Flushing to Remove Varnish and High Velocity Flushing at an Italian Refinery

Sicelub Ibérico was contracted to perform a major project at an Italian refinery. We worked on a lubrication system with 8,500 liters of oil that operates as a lubrication system for three turbo compressors, two of which also feature a seal system. Previous evaluations had determined the presence of varnish in the lubricant, which affected the reliability and availability of the equipment.

Therefore, a special procedure was designed to be carried out during a Scheduled Shutdown, which consisted of two phases.

In the first phase, an external solvent product was added, diluted to 10% in the lubricant, to increase the solubility of the mixture and, by high-temperature circulation through the system, to remove as much varnish as possible from pipes, heat exchangers, control system, etc. At the end of this phase, the reservoir was drained and cleaned, using a flushing oil to remove any remaining cleaning fluid from the system.

For the second phase, with bypasses already in place, a high velocity flushing was performed, as recommended by the new version of ASTM Standard D-6439, which states that a Reynolds number greater than 10,000 must be achieved for a successful flush. In this phase, oil analyses were performed, and as can be seen in the photographs, the oil level began with an ISO 22/21/17 code; in less than 48 hours, the reduction was achieved to ISO 17/14/10.

To better understand this reduction, it is noted that the particle count was reduced by a factor of 75 on average. In less than 48 hours, the particle count was 75 times lower, representing a significant increase in reliability for the lubricated equipment. Finally, a Thermojet Purification System was left operating to remove water, particles, and gases, a critical piece of equipment in terms of contamination levels.

We would like to say thanks to the personnel involved:

Marcelino Castejón, José Julián Gómez, and Aitor García.

For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us through our website www.sicelub.com or send an email to info@sicelub.com

 

/by

Chemical Cleaning and Hydraulic Flushing Service in Argentina

Our company, Lubritech Argentina, was recently awarded to perform an intervention on a Siemens SST 300 Steam Turbine at a power plant in northeast of Argentina.

Four technicians, coordinated by our Service Leader, Martín Videla, were deployed to perform chemical cleaning and high velocity oil flushing of the various lubrication, control, and lifting systems, as well as oil-side heat exchangers.

A preliminary pre-engineering stage was conducted to determine the cleaning fluids to be used; once these were selected, degreasing, acid cleaning, and neutralization activities were performed, followed by high velocity oil flushing. It is very important to note here that the new revision of the ASTM D6439 Flushing Standard is more restrictive regarding the Reynolds number to be achieved for turbulent flushing. The Reynolds number is required to be greater than 10,000, whereas previous versions of the standard stated it was 4,000.

We attach some photographs of the work team, as well as the system before and after cleaning. The work was carried out with safety, quality, and meeting the client’s expectations.

Lubritech Argentina thanks the plant team consisting of Videla Martin, Sebastian Romero, Facundo Segura, Marcos Herrera, and Rodrigo Coppiarolo.

If you have any questions or needs, please contact us through our website www.sicelub.com or by emailing info@sicelub.com, indicating your location and your needs. Please note that the Sicelub Lubritech Group has a presence in Latin America and Europe.

 

/by

Sicelub Ibérico SL obtains Sustainability certification in Spain

Recently, our company in Spain, Sicelub Ibérico, obtained a Sustainability certification; being among the 15% best in Spain in this regard. The result indicated that we were in the 86th percentile, which indicates an excellent value.

We would like to thank Leila Martí, who led the audit and certification process.

At the Sicelub Lubritech Group, and as part of Reladyne, we believe that Sustainability is a very important value to follow, since we are aware of the changes that occur in the world; and we do our part to reduce the amount of harmful waste, make efficient use of resources, and care for the Environment.

We also seek to improve our labor and human rights practices, along with Professional Ethics. You can see more information at: https://reladyne.com/es/company/sustainability-in-motion/

If you have any questions on this topic, or need for solutions in the field of lubrication, please contact us via our email info@sicelub.com

/by