Bloch, Heinz P.
Heinz P. Bloch resides in Montgomery, Texas. He retired as Exxon Chemical’s Regional Machinery Specialist for the U.S. and has authored or co-written more than 780 publications, among them 23 comprehensive books on practical machinery management, failure analysis, failure avoidance, compressors, steam turbines, pumps, oil mist lubrication and optimized lubrication for industry. Mr. Bloch holds BS and MS degrees (cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the Newark College of Engineering (NCE). He is one of 10 inaugural inductees into NCE’s Hall of Fame, which honors its most distinguished alumni.
HP Reliability: Gain more flexibility with special liners for reciprocating compressor cylinders
By changing only the crank-end head, piston and rod assembly, the same cylinder body can be mounted on any of the common 5-in. to 7-in. stroke compressor frames that have been manufactured in the last five decades.
Consider both actual and virtual spare parts inventory
Globally, hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) facilities operate hundreds of thousands of fluid machinery assets. The various service-specific internal components of these assets are supported by ma..
HP Reliability: Manage your time constructively
We often view ourselves as very efficient reliability implementers. Yet, as professional engineers, we take action to save time, accomplish more and reduce stress by applying better time-management sk..
Select the right shaft-riding brushes for turbomachinery
Since the mid-1950s, much progress has been accomplished in the development, design and production of shaft-riding brushes for turbomachinery applications. The machinery includes steam and gas turbine..
HP Reliability: Fact-checking list from recent reliability conferences
Whenever HP editors attend technical conferences, their primary goals include observing industry practices, finding facts and spotting trends. Fact or fictionUnfortunately, presenters sometimes relate..
HP Reliability: How the best lubricant provides added value
In November 2012, a highly competent lubrication engineer and I met again at the ExxonMobil Maintenance and Productivity Improvement Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. We talked about the small, but pes..
HP Reliability: Top three ways to improve pump service life
Experienced reliability professionals know that even the premier equipment standards used in the HPI occasionally fall short of defining the best, most reliable, or safest available technology.
Update on wet and gas compressor seals
Shaft seals keep compressed gas from leaking out. The need for leak prevention may include process economy, safety and environmental protection. Moreover, the process gas will usually have to be kept ..
HP Reliability: TAMU Turbo and Pump symposiums still leading
Beginning in 1971, the Turbomachinery Laboratory of Texas A&M University (TAMU) organized the first of now 41 consecutive annual turbomachinery symposiums, now known as the TAMU Turbo. In 1984, Texas ..
HP Reliability: Upgrade the design of vertical, multistage centrifugal pumps in low-temperature services
The overall mechanical design of most API-style vertical-column pumps (Fig. 1) comes close to meeting the expectations of modern pump users. Such pumps are often equipped with self oil-lubricated bear..
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