Air supply equipment maintenance

Air fans, blowers, compressors, and eductors must be monitored for vibration, change in sound, hot spots, lack of lubrication, and wear. Insist that inlet screens, filters, and silencers be kept in proper position, tightly, and that they be cleaned regularly with a nonflammable cleaning compound. 

Inlet vane controls should be inspected for linkage or bearing looseness, and adjusted or replaced before they cause more trouble. The minimum air flow should be reset to 10% of maximum to proteet recuperators and any other air-cooled devices. 

Inlet vane controls on blowers and fans should be checked for looseness of linkages and bearings, and corrected or replaced before they cause more trouble. Make sure that inlet screens, filters, and silencers are in place, tight, and cleaned. Do not use any flammable cleaning compound. 

Flexible connectors need constant observation to check for separations. They are designed to prevent transmission of vibration, but they themselves are not immune to vibration problems. Watch for tears, wear spots, and separations. Replace with less severe bends, or reposition equipment to minimize misalignment. Make sure that all pipe fitters and installers know that flexible connectors are not to be used instead of pipe fittings. Their only purposes are to absorb vibrations and to correct for minor misalignment. 

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