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Maintenance & Reliability

HP Reliability: Getting all the facts is more important than ever

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

An old friend once told me that even the thinnest pancake has two sides. He meant to say there are at least two sides to any argument and listening to only one will be a mistake. In harmony with this..

Case 49: Isolating foundations from machinery vibrating forces

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Vibration can be detrimental to nearby equipment

Extreme failure analysis: never again a repeat failure

Flint Hills Resources, L.P.: Bloch, K.

Apply root-cause failure analysis to recurring reliability problems

HP Reliability: Pump suction strainer issues

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Does your process piping have strainers located just upstream of the pump suction nozzles? Perhaps you are using them to protect pumps from unintended ingestion of tower packing, nuts, bolts and other..

HP Reliability: Unreliability, global procurement and you

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Allow us to suggest that you engage in a "reality check" on the subject of equipment unreliability, global procurement and your own role in the matter. Please examine, realistically and objectively, t..

HP Reliability: Modern blowers can be reliable

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

If you have ever had to struggle with unreliable blowers, you are not alone. Blowers are low-pressure machines with typical differential pressures of five to 20 psi (roughly 0.3 to 1.3 bar). Whether i..

Case 48: Troubleshooting a roller-bearing failure

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Life to failure and design life aren't the same thing

Developments in metal-seated valves for severe-service applications

Hemiwedge Valve Corp.: Allen, S.

The most recent design emphasis has been on protecting or removing the seats and seating members from direct impingement by particles in the flow stream

HP Reliability: Recognizing advantageous API seal flush plans

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

A feature article in the May 2008 issue of HP dealt with sealing issues of interest to industry.1 It explained the energy conservation and environmental benefits described in the API literature. The p..

Failure analysis of above-ground storage tank bottom plates

SABIC R&T: Babakr, A.  |  Bairamov, A.  |  Sonidah, M.

Here are the field performance assessments and remedial measures