Problem No. 21: Vibrations in the discharge line of the HP reciprocating carbamate pump

In all urea plants, high pressure pumps are used to pump the feedstock ammonia and carbon dioxide to the high pressure synthesis section and in most urea plants carbamate liquid is recycled from the recirculation section to the synthesis. Reciprocating pumps are used for these services and sometimes vibration problems occur in the discharge pipeline. This Round Table discussion considers the possible causes and solutions of this problem. It soon becomes evident that many possible causes can play a role and an easy and quick solution does not always exist.