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    Repetitive Pump Seal Failure Can Cause Disasters

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    Repetitive Pump Seal Failure Can Cause Disasters

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    10 views1 page

    Repetitive Pump Seal Failure Can Cause Disasters

    Uploaded by

    saleh4060
    Repetitive Pump Seal Failure Can Cause Disasters

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 1
    HPIN RELIABILITY HEINZ P. BLOCH, RELIABILITY/EQUIPMENT EDITOR cn Repetitive pump seal failures can cause disasters Release No. 2004-08-I-NM (hup://www.csb.gov), issued in ‘October 2005 by the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investign- tion Board, addresses an ineidene at an oil refinery with « history of repeated pump failures. Located in New Mexico, this fcilin’s toralof three primary. electric and steam-diven spare iso-seripper recirculation pumps had 23 wark orders submitted (Table 1) for repair of seal-related problems or pump seiaures in the one-year petiod prior to a fire and explosion, The catastrophic incident occurred during disassembly on April 8, 2004 and caused over $13 million in damage. AC lest six people were injured and production at this alkylation unit was shut down for months. Lessons for those willing to learn. For many decades, truly reliability-Focused organizations have avoided repeat seal failures by insisting on understanding and eliminating failure ses. They realize that collecting only the generalized failure descriptions of Table 1 would be analogous toa trucking company cataloguing repeated nonperformanceas “engine problems” More detail would be needed to implement sound remedial action, The reliability-focused also realize that when a seal failure combines with one or more other deviations from the norm, disasters result. More specifically, they make it their business «0 ‘TABLE 1. Pump work orders Sequence / date <> pur olen 01. Api 17,2003 <> P-5A (Eke). Seal ak TZ Mf 9, 008 SS PS BAM oon PUMP Spraying fom seal — know what fi-for-service mechanical sels are available. But, of course, these components have to be properly installed and will tsually requite « pump-around circuit and dual seals, generically depicted in Fig. 1, that include a conservatively designed wide dlearance pumping sing ‘We should remind ourselves ofa key requirement of API 682/3rd Edition: Mechanical seals installed in refinery equipment should have a design life of 25,000 hours. Clearly, the mechanical seals in this particular installation fll far short ofthat requirement. Icishard to comprehend that an organization would tolerate 23 «costly pump interventions without insisting on solid answers and remedies long beforean inevitable catastrophic event occurs. Issues tno doubt sarc with inadequate experience duting the purchasing stage. Afier installation, it takes well-trained, motivated mechani- cal engineers to correctly diagnose seal failures and find the true tepeat failures, Don't employ the nonteachable and do develop an intense dislike for repeat failures. Be determined to reward manag, «rs and hourly employees who eradicate repeat pump failure. Finally, consider insticuting a new regime by valuing, develop- ing and promoting competent leaders instead of favoring chose who can fabricate a profit margin in che next quarter, Understand that house-of sand next-quarter profits are crumbling at random, ‘whereas house-of-brick organizations have few surprises and will keep standing. Unless the root cause is determined, there will be “The author is}? Equpment/telabity Edo. practong consulting engineer By BOT FA Ec) Refs We on skreaas y mpm ad attr or osres Terie 9, 705 & PB SIM Repo seal — nls Mt Bloch as uted a authowd 17 tatboks en ache) Way Emin Sheet apr seal~ _moroverentandove 70 paper or ares cing vith aed sets i tre 16,2003 > FHA Ec} ep al Trane 70,209 FSA Ec) = Fepaced sea t Be hay 3,208 S PSA ech Replaced ea 5 Aust 2, 2005 PSB Bim) mn Sea ak TO Aaget 25,2000 > PD Bi) Tepleced sea Tr September 25,2003 < PB tm. eplced eal 12 Seheber26 2001 FSA Elec Tepes 13. Ocober 142003 < PSA Elec} Sear Ta Deere 2007 = PSACEec) Teplced sel 15, Decor, 2003 <> PS Sm = Seal ea 16: Deonber 8 2003 PSA ech Seale TH December 15, 2003 <> PSB GUM ern nvnee RRC Seal TB December 152003 = PA Elec) : Seal leak 19-January 26,2004 = PSA Elec). Seal leak BO. Mrch 22, 008 = PR lee] rn SOOTEGK 2iApil 1, 2008 <> PSK (Ee) Purp sel eaking TE Ap 3.2008 25 PSR (Bochner Pump eel king BB. Api 7, 2008

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