CASE STUDY REPORT:

FAILURE ANALYSIS OF
CENTRIFUGAL PUMP
SHAFT

NAME: YAHYA AHMED AHMED ALDUQRI

MATRIC NO: AM073003

PASSPORT NO: 03569372

DATE: NOVEMBER 23, 2010

PROF.DR: NASIR
 FAILURE ANALYSIS OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMP SHAFT

INTRODUCTION

An oil and gas refinery requested us to analyze the cause of failure of the shaft of
centrifugal pump that used to pump petrol mixture so we decided to take up the
necessary investigation.

BACKGROUND
The centrifugal pump used to pump the petrol mixture to the separators of refinery;
the failure results in a fire of the refinery with estimated total loss of RM200, 000.
The pump has been installed on May 1979

VISUAL INSPECTION OBSERVATIONS

1. The shaft fractured nearby the impeller location at the threaded/grooved area.
2. The failure appeared like fatigue fracture.

FIGURE 1: THE LOCATION OF THE FAILURE OF THE SHAFT WITH

DIMENSION

OBSERVATION FROM OPERATION DATA SHEET

1. The pump is start up at 2,975 rpm for 14 hours with a 2-hour complete shut-
down interval.
2. The pump normally operates 6 days a week throughout the year

3. The pump was tripped and started for 12 times for around 12 hours.

4. The failure incident occurred on 30/07/2010 at 8:00 PM.

5. No information about the reason of the trips before the failure incident.

OBSERVATION FROM VIBRATION RECORDS

1. Pump was major overhauled three times involving seal leaking.

2. From May 1979 until the end of July 2010 the vibration records shows the shaft
is normal.

MECHANICAL DESIGN ANALYSIS

Assuming the 4140 steel was quenched and tempered which have the mechanical
strength: sut =1070 MPa , s y =944 MPa.
Based on the stress calculation, the stress amplitude was sa =26 MPa during the
operation in which the life of the shaft was expected to fail after1.32 ×109 cycles,
however it last up to 3.6 ×1010 cycle ,so the pump should have failed earlier since the
applied cycle stress 26 MPa exceeded the fautige strength 10.42 MP a for
3.6 ×1010 cycle

CHEMICAL DESIGN ANALYSIS

The chemical analysis of the broken shaft material show the shaft material is 4140
steel alloy with chromium, Molybdenum and other element as shown in the table
below.

TABLE 1: THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SHAFT MATERIAL

METALLOGRAPHIC STUDY

The failed shaft was sectioned at different locations for metallographic studies. Also,
the hardness test was carried out on the cross section of the shaft.

DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows the chemical analysis of the broken shaft material. The results of
analysis show the shaft material is 4140 chromium Molybdenum steel which is
quenched and tempered. From the closer visual inspection of the failed shaft, the
fracture surface shows some bench marks which is a closure to high cyclic fatigue
failure. From the operation data sheet, the pump was tripped and started for 12 times
for around 12 hours before the final fracture occurs.

The material was evaluated for any change in general specifications. The
microstructure analysis of shaft shows typical tempered martensite material which
gives long fatigue life, which is as per design. The microstructure did not show any
abnormality. From these results it is evident the material was not directly responsible
for this failure. The fatigue analysis shows the shaft has been failed due to the high
cyclic fatigue; it exceeds the fatigue life limits.

Failure Mechanism

Since the failure location is at the grooved area nearby the impeller where the
seal are constructed
The failure mechanism could be divided into three stages namely:
• Crack initiation.
• Crack propagation.
• Shaft sheared.

Crack initiation

The location of the failed area is considered to be suitable for corrosion and cracking
due to the presence of crevices, the pitting initiation could be started in the beginning
followed by crack initiation. Due to the presence of stress concentration area and
rotation stresses, the crack could be initiated from the pit area.

Crack propagation
Due to the rotation and vibrations along with cracking, the crack was propagated as a
result of the fatigue phenomenon.
Shaft sheared

The last step of failure occurred due to the huge stresses induced to the shaft. The
huge stresses might be attributed to the reverse rotation of the shaft inducted by
backflow.

Possibility of Crevice Corrosion

The possibility of localized corrosion particularly crevice attack on the shaft may
arise due to its relatively poor protection in presence of the chemical flow
(petroleum).

CONCLUSIONS

1. The main contribution to the failure is the life of the shaft exceeded its fatigue
limit.

2. And also the combined action of environment, geometry and stresses could be
one of the causes of the crack initiation at the failure location. The propagation
stage might be resulted by corrosion fatigue. The final stage resulted by
mechanical stresses.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Care to be taken by operation during startup of the pump by ensuring closing of
discharge valve of down pump to avoid back flow from running pump.
2. All pump shafts must be inspected by DPT during routine maintenance.
3. The pump motors must be internally inspected.
 4. It is advised that RDC should be assigned to carry out compatibility studies by
using duplex stainless steel as stationary parts with austenitic stainless steel as
rotary parts.

REFERENCES

1. Handbook of case histories in failure analysis, ASM, volume 2, 1993.

2. Metal handbook, volume 11, Failure analysis and prevention, 9th edition,
1986.

APPENDIXES
- Chemical analysis

TABLE 1: THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SHAFT MATERIAL

- Mechanical analysis
Assume the weight of the shaft is informally distributed along the shaft
Mechanical properties of shaft material
sut =1070 MPa , s y =944 MPa,hardeness Hv=378
 - stress calculation

The loading at the fracture surface are

M=73.5 N.m
T=834.56 N.m
V=87.9 N
0.06
73.5 ×
My 2
σ bending= = =3.47 MPa
I π 4
( 0.06 )
64
 0.06
834.56×
4 v Tr 4 × 87.9 2
τ shear+torsion = + = + =0.04+19.8=19.84 MPa
3A J π 2 π
3 × ( 0.06 ) ( 0.06 ) 4
4 32

- stress concentration factor

r D
=0.05 , =1.0833
d d
k t ≈1.85 , k ts ≈ 1.3
σ bending=1.85× 3.47=6.4195 MPa
τ shear+torsion=1.3 × 19.84=25.792 MPa
σ 2
6.42 6.42
1,2 =
2
±
√( 2 )
+ ( 25.792 )
2

σ 1=¿ 29.21 MPa¿

σ 2=¿−22.79 MPa ¿
29.21−22.79
sm = =3.21 MPa
2
29.21+22.79
sa = =26 MPa
2
- Fatigue analysis
Assuming sm =0 (completely reversed fluctuating stress) since it is small compare to sa
.
Based the constant and exponent values in Basquin relationship from the table
sf =a N −b
=8626 N −0.2764

Operating hours=( 31 years ×312 days × 24 hours )=232128

Since the pump is stopped for 2 hours between 14 hours interval
232128 ×2
Operating hours=232128− =198967 hours
14
cycle
Number of cycles during it operating life=( 2975 ×60 ) ×198967 hours=3.6 ×1010 cycle
hours
sf =8626(3.6 ×10 10 −0.2764
)

sf =10.424 MPa
Since sa =26 MPa which is more than the fatigue strength for 3.6 ×1010 cycle during
the long period of operation, the pump shaft should have failed earlier
The expected life of the pump under sa =26 MPa would be 1.32 ×109 cycles
- THE MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE SHAFT METAL AT THE FAILURE
LOCATION
 -assumption
1- Assume the weight of the shaft is informally distributed along the shaft

0.4225 m 0.137 m 0.4225 m

∅ 0.06 ∅ 0.06

∅ 0.065

120 N

407.4 N /m

260 N × 260 N

260 N V =260−407.4 ×

SHEAR FORCE DIAGRAM

−260 N
V =140−407.4 ×

78.56 N .m
MOMENT DIAGRAM M =260 ×−203.7 ×2
M =140 ×−203.7 ×2+ 58.92
73.5 N .m