Large pumps are custom made. Pump manufacturers can't afford to have them sitting on the shelf. These pumps would probably take months to fabricate.
Replacement pumps would need to fit on existing baseplates to avoid having to make foundation modifications. So, they would probably need to be the same type and size as the existing ones.
Maybe they could find identical pumps in service somewhere else in the country, but those pumps would probably be in a flood-control service where you would risk another flood disaster if you took the pumps.
It sounds to me like they better find a way to make the existing pumps work.
interfaces would also need to be in the same relative places. big pumps put a lot of force on their fittings.
Yes.
I'm in a related business that uses pumps. Pumps much, much smaller than the ones in NO are more-or-less custom-made, meaning they are not sitting in a warehouse somewhere.
Possibly existing mining, etc, pumps could be used, and many small pumps can certainly do the work of one big one, at least temporarily.
Remember the oil well fires in Gulf War One? 'Experts' said it would take years to put out, but engineers with financial incentive made it relatively short work.
Large pumps are custom made. Pump manufacturers can't afford to have them sitting on the shelf. These pumps would probably take months to fabricate.
But surely someone had the foresight to realize that this could happen, and would purchase sufficient spare parts to repair damaged pumps, and store them somewhere safe to be ready to use in an emergency? It's common sense.
Maybe some penny-pinching, ounce-wise-pound-foolish bureaucrat or politician decided to "save money" by not buying sufficient spare parts when ordering the pumps in first place.