Hydraulic Institute Introduces Web-based Education Program

The program has been developed for pump users and manufacturers, engineers, contractors, specifiers and any others who work with pumps and pumping systems. The course is available for purchase on CD-ROM through the HI e-store at www.pumps.org or in an on-line format at www.pumplearning.org

“Even with all we know about pump technology, there remain many instances in which companies are losing time, energy and money on engineering basics in pump design and application. Fundamental understanding of pumps is clearly needed on many levels, as pumping systems are often not optimized for the best performance or lowest life cycle cost. HI’s e-learning project answers a need in many industries for an easily accessible instructional program that addresses pump education at a very basic level right up through an intermediate technical level,” said Robert K. Asdal, executive director of HI.

The course was developed in direct response to results of an HI member and user survey. A total of 21 HI members provided sponsorship funds to create the course. “A growing demand for knowledge at all levels, the time constraints placed on an already over-extended workforce, and an accelerated use of the Internet, all factored into our decision to initiate a project of this scope. This program also strengthens a commitment HI has made to introduce more educational information to its members and the user community at large,” added Asdal.

Accommodating Formats

Well-researched and thoroughly tested, HI’s CBT course content covers the fundamentals of pump operation, centrifugal/vertical pump construction, fundamentals of fluid mechanics, and centrifugal/vertical pump characteristics. The “Centrifugal Pumps: Fundamentals, Design and Applications” program is presented in two distinct courses, consisting of three modules in each course. The average seat time for each module is 60 to 90 minutes. Participants can take either or both of the courses according to interest and educational need.

Each module begins with a pretest (except for module one) so that participants can decide where to focus their attention as they work through the course. Graphics, illustrations and animations are used throughout the courses for example and demonstration purposes. Participants can “book mark” their place in any module, making it easy to take breaks and return to the course work where they left off. A post-test at the end of each module helps participants determine how much they have learned. A Certificate of Completion is also provided upon successful conclusion of each course, earned with 90 percent comprehension of the content.

Course I on The Basics

Course I: Pump Basics (modules one, two and three) addresses pump applications, types and construction, and requires a basic knowledge of machinery. Topics in module one include water, wastewater and irrigation; process industry; electric power; mining and metals; commercial construction; and typical installation. Module two moves on to identification of different pump types, principle operation of each type, unique advantages and best use. The unique features of centrifugal/vertical, reciprocating and rotary pumps are also discussed. Module three, on centrifugal pump construction, reviews the major components and sub-types of centrifugal pumps, mechanical similarities, and function of each component. Impellers; casings; shafts, bearings and seals; lubricating systems; and driver coupling design are among the topics covered.

Advancing to Course II

Course II: Pump Fundamentals (modules four, five and six) covers fluid mechanics, pump performance and selection. This course requires an understanding of physics. Module four, focusing on the fundamentals of fluid mechanics, discusses Bernoulli’s Equation and its application as well as the Continuity Equation and its application, properties of liquids, total head and system head curve.

Modules five and six are intended to reinforce the technical skills of industry veterans, requiring the participant for do more analysis. In Module five on centrifugal/vertical pump performance characteristics, for example, the participant is asked to describe the effect of pump design variables on pump performance characteristics and to address the effect of interaction between the pump and system on pump performance. Topics include maximum attainable efficiency, key performance characteristics such as total head, input horsepower and NPSHR, and rate of flow for a given pump operating on a given system.

Module six on pump selection and application discusses parameters in pump selection, materials of construction, and the cost of pump operation away from B.E.P. The exercises are more challenging as the participant is asked to define the operating parameters that determine pump selection, to explain the impact of materials of construction, and to demonstrate cost implications of operation of B.E.P., among other objectives.

The entire six-module course is available on CD-ROM and an on-line version. The CD-ROM is available for $299.00; the full on-line version is available for $239.00. Restricted to one paid user for this fee, HI also offers multi-user discounts, providing access to other participants from the same company. Please contact HI Educational Services at (973) 267-9700 x22 for multi-user discount packages. Courses I and II are offered individually on-line at $99.00 and $199.00. Upon purchasing and registering for the web-based course(s), participants will be immediately provided with a user name and password to access the on-line course that they may log-on to at any time up to 90 days after purchase date.

About Hydraulic Institute

The 86-year old Hydraulic Institute, the largest association of pump producers in North America, serves member companies and pump users by providing product standards and forums for the exchange of industry information.