A Texas water utility chose Vesconite Bearings engineering plastic for its lineshaft and pump bowl bearings in its vertical-spindle pumps, which are designed to pump water from a pit well.
While the utility tried different grades of plastic, it ultimately chose to convert all of its pumps to Vesconite Hilube. It began the transition one year ago after the original plastic swelled and caused the pump to seize.
Charlie Simpson of Vesconite Bearings affirms that Vesconite Hilube is the manufacturer’s highest grade plastic, which was developed for the most demanding applications. The material was installed on the water utility’s well pumps and should resist swelling while remaining hard-wearing enough to withstand the pumping of water that often contains debris and sand.
Many utilities are able to use groundwater, but some, like the Texas water utility, extract water from pit wells when required. Debris and sand often accumulate at the base of the pit, and these abrasive elements are stirred up when pumping occurs.
Vesconite provided an alternative design to allow the utility to incorporate the plastic into its pumps. The line shaft bushings have a 3-in. outside diameter, a 1.94-in. inside diameter and are 4.5 in. long.
“The line shaft bushings were made longer than the retainer hub, and a chamfer was machined on to the protruding bushing to deflect the particles that might end up between the shaft and the bushing,” said Simpson. “The size of the grooves of the bushing were also increased to allow debris an easier passage through the bushings.”
For more information, call 866.635.7596. For a copy of the Vesconite pump technical manual, visit www.vesconite.com/industry/pumps/pump.htm.
Source: Vesconite Bearings
