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Is Turbine Flush Justified?
Mike Meeks, Reliability Engineer, Weyerhaeuser
I believe the system should be flushed, lines cleaned, reservoir
emptied, wiped down, and refilled with new turbine grade oil.
The supply lines to the turbine should be precharged and temperature
up before unit is started. If the general oil condition( based
on oil analysis) is good, then running it through a dehydrator
and filter could be used as an alternative. The would allow reclamation
of the oil thus lowering some cost.
A known problem should be addressed at the earliest oportunity.
This particualr unit may be a line of turbines with a central
lube system supplying all turbines. Taking the central lube system
off line may not be an option now. cleaning the return lines and
supply lines to the turbine are. flushing can also still be done.
Early identification of work ( potential problems) is one of
the tools we can use to forecast and ward off catastrophic failure.
One failure would justify all work that needs to be done. Catastrophic
failures often result in money being thrown at the problem with
all components being checked , cleaned, replaced as necessary,
lots of ovetime, contract cost , and loss of revenue.
I am guessing that the fire resulted in carbon left in the unit
and lines as well as the wiped bearings. That would have been
the time to correct the babbitt left in the return lines and flushing
would have been in order. If the time was given in the catastrophic
event, then why is the time not given to the prevention of a catastrophic
event. Operations will always want to puch "operations". It is
a maintenance responsibility to push "non-catastrophy".
See other responses
to this Readers Challenge.
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