refining india 2024
How to increase compressor reliability: Combine digital maintenance and AI-based monitoring
Gunther Machu and Magnus Terner HOERBIGER
Over the past decades, the reliability and performance of key components such as valves, rings, and packings for reciprocat- ing compressors has improved significantly. It is not uncommon, for instance, for valves to run for 16,000-32,000 hours without a failure. In many cases, this increase in com- ponent reliability translates into higher com- pressor uptime and availability. This extra uptime is beneficial to operations and pro- duction, as well as for scheduling repair and maintenance activities. The improvements have led to a situation where operators can, in principle, now run their machines for sev- eral years without stopping. There is limited insight, however, on the health, performance, and remaining use- ful life of these components while the com- pressor is in operation. Because of this lack of transparency, most operators, still stick to scheduled maintenance, mostly follow- ing the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) recommendations. They are, there- fore, unable to reap the full benefits of reliability, efficiency, and extended main- tenance intervals made possible by the improved components. For maintenance departments, replac- ing and repairing compressor components such as valves, packings, and cylinder rings is a necessity – and often a costly major intervention. The parts cost money to buy and store, and they can be hard to keep track of accurately. At best, they need to be replaced at scheduled maintenance inter- vals. At worst, they fail unexpectedly and cause downtime. Research by the European Forum for Reciprocating Compressors (EFRC) suggests that the most critical parts that fail on a reciprocating compressor include valves, packings, piston rings, and rider bands ( Figure 1 ). Valves are projected to have a criticality that is 3.3 times higher than the criticality of a crankshaft. To improve the reliability of a compres- sor, it therefore makes sense to focus on these components first, managing them intelligently and learning as much as possi-
helps operators proactively manage their reciprocating compressor spare parts inventory and maintenance processes. The system also provides important insights to help identify problems or ‘bad actor’ com- ponents more quickly and, hence, reduce compressor downtime. The foundation of this offering is the serialisation of every component ( Figure 2 ). Serialisation offers several important benefits. It enables the system to connect parts with compressor configurations, thus helping to guide the maintenance crew that is working on the compressor. It also collects data on where the parts have been used and for how long. This information is used to present key per- formance indicators to maintenance and reliability departments ( Figure 3 ). Customers of Hoerbiger in the natu- ral and process gas markets across North America have deployed VISTRA for large reciprocating compressor fleets. Since the first onboarding in 2020, there are pres- ently close to 1,000 units in the system, with more than 32,000 serialised compo- nents being tracked last year. Customers report positive effects on stockholding: it is easier to find the right parts, but also to handle issues like obso- lescence and installing the right parts con- figured for a particular unit. Additionally, tracking and collecting data around the repair of parts helps operators identify trou- blemakers and act swiftly. By analysing the data and looking at the mean time between repairs (MTBR) over different time periods, the system helps users take action by mak- ing informed decisions. Benefits of a digital repair process VISTRA offers multiple benefits for end users. It can eliminate maintenance errors, provide full transparency on inventory and fleet status, facilitate ordering of spare parts, and eliminate maintenance delays. The system helps end users shorten repair times, maximise uptime, and save money by tracking down the exact parts when needed. It also presents key perfor- mance indicators (KPIs) such as MTBR, even down to the component level. Across the industry, there is a common understanding that digitalisation for maintenance activities is not only important but essential for successful business operations
Pressure packing Compressor valves
Cylinder lube system Rider bands Piston rings O -design process conditions
Unloaders
Instrumentation
Bearings
Piping
Frame lube system
Piston rod
Cylinder coolant system
Motor/gearbox
Other Crankshaft Frame and running gear Foundation
1
2
3
4
5
1 = not often, 5 = very often, n=46
Figure 1 European Forum for Reciprocating Compressors, Reliability Study 2019
Figure 2 Serialisation of components
italisation for maintenance activities is not only important but essential for successful business operations in the long run.
ble from their operational history. In today’s world, that means a fully digital approach to tracking components in service: recording details of their performance, carrying out maintenance, repairing and refurbishing components, and managing spares inven- tory and unit and component history. The activities extend into using the component know-how and live data combined with arti- ficial intelligence (AI) to make predictions about the future performance and failures of named components. Across the industry, there is a common understanding that dig-
Digital management of repair and maintenance
Managing parts intelligently is key to increasing the efficiency of maintenance activities. Hoerbiger has developed a digi- tal solution called VISTRA that streamlines the repair process and supports compres- sor maintenance activities. VISTRA is a cloud-based system that
Figure 3 Data can be collected showing where the parts have been used and for how long to assist maintenance and reliability departments
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