The development of an operative diagnostic method of the limiting technical condition of the sectional pump hydraulic balancing unit

Abstract

In the conditions of underground kimberlite mines operated by PJSC ALROSA, the main reason for the premature achievement of the limit technical condition by the sectional pump is the intensive abrasive destruction of its basic parts, namely, the shaft, impellers and, in more rare cases, the discharge covers. Mechanical destruction of the above-mentioned parts usually occurs as a result of the operation of a sectional pump with a critical axial displacement of the rotor (2.8 ÷ 3 mm) in the direction of suction, since in such an emergency position of the rotor there is a tribocontact between it and the pump housing elements, which after some period of time leads to serious consequences. Practice shows that in the conditions of underground kimberlitic mines of the Company application of the sensor of measurement of rotor axial shift of the sectional pump intended for identification of growth of the size measured by it to critical values is the effective technical solution only for some period of time. Frequent failures and a certain complexity of reconfiguration of this control and measuring device became the main reasons for reducing the correctness of the results issued to them. Thus, we state that the development of a technique for the identification of the rotor critical axial shift of the sectional pump, the use of which should be an alternative to the use of the above mentioned sensor, is an urgent scientific and practical task at the present time. The solution of this problem will increase the durability of the basic expensive parts of the sectional pump, as well as the level of industrial safety in underground mining of kimberlite ore. This research paper describes in detail the complex of diagnostic features of the sectional pump in critical axial displacement of the rotor, whose introduction into production will allow with a high degree of probability to increase the operational reliability of sectional pumps of drainage systems of underground kimberlitic mines of the PJSC ALROSA.