While preventive maintenance plans for rotating machinery are widely available and documented, the necessity of similar plans for stationary equipment such as heat exchangers, furnaces, reactors, and vessels is often questioned. These stationary equipment are typically inspected during turnarounds, which occur every two years. What are the recommended best practices for maintaining stationary equipment? Should they be included in a Preventive Maintenance Program (PMP) or only receive maintenance when necessary? Share your insights on the optimal approach to managing stationary equipment maintenance.
I highly recommend implementing maintenance plans for all your equipment to ensure consistent and standardized work practices. By documenting CM work plans for specific equipment, you can assist system owners and technicians in addressing potential breakdowns, leading to improved reliability. For submersed electric heat exchangers, a megger test is a valuable tool for assessing element condition. Keeping detailed work plans also allows you to easily record data in your CMMS for future reference. In the event of an inspection by a regulatory agency, having a comprehensive CMMS system can be invaluable for showcasing your maintenance history and strategies.
Hello Yahoo, a large percentage of assets are included in the RBI (Risk-Based Inspection) Policy. This policy establishes guidelines for inspection and maintenance frequency based on the asset's condition, rather than having set time intervals for maintenance.
When it comes to stationary equipment like heat exchangers, furnaces, reactors, and vessels, regular maintenance plans are essential. While most of these equipment are inspected during turnarounds every two years, it is crucial to have a maintenance plan in place for ALL equipment. Pressure-containing and structurally-integral parts can be effectively analyzed using Risk-Based Inspection (RBI). However, other parts are prone to age-related failures such as wear, creep, corrosion, or fatigue. These issues are best addressed through regular inspections and maintenance activities. Remember, inspection is a key part of maintenance, and any necessary follow-up repairs should also be considered part of the maintenance process.
In stationary equipment maintenance, age-related failures such as wear, creep, corrosion, and fatigue are common issues that should be addressed proactively. It is recommended to conduct regular inspections to identify and address any potential issues. Some of the equipment that may require attention include boilers, furnaces, heat exchangers, ammonia and carbamate vessels, and other columns. For stationary equipment reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), it is important to refer to guidelines and best practices. While rotating equipment often uses metrics like MTTR and MTBF, RBI as per API standards is typically referenced for stationary equipment. However, RBI provides flexibility in inspection timing, primarily based on thickness criteria. Your input on this is appreciated.
In a previous conversation, Yahoo stated that they conduct inspections on pressure-containing equipment such as boilers, furnaces, heat exchangers, and vessels used for ammonia and carbamate. They mentioned that Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is applicable to these items. However, for equipment like hoppers and spray atomizers, age-related failure modes may be more prominent, making time-based schedules more suitable. If you're looking for guidelines on best practices for RCM of stationary equipment, some recommended resources include the UK HSE's Research report 3637, ASME's RBI Guideline, and API's RBI Resource Document. While there may not be textbooks specifically on this topic, RBI vendors like DNV and Veritas likely have proprietary documents available.
In my experience, including stationary equipment in a Preventive Maintenance Program (PMP) is absolutely necessary. Despite not being in constant motion like rotating machinery, they're subject to a variety of stresses such as thermal cycling, corrosion, and pressure that can lead to wear and tear over time. Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance activities can catch minor issues before they escalate into major problems, helping avoid costly emergency repairs or replacements. It's about spending a bit of time and resources now to save a lot later. While turnaround inspections are important, the two-year interval might allow potential issues to progress too far. An optimal approach could involve a more frequent, targeted inspection schedule specifically designed for stationary equipment.
I think it's definitely valuable to include stationary equipment in a Preventive Maintenance Program. While it's true that many of these units are inspected during turnarounds, a lot can happen in the space of two years. Regular preventive maintenance can help mitigate the risks associated with unexpected breakdowns, which can cause unplanned downtime and potential safety issues. Preventive measures don't necessarily need to be as rigorous or frequent as for rotating machinery, but periodic checks could pay dividends in the long run.
✅ Work Order Management
✅ Asset Tracking
✅ Preventive Maintenance
✅ Inspection Report
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Answer: 1. Why is preventive maintenance important for stationary equipment like heat exchangers, furnaces, reactors, and vessels? - Preventive maintenance helps to identify and address potential issues before they escalate, ensuring the reliability and efficiency of stationary equipment.
Answer: - Some recommended best practices include regular inspections, cleaning, lubrication, and testing to extend the lifespan and performance of stationary equipment.
Answer: - It is advisable to include stationary equipment in a Preventive Maintenance Program (PMP) to ensure consistent upkeep and proactive management of potential issues.
Answer: - Maintenance on stationary equipment should be performed regularly as per manufacturer recommendations, and additional inspections may be necessary depending on the specific operating conditions and usage.
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