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Turbines

HP Reliability: Small deviations can compromise equipment reliability

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

In 2013, a major refinery was experiencing serious pump problems. The refinery had a massive thrust-bearing failure on a critical 3,560-rpm pump. The pump was designed and manufactured by a well-known..

Consider new steam system corrosion protection for refineries

GE Water & Process Technologies: Dale, T.  |  Robinson, G.  |  Rossi, A.

New technology in volatile filming corrosion inhibitors and lower-salting neutralizing amines can provide cost-effective solutions for the steam-condensate system and minimize the risk of amine chloride salt formation.

HP Reliability: Consider single-point responsibility for compressors

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Equipment purchasers are always interested in meeting the cost and schedule targets for projects. However, there could be conflicting goals when purchasing compressor drivers and/or auxiliaries from v..

HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 77: Random deck vibration with beats

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

When something vibrates, it is usually in a predictable manner. Motors, pumps, compressors, turbines and centrifuges all vibrate when they are out of balance. Vibration analysis can help predict the s..

HP Innovations

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

Innovations for February 2014.

Update on lubrication systems

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Several case histories illustrate the pros and cons for maintaining rotating equipment under various plant conditions.Example 1In late May 2013, a US oil-mist provider in one of the Great Lakes states..

Control moisture in ‘wetted’ rotating equipment

Des-Case Corp.: Barnes, M.  |  Morgan, D.

In turbomachinery, water is one of the most deleterious contaminants. Left unchecked, moisture can severely reduce the service life expectancy of oil-wetted rotating and reciprocating components by as..

Improve quality of lubricating fluids via filtration

Puradyn Filter Technologies: Kroger, K. G.

Micro-sized dust particles, along with water, can ruin the best lubricating fluids. Contamination of lubricating fluids can occur due to the byproducts of combustion, metal wear, oxidation and more. T..

Wide design margins do not improve engineering

Engrowth Training: Toghraei, M.

Engineers use design and safety factors in sizing and specifying instrumentation or major process equipment, such as pumps, valves and compressors. Design factors are applied to cover the uncertainty ..

HP Reliability: Was that a failure or ‘just a repair’?

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Purists among reliability professionals are sometimes concerned about the accuracy of the measurement of the mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) of an asset. There are many ways to conduct this failure f..