3 replies to this topic

[bobbobs]

I was reading through the different relieving scenarios for a relief valve that was done by another engineer and came across the term vapor lock in reference to pumps. The scenario had a vapor stream exiting the vessel, entering a condenser that used cooling water, and then entering the pumps. One case was that cooling water was lost causing vapor lock to the pumps therefore leading to a blocked discharge. What exactly does vapor lock mean? Thanks!

[Root]

I was reading through the different relieving scenarios for a relief valve that was done by another engineer and came across the term vapor lock in reference to pumps. The scenario had a vapor stream exiting the vessel, entering a condenser that used cooling water, and then entering the pumps. One case was that cooling water was lost causing vapor lock to the pumps therefore leading to a blocked discharge. What exactly does vapor lock mean? Thanks!

Hi

Vapour dose not allow liquid to enter in the suction of pump and neither come out from pump, in an other words these vapour remain in circulation.

[bobbobs]

Toor,

So once vapor enters that pump then it is just circulating within the pump not allowing anything to either enter or leave? How is the problem remedied? Thanks for the help!

Edited by bobbobs, 28 August 2009 - 02:03 PM.

[breizh]

Bobobs
Need to stop the pump and replace the gas with liquid ( refer to start up procedure SOP).
Regards
Breizh