A Methodology for Determining Degraded Pump Performance Based on In-Service Test Criteria or Data

Pumps in nuclear power plants are periodically tested to ensure their performance and readiness to meet a variety of design basis conditions. As with any component, a pump’s performance will degrade over time. A nuclear pump’s initial performance should always be established by the manufacturer during a shop test that is run over the pump’s entire range of operability. Following installation, periodic testing is typically performed at a single reference point. This paper provides a methodology for establishing a centrifugal pump performance curve based on both its performance when new and its level of degradation documented by in-service test data. In the extreme, this method can be used to establish a pump’s minimum performance curve by using the pump’s acceptance criteria as the data point.