Throwback Thursday

In 2021, Cornell Pump will celebrate 75 years of business. In 1946 we started in Portland, Oregon, and have been here in Oregon ever since! While we now offer things that would have been science fiction in 1946, such as Cornell Co-Pilot Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), we still build highly efficient, robust pumps like we have for nearly 75 years.

Photo of assembly area of Cornell Pump, circa 1954.

Cyclone 5RB

A distributor in Montana recently put in a Cyclone 5RB VT turbine (5RB-VT8-50HP-1800RPM). This 5” bowl, 6’ long version of our vertical turbine line will help with irrigation on a ranch.

Cornell officially debuted our VT series last January. Already hundreds have been installed throughout the country. More information about this robust, energy-efficient offering from Cornell Pump, available here: https://cornellpump.com/pump-products/clear-liquid-pumps/

Cornell New Years Day Holiday Schedule

Cornell Pump rings in the new year with a long weekend. We will be closed Friday, January 1st through Monday, January 4, 2021. We wish everyone a happy and healthy new year! We open at 7AM PDT on Tuesday, January 5th, 2021 .

A Holiday Reminder from Cornell

Cornell Pump is closed December 24th and 25th, 2020 to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We hope everyone enjoys a festive holiday, safe and healthy. We will be open again on Monday December 28, 2020 at 7AM PST.

Quick Video Tips Help with Threaded Impellers

Cornell has pump builds with threaded impeller installations in several of our instructional videos on YouTube. We have created a quick companion video that provides some “how-tos” when dealing with this type of Impeller. While the video is short—only 90 seconds long—it shows how a shaft wrench helps with threaded impeller installation or removal. It also talks about cleaning the threads and making use of anti-seize in installing the impeller. Check out the video full of helpful information:

You can find dozens of other instruction and promotional videos on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSxU56YPorH2CAdTK4zGGog

Tomato Grower Gets out of Red With Cornell Co-Pilot™

A large tomato grower in Central California was having issues with pumps that were being run unattended. Without someone there to watch the pumps continuously, they run into operational problems.

The fleet of several dozen pumps would see intermittent cavitation, causing pump damage. Bearing failures were another issue. Frequently, debris would enter the pump suction and restrict flow, or in worst cases, trip motors. All of these instances caused downtime to the facility, maintenance staff time and resources, as well as purchase of parts. Additionally, much of the fleet was older, causing issues with spares, and they operate in a tight labor market, so skilled labor for pump maintenance or even more casual labor to monitor the pumps, was hard to secure.

The grower wanted alerts that helped them stop a problem before it turned critical. They became aware of Industrial Internet of Things Monitoring (IIOT) as a possibility. The considered options, and felt that Cornell Co-Pilot™ was the right mix of escalating alerts, geolocation, being able to start and stop the pump remotely, and multiple logins so supervisors and workers can all monitor pumps independently.

One of the first wins the facility saw with Co-Pilot was geolocation. With pumps spread over several thousand acres, being able to precisely track mobile assets was a big time save. Later, as technicians were catching problems before they become critical, the additional cost-saving and maintenance value of Co-Pilot came into sharper focus.

The grower has been operating the Co-Pilot system for more than six months (as of December 2020 for creation of app sheet), and in that time they estimate they have saved over $12K in downtime and repairs. The system paid for itself in a few months. The expect five years’ service life of the Co-Pilots would mean more than $75K in savings. That is no small “tomatoes.”  Download the full story as a PDF.

Last weekend Cornell Pump was busy shooting additional training videos for you!

We went through the build of a 6822MX Redi-Prime pump –look for expanded content to come to our YouTube channel soon. If you want to see great how-to and promotional recordings now, there are more than 40 videos up on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/cornellpumpcompany/featured . You can watch videos, subscribe, and make suggestions for additional videos there. 

Tuesday Tip: External Hydraulic Balance Line Improves Performance

A feature on many Cornell clear liquid pumps, an external hydraulic balance line, allows better performance, without having to drill holes in impellers. The following copy comes from Cornell Pump’s Hydraulic Seminar Workbook—lasted updated in 2019.

THE EXTERNAL HYDRAULIC BALANCE LINE  

To lower pressure in the stuffing box (or seal chamber) and to attempt to limit the inherent axial force created by the impeller, traditional centrifugal pump designs use large holes bored through the impeller. Cornell has a more effective method –THE EXTERNAL HYDRAULIC BALANCE LINE.  

High pressure liquid from the volute passes through the hub ring clearances into the cavity between the stuffing box and the impeller. Liquid returns via the balance line to the region of lower pressure at the pump inlet, taking with it any sand or silt that may otherwise build up at the stuffing box. This method reduces turbulence, improves hydraulic efficiency, increases the life of packing, mechanical seals, and bearings – provides positive control of axial forces. It also reduces wear because sand is not trapped behind the impeller, near the shaft. 

Cornell Closed in Observance of Labor Day

Cornell Pump will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2020 to celebrate Labor Day.  We encourage everyone to have a safe and fun holiday!

We will back open for business on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 7:30 a.m. PDT.

Hurry –there is still time to register for Virtual Pump School before price increases!

These are packets going out to International registrants of Cornell Pump’s Virtual Pump School 2020.

Included in the Cornell Virtual Pump School packet:

  • Installation and Care workbook: shows procedures on how to properly install a pump and keep it running effectively.
  • Pump Seminar workbook: provides formulas and explanations of pump hydraulics.
  • Condensed Hydraulic Databook: A pocket-sized resource for calculating friction loss.
  • Various brochures: showing in detail some of the innovations of Cornell Pump, such as Co-Pilot pump monitoring system.
  • Assembly reference materials: for reference during the pump build session.
  • Cornell fidget spinner: helps keep focus, and has a bottle opener for a networking event libation.
  • MagLite® Flashlight: Branded with Cornell Co-Pilot, this premium can help light your way to great learning, or at least assist you when inspecting a pump.
  • USB Drive: Contains presentations that we will be discussing during the classes. We hope this makes note taking and following along easier.

These packets are being sent to registrants so they can prepare for Cornell Pump’s Virtual Pump School on September 15 through 17, 2020.  They have already reserved their packet—and you can too. Learn more about Virtual Pump School, and register online.

Virtual Pump School is just $79USD for three great days of learning, resources, and networking—plus you can re-watch the classes for a month afterwards. Sign up now!