ABSTRACT
The variety of pump types and sizes may be, and usually are, very confusing, and it is difficult even for the experienced pump users to make a proper/optimal selection, for his or her application. In many cases, a given plant simply follows the past practice in specifying, purchasing, and repairing of the rotating equipment. The requirements of various departments within the plant could also be conflicting at times, adding to the complexity of the decisions on pump application strategy. For example, low MTBF would require frequent repairs and a high maintenance budget, but the initial pump cost could be low and, in that sense, attractive to the purchasing group. A
total
cost would need to be evaluated, including cost of lost production during outages, spare parts, etc.
