Pumps
Equipment critical analysis: The need for an effective maintenance program
Oil refineries and large petrochemical plants contain thousands of pieces of process and utilities equipment that are subject to wear, erosion, deterioration, aging, etc., resulting in increasing breakdowns and outages. Imagine being a maintenance engineer and receiving 50 work orders during an overhaul with a limited budget, time, labor, spare parts, tools, machines, etc. How does that engineer prioritize the work?
Editorial Comment: Maintenance—a value-added expense
This issue of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> tackles one of the most integral aspects of the downstream industry (or any industry, for that matter): maintenance and reliability. These two terms go hand-in-hand and help to ensure efficient and safe operations.
Reliability: Achieve longer bearing life in rotary asphalt pumps
When a major asphalt manufacturer experienced random bearing wear in its gear pumps, there was justified concern.
Vibration studies offer valuable lessons for correcting problematic operations
All plants have a vibration monitoring program for rotating equipment. Portable instruments measure vibration at the bearing housing of machines at horizontal (x), vertical (y) and axial (z) directions. The frequency spectrum helps diagnose the causes of vibration.
Implement proactive asset management techniques
The drop in crude oil prices since 2014 has impacted both upstream producers and downstream players. Upstream producers—those responsible for exploration, drilling and production—were the first to feel the effects. While refining margins benefitted from the drop in crude oil pricing, they began to suffer when record surpluses of gasoline and diesel flooded the market a year later.
Enhance reliability of process pumps with lubrication management for antifriction bearings
Rolling bearings must be adequately lubricated to operate reliably and to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact between rolling elements, raceways, cages and other components. The choice of a suitable lubricant and lubrication method, and controlling contaminants, are important for improving the reliability of the machinery where these bearings are used.
Driving innovation in the downstream: IRPC returns to New Delhi
Gulf Publishing Company and Hydrocarbon Processing are pleased to announce that IRPC 2017 will be held April 18–20 in New Delhi.
Improve metering pump reliability through maintenance training
While equipment reliability is not a new concept in hydrocarbon processing facilities, it is increasingly becoming the top priority for plant managers. Plant managers realize that operational efficiency is far from being a passing trend, and is closely linked to the quality and reliability of the equipment used.
Reliability: Troubleshoot hot bearings in hot pumps
The reliability engineering unit supervisor (REUS) working at a 400-Mbpd refinery wrote that he was greatly concerned about a bearing temperature excursion. He realized that certain rules of thumb had been handed down to his maintenance employees, and that not all of these conveyed the same numbers and guidance.
ReTPac concept from MAN Diesel & Turbo recaptures market for refinery applications
Tailored specifically to the requirements of refinery operators, the modular and scalable turbomachinery concept combines centrifugal compressor and prime mover to a single-lift unit, serving refinery applications like hydrotreating and hydrocracking.
- Asian gasoline margin spikes to highest since August 2023 11/14
- Lukoil-Moldova grants free use of airport fuel terminal to government amid U.S. sanctions 11/14
- Croatia rejects Russian vacuum gasoil cargo after U.S. sanctions 11/14
- Bulgaria wins UK sanctions reprieve on refinery, petrol stations 11/14
- China's Sinochem shuts one crude unit at Quanzhou after fire 11/14
- Enbridge approves $1.4-B project to boost Canadian oil flows to U.S. refiners 11/14
