A major Ethylene Plant consults AST Turbo to support in stabilizing the compressor operations.
The equipment suffered from serious speed instability on propylene compressor trains causing operational headaches and production bottle necks. Repeated troubleshooting activities by different organizations were not conclusive.
AST Turbo was called to the site and focused on a 360° troubleshooting approach. This structured approach determined a clear path forward within a short time.
The rotating equipment engineer summarized the situation: «AST Turbo was of great support in developing a structured and transparent solution to our longstanding operational issues».
The structured solution identified the steam turbine admission valve servo as the key element in need of attention.
The upgrade objectives by the customer were simple:
- Speed fluctuation less than +/- 5 rpm compared to the set-point speed
- No leaks
- No flexible hoses (API)
AST Turbo proposed a solution that – in medical terms – would be called «minimum invasive surgery». The concept was convincing in many ways:
> Proven components are retained
> Only problematic elements are removed and replaced by state of the art technology components
This solution supported a low system price and easy to manage implementation risks.
The design allowed a drop-in replacement retrofit.
> No welding
> No machining
> No flushing
> Minimal wiring changes
This resulted in a short and predictable shutdown window reducing the production losses to a minimum:
The upgraded servo was commissioned by AST Turbo engineers within shortest time. Continuous production resumed directly after the first start.
The rotating equipment engineer expressed his satisfaction after the successful implementation: «AST Turbo’s convincing solution was selected from four bidders. The concept outmatched the others by its simplicity and unbeatable economic aspects. AST Turbo promised a lot; they exceeded our expectations by far. The installation of the new components was simplest. The process of commissioning couldn’t have been easier. Last but not least, the speed control capability is much more accurate than what we asked for. Needless to mention that compressor operation is finally under control»
AST Turbo servo upgrade being installed
Speed control characteristic before and after AST Turbo servo upgrade
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