Pump Wear Rings - Stuck

Not familiar with Worthington 5LN22 but sounds like a single stage horizontal split double suction, maybe cast iron trim? If a h-split, how did the top case come off? Stuck also or did it just lift off? If it was stuck also, did the case wear rings spin somehow and weld up or do you think this is just a corrosion issue? If welded, just cut the wear ring and get it out 'cuz you need to re-line bore the case halves. If the the top case came off easy (or kind-of easy), then it must be corrosion where the rotor 'sat' in water while the pump was empty such as in storage. Hmmm. I never had this problem to give you an old mechanic's trick, but I'd try axially disturbing the bond. I'd take a huge punch and heavy hammer, with appropriate safety gear on, and after having called 911 and making a reservation, I'd beat the case ring in an axial direction, starting at the split line, ruining it of course, then as low as you can reach around the case ring, but the idea is to disturb the bond. Trying to disturb the bond vertically (tension) is just to darn much surface area stuck to overcome. So there is less surface area axially, and a hard pop in that direction should break it free just in that one spot. Again in another and so on until you get as much as you can. Soak again in oil or a light acid, like boiler cleaning acid, and it may pull out. Always use appropriate safety gear for eyes, hand, impact, fumes, acid splash, etc., protection. Let me know what worked so I can learn.

Also, call several Flowserve service centers around the globe and ask them what to do. Call 4-5, not just one, and make a matrix of ideas and proceed with best one that is safest first.

Failing all this I'll send my kids over there and you tell them : "I'm going to the grocery store for 20 minutes. While I'm gone I do not want you to remove this rotor . . . . do you understand me?" That baby will be out in 38 seconds after you leave.

Failing all, then email me as I have 3-4 good pals who are international pump field service techs for Sulzer and Flowserve. They may have tricks.

George

You have reached a point where the wear ring is welded solid to its mating parts. No choice but to phisically carve it out of there as you correctly conclude.

From the plant management point of view I´d be more concerned about seriously questioning the maintainance organization about how and why the fire pump arrived at such state of decay.

To whom it may concern, I experienced a similiar event to which you speak: in our event we had a brass seal at the bottom of a well pump, which had frozen-up on a 1 and 15/16ths shaft, there was no way to get the pump, or the seal out without destroying something. So what we ended-up doing was getting a 'rosebud' torch head, about 6 feet long, lighting the torch, and fished it all the way through the pump 'til we got it down to the seal. It'll take some doing, but you might be able to set everything up the same way we did. If it doesn't work or is not feasible in its' application, feel free to send me some photos at 'b_e_valley@yahoo.com' and I'll see what other alternatives I can come up with.

Good luck, B Valley

Put two welds on it @ 0 deg and 30 deg then put a hot weld @15 deg and immediately cool it with water. Try to pull it out. If it doesn't move then do it somewhere else on the ring. It rarely takes more than twice to do it. Use a welder and not a torch the idea is to do the process in as small a time frame as possible. I have done so many that counting is no longer relevant.