Design and validation of a pump test rig for tribological and thermal analysis of mechanical seals toward condition monitoring development

This paper presents the design and implementation of an experimental pump test rig for investigating mechanical seals. The primary objective of the rig is to conduct long-term tests under varying operating parameters, providing a platform for developing condition monitoring systems for mechanical seals under realistic conditions. The adjustable parameters include pump speed, flow rate, system pressure, and water temperature at the pump inlet. Additionally, the design enables controlled air injection on the suction side, the simulation of dry-running of the seal, and the resulting thermal shocks during automatic refilling of the circuit, allowing replication of entire industrial processes. By incorporating vibrations, shocks, and other disturbances generated by the pump, the test rig provides a more comprehensive testing environment compared to conventional spindle-based rigs. It supports both automatic and semi-automatic operation modes, enabling comprehensive evaluation of condition monitoring systems and their practical applicability. Initial measurement data demonstrate the correlation between pump-specific and seal-specific parameters. The measurements illustrate the operating range of the pump based on characteristic curves obtained at various rotational speeds. In addition, further measurements were conducted to investigate the influence of different operating conditions on the seal face temperature.