The Design and Operation of Pumps Furnished for Marine Cargo Service: Part I—Centrifugal Cargo Pumps

Abstract

To a pump manufacturer, marine cargo service represents one of the most demanding applications for which he can design and furnish equipment. In addition to being subjected to the stresses encountered in a shipboard environment, cargo pumps must often perform over a wide range of operating conditions and handle multiple fluids with different viscosities, vapor pressures, specific gravities, temperatures, and material requirements. In this paper the author reviews characteristics of the different types of pumps used for marine cargo service, with an emphasis on the special features that should be incorporated into their design for this rigorous duty. Different types of automatic self-priming/stripping systems available for use with these cargo pumps are also examined. Pump operation is discussed, including the significant impact that system design has on proper pump performance. (Because this paper is too large for publication in a single issue, Part II, on other types of cargo pumps, will appear in the next issue of MT, April 1988.)