30 years when I was shift in charge in an ammonia plant and a naphtha pump had been inadvertently started with suction and discharge closed. It was my night shift and I was making my plant rounds soon after taking charge when I saw a red glow. I rushed to the spot and the whole pump was glowing red. I stopped the pump and we allowed it to cool down. Guess God was my saviour as I would not have been here today if the pump had exploded!!
Read the safety alert in this link.
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Read the safety alert in this link.
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
A quick comment on this:
ReplyDeleteHad you not off the pump:
1) Would the motor trip first?
I recently had an incident where the discharge was full close and suction full open. It resulted in the valve to burst causing splash of acid.
Looking back, wouldn't the pump trip first because of deadheaded-overamp rather than the valve and pipe to burst as the fittings usually have a higher pressure rating than the pump.
Regards
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