John Crane seal maintenance program improves pump cost of ownership in German lignite fired Power Plant

A German power plant experienced premature wear and excessive seal corrosion in its boiler feed circuit and flue gas desulfurization slurry pumps. By upgrading the performance of the pump seals and implementing a high-performance seal maintenance, repair, and part stocking program, unplanned pump shutdowns were eliminated and mean time between repairs improved from 20 to 40 months.

A critical component necessary to restoring and maintaining the integrity of the plant’s pump seals was the establishment of a program for ongoing seal inspection, maintenance, repair, and part stock management. And it needed a 24×7 stocking program that would integrate with its existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. To facilitate organization and structure in this area, John Crane implemented its Performance Plus Reliability Program, called Interface, for management of the plant’s mechanical seals.

All failures from existing seals are now immediately sent to a nearby John Crane service center for 24×7 repair. Dedicated spare parts are available 24×7 as part of the product/stock standardization program. The mechanical seal service delivers new John Crane seals and seal components to the plant, eliminating delays, and inefficient and faulty repairs. Additionally, training was provided to onsite field engineers and operations personnel to reduce the risk of unplanned downtime and recurring issues in the future.

https://www.powermag.com/coal-power-plant-improves-pump-seal-performance/