Case Study: Paper Mill in the Gulf Coast - Issue with High Water & Particulate in Steam Turbines

Problem: The paper mill is dependent on two steam turbines to provide the needed power for operations. Taking the turbines down for repairs will shut down the plant. Failing seals have produced extended periods of high water and particulate contamination. They have two Alfa Laval separators that are overwhelmed by the water. Additionally, the customer stated that the separators failed frequently and were unable to improve the high contamination levels. Each turbine’s lubricant is supplied by a reservoir containing 2000 gallons of Mobil DTE 732. Steam turbine OEMs specify an average turbine oil cleanliness level target of ISO 16/14/12 or an NAS 1638 cleanliness level 6.

Solution: Replace the TWO Alfa Laval units with ONE OFS 20 GPM VDOPS with a 5-micron, Beta 1000 filter element. The OFS vacuum dehydrator removes moisture & particles. The OFS vacuum dehydrator is running in continuous operation. They are pulling samples every 3-4 weeks and request an MPC test for identifying the potential for varnish. Below is the history of number 1 turbine oil and the performance of the OFS VDOPS (vacuum dehydrator). The OFS system is removing water & solids at a high enough rate to allow the mill to run while they schedule downtime for the needed repairs.

We have Water Removal, Varnish Removal, and Particulate Removal Systems that are readily available for planned outages and emergency upset conditions. Contact us today for more info:

info@oilfiltrationsystems.com

(830) 816-3332