Troubleshooting Rotating Machinery: Including Centrifugal Pumps and Compressors, Reciprocating Pumps and Compressors, Fans, Steam Turbines, Electric Motors, and More

Process machines are critical to the profitability of processes. Safe, efficient and reliable machines are required to maintain dependable manufacturing processes that can create saleable, on-spec product on time, and at the desired production rate. As the wards of process machinery, we wish to keep our equipment in serviceable condition.

One of the most challenging aspects of a machinery professional or operator's job is deciding whether an operating machine should be shut down due to a perceived problem or be allowed to keep operating. If he or she wrongly recommends a repair be conducted, the remaining useful machine life is wasted, but if he or she is right, they can save the organization from severe consequences, such as product releases, fires, costly secondary machine damage, etc. This economic balancing act is at the heart of all machinery assessments.

Troubleshooting is part science and part art. Simple troubleshooting tables or decision trees are rarely effective in solving complex, real-world machine problems. For this reason, the authors want to offer a novel way to attack machinery issues that can adversely affect the reliability and efficiency of your plant processes. The methodology presented in this book is not a rigid "cook book" approach but rather a flexible and dynamic process aimed at exploring process plant machines holistically, in order uncover the true nature the problem at hand.

Robert X. Perez has 30 years of rotating equipment experience in the petrochemical industry. He earned a BSME degree from Texas A&M University (College Station), a MSME degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas. Mr. Perez has recently published his sixth book titled, How to Select the Right Centrifugal Pump: A Brief Survey of Centrifugal Pump Selection Best Practices.

Andrew Conkey is currently a visiting Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. He earned a BSME from Texas A&I an MSME degree from Texas A&M University in Kingsville. He was awarded a PhD in Engineering from Texas A&M University in College Station, where his research included: A) The application of the FFPI to machinery measurements such roller bearing loading, gap measurement, and vibration measurements, and B) The development of material for freshmen engineering classes at Texas A&M. Dr. Conkey is active in ASME, ASEE, and the Vibration Institute.