Finder Pompe, part of PSG®, a Dover company, is excited to announce the opening of its new pump-testing facility at its headquarters in Merate, Italy. Finder Pompe has been a leader in the design and manufacture of API-engineered centrifugal and plunger pumps, and liquid ring vacuum pumps and systems for more than 65 years. The creation of the new test building, which covers 1,500 square meters (5,000 square feet), making it six times larger than Finder’s previous testing facility, was driven by the growth in size and complexity of its pump models, along with expanding customer expectations regarding pump performance. These stricter performance requirements demand more rigorous tests that verify a pump’s capacity, as well as its net positive suction head (NPSH) behaviour, vibration and noise levels, and overall operational efficiency.
“As our product offering has become more expansive and our client base more diverse, we felt this was the perfect time to add this new pump-testing facility to the list of service offerings that we can provide for our channel partners,” said Luca Farris, General Manager of Finder Pompe. “When providing products for use in very demanding fields like oil-and-gas production and power generation, it is imperative that our clients have access to the best, most reliable and, yes, most exhaustively tested pumping equipment possible, and this new testing facility will help us satisfy those critical requirements.”
The facility’s larger footprint makes it more suitable for testing pumps with higher capacities and at higher pressures. It features three stiff platforms that can accommodate horizontal pump and skid installations. These platforms allow for extremely precise vibration tests, while two independent areas with three tanks that are 13m (43ft) deep possess the capability to test vertical pumps with shaft lengths up to 12ms (40ft). Additionally, the facility is equipped with a testing circuit for lube oil pumps and another one that is dedicated to the testing of liquid ring vacuum pumps. This design enables up to four pumps to be tested at the same time.
To enable the handling of very big and heavy pumps, the testing bench features cranes that are capable of lifting pumps that weigh up to 20t(20,000kg/44,000lb). The facility is also capable of producing maximum electrical power of 4 megawatts (Mw), which further allows it to test very large pumping units. The facility features motor-tension rates that range from low tension (0-690 volts) to medium tension (0-13,900 volts), which also attests to its ability to accommodate the needs of large pumps. Finally, a closed-loop system enables the accurate and reliable NPSH testing with water of both vertical and horizontal pumps.
