Created on 07.01

How to determine the tightness of the packing of a slurry pump?

In the complex process of industrial production, the slurry pump acts as the "heart" that continuously transports high-concentration and high-abrasive slurry. The packing of the slurry pump, as the "guardian" of the pump's sealing, its tightness directly affects the stability, efficiency, and service life of the pump. If the packing is too tight or too loose, it will not only cause medium leakage, leading to material waste and environmental pollution, but also aggravate equipment wear, and even cause shutdown failures, seriously affecting the production progress. Therefore, mastering scientific and accurate methods to judge the tightness of slurry pump packing has become a compulsory course for every equipment operation and maintenance personnel.

I. Observe the Leakage: Capture the Intuitive Signal of Packing Status

The tightness of the slurry pump packing is most directly reflected in the leakage when the pump is operating normally. In an ideal state, there should be basically no obvious slurry leakage at the packing, with only a very small amount of liquid seeping out. These (dripping) seepage liquids are not "failures" of leakage but "heroes" that play a key lubricating role, effectively reducing the friction between the packing and the pump shaft and prolonging the service life of both.

If there is no liquid seepage at the slurry pump packing, which seems to achieve a perfect "zero leakage" state, it actually hides a crisis. This may mean that the slurry pump packing is too tight, excessively squeezing the pump shaft, leading to increased friction between the two. This will not only increase the energy consumption of equipment operation but also accelerate the wear of the packing and pump shaft, and may even cause serious problems such as packing carbonization and pump shaft deformation due to overheating.
Conversely, if a large amount of slurry continues to leak from the packing, forming a continuous flow, this is undoubtedly an "alarm" that the slurry pump packing is too loose. The loose packing cannot effectively block the overflow of slurry, which will not only cause material waste but also allow air to enter the pump body, leading to cavitation, affecting the normal operation of the slurry pump and reducing its conveying efficiency.

When the slurry pump stops running, it is also an important time to judge the tightness of the packing. At this time, observe the liquid seepage between the pump shaft and the packing:

If a small amount of liquid slowly drips out under the action of gravity, it indicates that the tightness of the slurry pump packing may be appropriate.
If a large amount of liquid flows out quickly like a faucet being turned on, it indicates that the slurry pump packing is too loose and the sealing effect is poor.
If no liquid seeps out for a long time, even after waiting for a long time, it is likely that the slurry pump packing is too tight and the sealing is too strict.

II. Feel the Operating Resistance: Perceive Packing Tightness by Touch and Hearing

Before starting the slurry pump, manual barring is an effective method to initially judge the tightness of the slurry pump packing. The operator holds the pump shaft by hand and tries to rotate it. Under normal circumstances, the rotation should be relatively easy, without obvious sticking, and no excessive force is required, and the pump shaft does not show obvious shaking or looseness. In this state, the tightness of the slurry pump packing is most likely within the normal range, which can ensure good sealing performance without over-restricting the pump shaft.

If the pump shaft feels extremely laborious to rotate, and it takes a lot of effort to barely turn it, as if the pump shaft is firmly "locked", this strongly indicates that the slurry pump packing is too tight. The too-tight packing is like a rope tightly wrapped around the pump shaft, greatly increasing the rotational resistance, which not only increases the starting difficulty but also continues to consume a lot of energy during equipment operation.
When rotating the pump shaft, if the pump shaft is obviously shaken or loosened, as if (shaking precariously), it indicates that the slurry pump packing is too loose. The loose packing cannot provide stable support and sealing for the pump shaft. When the pump is running, the pump shaft may run eccentrically, leading to increased vibration and causing a series of equipment failures.

After the slurry pump is put into operation, feeling the abnormal vibration or shaking by touching the components near the pump shaft is also an important means to judge the tightness of the slurry pump packing. If the packing is too tight or too loose, it will break the force balance of the pump shaft during operation and cause abnormal vibration. At this time, the operation and maintenance personnel can wear protective gloves and gently touch the pump shaft bearing seat, pump body shell and other parts to feel the intensity and frequency of the vibration. If the vibration is significantly higher than the normal level, and even the component vibration can be clearly felt, it is necessary to be alert to the tightness problem of the slurry pump packing.

In addition, listening to the sound of the slurry pump during operation can also obtain important clues about the tightness of the slurry pump packing:

When the slurry pump packing is too tight, the friction between the packing and the pump shaft will significantly increase, resulting in a harsh friction sound, like sandpaper grinding metal.
When the slurry pump packing is too loose, due to a large amount of slurry leakage, an abnormal liquid flow sound will be generated, similar to the noisy sound of water flow impacting the pipeline. Through these unique sound signals, experienced operation and maintenance personnel can quickly judge the tightness state of the slurry pump packing.

III. Monitor Temperature Changes: Use Temperature as a Mirror to Insight into Packing Conditions

After the slurry pump has been running for a period of time, the temperature change at the packing is an important "thermometer" reflecting its tightness. Operation and maintenance personnel can use professional temperature measuring instruments, such as infrared thermometers, to accurately measure the packing part; or under the premise of taking protective measures, touch the packing with their hands to initially judge the temperature by intuitive touch.

If the temperature at the slurry pump packing is significantly higher than the normal operating temperature, and even feels hot or (scalding), and it is difficult to stay for a long time when touched by hand, it means that the slurry pump packing is likely to be too tight. The too-tight packing and the pump shaft continue to rub violently, converting a large amount of mechanical energy into heat energy, leading to a sharp increase in temperature. If not adjusted in time, the too-high temperature will accelerate the aging and damage of the packing, and also have an adverse effect on the performance of the pump shaft.
Conversely, if the temperature at the slurry pump packing is not much different from the surrounding environment temperature, and the touch is mild without abnormal heating, it indicates that the tightness of the slurry pump packing is more appropriate, and the friction between the two is within a reasonable range, which can ensure the stable operation of the equipment.

In addition to paying attention to the temperature at the slurry pump packing, the temperature change of the pump shaft cannot be ignored. If the slurry pump packing is too tight, it will cause excessive friction and restriction on the pump shaft, leading to a continuous rise in the pump shaft temperature. Operation and maintenance personnel should regularly monitor the temperature of the pump shaft, especially after the pump has been running continuously for a long time, and compare the temperature data of different time periods. If it is found that the pump shaft temperature exceeds the normal range and shows a continuous upward trend with the increase of operating time, like a thermometer scale that continues to rise, it is necessary to be highly alert to the problem of too tight slurry pump packing, and take adjustment measures in time to avoid equipment damage caused by too high temperature.

IV. Check Energy Consumption: Explore the Mystery of Packing from Data Fluctuations

The current value of the slurry pump during operation is a key data reflecting its operation status and an important basis for judging the tightness of the slurry pump packing. Under normal operating conditions, the current value of the slurry pump should remain within a relatively stable range. When the current value is found to be significantly higher than the normal operating value, and after investigation, other factors such as motor failure and load change are excluded, it is largely because the slurry pump packing is too tight. The friction between the too-tight packing and the pump shaft increases significantly, forcing the motor to consume more energy to drive the pump shaft to operate, resulting in an increase in current.

When the slurry pump packing is too loose, although the friction force that the motor needs to overcome is reduced, and the current value may be lower than the normal level, the flow and head of the pump will also decrease. This is because the loose packing cannot effectively seal, resulting in part of the slurry flowing back in the pump body, reducing the conveying efficiency of the pump, so that the output power of the motor is not fully converted into effective work, causing energy waste.

In addition to paying attention to the instantaneous change of the current value, continuously monitoring the energy consumption change trend of the slurry pump over a period of time can also provide strong support for judging the tightness of the slurry pump packing:

If the energy consumption of the slurry pump shows a gradual upward trend, like a continuously rising curve, it is likely that the slurry pump packing gradually becomes tight during operation. As the packing tightens, the frictional resistance continues to increase, and the energy required for equipment operation is also increasing.
If the energy consumption is unstable and fluctuates greatly, like an undulating wave, it indicates that the tightness of the slurry pump packing is problematic. This unstable energy consumption state will not only affect the normal operation efficiency of the equipment but also cause damage to components such as the motor and shorten the service life of the equipment.

Judging the tightness of the slurry pump packing is a comprehensive and systematic work, which requires comprehensive and detailed observation and analysis from multiple dimensions such as leakage, operating resistance, temperature change, and energy consumption. Through long-term practical accumulation and experience summary, operation and maintenance personnel can more acutely capture the subtle signals of the tightness change of the slurry pump packing, timely adjust the packing state, ensure that the slurry pump is always in a high-efficiency and stable operation state, and escort the smooth progress of industrial production.

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