What operating practices have the potential that unintentionally accelerate equipment degradation over time?
And how to control them? We have safe operating limits (process control), however separate integrity operating windows are needed to have in place, and are they enough that equipment degradation from operating practices would not happen?
Unintentional Equipment Degradation
Re: Unintentional Equipment Degradation
Would like to add some operational practices which unintentionally damage the rotating equipment.
Like continuously operating near minimum flow is the one which is happening & has the potential of damaging.
Frequent start-stop cycles can affect negatively.
Chronic cavitation which is never reaching alarms level.
Improper warm-up and cooldown activities for steam turbines, large compressors...
Now for all such activities, there would not be any alarms coming, no other process control in action but still some short term & long term damages are coming in.
Like continuously operating near minimum flow is the one which is happening & has the potential of damaging.
Frequent start-stop cycles can affect negatively.
Chronic cavitation which is never reaching alarms level.
Improper warm-up and cooldown activities for steam turbines, large compressors...
Now for all such activities, there would not be any alarms coming, no other process control in action but still some short term & long term damages are coming in.
Re: Unintentional Equipment Degradation
This is required to be connected with defining & reporting exceedances in integrity operating windows, as you clearly mentioned.
IOWs are recognized to ensure integrity of the equipment, and there has to be a review process through which they must be added /modified as needed.
I understand that not at all facilities IOW programs are well matured, and reviewed however they surely help monitor any unintentional equipment degradation.
IOWs are recognized to ensure integrity of the equipment, and there has to be a review process through which they must be added /modified as needed.
I understand that not at all facilities IOW programs are well matured, and reviewed however they surely help monitor any unintentional equipment degradation.
Re: Unintentional Equipment Degradation
Has to be an IOW connection here.
If integrity windows are defined well, reported, analyzed, and controlled, there are very less chances of having an unintentional equipment degradation.
If integrity windows are defined well, reported, analyzed, and controlled, there are very less chances of having an unintentional equipment degradation.
Re: Unintentional Equipment Degradation
Improper warm-up & cooldown practices related to some of the rotating equipment, especially critical for steam turbines, large compressors, hot oil pumps causing damages like rotor bowing, casing distortion, thermal fatigue in long term is all unintentional in the start.
There has to be some controls to have right ramp rates, startup procedures with hold points, metal temperature monitoring, and rotor eccentricity monitoring.
There has to be some controls to have right ramp rates, startup procedures with hold points, metal temperature monitoring, and rotor eccentricity monitoring.