We have a customer with a pump package that we as a contractor put together 3+ years ago. The everything worked great for 2+ years. Starting last October the Cornell pumps started consuming oil at a rate greater then normal. If we rebuild the reservoir it will go for about two weeks and then start slowly ramping up the amount it consumes. We have had some black stuff stuff show up when rebuilding it. We have tried external nitrogen pressure to the back side of the plunger as well as a Hansen strainer on that line as well. We have data logged the vessel suction pressure, pump discharge, vessel level, and Hansen HMMR position and everything is very very stable. Very little cavitation. There are pump guardians on the pumps that never trip the pumps off. We tried a larger minimum flow bypass line thinking that wasnt big enough for low production days but that made no difference. The customer is getting pretty fed up with buying as much Cornell oil as they have had to and are really looking to resolve the issue.

The last thing we are going to try is take an ammonia sample and see how contaminated it is. Possibly their charge is very dirty and causing contaminants to get into the seal?
The shaft seals have not been a problem what so ever throughout the whole ordeal.
Thanks
Jesse