Electricity and Control February 2020

PLANT MAINTENANCE, TEST + MEASUREMENT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Accurate thermal imaging supports efficient maintenance Leading an industrial maintenance team requires a combination of communication skills, industry knowledge and technical expertise. Implementing standard work and a preventive maintenance programme is more than just good for business – it also aligns the team with a common goal of keeping the plant up and running safely and efficiently. Choosing the right tools can make a significant difference in the success of such programmes. Comtest has introduced Fluke’s new Ti300+ infrared camera which helps maintenance teams to find issues before they actually become problems, thus reducing unexpected breakdowns and supporting efficient repair work. The Ti300+ has the resolution and accuracy needed to reveal temperature differentials clearly or demonstrate progressive heat changes over time. With LaserSharp™ AutoFocus the Ti300+ ensures focused images, every time. With the touch of a button, the built-in laser distance meter calculates and displays the distance to the designated target on the camera screen and takes the image in focus. Most importantly, temperature readings from in-focus images are highly accurate. Furthermore, the Ti300+ enables the team to get clear images with touchscreen simplicity, while maintaining a safer distance from operating equipment. Features include: - 320 x 240 resolution - Measures up to 650°C - Engineered and tested to withstand a 2-metre drop - Manual or automatic focus. UsedwithFlukeConnectdesktopsoftwareforconnectivity, the Ti300+ can generate professional reports in minutes, while efficiently capturing full radiometric data to support the maintenance programme. The software enables users to: - Edit and optimise images - Combine infrared and visible images for simpler analysis - Create detailed reports - Access thermal images from cloud storage - Organise and search images by asset, severity and title. Users need to know the equipment and understand the subtle difference between normal and abnormal operating temperatures so that they can recognise when the thermal images are illustrating that there is a variance. The Fluke Ti300+ thermal camera with LaserSharp AutoFocus makes it easy for users to capture accurate thermal images consistently and it is rugged enough to capture quality infrared images even if it gets dropped.

Fast-track repair on ArcelorMittal turbine generator A 40 MW turbine generator from ArcelorMittal’s Vanderbijl- park works was repaired by ACTOM Turbo Machines on a fast-track schedule. Emergency repairs were required after the generator broke down in October 2018, with damage including failed bearings on the generator train. ACTOM Turbo Machines, a division of ACTOM (Pty) Ltd, undertook to complete the work and have the generator back in operation by mid-December 2018. Demonstrating its high level of expertise as a mechanical repairer, ACTOM Turbo Machines first diagnosed all the elements that would require attention. All four bearings, as well as the rotor sealing elements, were found to be damaged. Other damage, which was unrelated to the October failure, was also discovered. Danie Bloem, ACTOM Turbo Machines’ Project Manager on the contract, says, “This involved a crack on the high- pressure (HP) gland section of the main steam casing.” Further unforeseen irregularities uncovered included a malfunction in the starting or auxiliary oil pump and an incorrect bolt clearance on one of the HP palms, probably due to faulty installation. “In addition to repairing the damaged bearings, we had to recondition a spare set of bearings that ArcelorMittal had in reserve,” Bloem adds. “The sealing segments were replaced with new ones manufactured at our Sasolburg works.” He notes that the process of repairing the crack in the main steam casing took the team five days, working around the clock. A high level of welding expertise was required here, as the casing is made of a special material. The repair of the starting oil pump was also completed fast, in just two days. This required the manufacture of a new shaft as well as the reconditioning of the mechanical seals. Bloem points out that once the generator was put back into operation, vibration testing confirmed that its performance had improved significantly. For more information contact Marthinusen & Coutts. Visit: www.mandc.co.za ACTOM Turbo Machines technicians (from left) Louis Claasen, Jacques Zandberg and Dehan Meyer prepare to work on the 19-tonne rotor of the 40 MW turbine generator, as a rigger guides it into position.

For more information contact Comtest. Tel: +27 (0)10 595 1821 email: sales@comtest.co.za

The Fluke Ti300+ thermal imaging camera makes it easy for users to capture reliably accurate images.

24 Electricity + Control

FEBRUARY 2020