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Is Turbine Flush Justified?
Bob Jewell, Maintenance and Reliability Engineer,
Kennecott Energy-Cordero Rojo Complex
My recommendation would be to take the time now to flush the
system. The babbitt material in the main return line may be a
result of a turbine oils characteristic of "shedding" its debris
to be collected in drains/bowls etc.
This opportunity to capitalize on that should not be missed.
The paint chips, puddles of water, and rust in the system are
another concern. The source of the paint chips needs to be determined
before oil is re-entered into the system. Also the water and rust
accumulation also indicates that there is a water problem in the
system that is significant enough in the system to overcome the
R&O properties of the turbine oil.
The root cause of the water problem needs to be addressed before
the turbine is put back into service with fresh oil. The determination
needs to be made whether there is a water ingress problem, the
water management system of the turbine is functioning correctly,
or the lubricant does not have adequate water management additive
package. With the amount of debris and undesirables in the system,
I would recommend a flush combined with using a high efficiency
offline filtration unit to remove the contamination.
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