Cold water pump gets a rebuild after 20 years loyal service
Qualtex was invited to site to remove this cold water pump for a complete rebuild. The pump acts as an auxiliary cold water pump for a 250MW thermal generator at a major power station in the North Island of New Zealand.
As the pump had been in operation for over 20 years without a service, the condition of much of the assembly had suffered years of corrosion making disassembly a real challenge. At 12 meters, the depth of the well also presented a challenge as the pipe work needed to be lifted and removed in a series of 3 meter sections.
Without an available procedure for the removal, the team set out in the scoping phase to establish a methodology for the safe and efficient disassembly, removal, rebuild and reassembly.
Once an appropriate methodology was agreed upon, the unit was disassembled and all items returned to the Qualtex service workshop in Hamilton for overhaul and repairs. The electric motor was tested, and along with the pump parts, was prepared for grit blasting and painting. There were a number for smaller pipework fittings and fastenings that were replaced with new stainless steel, and some pump shaft bearings and surfaces that needed repairs. Once all the cleaning, painting and assembling was complete, the unit was reassembled and returned to site, reinstalled and commissioned.
