Energy & Environmental Management Focus on: Boilers, Burners & Controls the root cause of the initial problem to enable any additional preventative measures to be taken. During the inspection, there was evidence that a steam bubble was present in the area around the balance piston, indicating a lack of cooling and lubrication, which led to a massive rise in temperature. Some information that was missing during the initial investigation was that the plant suffered an unexpected shutdown two or three days before the pump failure took place. Once the reason for the shut-down was resolved, the pump was restarted, however, during this process a procedural issue was determined as the root cause of the subsequent pump failure, confirming the operational reliability of the pump. As a result, having reinstated the pump and recommissioned it, Sulzer offered additional training for the plant personnel to try and prevent any reoccurrence in the future. Stopping pump failure is standard procedure In total, from the initial stoppage of the pump to recommissioning, the whole project was completed in nine and a half weeks. In contrast, the alternative would have been to order a new pump, but typically such a highly engineered asset would have considerably longer lead time. In an industry where downtime must be kept to an absolute minimum, Sulzer offers fast, responsive solutions that are backed by precision engineering and decades of experience. Once the pump was reinstalled and operational, a review meeting was held to assess the performance of Sulzer’s team and the results achieved during the project. Although the operator had initially suspected that the pump might be at fault, it was concluded that the incorrect start-up procedure was responsible. The additional training and the checks that were carried out on the second pump have ensured that the scenario will not be repeated and that both pumps will continue to deliver reliable service. Claudia concludes: “We regularly support the plant with annual shutdowns and communication between us is open and transparent, which is essential for a rewarding relationship.” Following the successful completion of the project, the original rotor will be refurbished by Sulzer with a new balance piston being fitted along with refurbished impellers. This will enable the power plant to restock the spare part in case it should be needed in the future. The project in numbers: • 10-tonne pump • Up to 12 personnel involved • Time to complete repair: 9.5 weeks • Profit lost during downtime: Multi-million euro per week Join us on Facebook Plant & Works Engineering Follow us on LinkedIn Plant & Works Engineering Follow us on Twitter @PWEmagazine1 For the latest news visit the PWE website www.pwemag.co.uk PWE Plant & Works Engineering
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