All refineries operate in an increasingly competitive and challenging environment. Strict environmental standards and tough economic pressures demand the very best in technology and reliability. Since the 1970's, a major Gulf Coast area refinery had used reciprocating positive displacement (PD) pumps for wash water service. The PD pumps were costly to operate, posed environmental complications and required frequent maintenance. By design, PD pumps leak. Over time and use, the leakage gets worse. In this
operation, the PD pumps:

• Required constant monitoring and maintenance in order to comply with environmental and safety standards
• Suffered repeated valve, packing and drive train failures requiring frequent rebuilds
• Cost approximately $250,000 annually to maintain and repair

The refinery needed more reliable and economical technology for their wash water pumping applications.