Bloch, Heinz P.
Heinz P. Bloch resides in Montgomery, Texas. He retired as Exxon Chemical’s Regional Machinery Specialist for the U.S. and has authored or co-written more than 780 publications, among them 23 comprehensive books on practical machinery management, failure analysis, failure avoidance, compressors, steam turbines, pumps, oil mist lubrication and optimized lubrication for industry. Mr. Bloch holds BS and MS degrees (cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the Newark College of Engineering (NCE). He is one of 10 inaugural inductees into NCE’s Hall of Fame, which honors its most distinguished alumni.
HP Reliability: Pump suction strainer issues
Does your process piping have strainers located just upstream of the pump suction nozzles? Perhaps you are using them to protect pumps from unintended ingestion of tower packing, nuts, bolts and other..
HP Reliability: Unreliability, global procurement and you
Allow us to suggest that you engage in a "reality check" on the subject of equipment unreliability, global procurement and your own role in the matter. Please examine, realistically and objectively, t..
HP Reliability: Modern blowers can be reliable
If you have ever had to struggle with unreliable blowers, you are not alone. Blowers are low-pressure machines with typical differential pressures of five to 20 psi (roughly 0.3 to 1.3 bar). Whether i..
HP Reliability: Recognizing advantageous API seal flush plans
A feature article in the May 2008 issue of HP dealt with sealing issues of interest to industry.1 It explained the energy conservation and environmental benefits described in the API literature. The p..
HP Reliability: Consider oil mist for positive-displacement blowers
       Positive-displacement blowers (Fig. 1) are often used to move air ranging in pressures from slightly negative to about 15 psig (~ 1 bar) positive. These rotary-lobe machines..
HP Reliability: Remembering Flixboro: part 2
Last month's column attempted to make the point that reliability professionals must search for answers to questions as to why equipment failed. It related when one of six cyclohexane oxidation reactor..
Remembering Flixboro: part 1
At a recent gathering of over 500 reliability professionals in Texas, we invited questions from the audience. I was asked what I thought of installing flexible piping (or connectors) on centrifugal pu..
HP Reliability: API-682: the internal clearance issue
 While the operating characteristics and run-length capabilities of all dual-mechanical seals are strongly influenced by the condition of the fluid in the sealing cavity, seal life expectancy is ..
Get the facts on oil mist lubrication
Savings in driver maintenance, lower operating manpower, reduced lubricant consumption and energy savings should also be included in a cost justification
HP Reliability: Reader's choice and editorial writing
 The question is: Should reliability professionals endorse superior products and alert others to solutions to problems. Relating to this topic, the September 2003 issue of Hydrocarbon Processing ..
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