Book excerpt: We work in an industry where economic success is heavily dependent on the collective performance of our processing equipment and their operators. Without highly trained and confident operators we can never hope to realize the full potential of our complex processes. Formal and informal training must be provided regularly if continuous process and reliability gains are to be expected. There are no shortcuts to operational excellence. One training topic essential to every operators education is that of centrifugal pumping technology. The ever-present centrifugal pump is one of the workhorses of the process world, tirelessly moving fluids, ranging from the innocuous to the toxic and flammable, from one stage of the process to the next. We would be hard pressed to find a processing unit inside our complexes without a few of these in service. Their shear numbers and variety can make their mastery a challenge. This book was specifically written for process operators who regularly deal with centrifugal pumps, addressing principally those variables and factors under their control, while limiting design theory and mathematics to a minimum. The following topics and content are covered: 1. Importance of equipment reliability and what role operators play in this mission. 2. Centrifugal pump operating characteristics 3. Mechanical seals and their related seal flush plans 4. What operators should know about electric motors 5. Lubrication basics 6. Troubleshooting basics 7. How to start a pump reliability program By the end of the book, the reader should possess a clear understanding of how to operate and monitor their pumps. Three handy references are also contained in the book to answer questions as they arise in the field: 1) Operators Guide to API Flush Plans, 2) Illustrated Glossary of Centrifugal Pump Terms, 3) Glossary of Electric Motor Terms, and 4) Useful Centrifugal Pump Formulas. This book can be used as a self-paced, self-taught short course or as a companion to a live prepared short course for both inexperienced and seasoned operators. It can also serve as a handy field guide after completion of the course. The ultimate mission of this book is to provide the latest generation of operators a body of knowledge that is relevant, complete, and practical in an industrial setting for years to come.