Drivers
Automate furnace controls to improve safety and energy efficiency
Furnace firing is the biggest single operating expense in any refinery. Consider a medium-size refinery (250,000 bpd) that consumes 2,000 MMBtu/h. At a cost of $5/MMBtu, that’s $87.6 MM/yr being ..
Use online conditioning to monitor electric motors
Quality and health assessments of motor insulation are important aspects during the manufacturing, as well as the operation, of electrical motors. Today, there are several offline insulation quality a..
HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 79: Integral compressor failures
Recently, the author received information regarding the failure of a large reciprocating compressor. In this example, the pistons for power and compressor cylinders are powered by the same crankshaft...
HP Reliability: Make equipment decisions with up-to-date technical information
Answering lube practice-related questions is important. These questions provide insight on the status of education and technology, along with trends in understanding equipment reliability, safety and ..
HP Reliability: Small deviations can compromise equipment reliability
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..
Keep liquid analysis invisible in refineries
The hidden heroes of hydrocarbon processing plants are the liquid analyzers, especially the pH and conductivity loops. Unlike their flashier cousins in gas analysis, these analyzers operate behind the..
Reciprocating compressors running together—Is that a problem?
A new maintenance engineer is assigned the task of overseeing large, critical rotating equipment in a petrochemical facility (Fig. 1). In this example, the facility has vent-gas compressors that, in g..
HP Reliability: Consider single-point responsibility for compressors
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
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..
Update on lubrication systems
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..
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- Diesel profit margins decline amid lower demand, more capacity 5/9
- World Energy and Boston Consulting Group sign agreement on SAF certificates 5/9
- Analysis: Chandra Asri purchase of Shell Singapore refinery brings scale, risk 5/9