Toward Reduced Pump Operating Costs, Part Two - Avoiding Premature Failures
Abstract
Each year billions of dollars are spent annually on the premature or unnecessary repair and replacement of equipment. This is certainly a waste of not only our natural resources but the funds that can improve the operating profit of our companies. Improved reliability and operating efficiencies are being sought in every area. Rotating equipment and their components, seals, bearings, and couplings represent an opportunity for savings by increasing the mean time between failure. The objective of this paper is to review equipment reliability in terms of infant mortality and to provide information on developing plans to avoid premature replacement or repair of equipment. Even though a plant may be constructed to the latest API specifications, additional plans must be implemented to ensure that the plant can be successfully started without any problems. Information is presented on a plant startup prior to API 682, and compared to the first API 682 plant startup. Understanding the effects of performance on reliability at startup are discussed as well as implanting a program to monitor progress. In addition to the startup experiences given for two different plant locations, specific case histories are given for reducing life-cycle costs for pumps handling vaporizing liquids such as light hydrocarbon and ammonia. The focus is on increasing mean time between failure, which will allow the plant operator to determine the actual time for equipment overhaul. Maximum mean time between repair is to be established just prior to the “wear-in phase” in the lifetime of equipment. This information can be used to determine entire plant shutdown for repairs. Cost savings for premature repairs are presented.
Description
Tutorialpg. 135
Subject
Pumping machineryCollections
Citation
Netzel, James P.; Redpath, David; Wallace, Neil M. (2001). Toward Reduced Pump Operating Costs, Part Two - Avoiding Premature Failures. Texas A&M University. Turbomachinery Laboratories. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /164056.