Pump System Assessment Professional Prep Training 

August 11-14, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CST

Course Overview: 

Day 1: Basic Pump & System Training is designed to provide the core information on pump types, their construction, motors and variable frequency drives, performance curves, system design curves, and how to operate the pump system to meet variable flow and head demand. This is all the information that someone working in the pump and fluid handling industry needs to master. By providing immersive coverage of the pump system, components, performance and applicable calculations, this course is applicable to newer technical professionals or veterans of the industry that want a grounding in the fundamentals. 

Day 2: Intermediate This course is designed for individuals who have 2+ years of experience with pumps and systems or who have already completed the Basic Pump and System Training course. By providing immersive coverage of the pump and system design, operation, performance and applicable calculations, this course is applicable to technical professionals or veterans of the industry that want a grounding in the fundamentals. Participants acquire a foundational understanding of the topic and engineering principles. 

Day 3: The Pump System Optimization & Assessment (PSOA) course builds on fundamental principles to examine the economics of pumping systems and the strategies to assess and optimize these systems. This course covers a critical skill set that is required to analyze and optimizing pumping systems by reducing energy and maintenance costs. This course provides immersive coverage of pump system economics, optimization based on life cycle cost, and standardized processes to assess and improve pumping systems.  

Day 4: With energy efficiency and system optimization leading a shift in the pump industry, there is a growing need for pump system professionals with the knowledge and experience to perform high quality assessments to benchmark current systems and recommend system upgrades. Pump system training provides professionals with the knowledge and tools to perform system assessments, and the Pump Systems Assessment Professional (PSAP) Certification provides third-party validation of an individual’s proficiency in pump fundamentals, pump system optimization techniques, and implementation of pump system assessments.

Day 5: This course is designed to prepare an individual to take the PSAP Certification Exam. HI is now offering remote online-proctored exams via ProctorU as a safe, secure, and easy way to take the PSAP Certification Exam. ProctorU is a live online proctoring service that allows you to take your exam from the comfort of your home.

Learning Objectives

Basic Pump & System Training (Day 1)

• Importance of focusing on the pump system and optimization 
• Energy Consumption 
• System Hydraulics and System Curves  
• Pump Curves 
• Pump and System Curve Interaction and Control 
• Total Head Net Positive Suction Head
• Preferred and Allowable Operating Regions
• Common operating problems & troubleshooting
• Rotodynamic & Positive Displacement Pump Fundamentals
• Important consideration for Motor and VFDs used with pumps

Intermediate Pump & System Training (Day 2)

• Field testing & operating problem example
• Allowable operating regions (effect on reliability)
• Cavitation & NPSH Margin
• Common operating problems
• Tools: Pump system assessment (module) MEASUR
• Tools: Hydraulic Modeling
• Pump System Optimization
• Pump system assessment methodology.
• Pump system assessment report example and case study.

Pump System Optimization and Assessment (Day 3)

• Benefits of pump system optimization and assessment
• Pump system costs & financial analysis
• Review of Pump system fundamentals
• Pump system optimization methods
• Pump system assessment process
• Basic pump maintenance practices, and reliability metrics
• Field measurements, system drawings, schematics, flow diagrams and control schemes
• Tools and software to support pump system optimization
• Recommendations for cost effective optimization
• Pump system assessment report

PSAP Certification Exam Prep (Day 4)

• Review PSAP certification application requirements, domains, tasks, and body of knowledge outlined by the Hydraulic Institute.
• Review examination scheduling and test taking requirements
• You will have a chance to a sample test that should give you a realistic test taking experience
• The instructor will review each sample test question in detail following you allotted time limit to take the sample test
• The instructor will also provide you the opportunity to work through additional sample questions, and the instructor will review the answer to each in detail
• At the end of the course, you should have a good feeling about your preparedness to take the PSAP certification exam 

Who Should Attend:

Engineers, Sales Professionals, Energy Efficiency Professionals, Reliability and Maintenance Personnel, Engineering Consultants, and Technical Service Professionals.

This course bundle is designed to prepare an individual to take the PSAP Certification Exam. HI is now offering remote online-proctored exams via ProctorU as a safe, secure, and easy way to take the PSAP Certification Exam. ProctorU is a live online proctoring service that allows you to take your exam from the comfort of your home. 

For inquiries regarding the Pump Systems Training Course, please contact Matt Derner at mderner@pumps.org or call 862-242-5338. For inquiries regarding the PSAP Certification Exam contact Edgar Suarez at esuarez@pumps.org or call 862-217-2441.

Location

Flowserve Corporation

4343 W Royal Lane

Suite 106

Irving, TX 75063

POC On-Site: Blanca Johnson

blancajohnson@flowserve.com

(972) 443-6796

Course Materials Included:

• Slide Deck (PDF)
• Pump System Optimization: A Guide for Improved Energy Efficiency, Reliability, and Profitability (* $225 Value)

Continuing Education Credit(s):

Upon the successful completion of this On-Demand Training bundle you will receive a Certificate of Completion. 28 PDHs | 2.8 CEUs | 28 CONTACT HOURs

* Note 1.0 PDHs is equivalent to 0.10 CEUs or 1.0 Contact Hours

Additional Educational Resources:

*Click links below for additional information.

• Motor and VFD Principals Course
• Pump System Optimization for Commercial Buildings Course

Course Outline

Day 1

Sections 1: Pump Type & Application Consideration Overview

• Introduction to pump types
• Rotodynamic & Positive displacement pumps
• Pump construction & designs
• Application considerations

Sections 2: Rotodynamic Pump Curves

• Reading the pump curve
• Preferred operating region (POR) & Allowable operating region (AOR)
• Affinity rules & Variable speed curves
• Impeller trim curves

Sections 3: Positive Displacement Pump Curves

• Reading the pump curve
• Affinity rules
• Typical presentation of variable speed curves

Sections 4: Power Consumption, Efficiency & Energy

• Pump output power
• Pump, driver and drive input power
• Efficiency & energy consumption

Section 5: Pump Systems

• Pump system descriptions & types
• Pressure & Head
• System head curve
• Measuring system head

Section 6: Varying the Operating Point

• The pump system operating point
• Varying the system curve with valves
• Varying pump speed
• Variable speed control examples
• Parallel & series pumping

Section 7: Pump Component Part Basics

• Couplings
• Bearings
• Compression Packing & Mechanical Seals

Section 8: Electric Motor and Variable Frequency Drive Basics

• Basic Construction & Design
• Ratings, Frequency & Speed

Section 9: Installation Basics

• Major considerations
• Environment, foundation, base, piping, settings

Section 10: Maintenance Basics

• Maintenance strategies
• Preventative maintenance overview

Section 11: Common System & Operating Problems

• Installation/System
• Pressure, flow, power, vibration, bearing or seal failures
• Troubleshooting 

Day 2 

Section 1: Pump System Basics  

• Pump systems  
• Pump types, curves, power and efficiency 
• General application considerations 
• System curves, the operating point and varying operations 
• Fluid properties 

Section 2: Operating Point and Reliability 

• Preferred Operating Region (POR)  
• Allowable Operating Region (AOR) 
• Factors affecting the AOR 
• Reliability metrics 

Section 3: Rotodynamic pumps 

• Operating theory and classifications 
• Types, construction, and classifications 
• Major components 

Section 4: Positive Displacement Pumps 

• Definition & classifications 
• Application considerations 
• Reciprocating pumps 
• Rotary pumps 

Section 5: Pump System Curves 

• System curve overview 
• Bernoulli & continuity equations 
• Pressure and head, pressure head, elevation head, velocity head 
• Frictional head loss & calculation examples 
• System energy balance and determining the system curve 

Section 6: Pump Total Head 

• Definition & components of pump total head 
• Calculation example 

Section 7: Cavitation & Net Positive Suction Head Available (NPSHA)  

• Cavitation explained 
• NPSHA open system 
• NPSHA from gauge pressure 
• Considerations for reciprocating pumps 
• Calculation example 

Section 8: System Drawings and Control 

• Process flow, piping and instrumentation, and isometric drawings 
• Process control overview 
• Control methods 
• Variable speed vs throttling example 
• On/off control with variable speed example 
• Parallel & series 

Section 9: Pump Selection Considerations 

• Pump life cycle cost 
• Pump selection methodology 
• Common questions 

Section 10: Troubleshooting using Hydraulic Modeling Example  

• Building the model 
• Analyzing and troubleshooting operations 
• Improving operation 

Day 3

Section 1: Benefits of pump system optimization 

• Definition  
• Opportunity 
• Areas of focus (Red flags) 
• System optimization examples 

Section 2: Pump system economics 

• Life Cycle Cost 
• Estimating power & energy cost 
• Beyond energy 
• Financial Analysis 

Section 3: Pump System Optimization 

• Pump system hydraulics (review) 
• Optimization of new designs 
• Optimization of existing designs 
• Energy optimization (Specific energy) 

Section 4: Optimization Examples and Studies 

• Lift station specific energy example 
• VSP water booster pump station 
• Friction head versus pipe size example 
• Existing system with maintenance issues 

Section 5: Pump System Assessment 

• ISO/ASME 14414 Pump System Energy Assessment 
• Levels of assessment 
• Core functions of assessments by level 
• Pump System Assessment Professional (PSAP) Certification 
• Tasks and knowledge requirements 
• Six step assessment action plans 

Section 6: Prescreening systems  

• Required system information. 
• Determining best opportunity. 

Section 7: Assessment Team, Scope and Boundary 

• Assessment team and roles. 
• Defining scope, objective, and system boundary. 
• Determining what needs to be analyzed. 

Section 8: Collecting Data and Analysis 

• Pump testing overview. 
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• Measuring input power and efficiency. 
• Cross validation of data. 

Section 9: Pump System Assessment Report & Presentation 

• Standard sections 
• Developing recommendations. 
• Example report 
• Presentation and audience considerations. 

Day 4

This course offers one day of live virtual instructor-led PSAP certification exam preparation that covers all of the PSAP knowledge area. The course will cover the following:

• The exam preparation session provides attendees the resources and tools to be comfortable with the certification exam process, virtual exam platform and realistic questions covering all the knowledge areas.
• The instructor will guide the attendees through the application requirements, exam platform and scheduling and what to expect on the day of the exam.  Following the overview, the attendees have the opportunity to take a realistic practice exam via the same electronic platform, and the instructor explains each practice exam question.
• An overview of the eligibility requirements, certification process, and how to schedule the exam 
• What to expect on the day of the exam
• Live practice exam & review of practice exam and results
• Detailed review of additional practice exam questions

This examination is for the certification of Pump Systems Assessment Professionals (PSAP) developed by the Hydraulic Institute. PSAP certification provides confidence to pump end-users and other stakeholders that pump system assessors have the knowledge and experience to perform high-quality assessments which will lead to energy-efficient and reliable pumping systems. The exam is composed of 100 multiple-choice questions. Candidates have three and one-half (3½) hours to complete the exam. Carefully read the questions and choose the best answer. A formula sheet has been provided as a reference.

For more information on the PSAP certification process and the exam, please go to www.pumps.org/psap.