Development of a model for failure prediction on critical equipment in the petrochemical industry

In this study, a mathematical model was developed for failure prediction on critical equipment in petrochemical industry. The model utilized three principal measurements, namely: temperature, vibration and pressure, in developing a framework for determining expected failure periods for each component of the critical equipment. Validation of the model was done using data collected from Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, carbon black plant, Ekpan-Warri, Nigeria. Condition monitored data based on the three principal measurements were generated and used to determine expected failure periods for each component of the critical equipment (single-stage centrifugal compressor) in the plant. It was observed that for all the equipment under consideration, the life expectancy for blower casing is longest for all components, while that of gear and gear bearing is least. Hence, special attention should be focused on monitoring the condition of the gear and its bearing components. It was also observed from the plot trends that the deterioration rate of all components is affected by the equipment operating speed condition and functionality. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.