7 Oil Flushing Myths

 Lubricants are like the blood of a machine. If not taken care of properly may lead to some serious damage. There are many activities carried out for Lubrication Reliability and Contamination Control such as oil condition monitoring, oil filtration, and oil flushing.

Oil Flushing is one of those important activities that is carried out during various stages such as pre-commissioning, commissioning, and scheduled/preventive maintenance. This activity is mainly carried out in Oil & Gas and petrochemical industries. 

It plays an important role in the smooth and reliable operations of machines. Not only does it remove contamination such as varnish, sludge, and dirt from equipment but also avoids unplanned shutdown. 

Although, there have been many myths around oil flushing due to which this activity is often overlooked. Let’s take a look at such myths one by one.

1 Oil Flushing is only considered as a Pre Commissioning activity 

For a very long time, Oil Flushing is only considered as a Pre Commissioning activity and hence is ignored in preceding stages of the Plant's life cycle.

Whereas the truth is that Oil Flushing is equally important in the Shutdown, Turnaround, and Scheduled maintenance stage as cleaning/flushing contaminants from the system and pipelines are equally important for Lubrication Reliability.

Neglecting Oil Flushing in these stages might end up in clogged pipelines and premature breakdowns of equipment which results in high maintenance and repair cost.

Take a look at our Oil Flushing Systems.

2 Oil Flushing Flow Rate is NOT decided based on the largest diameter...

Here is how it's decided !!

Flushing of pipes will be more effective when the velocity of flow of the fluid in the pipeline is more. The minimum fluid velocity required for flushing is based on a fluid velocity corresponding to a Reynolds No. of 4000 and above in order to get turbulent flow.

Based on the velocity obtained, the minimum flow rate required to flush the system is calculated as below:

Q = A x V x 6000

Where,

Q = Flow Rate in lpm (litres per minute)

A = Area of the Pipe Bore in m2

V= Velocity of the pipe in m/s

Viscosity and temperature of the flushing oil play a pivotal role in deciding the flow rate required for flushing. An ideal flushing oil should have low viscosity and high specific gravity.

Our experts have successfully completed Oil Flushing jobs around the globe with zero accidents being reported.

3 Efficient Oil Flushing needs Turbulence. Turbulence depends on Velocity, not Pressure !!

Many times word Flushing is confused with the high-pressure flow of liquid. We need to understand that high-pressure flow without turbulence will leave the dirt and contaminants stuck on the interior walls of a pipeline or system.

For efficient Flushing, Turbulence is required. Turbulent flow ensures the removal of Dirt and Contaminants from the inner surface of pipelines and systems.

The confusion sometimes ends up in Inadequate flushing which leads to several problems in the future. These problems range anywhere from clogged pipelines to mechanical breakdowns, shooting up the maintenance and repair costs.

Learn how Oil Flushing works. 

4 Attaining and Generating Reports won't guarantee Lubrication Reliability.. but the following WILL !!

The ISO 1638 or ISO 4406 report concerning the level of contamination in Fluid depicts cleanliness that is desired as a post-Oil Flushing result but Oil FLushing is not performed just to generate these reports.

Oil Flushing is performed to clear pipelines and systems from any form of existing contaminants such as debris, welding spatters, storage rusting, and dust.

If these contaminants still exist in the system and pipeline the fluid's contamination level is expected to increase even after the generation of ISO reports.

We at Minimac provide customized and most efficient Lubrication Reliability solutions for your Plant. Our experts have successfully completed Oil Flushing jobs around the globe with zero accidents reported.

Connect with us TODAY: https://lnkd.in/dte2kU

5 Rotary Equipment is flushed and tested by OEM but what about the interconnecting pipelines fabricated onsite??

It's true that Rotary Equipment like Turbines are flushed clean and tested by OEM so they don't require Flushing at Pre-commissioning or Start-up stage.

However, Pipeline fabricated on-site has debris, welding spatters, storage rusting, and dust. This factor is generally overlooked. To remove these bad elements Oil Flushing is very Important before Commissioning.

Failure in doing so would contaminate lubricants and might even clog the pipeline resulting in premature Mechanical Breakdown.

We at Minimac have been spreading awareness about Oil Flushing's importance.

6. High-Velocity Oil Flushing is Expensive???

Not if you choose the right way!!

High-Velocity Oil Flushing costing a large chunk of money has been the most common myth around but in reality, it depends on various important aspects.

We have these 3 options which get the job done at a much lesser cost. Don't let your plant have downtime anymore.

1) Rent it out

2) If you own an HVO Flushing equipment already, hire Expertise Manpower for the job

3) One time or Annual Contracts

These options save on the cost of owning and maintaining Oil Flushing Equipment when they are not frequently used and still get your job done.

Understand the technology in detail - https://lnkd.in/dBuiwdh

Click here and learn how improper storage of equipment and poor flushing can cause a disturbance in machine operation.

7. High-Velocity Flushing Can Damage Pipeline??

A big NO. Just like excess of anything is bad for health, the excessive flow rate is bad for your pipeline. Vice versa, the Inadequate flow rate proves to be inefficient in removing the dirt, debris, and varnish.

While performing High-Velocity Oil Flushing, assessing the required flow rate is very important. An excessive flow rate can damage the pipeline. Different flow rates are required for different pipelines depending upon their size and structure.

Skilled manpower is equally important for the job. The combination of the right flow rate and skilled manpower ensures successful and efficient High-Velocity Flushing for Lubrication Systems.

We at Minimac have performed many such High-Velocity Flushing jobs across the globe with no spillage or accidents recorded on site.

Did you overlook such important facts in the past and experienced major production loss? Reach out to us >> https://www.minimacsystems.com/contact-us and we will offer you the best solution by studying your pain points.