Freezer test prooves its worth !!

[Shannow]

We're trying to get the power station back into operation after a 13 week outage.

Last Friday, the operating staff reported a fan (2500 horsepower), which had foam running out of one of the bearing housing breathers.

I told the workshop that they'd put the wrong oil in , as it looked honey rather than red (these fans need a Castrol synthetic, which is died red). Smelled like diff oil.

They showed quality assurance documentation that the right oil went in. The red colour had disappeared due to a "bearing problem"

A couple hours in the freezer, and the oil went to the consistency of petroleum jelly at room temp. PP on my suspect oil (ISO 320 gear oil) was -3C. The syn (ISO 150) was -45C.

Conclusion...
In some applications, the freezer test is well worth the cost of the test process.

 

[Brons2]

I would have cussed at them some for their reticence and obviously incorrect documentation.

 

[Shannow]

Nah, wouldn't have worked.

They are an internal maintenance service provider, who (despite a single customer) works for profit.

Us idiot in engineering get zero support from our management. Once got invoiced 8 hours trades, and 8 hours non-trades labour to change a single 2" gate valve at the end of an air system drain.

Proved that it could be done in about 15 minutes (plus anothjer half hour to turn over the paperwork), took a stand and was left high and dry by management, who after two hours of phone calls (with these management types getting $100/hour) directed me to pay the bill.

Then I was told that I'd overspent my busget.

It's better to show the troops that if they take shortcuts that you can work it out, than go political, and end up looking like a fool.

At least where I work.

 

[John K]

Sounds like a very difficult work situation. The part where you are told to pay the bill and then hit with 'you are over budget' sounds like it is straight from Dilbert. Don't know if Dilbert is popular down under?

At any rate, seems like you have the right attitude. (I was a ChE at a 2400MW power station for 24 yrs.)
Keep up the good work!

 

[Shannow]

JohnK,
you'd not believe how appropriate Dilbert is where I work. At my performance appraisals, I am constantly getting chipped about the number of Dilbert cartoons etc that end up on the notice boards. All entirely appropriate to the current work situation 'though.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Man, these Aussies are about to enter summer, the lucky SOBs.

 

[sprintman]

It's not all good news. Bushfires are apon us already. Got to 37.8C last week but thankfully here in the ACT it's 3000 ft above sea level and minimal humidity. At least we get four distint seasons here unlike say Darwin where you have the wet and then the dry. Not for me thanks!

 

[Shannow]

sprintman,
it didn't make the media, but there's a ministerial enquiry into last Wednesday taking place.

The retail price of electricity hit VOLL (upper limit) due to the heat, and plant outages. There were some hours where the retailers were buying electricity for $100 per kilowatt hour...you and I buy it for around 13c, and our generating price is about 3c.

Can anyone say California ?