4 Equipment Storage Tips For Your Industrial Facility

If you run a factory or other industrial facility, you're probably familiar with the problem of not having enough space for all of your equipment. At any given time, you may have machines that need to be repaired, replacement machines, and replacement parts that aren't in use at the moment. With a large storage container that you can store onsite at your facility, you can easily solve your storage problems while still maintaining easy access to the items that you need. However, you will need to take some precautions to ensure that your equipment doesn't deteriorate while in storage. Here are a few tips that can help.

Pumps

Pumps that are used for scheduled furnace maintenance need to be assessed for performance before removing them from the metal bath. Look for vibration, poor pump rates, and uneven flow. If you notice any of these problems, the pump may need to have certain components replaced or repaired before storing. Once the pump is deenergized, you'll need to clean the molten metal. Your cleaning process will depend on what kind of metal the pump was sitting in. For example, molten aluminum will wet the graphite components of the pump and will need to be peeled away. However,  zinc will not wet the graphite components and you will just need to remove any buildup from the pump's base, riser, or posts.

Before storing, make sure that your pumps are well-lubricated with mineral oil. This will help prevent rusting. Finally, make sure to discharge all of the pump's block valves, cover the joints with lubricant, and cover the pump before leaving it in storage.

Turbines

To prepare a turbine for storage, first isolate it from the steam system. Seal all of the turbine's shaft openings with silicon rubber caulking material and cover them with tape. Fill the casing with a lubricant that contains a rust-preventative. You'll also need to fill the trip and throttle valve with oil.

Once you've prepared the inner part of the turbine for storage, you can get started preparing the outer parts. Coat all of the external surfaces, like cams, shafts, levers, and valve stems, with lubricant. Then fill the bearing housing with oil and coat the casing bolts with lubricant before covering the turbine with a cloth cover.

Centrifugal Compressors

Before you begin preparing a centrifugal compressor for storage at a place like Turner Leasing Co Inc, you'll need to purge the casing of all hydrocarbons. Next, flush out the internal portion of the compressor with a solvent to remove any heavy polymers trapped inside. After using nitrogen to pressurize the casting, you'll be ready to move on to your storage preparations.

Mix a rust preventative with oil, then circulate the oil through the compressor for an hour or so prior to storing. This will help ensure that the compressor's internal system won't rust while it's being stored. Then, seal up the shaft openings with rubber caulking. Fill oil console with mineral oil, and fill the compressor with nitrogen. Then turn off all of the machine's heat tracers. Finally, coat the outside of the machine with a thick layer of lubricant before storing.

Fans

Preparing large fans for storage is easier than it looks. Coat all of the coupling and external surfaces with lubricant. Spray a silicon based lubricant on the fan wheel. This will prevent the wheel from freezing and ensure that it moves easily when you remove the fan from storage later on. Then open the casing on the fan's low-point drain valve before leaving it in storage.

If your onsite storage container will be sitting on low ground, make sure that you bring in pallets for your equipment to sit on, rather than setting the machines on the floor of the storage container. This will protect your machines in case of a flood. With your machines properly prepared for storage, you'll easily be able to retrieve and use them when they're needed.

Share