Maintenance Contract
at Fertilizer Plant
PETER A. BLOK
JORIS RINGELBERG
SULZER TURBOMACHINERY SERVICES
Since 1995, Sulzer Repco B.V. (a Sulzer Turbomachinery Services company) is responsible for
the maintenance of all production-critical rotating
equipment of a major German fertilizer producer.
Equipment upgrades and spare parts manufacturing are included in the activities. At present,
the relationship is formatted around a two-year
renewable unit rate contract and has proven to be
beneficial for both parties.
In the midst of the nineteen
nineties, the operators of a
German fertilizer plant faced major problems in maintenance planning and execution to their production-critical rotating equipment. Co-ordination and interfacing between the different OEMs,
service companies and the inhouse technical department was
far from optimal. It was decided to
outsource maintenance responsibility to one company. Maintenance planning was kept in-house,
as well as the day-to-day activities.
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The target of the complete exercise
was to reduce the amount of transactional activities and to create a
situation in which there was a single point of contact with respect to
rotating equipment maintenance
for the operator.
Maintenance Contract after
Successful Turnaround
As a first step to a more formal relationship, it was understood that
experience and confidence in a
working relationship and a trust
between customer and Sulzer Rep-
SULZER TECHNICAL REVIEW 2/2002
co was eminent. As a prelude to
the contract, in 1995 a complete
turnaround was awarded to Sulzer Repco. This turnaround met the
customers expectations. Further
development of the relationship
was a logical next step. After extensive discussions with the customer, it was agreed that a contract
with fixed prices for predefined
activities (unit rates) was appropriate. Benefits for the customer of
the selected format were increased
turnaround efficiency and predictable costs. Based on all equipment manuals and a plant survey,
Sulzer Repco built up all work
scopes and prices. As part of the
contract, Sulzer Repco established
maintenance records of the equipment in order to chart the maintenance history and use this information to optimize future maintenance activities. The unit rates
contract for the first two-year period was awarded in 1998.
The production facility consists of
two plants with identical equipment. In both plants the equipment covered by the unit rate
contract is one 13-MW steam-turbine-driven air compressor train
(Fig. 1), one 13-MW steam-turbinedriven ammonia compressor train
and one 35-MW steam-turbinedriven synthese gas compressor
1 This air compressor train is situated in a German
fertilizer plant
where Sulzer Repco
is responsible for
the maintenance of
production-critical
rotating equipment.
SULZER TECHNICAL REVIEW 2/2002
2 Detail of the
35-MW steam
turbine rotor
driving a synthese gas compressor train.
train (Fig. 2). For the two plants
one complete set of spare rotors is
available. Plant shutdowns are
scheduled every two years in a
way that at least 50% of the production capacity can be maintained.
Tight Timeframe Met
Starting 1995, every year in close
co-operation with the customer
Sulzer Repco performed all scheduled maintenance to the equipment covered by this unit rates
contract. Due to the tight timeframe activity planning, preparation and execution are always considered to be critical.
The 2001 turnaround was planned
for a six-week period and covered
amongst others a complete shop
overhaul for the two 13-MW steam
turbines in the Netherlands
(Fig. 3). This included renewal of
all labyrinths and the replacement
of the last four stages of the stationary blades as well as an on-site
overhaul to the ammonia compressors including a rotor change
and a dry-gas seal renewal. As part
of the rotor change, on one rotor
two wheels had to be repositioned.
The turnaround also included a
bearing inspection to the 35-MW
steam turbine. It appeared that the
axial travel was out of its limits.
After opening up the turbine, a
damaged stuffing box was located.
Within the given 6-week timeframe, a new stuffing box had to
be manufactured and installed.
Furthermore, the turbine labyrinths were renewed. At completion of the overhaul, the plant
could be started without problems.
Several Upgrades Implemented
Parallel to the normal maintenance
activities, upgrades in order to realize increased equipment efficiency or higher production output are
within the scope of the contract.
During the course of the contract,
Sulzer Repco successfully realized
several upgrades to the plant
equipment.
The first upgrade was implemented on the main air compressor. A
demand for higher production resulted in an effort to increase the
output of this compressor. Reduction of the relatively high sealing
clearances increased the throughput of this machine. Abradable
seals with a reduced clearance
were installed. The result was a
9.8% increase of efficiency. One
year later, this upgrade was implemented on the second plant as
well.
The improved output of the air
compressor and, again, a demand
for more production made the second upgrade, to the steam turbine,
necessary. Adjusting the steam
3 After a complete shop overhaul,
this 13-MW steam turbine is
assembled and final checked.
turbines condensing point, the
replacement of the last four stages
of stationary blades and the installation of oversized labyrinths
brought the required result.
A third upgrade was implemented
on the barrel type synthese gas
compressors. In the original design, these compressors were
equipped with riveted impellers.
Inspection revealed that these impellers showed aging marks. Together with sister company Sulzer
Hickham, La Porte, Texas, new
welded impellers were reverseengineered, manufactured and in-
stalled during the scheduled maintenance (Fig. 4). This process had
to be speeded up after one of the
old impellers exploded during operation and caused a crash of the
whole synthese gas train. The rotors with the new welded impellers provide the expected performance characteristics.
Added Value to the Customers
Business
Over the last six years, Sulzer Repco invested in the relationship
with the customer. The framework
of this unit rates contract provides
clear advantages such as transparent cost calculations, predictable
maintenance budgets, shortened
overhaul times and less transactional activities.
Given the fact that plant availability for production as well as the
production capacity itself have increased and maintenance activities
always have been performed in
line with the customers expectations, this unit rate contract has
proven to add value to the customers business.
CONTACT
Sulzer Repco B.V.
Joris Ringelberg
Moezelweg 190
NL-3198 LS Europoort Rt.
The Netherlands
Phone +31 (0)181-282 052
Fax
+31 (0)181-282 002
E-mail [email protected]
4 In co-operation with Sulzer
Hickham, Sulzer Repco manufactured and installed new welded impellers to this high-pressure
synthese gas compressor.
SULZER TECHNICAL REVIEW 2/2002
