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Is Turbine Flush Justified?
Cyril Ontai, Predictive Maintenance Analyst,
Hawaiian Electric Company
First of all, it's interesting that Operations would suggest
to postpone the work since Maintenance will be the one doing the
work and Operations most likely just assist in isolating the equipment.
If the unit was online, it would be a different story, and Operations
would need to give the O.K. to bring the unit down to do the task.
In this situation, it is known that the oil is very contaminated,
the unit is down for three more weeks, and Maintenance is more
than willing to do the job. Therefore, the recommendation is to
change out the oil.
The advantages to changing the oil include the ability to correctly
detect new contaminants to the bearings in a timely manner; the
current bearings being lubed by healthy oil; and monies are saved
by not bringing the unit down to do the work. Also, apart from
the oil, the culture of the workplace with people wanting to keep
their equipment running in a healthy manner is cultivated.
See other responses
to this Readers Challenge.
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