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Submersible Vs Immerse

Submersible motors are designed to run continuously while submerged in water or effluent. They use cast iron frames and stainless steel components to withstand corrosion. Immersible motors are intended for dry environments but can operate for up to two weeks if submerged up to 30 feet. While submersible motors have oil chambers and moisture probes for protection, immersible motors rely on greased seals and separate fan cooling. Application conditions, such as continual submergence, determine whether a submersible or immersible motor is best.

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86 views3 pages

Submersible Vs Immerse

Submersible motors are designed to run continuously while submerged in water or effluent. They use cast iron frames and stainless steel components to withstand corrosion. Immersible motors are intended for dry environments but can operate for up to two weeks if submerged up to 30 feet. While submersible motors have oil chambers and moisture probes for protection, immersible motors rely on greased seals and separate fan cooling. Application conditions, such as continual submergence, determine whether a submersible or immersible motor is best.

Uploaded by

satstar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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94

MOTORS & DRIVES

The Differences Between Submersible


& Immersible Motors
How do end users choose, and what are each types ideal applications?
By Bobby Bowen
Baldor Electric Company

otor manufacturers routinely answer questions


about the diferences
between submersible and immersible motors and the applications
best served by each design. While
end users ultimately decide which
motor best its their need, this article explains how the designs differ and provides information that
will help end users make informed
decisions.

cast iron frames and end plates.


Most motors come standard with
316 stainless steel hardware and
416 stainless steel shaft material.
Submersible designs are available
for hazardous and nonhazardous
locations. An example of a hazardous location is a sewage application
where l ammable gases might be
present. hese locations require
an explosion-proof motor design.
Explosion-proof motors are UL
(Underwriters Laboratories) listed
Submersible Motors
and CSA (Canadian Standards AsMunicipal and industrial wastewa- sociation) certiied for Division 1,
ter markets use submersible moClass 1, Groups C and D with a 1.0
tors for both wet and dry pit appli- Service Factor and T2A temperacations. hese are totally enclosed, ture code.
non-ventilated (TENV) motors.
Submersible motors use cast
Wet pit motors use the eluent for iron frames that are precision
cooling and are designed to run
machined for tight its between
continuously while submerged.
the parts. Machined its have
hese standard designs are also
grooves with O-rings to prevent
rated to run in air for 15 minutes
water ingress to the motor. An
when conditions require it.
epoxy i lled, non-wicking cable cap
hese motors can also be deassembly protects the motor from
signed for continuous operation in moisture that could enter through
dry pit applications by de-rating
the opposite drive end of the moa larger horsepower motor frame.
tor. Typically, two separate cables
h is allows the motor to dissipate
exit the cable cap epoxy potting
heat while running continuously in compound; a four conductor power
a dry pit application that only excable and a ive conductor control
periences looding under unusual
cable. Standard lengths vary from
conditions, such as heavy rains or
25 to 30 feet, but other lengths are
a backup in the system.
available upon request. h is cable
Submersible motors are rugged
should never be used to lift the
and corrosion resistant, makmotor.
ing them suitable for demanding
he drive end of submersible moapplications. he motors have
tors is a critical part of the design.

Augus t 2014 | Pum ps & S yst e m s

Since the motors are designed to


run continuously while submerged
in water or eluent, they include
features to keep water out. An oil
i lled chamber and a mechanical

Many submerged motors rely on


the effluent to stay cool and run
continuously while submerged. (Article
images courtesy of Baldor Electric
Company.)

95

Moisture probes are necessary because seals


wear, and the potential for moisture to enter the
motor increases over time.

motor increases over time. h is


sensing system, consisting of two
probes with a resistor between
them, is placed in the oil inside
the endplate. he probes are connected to a customer-supplied
control module that sounds a
warning alarm or shuts down the
motor if a change in resistance is
detected. h is ensures that the
motor is shut down before any
damage occurs. Worn seals will
need to be replaced.
h is motor coniguration is
predominantly used for applications in which the motor will be
submerged at all times.

Immersible Motors
Immersible motors, on the other
hand, are speciically designed to
be operated in a dry environment
that might lood under unusual
circumstances. One companys
immersible design was developed
for an end user who needed a
more cost efective alternative
to the more expensive, oversized
submersible frame motors used
for continuous in air operation.
Immersible designs use TENV
enclosures in smaller frames and
totally enclosed blower cooled
(TEBC) enclosures on larger
frames. hey have a sealing system that allows reliable operation
for two weeks while submerged
under a maximum depth of 30
feet of water. he immersible
design has been proven with ex-

circle 173 on card or visit psfreeinfo.com

seal serve this function. Also,


a moisture monitoring probe is
used to detect moisture entering
the chamber.
he drive endplate has a special
design that includes a chamber
i lled with oil. he oil acts as
a barrier to trap moisture and
provide suicient time for shut
down if water enters the motor. It
also lubricates the upper part of
the mechanical seal.
he mechanical seal keeps
moisture out of the motor.
Some companies use a Type 21
mechanical seal as its standard
submersible motor seal. h is
seal uses an inner and outer
seal arrangement. It has both a
stationary face and a rotating
face. As previously stated, the
upper part of the mechanical
seal is lubricated by the oil in the
endplate chamber. However, the
lower part is lubricated by the
pumped liquid. Carbon ceramic
is the standard seal face material and is used in applications
with relatively clean eluent.
Tungsten carbide, which is used
with more viscous luids, is the
most popular seal face material.
For the most demanding slurry
type applications, seal faces with
tungsten carbide are an option.
Pump manufacturers specify
what type seal is necessary.
Moisture probes are necessary
because seals wear, and the potential for moisture to enter the

pu mp-zone.c om | Au gu st 2014

96

MOTORS & DRIVES

tensive tests, including disassembly


and inspection to ensure dryness
and structural integrity.
he TEBC design runs continuously in air and has a separate
horsepower motor running an
external fan for constant velocity
cooling. An end user-supplied loat
switch turns of the blower motor
if the water reaches a level near the
cooling fan. he opposite drive end
is totally enclosed, and the fan and
blower motor are mounted separately to ensure that moisture will
not enter the motor from the opposite drive end. hese motors are
also built with precision machined
cast iron frames and endplates with
grooves and O-rings to prevent
water ingress to the motor.

Immersible designs have a sealing system that


allows reliable operation for two weeks while
submerged under a maximum depth
of 30 feet of water.
he drive endplate is designed to
keep moisture out by using a dual
oil seal coniguration that is packed
with heavy, moisture resistant
grease. h is endplate does not have
an oil chamber like the submersible
design.
Another mechanical feature
of the immersible design is an
explosion-proof style conduit box
that uses a sealing compound and a
non-wicking epoxy-sealed cable as-

sembly to prevent water from


entering through the electrical connection at the motor. hese motors
use the same power and control
cable coniguration as the submersible motor design. Other standard
features include: two normally
closed thermostats, motor space
heaters and a regreasable lubrication system.
Lastly, the immersible design has
the beneit of reducing costs over
the traditional immersible pump
coniguration, which uses a nonimmersible vertical pump motor
mounted more than 20 feet above
the pump and employs a jack shaft
to reach it. he immersible motor mounts directly to the pump.
h is coniguration eliminates the
construction and installation costs
incurred by building a motor support structure.

Conclusion
Application conditions should be
the deciding factor between immersible and submersible motors.
Immersible designs are more cost
efective, but the submersible design is a better it in an application
that requires continual submergence.

Immersible motors are specifically designed to be operated in a dry


environment that might flood under unusual circumstances.

Augus t 2014 | Pum ps & S yst e m s

Bobby Bowen is a marketing product specialist, Definite Purpose Motors, for Baldor Electric Company. He
has been with Baldor since 2001 and
has held the positions of mechanical
designer, applications specialist and
international sales engineer.

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