Enhancing Equipment Reliability through High Hot Velocity Oil Flushing – 5 tips

Equipment reliability addresses the risk of failure in equipment and processes, focusing on equipment availability, suitability for purpose, and cost.

Dependability strategies and methods help maximize the equipment’s value throughout its lifespan and function. 

To limit the risk and effect of equipment failure, reliability, and maintenance policies are established. 

From a management standpoint, dependability is a collection of practices used alongside an attitude of expecting unreliability (instability) and respect for proactive problem resolution 

Reliable equipment increases the possibility of performing reliable operations and, as a result, increases the availability of vital therapies to patients globally.

This article guides you through methods to systematically and proactively enhance equipment reliability in hydraulic systems at all phases of the equipment’s lifespan.  

During the commissioning and startup of turbomachinery or industrial hydraulic systems, it’s crucial to adhere to practices for flushing or cleaning lubricating oil pipes. 

Failure to do so can have disastrous consequences. Most Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and reliability specialists advocate for and demand a high-velocity oil flush (HVOF), also known as a hot oil flush or high-speed oil flush, to remove these impurities. 

What is a High-Velocity Oil Flush?

Firms specializing in High-Velocity Oil Flushing use high-flow filtration skids and, sometimes, oil warmers to manually clean the inner surfaces of lubricating oil pipelines. 

High-velocity oil flush is a reliability service conducted without potentially hazardous chemicals or water, commonly used in chemical cleaning and hydro-blasting. 

Ordinary onboard pumps produce a laminar flow that is insufficient for removing particles left behind during the manufacturing and pipe construction processes. 

If these particles accumulate in the pipe system, they can get dislodged and harm bearings and other essential system components. 

Though various methods exist for eliminating particles from the inner walls of lubricating oil pipelines, such as hydro-blasting and chemical cleaning, the most conservative approach to removing contamination before starting is a high-velocity oil flush, compliant with API 614 

Reasons Behind the Practice of High-Speed Oil Flushing

• Recent Additions to the Infrastructure
• Preventative Maintenance
• Contamination (Visible Particulate)
• A change of oil, often known as the replacement of old lubricating oil has become discolored or scored.
• Too much wear on the bearings
• Activation of the sticky control.
• Catastrophes

5 Tips for a High-Velocity Oil Flush

Clean Up the Debris That Was Left Behind After the Manufacturing and Fabrication of Pipes

It is common to encounter various types of debris when flushing a turbine, compressor, or hydraulic oil piping system. 

These materials could be remnants from welders, pipefitters, or in worst-case scenarios, individuals with malicious intent. Whatever the case, the presence of this debris is not a good sign.

The following are some examples of objects that are frequently discovered during a high-velocity oil flush:

• Rocks
• Welding Slag
• Paper for Insoluble Sludge Absorption
• Gasket Materials

Filter Oil to Meet the OEM ISO 4406 Cleanliness Specifications

In nearly 80 percent of cases, failures in rotating equipment can be traced back to particle-induced wear. 

Even though the primary objective of a high-velocity oil flush is to clean the inside surface of the pipe, a good flush can only be finished by first ensuring that the fluid in question is free of contaminants. 

After the cleanliness of the pipe has been checked using 100-mesh paddle screens, a high-efficiency filter element is used to filter the oil to remove particles until it satisfies the OEM’s requirements for ISO 4406 fluid cleanliness. This process continues until the oil is clean enough to be utilized.

Cleanse the Reservoir to Get Rid of the Heavy Contamination

Although a lubricating oil reservoir serves as a collection point for significant pollutants that settle at the bottom, it is crucial to eliminate all contamination before operating a newly installed turbine or changing the oil in an existing system. 

In most cases, squeegees, industrial vacuums, and lint-free cloths are the tools for cleaning a lubricating oil reservoir once an oil flush has been completed successfully. 

A high-velocity oil flush will frequently cause many heavy pollutants to gather at the base of a lubricating oil reservoir. This is because of the high velocity with which the oil is flushed.

Comparison of Turbulence and Laminar Flow

One of the most prominent arguments against executing a high-velocity oil flush is that onboard pumps may be utilized to test the cleanliness of pipes in conjunction with either outside filtration or onboard filtration. 

The turbulence created by high-velocity pumps during an HVOF distinguishes it from an onboard flush, which is performed using low-velocity pumps. 

Flushing Specifications That Meet Or Exceed OEM

The producers of rotating equipment often advise customers to implement an API 614–compliant high-velocity oil flushing strategy. 

Some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), such as Solar® Turbines ES2184, even publish their oil flushing standards to assist installers and end-users. 

Since the final verification of the pipe’s cleanliness lies with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), it’s essential to initiate the development of a flushing strategy in consultation with the OEM’s field representative.

Conclusion

To fulfill the OEM oil system cleanliness criteria, the industry’s optimum approach is high-velocity oil flushing. 

The procedure efficiently eliminates impurities from fluid systems by utilizing auxiliary pumps and jumpers to get around system constraints imposed by a lubrication system.

A turn-key solution, High-Velocity Oil Flushing is supervised by competent project managers knowledgeable with steam and combustion turbines, compressors, engines, and hydraulics. 

The modular flushing skids now available are capable of both high pressure and low flow, as well as low pressure and high flow.  They offer individualized flush packages and configurations to satisfy a specification’s requirements and clean-up systems quickly.