Yangzi Petrochemical promotes the use of oil mist lubrication systems for pumps
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At the beginning of July, Yangzi Petrochemical installed two additional oil mist lubrication systems in the light hydrocarbon pump area of Unit 3 of its refinery, as well as in Unit 2 for gas separation. By the beginning of August, Yangzi Petrochemical had a total of six such oil mist lubrication systems. These systems ensure the stable and long-term operation of the pumps, while also reducing lubricant consumption and maintenance costs. Zhu Wenbing, head of the Mechanical Equipment Section in the Mechanical Department of Yangzi Petrochemical, explained that an oil mist lubrication system uses compressed air to turn lubricating oil into fine oil particles suspended in the air. These oil mist particles are then delivered directly to various lubrication points through pipes, where they form a lubricating film on the surface of the components being lubricated, thereby achieving the purpose of lubrication. This system is widely used in groups of pumps and machinery that are installed together. Compared to other lubrication methods, oil mist lubrication has many unique advantages. The oil mist creates a slight positive pressure inside the pump’s bearing housing, preventing moisture and external contaminants from entering, thus keeping the bearings very clean and well-protected ； By using oil mist lubrication, it is possible to effectively reduce bearing temperatures, extend the service life of pumps, lower maintenance costs, and save on lubricant consumption. Pumps lubricated by an oil mist lubrication system can, under normal operating conditions, maintain stable operation for 6 to 8 hours even if the oil mist supply is interrupted for a short period of time. In 2012, Yangzi Petrochemical introduced an oil mist lubrication system for the No. 2 atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit in its refinery for the first time. Due to its good performance, the company began to promote the use of this lubrication system. To date, Yangzi Petrochemical has installed six oil mist lubrication systems in its refineries. Taking the oil mist lubrication system of Unit 2’s atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit as an example, Tian Zhifeng, the equipment supervisor of the catalytic cracking complex at Yangzi Petrochemical Refinery, explained the benefits of using this system. Firstly, the frequency of maintenance for mechanical pumps has decreased by approximately 85% ； The operational life of the bearings has been extended, and the temperature of the bearing housings has decreased by around 10°C on average. This solves completely the problem of high temperatures in the bearing housings of certain high-temperature equipment during hot seasons. By using an oil mist lubrication system, 40% less lubricating oil can be used each month. Furthermore, the use of oil mist lubrication reduces the workload on operators. In the absence of oil mist lubrication, to ensure the stable operation of the pumps, the workshop requires that field operators check the lubricant in the operating pumps daily, and replace it every Friday for all operating pumps. The lubricant in the standby pumps must also be replaced before switching pumps, which places a heavy workload on the operators ； Frequent inspections of lubricating oil lead to poor hygiene around the pump, affecting the appearance of the pump area. With oil mist lubrication, the operator only needs to check the bearing housing temperature, vibration, and the color of the condensed oil in the oil mist lubrication recovery tank on a daily basis, and to regularly collect the condensed oil.
More and more units are now using oil mist lubrication technology
Our organization started using it over 20 years ago, and now it is indeed very common.
Oil mist lubrication should be used in conjunction with an oil mist recovery system; otherwise, the presence of oil mist in the air can harm the health of operators
Oil mist recovery is crucial; everyone has concerns. Could any end-users share their experiences?
Imported from abroad, typically one set of refining and processing equipment is equipped with one oil mist lubrication system; instrument air is used instead of compressed air for atomization. This system is indeed good – all that’s needed is to purchase some stainless steel pipes, with a distributor provided for each pump.
The downside is that the environmental protection requirements are quite high; I’m aware that some companies experience negative impacts as a result of these environmental regulations
I disagree with this system. The entire system is in a gaseous state; the first issue is sealing. Furthermore, the oil mist leakage problem of the backup pump cannot be resolved. Since the bearing housing is under a slight positive pressure, when the pump is not running, leakage can occur from the shaft, leading to contamination. Over time, the area around the pump becomes oily and unsightly.
There is indeed such a problem; it always seems like there’s smoke filling the area…
Shijiazhuang Refining & Chemical: Bringing New Life to Old Facilities 2019-03-22 Source: Sinopec News Network, Petrochemical News. The Party branch of the First Oil Refining Operations Department at Shijiazhuang Refining & Chemical adheres to lean management principles and uses party building to support its core tasks; it has been awarded the title of Advanced Grassroots Party Branch at Shijiazhuang Refining & Chemical on multiple occasions, and in 2018 it was honored as an Advanced Grassroots Party Organization by the group company. With the implementation of the points system, innovation, excellence, and achievement have gradually become the conscious actions of Party members. To address the persistent problem of minor leaks in some pumps, the Party members in the equipment team organized technical efforts to modify the mechanical seals; by employing new technologies, they improved the operating conditions of these devices, thereby completely resolving the issue of seal leakage in the pumps. To address the issue of oil mist leakage from the oil mist lubrication system of the on-site pumps, six additional oil mist recovery systems were installed to ensure enclosed discharge and recovery, effectively solving the problem and yielding significant environmental benefits. During the annual HSSE inspection, the tidy and organized site environment of the facility, along with the use of new technologies, were frequently praised by the experts from the inspection team.