From the Editors of Pumps & Systems

September 2004

strategies for improved

Efficiency and Reliability

fansturbinesmotorscompressors

Induced draft fans at a Southern U.S. power plant

undergoing performance and efficiency testing.
(Photo
(Photo courtesy
courtesy of
of FLOWCARE
FLOWCARE Engineering,
Engineering, Inc.)
Inc.)

COMPARED TO STEEL,
ZANITE IS FLAT OUT THE BEST.

Circle 125 on Reader Service Card

Using ZANITE Baseplates from BaseTek guarantees you an unmatched surface

flatness compared to Conventional Steel designs and common Vinyl Ester
concrete materials. ZANITE also provides significant vibration dampening,
greater thermal stability, more resistance to twisting and diaphragming,
and superior corrosion resistance. And, its easier
and less costly to install.

Zanite is a
proprietary formula
combining Epoxy resins
with quartz aggregate
Stainless Steel
Baseplate
Integrated Drip Custom Designs Inserts for all ANSI for exceptional
strength and corrosion
Flatness
Pan and Drain and materials
pump and NEMA
available.
motor frame sizes. resistance throughout.
at 0.001"/ft. Connection.

POLYMER CONCRETE BASEPLATES

www.basetek.com
PHONE: 877-712-BASE (2273)

FAX: 216-274-9296

Scope of Work
EMEs GE 7E and 6B gas turbines are proven
performers, and the DLN units (Dry Low NOx)
can achieve very low nitrogen oxide emissions,
which help keep the environment clean. Ensuring
that these turbines and other operating components stay at peak efficiency demands high-quality
procedures and personnel.
From the outset of the contract, Thomasons
work has been marked by careful attention to the
customers outage schedules and timeframes, including review of the units operation and maintenance documents. Major inspections cover the turbines to be disassembled, to determine necessary
repairs or component replacements, if any.
Thomason also has performed refurbishments at
each facilitys site with OEM components. All
maintenance and repairs are done to OEM specifications. Depending on the condition of each GE
turbine, Thomason work crews and Wood Group
project engineers have refurbished them (with generator refurbishment conducted, in one case, by a
responsible third party).
In addition, Thomason has been conducting
all combustion, hot gas path, and major inspections, and has helped insure that State of California
and OSHA requirements for process safety and
mechanical integrity are met.

The Payoff Is the People

Circle 129 on Reader Service Card

EMEs facilities extend from Bakersfield to San

Ardo, CA, which makes Thomasons Los Angeles
office a customer-responsive, central location.
Field engineers and crews are on-site with EME
managers continually, 24-hours per day, depending
on which part of the refurbishment and inspection
cycle is being accomplished.
Rather than a flying team of engineers or
contractors that come onto a project and hire work
crews haphazardly, Thomason utilizes union millwrights to help assure that individual workers are
highly qualified and very experienced. The team is
hand-tailored for the program. The lead Wood
Group field engineer is available full-time for all
projects. Team integrity and productivity are maintained for the life of the program.
Even though program outages started in
January 2004, and will not be complete until
November, the contractors combined professionalism and expertise are dedicated to the EME job as
planned. Personnel, encompassing both Wood
Group field engineers and Thomason craft workers,
have been available in the EME facilities from outage to outage, eliminating scheduling problems and
breakdowns in communication.
Thomason uses an ongoing checklist for followup and feedback, asking customer managers to score
contract execution on items such as supervision and
36

SEPTEMBER 2004

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

crew expertise, response times, tooling, documentation,

efficiency, cost-effectiveness, safety and accounting.
To date, all Thomason projects for EME have
been completed on time, on budget. The gas turbines that have been refurbished, inspected and
returned to service are running at optimum levels.
For EME, whose mission for these cogen plants is
to maintain 99.7% uptime and produce the power,
Thomason and Wood Group clearly have deliveredand continue to deliver.
By combining its craft labor and management
capabilities with technical direction from Wood
Group Field Services, Thomason is providing complete breadth of service for this EME contract. It is a
crucial customer benefit, especially in a segment like
IPP, where cost control is so important. But the program has equally important implications for operators
in all segments of the process industriesnot just
IPPs. Operations such as chemical and petrochemical
plants, refineries, pharmaceutical manufacturing, utilities, municipal water/wastewater, pulp and paper,
mining, etc., that generate their own power could also
benefit from this type of field service.
As the EME program has demonstrated, working with a non-OEM for field engineering, maintenance and inspection can be a low-risk, high-gain
opportunity. Using an OEM may provide reassurance, but it doesnt necessarily always deliver the four
additional benefits that operators desire: the same or
better reliability, the same or better quality of work,
higher contractor productivity, and very competitive
costs. RE

Circle 130 on Reader Service Card

Teamwork Delivers

When you need IMPELLERS,

You need

STANDARD ALLOYS
OUR FEATURES re
a
Certified to ISO 9001

Since
Since 1926
1926

YOUR BENEFITS

Thomason Mechanical Corporation has offices in Los

Angeles, Chino, and Martinez, CA; Pasadena, TX; and
Philadelphia, PA. It serves the petrochemical, pulp and
paper, industrial gases, marine, natural gas and liquid
pipeline, and other industries. The company provides both
field and shop services for turbines (gas, steam and hydroelectric), compressors (reciprocating, centrifugal, axial, and
screw), pumps (reciprocating and centrifugal), and other
related process machinery including fans, gearboxes and
fluid drives.
In addition to Thomason, the Wood Group Field
Services organization also includes Bender Machine, in Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and Philadelphia;
Lovegreen Turbine Services Inc., in Minneapolis, MN; MVP
Turbine Repair, in St. Louis, MO; Technical Services, in
Orlando, FL; HIT Services LP in Houston; and Wood Group
Field Services of Alberta, Canada.
For more information about the technical services and
capabilities in this article, log onto www.thomasonmech.com or contact brperry@thomasonmech.com

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

Quality Parts
Competitive Prices
Quick Delivery
Hydraulic Upgrades/
Re-Rates
Metallurgical Upgrades
Obsolete Parts Solutions

PARTS COMPATIBLE WITH:

Ingersoll Rand
Pacific
Worthington
United
Byron Jackson
Wilson Snyder
Goulds

Union
Stratco
Johnston
Delaval
Allis Chalmers
and more

P.O. Box 969

Port Arthur, Texas 77641

Phone: 800-231-8240
Fax: 409-983-7837
Email:

sales@standardalloys.com
Website:

www.standardalloys.com

SEPTEMBER 2004

37

Circle 134 on Reader Service Card

Company Profile

Foundry and Machine Shop

40,000+ Patterns In Stock
Hydraulic Engineering
Support
300+ Alloys Available
Reverse Engineering
Support

Dr. Yehia El-Ibiary, PE

Manager of Systems Engineering, Rockwell Automation

New Motor
Efficiency
Audit Tool
To control profit-draining
energy costs, you first
must identify and
quantify them.

efficient solutions and/or improvements that can provide dramatic savings within a short period of time.
At this particular facility, one
of the evaluations was done on
an application in which a
700 hp motor was driving a compressor. Testing with the Motor
Efficiency Wizard demonstrated
that the efficiency of this motor
was 91.2 %. With a new premium efficient motor, the energy
efficiency could be improved to
96.4%. Based on the service
teams calculations, the savings
associated with replacing the
existing motor with a premium
efficient model would come to
$10,903.00 annually. Armed
with this new information, the
plant engineers replaced the
motor and were able to eliminate
thousands of dollars from their
overall operating expenses each
year.

their facilities by determining the

efficiency during operation. In
addition to detecting the efficiency of any squirrel cage induction motor with currents up to
1000 amps, the Wizard also can
determine the efficiency of driven equipment such as pumps.
By measuring the input
power, voltage, current, speed,
temperature, frequency and resistance at two motor load points,
the Wizard provides accurate
efficiency data on easy-to-read
output screens. Once the problem is identified, this tool also
quantifies a solution. Using the
determined efficiency value, the
Wizard calculates and displays
the potential savings in energy
costs that would result from
replacing the inefficient motor
with a premium efficient design.

n the face of skyrocketing

energy costs, more and more
companies are looking carefully at specifying and maintaining energy-efficient equipment.
They realize that the cost of energy is not just a part of doing business, but rather an expense that
needs to be identified so it can be
controlled.
Plant engineers at a major oil
company facility understood the
drain that unnecessary energy
expenses were putting on their
plants profits and decided to act
to reduce these costs. Their first
step was to call their Rockwell
Automation sales engineer and
initiate a motor efficiency evaluation.
Utilizing Rockwells newly
developed Reliance Motor
Efficiency Wizard tool, Rockwell Automation Power Services
specialists and certified service
providers can help identify energy losses, making it possible for
users to reduce power usage,
lower power costs and increase
quantifiable savings throughout
their facilities. Based on the
Wizards findings, the specialists
can then recommend energy-

Used by Rockwell Automations service technicians, the

Motor Efficiency Wizard allows
users of induction motors to
identify inefficient motors in

The most accurate method

of determining an electric
motors efficiency has historically
been to remove the motor from
service and transport it to a lab,
where detailed load testing could
be performed. Once at a testing
facility, motor efficiency is deter-

38

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

SEPTEMBER 2004

The Wizard

Time-Saving

Figure 2. Typical output

report showing motor
efficiency and annual saving

mined by putting the unit in question on a dyno; loading it up; measuring the input power, output torque
and speed at six points; and then calculating the efficiency.
While this is a very simple procedure, it also is an
extremely costly one, especially in a plant environment
where operation or production must be stopped for
extended periods while the motor is off-site. In nearly
all cases, the expense and downtime related to this type
of testing is prohibitive. Plus, with laboratory testing,
actual operating conditions of the motor in its application cannot be duplicated. Consequently, true efficiency at the in-service motor output horsepower,
operating temperature and plant supply voltage, is difficult, if not impossible, to determine.
In contrast, the Motor Efficiency Wizard provides
accurate testing in a very short timeframewithout
disconnecting the motor from the load. In fact, the motor
can remain in service at its operating temperature
while supplying power to its driven load.

Figure 3.
Efficiency
versus
horsepower
plot
generated
by the
Wizard

Figure 4.
Motor
output
torque
versus
speed
generated
by the
Wizard

How Does It Work?

Combining Rockwell Automations proprietary
software package with a portable power monitor, the
Motor Efficiency Wizard determines a motors efficiency using simple measurements. Its housed in an easyto-move case (Figure 1) that also contains a power monitor for measuring input current, voltage, and power; a
PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

SEPTEMBER 2004

39

Specializing in EnergyMatched Solutions

Through a broad offering of
products and services, Rockwell
Automation provides industrial
automation power, control and information solutions that help customers
around the globe meet their manufacturing productivity objectives. The
company brings together leading
brands in industrial automation for
Complete Automation solutions,
including ALLEN-BRADLEY controls
and engineered services and
Rockwell Software factory management
software,
DODGE
mechanical power transmission
products, and Reliance Electric
motors and drivesall designed to
enable users to save on energy and
operating costs. Rockwell Automation also is a leading provider of
contact management technologies
and applications that help companies
more efficiently manage interaction
with their own customers. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, the corporation employs approximately
23,000 people at more than 450
locations serving customers in more
than 80 countries.

without the inconvenience and

productivity losses associated
with a lab test. (This ease-of-use
and high accuracy are important
considerations when conducting
plant energy audits.)
Once all the data are recorded, the Wizards software determines the motor efficiency at the
operating point and calculates
the savings associated with
replacing the motor with a premium design. The software uses
the data collected to obtain an
exact solution for the motor
equivalent circuit. This is the first
time that this level of precision
has been achieved. Samples of
printouts provided by the Wizard
are shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4.
Since the output torque of
the motor is calculated and the
output speed is measured, it then
becomes possible to determine
the efficiency of the driven
equipment.
In the case of a pump, the
input power to the pump is, by
definition, the calculated output
power of the motor. By measuring the output pressure and flow
of the pump, the output power is
determined, and the efficiency of
the pump can then be calculated.

Who Needs an
Energy Audit?

laptop computer to record the

data captured by the power monitor, and a multi-meter to measure the motor stator resistance
and voltage frequency. The case
also contains a strobe light speed
sensor to measure motor speed,
and an infrared temperature sensor for measuring motor temperature.
With this portable device, all
electrical measurements can easily be made at the motor disconnect box, without opening the
motor conduit box. The Wizard
ascertains the actual motor output horsepower and the efficiency at this output horsepower to
within
1%
of
laboratory test results. Thus,
users can benefit from an accurate efficiency determination

There are a number of criteria that should serve as warning

signs of inefficiency. Based on
testing done in the field to date,
it appears that older motors (15
years or older), especially those
that have been rewound two or
three times, should be at the top
of the list for evaluation. Among
similar motors operating under
similar conditions, if some run
hotter than others, they also are
prime candidates for efficiency
testing. Additional questions to
ask when considering whether
your facility would benefit from
efficiency testing include:

40

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

SEPTEMBER 2004

Is your power bill going up

every month?

Is power factor an important
issue in terms of the cost of power?

Do you have rewound motors?

Do you suspect that some
motors are oversized for their
applications?

Do you need a priority list for
replacing motors?

Would you like to lower your
monthly energy costs?

Does your local utility offer a
rebate incentive for conversion to
energy-efficient motors?

Would you like to know the
torque vs. speed characteristics of
your motors?

Would you like to know the
current efficiency of your pumps?

Are there old pumps in the
plant that you suspect are inefficient?
With a complete energy
audit, users can learn exactly how
much energy is being consumed
and just how efficient equipment
really is. Based on this data, plant
engineers and their sales and distribution partners can work
together to specify high efficiency upgrades that can make a discernable difference to a facilitys
bottom line. RE
Dr. Yehia El-Ibiary is the
Manager of Systems Engineering
at Rockwell Automation, in
Greenville, SC. He graduated from
Cairo University in 1968 with a
Bachelors degree in Aeronautical
Engineering, and obtained his
Ph.D. in 1975 from the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to joining Rockwell, he held positions as
Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan, Director of
the Systems Engineering Group at
Vickers Inc., and Director of the
Electrical, Electronics, and Hydraulics Engineering Department
at J. I. Case. Dr. El-Ibiary is a registered Professional Engineer in
Michigan. This article is based on
his recent presentation at Energy
Summit 04 in Kalamazoo, MI.
For more information, contact him
directly at ymel-ibiary@powersystems.rockwell.com

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Selecting The Proper

Air Compressor
Lubricant
Q & A with Mike Dionisio, Industrial Lubrication Specialist,
ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties

ir compressors represent one of the

most valuable pieces
of equipment for a wide
range of operations, from
industrial plants to major
tire-repair centers to
mom-and-pop size automotive shops.
Unfortunately, since air
compressors are often placed
away from a plant floor or a
mechanics shop, they sometimes
dont receive the full maintenance attention that they require.
Air compressors are often the
life-blood of industrial and commercial operations. As a result,
air compressor operators depend
on the compressor lubricant to
provide proper protection with
the least amount of maintenance.
Selecting the right lubricant and
maintenance schedule for your
operation is key to maximizing
compressor uptime.
This Q & A focuses on how
to pick the right lubricant for
reciprocating and rotary screw
compressorstwo of the most
widely used types on the market
and how doing so can help
enhance their service life and
performance.
PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Q: What should users look for in

an air compressor lubricant?
A: For both reciprocating and
rotary screw compressors, there
are four main factors you need to
look at. They are:

Correct Viscosityto assure
effective oil distribution and
film formation on all cylinder and bearing surfaces;

High Resistance to Oxidationenabling the oil to
resist the formation of
deposits. This characteristic
largely determines the durability of an oil;

Adequate Film Strength
to minimize friction and
wear under conditions in
cylinders and sometimes in
bearings where only thin
films of oil can be maintained; and

High Anti-rust Propertiesto protect against rusting in cylinders and bearings
that may result from condensation of moisture during
idle periods, or in the case of
some reciprocating compressors, carry-over of water
from the intercooler to the
final cylinder of a two-stage
compressor
Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

With these factors in mind, there

are some critical differences
between the types of lubricants
you should use for reciprocating
and rotary screw compressors.
Q: So then, what type of lubricant
should be used for a rotary screw
compressor?
A: Ideally, you want to look for a
polyalphaolefin (PAO) synthetic
lubricant capable of an 8,000hour oil drain interval.
PAO-based lubricants deliver
exceptional resistance to oxidation and, combined with proper
additives, provide good rust protection, helping to enhance durability.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) typically recommend either an ISO 32, 46,
or 68 viscosity grade lubricant
for rotary screw compressors.
However, most major OEMs
commonly recommend an ISO
46 viscosity grade lubricant.
In general, most PAOs are
compatible with the majority of
seal types.
Be sure to check with the
OEM on seal types within your
compressor and your lubricant
supplier for compatibility with
different types of seals.
SEPTEMBER 2004

41

Q: What about for a reciprocating

compressor?

maintenance challenges, and

eventually possible compressor
failure.
Compressors, as a function
of their operation, mix large
amounts of air with oil at high

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Photo 1. Compressor second stage

valve shows oily carbon deposits on
its face from the use of a mineral oil.

Photo 2. No deposits present on the

compressor valve using a synthetic
diester lubricant.

Circle 109 on Reader Service Card

A: For reciprocating air compressors, diester synthetics are

best. Diesters have a broad application temperature range from 20 F ambient start-up to +400 F
discharge air. Diesters also deliver excellent oxidation resistance
and thermal stability, helping to
minimize sludge and deposit formation.
Oxidation resistance of the
lubricant is vital to keep compressors running at peak performance. Oxidation occurs when
oxygen reacts with the lubricant,
resulting in degradation of the
lubricant's composition and performance. Heat, light, metal catalysts (e.g., copper) and the presence of water or solid contaminants accelerate the process.
As oxidation progresses, deposit
formation can occur and first
affect efficiency, lead to other

temperatures, thus creating a

perfect environment for excessive
oxidation. Employing the use of
synthetic lubricants will provide
additional resistance to oxidation
over mineral lubricants.
OEMs typically recommend
either an ISO 100 or 150 viscosity grade lubricant for reciprocating compressors. Most major
OEMs commonly recommend an
ISO 100 viscosity grade lubricant.
One thing to note, diesters
have selective seal compatibility
requirements. They are generally
compatible with seals made from
fluorinated hydrocarbon, silicone, fluorosilicone, polysulfide,
Viton, Teflon, and high nitrile
Buna N NBR (above 36% acrylonitrile) materials.
When using a diester, be sure
to check with the OEM on seal
types within your compressor
and your lubricant supplier for
compatibility with different
types of seals.

42

SEPTEMBER 2004

Q: Why do you recommended synthetic oils with PAOs

or diesters so much more than conventional, mineralbased lubricants?

Circle 158 on Reader Service Card

A: Certainly, there are some high-quality conventional, mineral-based oils available. Typical conventional lubricants for air compressors, however, will
need to be changed on average every 500 to 1,000
hours. Lubricants formulated with synthetic
diesters and PAOs are capable of achieving drain
intervals of up to 8,000 hours.
Also, with conventional oils in reciprocating
compressors, there is a faster rate of hard carbon
deposits forming in the valve area. Carbon deposits
allow recompression, potentially leading to fires
and/or explosions.
When using mineral oils, special care should be
given to routinely inspect the compressor and
lubricant condition.
Just like in the automotive market, where synthetics offer superior performance and protection
compared to conventional oils, the same is true
when dealing with air compressors. Compared to
conventional lubricants, synthetic oils deliver better
oxidation and thermal stability. The high resistance
of synthetic lubricants to deposit formation enables
them to be used over extended periods in bearing
lubrication systems.
Synthetics can help reduce the cost and time
needed for maintenance items such as cleaning,
replacing worn parts and changing oil. Because of
these factors, lubricants formulated with synthetic
PAOs or diesters really are the best lubricant
options for rotary screw and reciprocating air compressors, respectively.
Q: Besides selecting the right lubricant, what else can
maintenance professionals do to enhance the life and
performance of their air compressors?

Circle 131 on Reader Service Card

A: One of the best things a maintenance professional can do is implement a routine oil analysis
program. The key to the success of any oil analysis
program is to be able to trend the results. Quarterly
oil analysis is recommended for both reciprocating
and rotary screw compressors.
Trending oil samples on a quarterly basis
should provide valuable information on equipment
and lubricant conditionsand be the final verdict
on oil change intervals. Recommended testing criteria includes, TAN (ASTM D 664), Metals by
Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) (ASTM D
5185), water content by Karl Fisher (ASTM D
1744), and Particle Count (ISO 4406.2). P&S
For additional information, please log on to:
www.exxonmobil.com
PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

SEPTEMBER 2004

43

Circle 163 on Reader Service Card

ATTENDANCE &
EXHIBITING INFORMATION

www.minexpo.com

Sponsored by

National Mining Association

September 27-30, 2004

Las Vegas, Nevada USA
The Worlds Premier Mining Exposition

THINK

BIG
Your job is big.

We can make it simpler.

MINExpo has everything you need to meet
customer demands. Discover more than
1,300 suppliers of equipment, components,
technology, power and services. Everything
required for mining, drilling, processing,
refining, materials handling and more.

All in one, super-size exposition.

Circle 159 on Reader Service Card

From the voice of the fluid sealing industry

SEALING SENSE
Q. How do you determine the primary cause(s)
of mechanical seal failure?

A. A systematic method, based on failure analysis,

to investigate and correct the performance of

mechanical seals provides the means to attain longer
service lives and reduced life cycle costs.
Failures occur when a product ceases to perform its
intended purposeseither prematurely or after satisfactory life cycles have passed. Since downtime
usually is even more expensive than maintenance
costs, the efforts we expend on failure analysis frequently pay for themselves many times over when
corrective actions are taken. To understand the primary causes of failure, we must first understand the
basic features of a mechanical seal system.
The function of every mechanical seal is to prevent
the escape of a fluid past the clearance between a
rotating shaft and the passageway through the wall
of a housing or pressurized vessel. End face mechanical seals can incorporate many designs and configurations to accomplish this. As shown in the accompanying figure, typical mechanical seals have three
basic components: (1) primary seal elements,

46

SEPTEMBER 2004

(2) secondary seals; and (3) hardware for attaching,

positioning, and maintaining face-to-face contact.
The primary seal is formed by two materials with
lapped faces that create a very restrictive leakage
path from rubbing contact between them. In all
such seals, one face is held stationary, and the other
is fixed to and rotates with the shaft.
The phrase restrictive leakage path is used because
all mechanical seals leak through these faces, even
though one does not see leakage from most of them
or any leakage is controlled to environmentally
acceptable levels via ancillary systems. The leakage
rates, however, are normally small; and environmentally acceptable, non-hazardous or nontoxic fluids may be allowed to evaporate or dissipate to the
atmosphere in a short time period. For controlled,
hazardous and toxic fluids, other means are required
for containment.
Secondary seals made from various fluoroelastomers
usually close leakage paths around the stationary face
and the rotating face. For pusher-type seals, the secondary seal must move forward along the shaft to
compensate for wear and vibration at the seal faces.
For non-pusher-types, such as metal bellows units,

www.pump-zone.com

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

vibration and wear are taken up internally in the bellows, and here the secondary seals are truly static.
The mechanical hardware supplied with and integral to the seal is used to:

Improper startup and operating procedures,

including failing to pressurize a double seal
before starting a pump or inadvertently running
a seal dry.

1. Adapt seals to various pieces of equipment. This

hardware may consist of a sleeve or housing for
ease and precision of seal setting.

Fluid contamination, which might be the presence of harmful solid particles in the seal cavity
fluid.

2. Provide mechanical preloads to the seal faces

until hydraulic pressures take over. This normally is accomplished by a large single-coil
spring, or by a set of small coil springs.

Poor equipment conditions, such as excessive

shaft runout, deflection or vibration.

Worn-out seals that may have completed a satisfactory life cycle.

3. Transmit torque to both stationary and rotating

faces. This normally is accomplished by a series
of drive pins, dents, notches or screws integral
with the seal design.

The objective of failure analysis, naturally, is to learn

from failures. We should carefully look at worn and
damaged seal parts, the condition of the equipment,
and the operating conditions, to establish a list of
ways to improve seal life. For worn parts, this consists of identifying damage as chemical, mechanical,
or thermal and taking steps to ensure it does not
recur. Skills in mechanical seal failure analysis can be
improved by looking at the basic forms of damage
that occur to determine:

No matter how complicated a design might appear

the first step in seal failure analysis is to identify
which of the basic seal components show damage
that might indicate the cause of leakage. A mechanical seal has failed when leakage becomes excessive.
Common causes include:

Allowing the seals components to become

chipped, scratched or damaged prior to or during assembly.
Incorrect seal assembly, including the incorrect
setting or misplacing of seal components in the
seal cavity.
Selecting the wrong materials of construction or
an incorrect design for the combination of pressures, temperatures, speeds and fluid properties
required for a given application.

1. What the damage looks like.

2. How the damage affects seal performance.
3. What the types of damage indicate about a seals
past history.
4. What corrective steps can be taken to eliminate
various types of damage from recurring under
the same operating conditions.
Next Month: A discussion of the symptoms, examination of the causes, and review of the corrective actions
for failures of mechanical seals by chemical action.

Sealing Sense is produced by the Fluid Sealing

Association (FSA) as part of our commitment to

The following Mechanical Seal Division members

sponsor this initial series:

industry-consensus technical education for pump

users, contractors, distributors and manufacturers. As
a source of technical information on sealing systems
and devices, and in cooperation with the European
Sealing Association (ESA), the FSA also supports
development of harmonized standards in all areas of
fluid sealing technology. The education is provided in
the public interest to enable a balanced assessment of
the most effective solutions to pump technology issues
on rational Total Life Cycle Cost principles.
The Mechanical Seal Division of the FSA is one
of six divisions with a specific product technology
focus. As part of its mission, it develops fundamental
technology publications such as the Mechanical Seal
Handbook, to complement more detailed manufacturers documents produced by its member companies.

Advanced Sealing International (ASI)

A.W. Chesterton
DuPont Dow
Eagle Burgmann
Flowserve FSD
Garlock Sealing Technologies
Greene Tweed
Industrias Vago de Mexico
John Crane
PPC Mechanical Seals
Robco
Sealing Equipment Products Co.
Simrit Div., Freudenberg-NOK
For additional information on FSA and the pub-

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

lications and services it offers to industry, log on to

www.fluidsealing.com

www.pump-zone.com

SEPTEMBER 2004

47


Conclusions

Recommendations

Supporting documentation

i.e. different aerodynamic or hydraulic design,

reduced or increased impeller diameter, change
in material, change in mechanical design, variable speed, etc.

4. Feasibility Study
In the context of a fan or pump system, a feasibility study is a documented analysis that establishes the business case for modifications that improve
some aspect of the equipments operation. It is supported by test data and in-depth technical and economic analyses. Although potential system
improvements are sometimes driven by the need to
reduce energy costs, more frequently other objectives must first satisfy criteria for the operation. In
meeting those primary objectives, energy optimization should be thoroughly considered because of the
long-term operating cost implications. On the other
hand, options that reduce energy costs sometimes
carry some aspect that is detrimental to the operation. These also need to be addressed as necessary in
the study. The focus of the feasibility study has three
main components.
Evaluation of existing operation
 Review background and overall design of the
system.
 Establish relationship be-tween process, system
and fan or pump requirements.
 Investigate the current control strategy.
 Review maintenance history to gain understanding of past problems and remedial actions
taken.
 Conduct sufficient performance tests so that
capacity/efficiency, process requirements and
system curve(s) are accurately established for
the complete range of operating points. Tests
should be conducted to a recognized field test
standard, i.e. Air Movement and Control
Association (AMCA) Stan-dard 203 or 803 for
fans and Hydraulic Institute test standards for
pumps.
 Obtain sufficient electrical trend data to develop an annual load-duty cycle.
 Conduct internal and external inspections as
possible.
Development of technical options
 Review objectives for the retrofit.
 Prepare list of possible options that address
optimization objectives in the context of the
current operation.
 Analyze options on basis of technical suitability,

32

SEPTEMBER 2004

Completion of cost benefit analysis

 Accurately determine energy savings, production benefits or maintenance improvements for
the technical options analyzed.
 Establish cost estimates for the modifications,
payback (overall cost vs. anticipated savings) or
other economic considerations.
Upon issuing the draft and final documentation
of the audit and feasibility reports, the consultant
meets with appropriate company and site personnel
to present the findings.

The Case for Upgrades

Energy-efficient alterations to a fan or pump
system can provide benefits to the process, as well as
reduce operating costs.
Reduced system requirements
Due to a downturn in production or reduced
system resistance, the equipment may currently be
oversized for its application. This generally implies
that the fan or pump is operating against a heavily
throttled damper or valve, or, conversely, simply
producing excess volume. Thus, it may be inefficient or difficult to control. Possible retrofits
include reduced speed operation or a smaller
impeller diameter.
Maintenance and reliability improvements
Existing equipment may have a history of problems. Typically the Ten/Ninety rule applies
10% of the equipment causes 90% of the problems.
The primary problems plaguing industrial fan and
pump equipment are:





Excessive vibration levels

Bearing and seal failures
High erosion and corrosion rates
Formation of cracks

Properly running equipment reduces maintenance

costs and the risk of unscheduled outages.
Increased capacity requirements
As systems are upgraded to obtain more production, the fans and pumps may become a bottleneck to reaching desired levels. More flow and pressure may be all thats needed. Sometimes added

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

system components have increased resistance so that flow is

reduced to an unacceptable level
(i.e. the addition of pollutioncontrol equipment). In these
instances, an upgrade may be
needed to overcome pressure losses that werent factored in at the
original design stage. Possible
solutions may be bigger or faster
impellers, a change in design or completely new
equipment.
Efficiency-focused upgrades
Sometimes, the efficiency of an existing system
is so poor and electrical rates so high that an
upgrade may be viable on these grounds alone. The
existing equipment may be of inefficient because of
its design, selection for the application or the manner of its control. At any rate, an upgrade may be
justified simply on the basis of reduced energy operating costs.

Control refinements
Systems calling for precise fluid control and the
flexibility to meet various product requirements
may benefit from an upgrade. This could involve a
change in damper/valve design, modifications that
improve the stability of the operating point(s), system changes or conversion to variable speed.
Noise reduction
For fans, there are numerous techniques that
reduce noise levels. These include insulation/
cladding, low-noise impellers and silencers. The
addition of silencers frequently necessitates an
impeller upgrade to handle higher system pressure
losses. A valid alternative to retrofitting a fan is simply to replace it with a new one. There, however,
may be many reasons why retrofitting is better, i.e:

Existing casing, foundation, ductwork, motor

or other components may be in good condition
and can be reused. Therefore, a retrofit is probably more economical.
Less disruption and downtime
Resolving known problems may be less risky
than taking on the uncertainty of wholesale
changes.

What to Look for in Energy

Assessment Consultants
To make sure you capture all of the energy savings possible from your system, there are a number
of things to look for in an energy assessment consultant:
PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Good communication skills

and assistance to ensure that
parties understand each other
on both technical and com
mercial details of the system.

Expertise and experience with
the targeted equipment. In
particular, it is very helpful if
the consultants have a good working relationship with the original equipment
manufacturer and are able to communicate
with them effectively. Engaging consultants
with a strong background in the type of equipment being studied will save much time and
money, in that they can quickly eliminate
impractical/unfeasible upgrade options.
Expertise and experience in the scope of supply
for other parties that eventually may be
involved, should the targeted equipment prove
to be suitable for an upgrade. Typically, this
involves project engineering/management companies, upgrade equipment suppliers, specialists
in monitoring and verification procedures, and
companies providing project specification
preparation, experience in enforcing performance guarantees and risk assessment/reduction (if this is not in the purview of the company conducting the feasibility study), etc.
A sound working knowledge of field performance measurement techniques and/or testing
organizations that can do this work. RE

Vern Martin is the Sales Manager and a partner

in FLOWCARE Engineering, Inc., of Cambridge,
Ontario, Canada, a company providing fan, pump
and blower technical consulting services worldwide.
His primary responsibilities with the company include
conducting energy optimization studies and troubleshooting large turbo machines with performance,
noise, vibration, control or failure problems, as well as
developing energy-reduction strategies and training
programs for companies and utilities interested in
demand-side management. Prior to joining FLOWCARE, Martin engineered and tested fans for Sheldons
Engineering, a manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial
fans. A graduate of the University of Waterloo
Mechanical Engineering Department and a registered
Professional Engineer, hes the author of several handbooks on fan, pump and blower technology. For more
information on the services referenced in this article,
e-mail Martin directly at vern@flowcare.com or visit
www.flowcare.com

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

SEPTEMBER 2004

33

By Jane Alexander, Editor,

with Bruce Perry, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Thomason Mechanical Corporation

Safe To Use
Non-OEMs To Maintain
And Refurbish Crucial
Turbomachinery?
Heres the answer from California.

Having been awarded Edison Mission Energys 2004 Gas Turbine Maintenance contract for five facilities, Thomason
Mechanical Corporation is demonstrating how working with the right non-OEM contractor can save time and money.

34

SEPTEMBER 2004

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

nder mission-critical demands for 99%+ uptime,

many operators stick
with OEMs for maintaining and
refurbishing crucial operating
systems. Today, Edison Mission
Energy (EME) is successfully
using a non-OEM contractor,
Thomason Mechanical Corporation to refurbish and inspect
gas turbines in five of the nine
facilities in its California cogeneration fleet. For operations that
are responsible for generating
more than 1,400 MW, Thomason is demonstrating an effective, cost-conscious alternative to
support a full 48% of EMEs
California cogen capacity.
It is the first time in almost a
decade that EME has used a nonOEM for its major gas turbine
maintenance efforts. The programs success shows that operators of complex facilities can
achieve both effective results and
additional benefits from nonOEM contractors.

Starting Line-Up
Thomason brings wideranging experience to this project, having served the power
industry since 1975 in rotating
and reciprocating machinery
installation, maintenance and
overhaul. The company has been
working on industrial frame gas
turbines since the early 1990s. As
a non-OEM, Thomason focuses on lowering customers risks
during machinery maintenance
and setting high standards of
timeliness, quality, reliability,
safety and productivity.
The Thomason organization
is part of the Field Services unit of
Wood Group Gas Turbine Services, which has 2,000 employees
with in-depth knowledge in supporting operators of gas turbines,
steam turbines, generators and
other high-speed rotating equipment. Wood Group is recognized
worldwide as a leading independent gas turbine maintenance
provider.
PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Thomason has involved

additional Wood Group Field
Services resources to provide
both qualified field engineers and
work crews for the same project
or program. Wood Groups field
engineering expertise considerably expands TMCs traditional
capability: the provision of wellqualified union millwrights,
including all tools and labor.

Working with a
non-OEM for
field engineering, maintenance
and inspection
can be a lowrisk, high-gain
opportunity.
Bundling Outages
A leading independent power producer, EME has earned a
reputation as a responsible operator of environmentally sound
projects, and it takes its commitment to reliable energy production seriously.
When EME was evaluating
service contractors for the 2004
gas turbine maintenance programs at its California cogen
facilities, it set out some unusual
requirements. The proposal bundled the outages of five sites:
Kern River (300 MW), MidSet (38 MW), Salinas River
(38 MW), Sargent Canyon
(38 MW), and Sycamore (300
MW). EME is a 50% partner
Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

with ChevronTexaco in these

facilities; EME is the operations
and maintenance contractor.
The request for quote (RFQ)
required the provision of comprehensive technical direction,
craft supervision and labor and
tooling to complete the combustion inspections and major overhauls for the facilities General
Electric Frame 6B, 6B DLN, and
7EA DLN heavy industrial gas
turbines, all of which are natural
gas-fueled.
Additionally, EME wanted
the same third-party engineers
and supervisors throughout the
projecta key factor in ensuring
the reliability and quality of all
procedures, end to end.
The contract posed unique
challenges.
All outages at the five facilities were bid under the single
RFQ. It included the craft supervision, labor and tooling required
to perform this work, and also
the provision of technical direction. Experienced field engineers
and full-time, fully qualified craft
peopleon one team, under one
contractmight appear to be
difficult for a contractor, whether
OEM or not.
Since Thomason is part of
Wood Group, it was able to
respond to the RFQ and provide
all the services required. Over
and above the proven labor skills,
the contract and the work require
that field engineering always
have the necessary expertise and
experience. Wood Group field
engineers must be able to meet
EME expectations.
The competitively bid contract was awarded to Thomason
for the 2004 program that began
in January, and will continue
through November, when the
final combustion inspection is
conducted at Sycamores Unit 4.
This is the first time that EME
has contracted field engineers
from a third party other than the
OEM.

SEPTEMBER 2004

35

Vern Martin, P. Eng., FLOWCARE Engineering, Inc.

Analyzing Fan And Pump

Systems For Energy Savings
Youve been hearing about
energy assessmentsheres what its all about.
for the purpose of energy reduction. This is what you can expect
to happen when you call on
experts to help determine the
efficiency of these systemsand
provide recommendations for
feasible and cost-effective modifications that will lead to
improvements. Since each system
is unique, the following generalizations need to be carefully considered as applied to specific situations. Furthermore, at the conclusion of each phase, evaluation
of the information must be completed to determine if proceeding
further is warranted.

1. Prescreening
Consultant collects data for performance and efficiency testing as part of a
comprehensive energy assessment.

nergy efficiency is one of

the most pressing issues
facing industry today.
Some of the most visible targets
of efficiency campaigns are electric motors driving equipment
such as fans and pumps. Critical
to most plant and building operations, this equipment is also
among the most costly to keep
running.
In many plants, premium
products, designs and accessories
are being installed, yet the anticipated energy efficiency benefits
arent being captured. Sometimes
this becomes evident immediatelysometimes more gradually.
As there may be few observable
indications of reduced equip-

ment efficiency, operators often

are unaware that deficiencies and
degradations exist at all. To the
experienced eye, though, there
are a number of subtle tell-tale
signs that provide valuable clues.
Its difficult to really know
how efficiently fluid-handling
systems are performing without
conducting detailed testing. A
preliminary indication of inefficient operation is frequently the
existence of maintenance problems. This is similar to a sputtering car which has an obvious
maintenance problem and a
coincidental thirst for fuel.
As highlighted here, there
are four primary phases in the
identification, qualification and
study of a fan or pump system

30

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

SEPTEMBER 2004

Prescreening is used to
describe the activities required to
evaluate whether there actually is
an energy-saving opportunity
worth pursuing at a specific site.
During prescreening, the site is
not actually visited (typically, this
is the case, but theres no reason
not to visit the site). Therefore,
this step primarily concentrates
on non-technical issues. The type
of required information is usually obtainable through a phone
call. Other sources are also used
depending on availability, type of
company, etc. Typical information gathered and issues investigated are:

Types of products manufacturered and processes used

Age of plant and equipment
Sizes of motors and applications
PUMPS & SYSTEMS



Operating hours
Electrical rates
Utility program availability
Company financial viability
Future plans for plant
Payback criteria
Personnel technical knowledge and decisionmaking positions

2. Screening
For facilities that show promise after prescreening, a site visit is required. Screening refers to the
qualifying activities conducted during the visit to
the customers office and related inspection of the
equipment. In most cases, sufficient information
can be obtained to provide an initial approximation
of the energy-saving potential. The following functions and data gathering are required to obtain sufficient information to make a decision on whether
continued pursuitand further investigation and
study is warranted.

Technical information to define specific systems, ie. motor, sizes, driven equipment types,
other system componentry, equipment age and
condition, control, etc.
System classification, ie. fixed resistance, constant pressure, constant flow or fixed resistance
with constant static pressure requirement.
Operating information, ie. number of hours,
number of load points (as defined by the particular process parameters measured or production records), motor amperages, control parameters/set-points, etc.
Process and instrumentation diagrams, equipment specification sheets, performance curves,
etc.
Identification of system problems, ie. inadequate capacity, control, vibration, noise, excessive maintenance requirements, premature and
unscheduled equipment failures, etc.
Physical inspection of system from point where
fluid enters system to point where it is eventually dispelled. Note the following:






Damper/valve positions
Ductwork/piping and system design
System maintenance condition
Motor and driven quipment nameplate data
Leakage, blow-off, recir-culation modes or
other wasted flow opportunities

General customer information not obtained

during prescreening efforts (see Pre-screening
section for details).

PUMPS & SYSTEMS

Prioritization of issues critical to the site, ie. reliability, payback criteria, longevity requirements
(future plans), control, flexibility, process capacity, etc.

3. Audit
The audit is a technical review of a particular
system to establish the existing conditions, determine the energy-reduction opportunities and establish the optional methods that will achieve the energy savings. Typically, the audit uses all the information gathered during the Prescreening and
Screening phases. Sufficient additional detail may
also be required to compile the data into a suitable
report format. To prepare an audit report requires the
following:

Organization of information obtained during

Prescreening and Screening
Gathering of any additional information to
round out the auditors understanding of the
existing system. At this stage, system performance testing is typically not required,
although recording ammeters may be needed to
obtain an approximation of motor load and system load trend.
Preparation of an estimate of existing energy
usage based on the information obtained
Compilation of a list of inefficiencies noted
with the system(s), based on the information
obtained and estimate of the energy savings.
Since no test data is available at this stage, an
attempt should be made to establish the range
of the estimate.
Preparation of a list of options that will address
the inefficiencies noted. For each, an estimate of
the energy savings and, if possible, an approximate cost of the modification are provided.
Compilation of an audit report incorporating
all of the foregoing information. A comprehensive report would include the following:









Appropriate cover matter

Executive summary
Equipment and process description
Overview of current operating conditions
and modes
Description of inefficiencies noted
Description of energy reduction options
and electrical savings estimate for each
List of additional production and operational benefits (if applicable)
Scope of work for further testing and
analysis as would be conducted in a feasibility study

Special Supplement: Rotating Equipment

SEPTEMBER 2004

31