Physical Components of 

Secondary Pump 

Condition-based Monitoring 

System

Katie Behnert
Physical Portion Digital Portion

Katie Behnert Abdullah Weiss

2
Outline

Setting the Stage

Techniques Used

Vibration Analysis

Temperature Analysis

Conclusions

Future Work/ 

Additional Applications

3
The National Bureau of Standards Reactor (NBSR) is a heavy 

water reactor used for creating neutrons needed for research. 

[https://www.ncnr.nist.gov/summerschool/ss07/bob_williams.pdf]

4
Secondary pumps circulate regular water that cools the heavy 

water leaving the reactor via external cooling towers.

5
Condition

-based Monitoring (CBM) is a 

type of predictive maintenance that 

looks at the pump’s current status.

6
The designed CBM system consists of two techniques: 

vibration and temperature analysis.

Vibration Analysis Temperature Analysis

[http://www.go4b.com/usa/datasheets/milli-temp-bearing-temperature-sensor.pdf]

7
Vibration Analysis 

Explanation

How it works
Vibration analysis data is recorded in the form of sine waves; 

these waves are defined using amplitude and frequency.

[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14994157] [https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-amplitude-of-a-light-wave]

Complete 

Cycle

9

Amplitude
The recorded data is graphed on a frequency plot, instead of a 

time plot, because it is filtered using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT).

Time

Amplitude

Amplitude

Frequency

Time

Amplitude

Amplitude

Frequency

[http://www.hds.bme.hu/~fhegedus/VibrationMonitoring/Literature/Pump_Condition_Monitoring_Through_Vibration_Analysis_Cornelius_Scheffer_2008.pdf]

10

[https://ham.stackexchange.com/questions/5052/losing-low-frequencies-in-am-transmission] Amplitude

Frequency

[https://www.vibrationanalysis.co.uk/time-domain-plots.html]

Amplitude

Time
The filtered data must be analyzed for it to be useful: this is 

done by picking peaks at important frequencies.

= VPF

= Multiples

11

Auto Spectrum of Vibration

Frequency (Hz)

Amplitude

VVVVVV = OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SS SS × (NNNNNNNN oooo VV VV)
The important peak(s) correspond to different faults that 

could be affecting the pumps. 

Unbalance

[https://www.flowcontrolnetwork.com/the-importance-of-shaft-alignment/] [https://www.pumpsandsystems.com/topics/pumps/centrifugal-pumps/]

Misalignment

[https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-engineering/fluid-dynamics/centrifugal-pumps/cavitation/suction-cavitation/]

Looseness Cavitation

[http://www.rotor.zone/vibrationanalysis/styled-7/photos/index.html]

12
The faults are identified by their spectra that consist of a 

specific combination of peaks at certain frequencies.

[http://www.hds.bme.hu/~fhegedus/VibrationMonitoring/Literature/Pump_Condition_Monitoring_Through_Vibration_Analysis_Cornelius_Scheffer_2008.pdf]

13

Misalignment

Frequency

Amplitude

1x

2x 3x

Unbalance

Frequency

Amplitude

1x

Cavitation

Frequency

Amplitude

1x

2x

Looseness

Frequency

Amplitude

1x

1.5x

2x

2.5x3x

0.5x

4x 5x 6x
The graphs of some faults look similar, so phase analysis is 

employed to confirm the pump’s diagnosis.

[http://www.hds.bme.hu/~fhegedus/VibrationMonitoring/Literature/Pump_Condition_Monitoring_Through_Vibration_Analysis_Cornelius_Scheffer_2008.pdf]

14

[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phase_shift.png]

Reference Rover

Frequency

Amplitude

1x

2x

3x

Parallel 

Misalignment

Frequency

Amplitude

1x

2x 3x

Angular 

Misalignment
Once possible faults are identified readings are taken, over time, 

and compared to the machine’s known vibration signature.

[https://www.slideshare.net/makarandnikume/rt-2008-principles-and-practices-of-vibrational-analysis-keefer]

Amplitude

Frequency

15
Vibration Analysis 

Equipment

Physical Sensors
The vibration analysis system consists of accelerometers, 

transmitter, and a Data Acquisition Device (DAQ).

Accelerometer

Transmitter

Data Acquisition Device

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Single Branch 

Vibration System 

Connection

18
Multi-branch 

Vibration System 

Connection

19

System Uncertainty: 

6.4236%
Vibration Analysis 

Application

Mounting the sensors & recording data
All of the sensors used get 

mounted onto a secondary 

pump, which is part of a 

pump-motor setup. 

21
The vibration sensors 

need to be mounted 

along certain axes so that 

their measurements can 

be compared.

22
Specific locations to mount the sensors onto must be 

carefully chosen to follow strict criteria.

Surface Criteria

Relatively smooth

Clean 

Wider than the sensor

Flat (for flat magnets)

Position Criteria

Close to the vibration 

source

23
Sensor Mounting in the Axial Direction

Axial

Tangential

Radial

24
Sensor Mounting in the 

Radial Direction 25

Axial

Tangential

Radial
26 Sensor Mounting in the Tangential Direction

Axial

Tangential

Radial
Temperature Analysis

Overview
Temperature analysis records temperature, over a long 

period of time, to watch for any trends.

Temperature dependence on time

28
Temperature inside the bearings is used because bearing 

oil temperature increases as they wear.

[http://www.go4b.com/usa/datasheets/milli-temp-bearing-temperature-sensor.pdf]

[http://www.go4b.com/usa/datasheets/milli-temp-bearing-temperature-sensor.pdf]

29
The temperature sensor is inserted into the grease zerk of 

the bearing to take internal temperature readings.

30

[http://www.go4b.com/usa/datasheets/milli-temp-bearing-temperature-sensor.pdf]

Temperature 

Sensor Outside of Bearing 

(Green Area)
The temperature analysis system consists of a temperature sensor, 

called a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD), and a DAQ.

Temperature Sensor

Data Acquisition Device

31
Temperature 

System 

Connection

32

System Uncertainty: 

1.3457%
Whole System 

33 Connection
Auto Spectrum of Vibration

Frequency (Hz)

Amplitude

Mechanical 

Looseness

Cavitation

[http://www.hds.bme.hu/~fhegedus/VibrationMonitoring/Literature/Pump_Condition_Monitoring_Through_Vibration_Analysis_Cornelius_Scheffer_2008.pdf]

34 Conclusions

Frequency (Hz)

Amplitude

Frequency (Hz)

Amplitude
Future Work/ 

Additional Applications
Vibration analysis can be used in a variety of other 

applications, such as crack detection in reactor vessels. 

[https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/reactor-vessel-3093578291.html]

[http://blog.onlinemetals.com/weldability-of-stainless-steel/]

36
Future work includes 

using FFT and auto 

spectrum to filter 

power data from 

nuclear channels.

37

Raw Data

FFT Data

Auto Spectrum

Frequency (Hz)
Acknowledgements

Muhammad 

Afridi, PhD

Richard 

Allen

Scott

Arneson

Julie

Borchers, PhD

Joseph

Dura, PhD

Heather 

Chen-Mayer, PhD

Sam 

MacDavid

Mitchell

Stansloski, PhD, PE

Danyal

Turkoglu, PhD

38
Acknowledgements 39
Special Thanks

Marcus Schwaderer, 

MBA, COR II, PM II

Dağistan Şahin, PhD Abdullah Weiss, EIT

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41 Questions