Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level

(1) Start with cost estimates and budgets

Why Best-of-Class companies budget towards most reliable machinery and not towards their least expensive initial outlay options <>They start by having only the most capable vendors on their bidders (vendors) lists <>Their budgets for machinery include 5% of the cost of this machinery to perform MQA <>Have a contingency budget to pay for upgrades or things overlooked in the specs

Several recent texts include descriptions of MQA

The smartest budgets include 5% or more for performing Machinery Quality Assessment (MQA); often a oneyear payback Next slide: Pre-invest!
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MQA Example: Nozzle size increases for D$ ~ 4 to 6 k--low gas velocity

The benefits of soundly done pre-investment in contingency upgrades (as successfully done by Dakota Gasification; briefly discuss example) Examples of large gear box and compressor nozzle sizing upgrades

(2) Decisions with Reliability Impact for Reciprocating Compressors: Or,

small matters add up
Suction valves were not automatically opened when power was interrupted--bearing bores then contact their pins or journals Grout support under compressor frame had been allowed to degrade over time--generally no issue, but crankshaft is then slightly curved Bearing bores then experienced edge loading With no power to compressor driver, there was no lube oil supply to bearings, hence no cooling; some melting

Edge loading means reduced areas of contact; pressure = force per unit area (psi)
Crank pin Crosshead pin Main journal ______________ The loads (arrows) act only on a small area, psi. Now the pressure becomes too high; no oil film; high temperat., softening of alloy (babbitt) takes place; bearing fails

The owner plant allowed four deviations to become new normal: curvature of crankshaft, high force on bearing, no cooling oil

Edge-loading of bowed crankshaft wrecks a bearing

Real pros always look at the entire system: Example of King Tool conventional horizontal filter-coalescer vs. self-cleaning models

Why reciprocating compressor moisture disengagement strategies are often flawed

Example of a reciprocating machine having an inlet capacity of 1000 volume units (cubic feet per minute, or cubic meters per hour) Volume = Area times velocity [cfm=sq ft x ft/min] Volume = Area times velocity [m^3/hr = m^2 x m/hr] 1000=10 x 100----- small area x high velocity ($) 1000=100 x 10----- large area x low velocity ($$$)

(3)The merits of superior machinery storage

preservation (cost justification is not difficult)

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Cost justification for OM storage protection

System cost: ~$300,000 Without oil mist outdoor storage protection, must dismantle and inspect/clean 120 process pumps ($10,000 each) = $1,200,000 and electric motors ($3,000 ea) = $ 360,000 Total cost avoidance is $1,560,000-$300,000 = $1,260,000. Operating cost of the OM storage setup is offset by credits for future use as unitwide oil mist lubrication system

(4+5) Examples of knowledge requirements: Lube and bearing environment (synonymous)

Specify the correct lube viscosity: Enlist vendors Select film strength formulations, know about viscosity improvers and other additives What does this imply? Mineral oils versus synthesized hydrocarbons---synthetics When are the latter justified? For an experts answer, view the next slide

Liquids always tend to wash off lubricants

(4) Where only synthetics will do:

(1) In bearings operating at (or developing) high temperature, synthetics slow down oxidation and film thickness degradation (2) When increased vibration alerts you to an incipient defect, synthetics fill micro-cracks (3) After deleting cooling water (which best-of-class companies have done for the past 40 years), synthetics greatly expand range of allowable operating temps (4) In gear units of all sizes (except if common w/comp. (5) In reciprocating process gas compressor cylinders

(5) Superior bearings are available

Double-row bearings with two inner rings (top) Ceramic bearings best in wet screw compressors API 610 is only a guide PumPac brgs prevent sliding and heat-related bearing degradation Buy only from mfrs that can provide application engineering expertise

Notice the REs expanding horizons

Its not machine fail; must be machines fault Its not fix only what is broken. Underlying causes must be found and addressed Always an early warning; API-stds are only min. Rarely only one deviation; several deviations will combine and cause a failure When someone says weve always done it that way---they may have always done it wrong

(5a)--Sliding pipe support details

Note that 2 polymer (Teflon) plates are needed Consider what happens if money is saved using only a single poly plate: Rust forms on the steel surfaces and nothing moves!

(5b) Effect of pulling pipe into place: Distress

Bearing is designed to make contour contact Pipes pulled into place to match casing nozzles will cause casings to distort Bearings are pointloaded and the oil film is no longer adequate

(6) Rotary valve stuffing boxes and pump bearing housings need protection against intrusion of debris

Remember: Modern bearing housing seals for pumps are designed as rotating labyrinths Advanced seals do not have an O-ring that contacts a sharp edge or O-ring groove Unless specified, youll always get the cheapest

(7) Spare parts management: New 3D printer methods make patterns for castings; contour measuring machines
Getting primed for implementing modern 3D Printer Methods of pattern production for certain spare parts (buying very few spare parts). A good project decision! Thus: Linking up with a knowledgeable provider will be advantageous to the owner-purchaser or design firm, and also for existing plants that need to consolidate spares. Contour-measuring allows superb reverse-engineering

(8) Old traditional oil mist lubrication: Some OM

escaped before it had an opportunity to reach the bearings

(8) Oil mist applied per API-610 (2009) allows flow entirely through bearings

(9) Grouting and hold-down bolt issues avoided with epoxy-filled base

Anchor bolt, on left, must have a free length (nonencased, allowed to stretch) equal to 10 diameters

Equipment Installation: Baseplates

Typical as-installed baseplate cost comparison: Conventional vs. Pre-Filled
$ 6,259 $ 4,194 $ 2,065
IMMEDIATE PAYBACK!

(10) Seal-related upgrade opportunities

Enlist an expert to optimize your mechanical seal Specifications and buy seals from 2 or 3 suppliers Make a competent vendor your failure reduction partner, not merely your supplier of inexpensive mechanical seals Plan to upgrade to dual seals and closed-loop water management systems wherever possible. It is sure to decrease repair frequency and will save much money

Option 1: Changing the seal environment

Sometimes it is advantageous to interrupt the flow around the seal faces; one could use Vortex Breakers

Option 2: Change to dual sealsbut beware

Some seal designs do not optimize the exchange of fluid. Parallel slots move little, if any, of the barrier fluid

Change the environment with a superior dual seal; add value with better pumping rings

Some dual seal designs truly optimize the exchange of fluid. This one uses a wide-clearance tapered pumping ring

Mechanical seal with internal flow baffle

(shown here with a flow guide, but w/o tapered pumping ring)

Bi-directional internal flow device (Buffer Fluid Impeller) incorporated in mechanical seal

Bi-directional barrier fluid pumping device---a highly effective Tapered Barrier Fluid Impeller
THREE ADVANTAGES
Efficient No cost impact Moves more cooling fluid to critical region of mechanical seal

API 682 / ISO 21409Awareness of Standards and deviations from same

All seals should operate continuously for 25,000 hours without need for replacement The minimum performance requirements and permitted leakage detailed in Section 10.3.1.4.1 of the standard specifies an average leakage rate of less than 5.6 grams / hour per set of seal faces

API 682 / ISO 21409

Air Testing Protocol outlined in Section 10.3.4.2 of the standard
Each sealing section shall be independently pressurized with clean air to a gauge pressure of 0.17 Mpa (1.7 bar) ( 25 psi). The volume of each test setup shall be a maximum of 28 liters (1 cu. ft.) Isolate the test setup from pressurizing source and maintain the pressure for at least 5 minutes The maximum pressure drop during the test shall be 0.014 Mpa (0.14 bar, or 2 psi)*

Tests
Test 1 25 L Vessel plus 1.5 approximate air volume in rig providing total of 26.5 liters, or 95% of the maximum air volume per 10.3.4.2 pressure tested. Result: Pass Test 2 26.5 Liter air volume fitted with a NPT plug with a 0.008 hold drilled through the center. Pressure tested. ofPass Webinar 9, (6/20/ 2013) Result:

Tests
Test 3 26.5 L Air volume connected to mechanical seal fitted with the NPT plug with 0.008 hole. Pressure tested Result: Pass

Test 4 1.5 L Air Volume connected to Mechanical seal fitted with the NPT plug with 0.008 hole. Pressure tested Result: Fail
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Test 6, 7 & 8 Orifice removed from the seal and attached to nitrogen pressurized water vessel to measure the leakage at different pressures against the 5.6 grams /hour (g/h) specification in API 682 / ISO 21409

Fail

1,500 g / h 270 x allowable test Fail

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Fail

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7,500 g / h 1,300 x allowable test

Summary
1. Decision to deal only with the best vendors; MQA and pre-investment in risk reduction 2. Decisions with impact on reliability of reciprocating compressors 3. Oil mist for superior storage preservation 4. Use synthetics where only synthetics will do 5. Bearings for highest reliability: from vendors with application engineering know-how!

Summary
6. The right bearing protection is part of built-in reliability. Specify it in the project 7. Fewer spare parts: Use 3D print pattern library 8. Plant-wide oil mist includes electric motors! Rapid payback is possible (SKF/Colfax Ind., etc) 9. Pre-grouted epoxy-filled base plates make economic sense and give long trouble-free life 10. Better and smarter mechanical seal options exist

QUESTIONS?