ABSTRACT
The existence of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards provides the user with some advantages, such as the ability to install any manufacturer's pump in the same physical space and piping configuration. But this trade-off illustrates very well the fact that "there is no free lunch." One cannot get the advantage of complete interchangeability without sacrificing something. Although raised-face flanges are perfectly staisfactory for cast-steel casing pumps, their use is extremely dangerous with cast-iron casings. Normally, recommendations for a centrifugal pump installation are to use both suction and discharge piping of at least one size larger than the respective suction and discharge nozzles of the pump. Centrifugal pumps are always quoted with structural steel or cast-iron baseplates under the pump and the driver. The baseplate of a centrifugal pump is ordinarily grouted before the piping connections are made and before final rechecking of alignment of the coupling halves.
