Method and system for determining pump cavitation and estimating degradation in mechanical seals therefrom

A system for determining cavitation in a pump having a known non-cavitating dynamic pressure measure, comprising:

• at least one sensor, in communication with said pump, operative to measure dynamic pressure in said pump;
• and
• a processor, in communication with said at least one sensor, operative to:
• compare said measured dynamic pressure in said pump to a cavitation alarm dynamic pressure, wherein said cavitation alarm dynamic pressure is a known percentage of said non-cavitating measure;
• and
• output an indicator when said measured pressure is less than said cavitation alarm pressure.

A method for determining seal life degradation in a pump having a known non-cavitating dynamic pressure measure, comprising the steps of:

• determining a cavitation alarm dynamic pressure as a known percentage of said non-cavitating pressure measure;
• measuring dynamic pressure in said pump;
• and
• comparing said measured dynamic pressure to said cavitation alarm dynamic pressure;
• and
• outputting an indicator when said measured dynamic pressure is less than said cavitation alarm dynamic pressure.
• determining a time duration of the occurrence of cavitation;
• determining a seal degradation time relating to said time duration and a seal degradation factor;
• determining a remaining seal life by removing said seal degradation time from a known seal life measure.