Condition Monitoring of Units and Machines

Plant-operating personnel shall regularly check the conditions at which the equipments are actoally operated and the actoal load on various drive motors for the process units and machinery. The observed values shall be always compared with maximum limits permitted with design values/specified by manufacturer. 

However, a programme shall be in place to regularly monitor the physical operating conditions of the units. If any high noise levels, abnormal surface tem-peramres, or strange smells are noticed, their source shall be traced immediately and 

Thermograph cameras shall be used to check surface temperatures of furnaces, hot ducts, steam-heated units, electrical contacts, etc. High temperatures indicate some damage to internal refractory of the furnace and damage to thermal insulation and loose electrical contacts. 

Senior plant engineers shall make an exhaustive list of more such observations to be made for their plant. Plant operators shall bring to the notice of senior engineers any abnormal conditions. 

This will enable early detection of any likely damage of the plant equipments which may ultimately result in a breakdown. Since this can lead to an accident, environmental pollution, deterioration in product quality, or damage to plant equipment corrective action shall be taken at the earliest. The process units may be operated at reduced load (and examined thoroughly from view glasses) if it is not possible to rectify the cause immediately. This is to check any false alarm or any undue panic. 

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