Plant Engineering Miscellany

If you are involved in Plant Maintenance, Engineering, or Operations, here are some miscellaneous tips picked up over the years:

• Need to know if a gasket is really Viton®? Give it a sniff. If it smells like cinnamon, it’s Viton®!
• If grease is oozing out of the seals of a bearing, have a stern talk with your maintenance mechanic. He’s over-lubricated the bearing, and blown out the seals. The bearing should be replaced on the next down-turn.
• Speaking of seals, they have two purposes: to keep dirt and water out, and to keep the lubricant in.
• Wipe grease fittings clean before lubricating to prevent dirt from being forced through the fitting and into the bearing.
• Bearings must be kept clean. They should be stored in their factory-supplied containers until ready for use. If you are in the middle of an installation, and need to take a break, cover the bearing with a clean cloth to prevent dirt from contaminating the bearing. A side-grinder that your buddy is using across the shop can throw grit pretty far.
• If you are having trouble seeing into a narrow space, try an inspection mirror. You can shine a light into the mirror to illuminate the space in question.
• If you can hold your hand on a warm object for a count of ten, the object is about 125 deg F, plus-or-minus 5 deg F.
• Gate valves are NEVER to be used for throttling service. Use butterfly, globe, or ball valves.
• When throwing an electrical switch at an MCC, stand off to the side. Push on the handle with an open grip, and turn your face away from the switch.
• 750 GPM is a little over 1 million Gallons per Day.
• A cavitating pump really does sound like it’s pumping marbles. This is always due to poor suction conditions. Sometimes, it just can’t be helped (e.g. on a pump at the bottom of an evaporator. The temperatures are just too high). But keep in mind that it’s destroying your pump.
• Delta P alarms across filters are the best way to determine if a filter needs to be replaced. Some plants disable the alarms, or just as bad, remove or punch holes in the filters!
• Reverse flow through a standard basket or Y-strainer can collapse the screen. The screens are often very flimsy.