Troubleshooting of process machinery is not only a science but an art also.

 

Rotating machinery commonly used in various processing plants, such as centrifugal pumps and compressors, reciprocating pumps and compressors, fans/blowers, steam turbines, and electric motors.

Simple troubleshooting tables as advised by OEM or decision trees are rarely effective in solving complex, real-world machine problems. For this reason, the Petchem Skills Consulting services( https://petchemskills.com) offers a novel way to attack those machinery issues that can adversely affect the safety, reliability and efficiency of plant processes. The methodology adopted and being taught to the Reliability Engineering and asset management professionals is not a rigid approach but rather a flexible and dynamic process aimed at exploring process plant machines holistically in order to understand and narrow down the true nature of the problem.

We train and guide maintenance and machinery professionals and managers to better understand how to troubleshoot process machinery in -situ i.e., in the field when machinery is in the running condition. This we call it “Field troubleshooting” which means and involve operation and maintenance engineers/ supervisors to ask themselves “Is My Machine running  OK”? using the “who, what, when, where, why” troubleshooting methodology.

To be successful, the field trouble-shooter must be persistent, open-minded and disciplined. Once field data is collected, an unbiased, logical approach to the finding is required to hone in on the most probable source of an observed symptom (or symptoms). Without a comprehensive and logical analysis of the findings, the investigator is only guessing, which wastes valuable time and resources.

We know that Process machines are critical to the profitability of processes. Safe, efficient and reliable machines are required to maintain dependable manufacturing processes that can create saleable, on-spec product on time, and at the desired production rate. As owner of the process machinery, one must wish to keep  equipment in serviceable condition all the time.

One of the most challenging aspects of a machinery professional or operator’s job is deciding whether an operating machine should be shut down due to a perceived problem or be allowed to keep operating and at what level of operation. If he or she wrongly recommends a repair be conducted, the remaining useful machine life is wasted, but if he or she is right, they can save the organization from severe consequences, such as product releases, fires, costly secondary machine damage, etc. This economic balancing act is at the heart of all machinery assessments.

The primary purpose of the knowledge and skills taught by us to guide help operators and machinery professionals troubleshoot machines that are in a process service and operating at design process conditions. Hence the definition of Field troubleshooting is a process of determining the cause of an apparent machine problem, i.e., symptom, while it is still operating at actual process conditions. Troubleshooting efforts tend to focus on a specific machine or subsystem, using a proven body of historical knowledge. The body of knowledge may be in the form of troubleshooting tables and matrices or manufacturer’s information. Keep in mind that process machinery can only truly be tested and evaluated in service and under full load, i.e., in- situ Very few testing facilities are available that can test a pump or compressor at full process loads and with actual process fluids. Field troubleshooting evaluates the mechanical integrity of a machine in process service in order to determine if symptoms are the result of an actual machine fault or a process-related problem.

Here are examples of troubleshooting opportunities:

Example 1: Pump flow has fallen well below its rated level.

Example2: Compressor thrust bearing is running 10 °C hotter than it was last month.

Approach to be adopted by field trouble-shooter :

1. The field trouble-shooter must first ask: Do I fully understand the machine or subsystem that needs to be analysed? If the complexity is beyond the trouble-shooter’s abilities, he or she should get help. At this point, management may decide to conduct an RCA analysis.

2. If the field trouble-shooter decides to tackle the problem at hand, he or she should then ask: “Are the observed symptoms caused by a failing machine, a correctable fault, or by undesirable process conditions?” If it is a process related problem, changes can be made before permanent machine damage occurs. If a fault is deemed to be correctable, then adjustments or minor repairs can be made in order to quickly restore the machine to serviceable conditions. This what is expected from the field trouble shooter

If the machine fails, either a failure analysis or root cause failure analysis must be performed, depending on the extent and cost of the failure.