A failure-mode-and-effects reference for process pumps: common failure modes across centrifugal, positive-displacement and specialty pump types, each with its symptoms, root causes, prevention measures, detection method and a severity rating. Use it to build maintenance and condition-monitoring plans and to diagnose recurring pump problems.
Most pump failures trace back to a small number of root causes, and nearly all of them are preventable with the right design margins and monitoring. Cavitation and dry running destroy hydraulic surfaces; misalignment, unbalance and pipe strain wreck bearings and seals; running far from the best-efficiency point drives recirculation, vibration and shaft fatigue; and incompatible materials or lost flush flow attack the wetted parts.
Treating failure as predictable rather than random is what separates reliable plants from firefighting ones. The reference below lists each failure mode with its tell-tale symptoms, the most likely root causes, the preventive measures and the detection method — vibration analysis, temperature and current trends, seal-pot levels, performance tracking — together with a severity rating. Use it to prioritise condition monitoring, to set inspection and spares strategy, and to diagnose recurring problems quickly instead of replacing parts and hoping.
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