Pumps and Compressors: Predictive Maintenance and Diagnostics

Introduction

Pumps and compressors are generally critical machines in any production process, and hence it is vital that maintenance is most effective for these units. This course aims to provide delegates with a comprehensive understanding of how to use a combined predictive and preventive maintenance approach to achieve maximum reliability and greatest understanding of any deterioration that may occur.

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will know

• About the design and construction of different pumps and compressors
• About different analytical approaches to understanding the failure of all types of pumps and compressors
• About the root causes of failure, and relates these to operating conditions and process parameters.
• About the design, installation, lubrication and wear-related failure mechanisms
• The troubleshooting and diagnostic methods needed to detect and identify these are developed.
• How to be effective in the inspection, monitoring, and diagnostics of pumps and compressors, with emphasis placed upon the importance of a combined condition monitoring and strip down inspection approach to maintenance.

Target Audience

• Engineers, supervisory and technical staff involved in the monitoring, predictive maintenance and diagnostics of pumps and compressors

Mechanical Engineering Outline

The course covers the following topics:

• Friction, lubrication and wear mechanisms
• Adhesive wear, abrasive wear, fatigue and fretting
• Machinery life cycles
• Mechanical issues, balancing, and alignment
• Statistical reliability analysis

• Reliability models
• The root cause of, symptoms and detection mechanisms for imbalance
• The root cause of, symptoms and detection mechanisms for looseness
• The root cause of, symptoms and detection mechanisms for misalignment
• The root cause of, symptoms and detection mechanisms for gear problems
• The root cause of, symptoms and detection mechanisms for bearing problems
• Cavitation, causes, and prevention

• Antifriction bearings: types, lifetime, mounting, applications, related problems
• Plain and pad bearings, thrust bearings: operation, maintenance, incidents
• Mechanical seals, types, operation, related problems
• Other seals for positive displacement pumps and reciprocating compressors
• Performing a balance

• Vibration monitoring
• Overall and spectral measurements
• Vibration limits
• Introduction to spectrum analysis
• Lubricant monitoring
• Shape, size, amount, the chemical composition of debris
• Analytical techniques

• The role of condition monitoring in pump and compressor maintenance Diagnostic methods
• Capabilities and limitations of condition monitoring, and the need for a combined approach
• The importance of plant inspection
• Measurement devices, and what to monitor and where