Lead times for new equipment are long today. Supply chains are also not reliable. To keep operations running, petrochemical and refining plants order new pumps and motors a year or more before they need them. When the equipment arrives early, workers usually store it in an open field. There, it is open to weather and other harmful conditions. This can damage the equipment before it is even installed. So, correct storage of this standby equipment is very important. Good storage prevents early failure at start-up. It also helps to increase the mean time between failures (MTBF).
Oil Mist Technology – How it Works
Oil mist technology can protect new equipment while it waits for installation. Oil mist is a mix of air and oil. It is cool, dry, and free of contaminants. Workers apply oil mist to moving parts, such as bearings, to make them last longer. A generator combines the oil and the air in one central location. This generator makes very small particles. The small particles can travel long distances, up to 600 feet in any direction. When the mist reaches the bearing, it passes through a device called a “reclassifier.” The reclassifier turns the dry mist into a wet mist for lubrication. Some parts, such as the gears in a gearbox, still need an oil sump. For these parts, we use a method called “purge misting.” Oil mist can work with almost any pump or motor type.
Case Study – Oil Refinery, Northeast USA
Oil mist lubrication systems are useful in standby mode and during normal operation. Here is a real example. A refinery in Pennsylvania installed an oil mist lubrication system on a cooling tower. The system paid for itself in less than one year. Before the system, the cooling tower gearbox failed two times each year. Each failure cost $50,000 to repair. After the system, these failures stopped completely. The system also reduced the risk of an oil spill to zero. Water had been entering the gearbox and causing erosion, rust, and sludge. The oil mist system stopped this water contamination.
Conclusion
The best-in-class facilities know the value of oil mist lubrication. These facilities have high equipment reliability and high profits. They add oil mist lubrication to their routine maintenance program. They apply it to all machines, whether running or in storage. Without oil mist, facilities must rely on just-in-time repairs. Over time, this lets equipment rust and decay.