Watson-Marlow SPS - Manual (Page 24)

MasoSine SPS sinusoidal pumps User Manual 24
Cavitation can destroy the pump. The operator must
ensure that the pump can work free of cavitation.
12.1 Cavitation
Cavitation is a problem in certain devices where fluid interacts with a moving sur-
face. It can occasionally occur in sinusoidal pumps.
Where a surface moves through a fluid, low pressure areas are formed on the sur-
face. The faster the surface moves, the lower the pressure around it can become.
If the static pressure of the liquid falls below its vapour pressure, vapour bubbles
form on the pressure side. These implode, causing very high, short-term pressure
peaks up to several thousand bar. These pressure peaks can cause material erosion
and are noisy.
To identify cavitation
If the pump is very noisy and vibrates vigorously, along with the pipe system
attached to the pump, cavitation is likely to be the cause.
To avoid or remove cavitation
Increasing the inlet pressure on the suction side, installing a larger diameter or
shorter inlet pipe or slowing the pump may solve the problem. Make sure that the
pump is not starved of duty fluid at all times.