MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE

Mechanical Maintenance deals with the maintenance of all machineries, vessels, heat
exchangers, piping system etc. Basic work area of maintenance is related to maintenance and
monitoring of:

1. Static equipments (such as: plugging ,corrosion, erosion, leakage etc of vessels,
separators, heat exchangers, agitators, condensers, boilers, reactors, reformers etc)
2. Rotating equipments (such as: Pumps, steam turbines, fans, blowers, compressors
etc, rotating equipments need more monitoring and maintenance)
3. Piping network and relevant components (such as: pipes, valves, safety devices,
fittings, gaskets etc)
4. Various workshop activities (Fabrication, Welding, Insulation ,Refractory, Mobile
equipment shop for all types of automobiles and cranes)

Close monitoring and inspection are required to identify any problem with machinery functions
especially when it has passed a certain lifetime. Unusual vibration, noise, temperature etc are the
main indicators of malfunctioning of equipment and should be taken care of immediately. The
common machinery malfunctions are:
Unbalance (Mass, Hydraulic and Electrical)
Bend rotor/Shaft Bow
Resonance (rotor system, foundation, structural and system components)
Misalignment (cold as well as Hot condition)
Loose rotating parts
Soft foot
Casing distortion
Fluid-induced vibration (whirl and whip)
Sympathetic vibration
Excessive/insufficient bearing clearance

 Rubbing
Crack in shaft
Defective rolling element bearings
Defective gear box
Torn belt
Cavitations
Vane pass frequency
Insufficient flow/surging/Stalling

ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE

Electrical maintenance: For power generation for plant and also for housing colony in total 4
turbines are present in KAFCO. The larger two turbines have the capacity of 10 MW power
generations each, though total 14 MW is required and utilized. These are steam driven and the
smaller two of 4 MW and 1 MW used for emergency and for start up respectively are driven by
diesel motors. The electrical maintenance dept monitor and maintain these power generation
devices and quickly solve the problems regarding the distribution of electricity before any hazard
occurs.
For the safety and maintenance of the electrical equipments two important devices are used
generally:
1. Governor which controls the speed of the rotating shaft of the turbine.
2. Automatic Voltage Regulator

In case of emergency shut down or any serious problem with the plant the load shedding system
is then operated on priority basis by Electrical Load Management System (ELMS). The whole
plant and housing colony are divided in 8 units. And during emergency load shedding the less
important unit is cut out first.

CIVIL MAINTENANCE

Civil Maintenance: The civil maintenance dept. becomes active when it is decided to construct
a structure for any new vessel, for rebuilding the outdated and risky structures and especially
during the time of natural catastrophe or disasters.

Instrumentation Maintenance: This department deals with the problems with all pressure,
temperature, flow and level transmitters. There is a distributed control system (DCS) for
controlling all these transmitters. The Flow and level transmitters also indicate them by
converting them in terms of pressure.
Flow P, where orifice meters measure pressure drop and at both sides of the orifice impulse
lines are connected. The transmitters are mostly Electronic or Pneumatic. The electronic
transmitters are also said to be the smart transmitters, which transmit the process value, and if the
values deviate from the set point: for positive deviation direct action taken and for negative
deviation reverse action is taken. The following diagram can describe this process:

Figure 24: Control Loop with common four elements

Now all the problem regarding these instruments specially the valves are maintained and closely
monitored by this dept. in the plant mainly safety- relief valves are used. In only 2 places rupture
disks are installed to prevent hazardous explosions of the equipments.

There are other classifications of maintenance works done in KAFCO and many other developed
and modern plants in the world according to the time and priority of the work. Basic
maintenance activities can be classified as follows:

1. Predictive Maintenance: It deals with the trend analysis, close monitoring of potential
problems etc. This kind of maintenance work is done specially for sophisticated and costly
equipments. To save equipments from probable malfunctioning, or from any future hazards
predictive maintenance works are done before something really happens. These type of
maintenance work save huge equipment costs that would have been required for replacing or
mending equipment when it is already damaged.

2. Preventive Maintenance: It deals with condition monitoring, greasing, L/O change, Cleaning
etc. This is also done to prevent undesired condition or interruption in production process and to
protect the equipments thus the whole process from disastrous occurrence and unwanted shut
down. This is also done to reduce the loss of production from sudden turndown.

3. Corrective Maintenance: Corrective maintenance work is the general form of maintenance

that is usually understood by the word maintenance i.e. identifying and repairing or
reconstruction of damaged units upon complete shutdown of the unit. This type of maintenance
work involves huge cost normally which are tried to be avoided by the above two maintenance
works that could be done by smaller efforts in terms of money also by keeping that part off from
the running process.

With time maintenance techniques are changing. And they can be represented as different
generations of maintenance techniques. Such as:
1st generation: Fix it when it broke.
2nd generation: Scheduled overhauls, systems for planning and controlling work etc
3rd generation: with modern and new techniques such as:
Condition monitoring
Design for reliability and maintainability

 Hazard studies
Small, fast computers to control the system and calculate the desired values quickly
Failure modes and effects analyses
Expert systems
Multiskilling and teamwork
In KAFCO most of the 3rd generation techniques are adopted thats why it is said to be very well
maintained and safe plant.

The steps that have to be followed to do maintenance job in KAFCO

1. At first a work permit has to be created by the respective department where maintenance
work is required. It has to be signed by the supervisor in duty in the production
department
2. Then it is passed on to the related maintenance department and
3. Then to the safety department.
4. Being reviewed and approved by all above steps the work permit is delivered to the
workers. And before starting the job they have a tool talk, about the whole environment,
hazards and the required works to be done about it.
5. Then the work is commenced and the work permit is valid for a shift only. In the next
shift another work permit has to be created.

As all these safety measures are taken during a maintenance work KAFCO has become
acknowledged as well maintained and less hazardous plant though it handles lots of harmful
chemicals at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature.

QUALITY CONTROL

Quality control is required to increase quality of something by analysis. Certified chemical

reagents are used. Global passport of international market is quality analysis. The goal of this
type of analysis is customer satisfaction.

The qualities or parameters that are to be controlledpH: More than 7 is maintained

Conductivity: Materials having high conductivity have lower reactivity and moves faster.
Turbidity: If SiO2 is present in the water or in steam then it may deposit on turbine blade.
Hardness: Tested for regeneration purpose
Iron (Fe): If corrosion or scaling takes place then it can be detected .Samples are collected from
different part and source of this unwanted material can be identified.
Chloride (Cl-): High amount can cause corrosion and less than the desired amount raise a
possibility of bacteria and un-oxidized Mn2+.

Equipments for quality controlling:

Gas Chromatographer (GC): It is used to analyze process gas and raw gas (natural
gas). 10 components in natural gas are analyzed which are argon(Ar), nitrogen(N2),
methane(CH4), carbon monoxide(CO), carbon dioxide(CO2 ) and higher hydrocarbons up
to n-heptane. These qualities are tested twice a month and are reported to technical
department and also to the Bakhrabad Gas Company by quality control (QC) department
of KAFCO.
Flame Ionization Detector (FID): FID detects the amount of CO.CO2 in methanator.
Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD): If concentration of CO2 and
Spectrophotometer: It is used to analyze oil.
Furnace: To heat up or burn something up to 800-10000C . CO is so low that FID cannot
detect it then it is used.
Oven: Used to remove H2O from SiO2 gel.

 Fume chamber: If sample consists of hazardous fume then it is used.

Viscosity bath: Viscosity bath analyzes the quality of UF-85, lube oil etc.
Corrosion coupon: Used to measure corrosion.

INSPECTION SECTION

The Inspection section which is concerned with the properties, production, and purification of
metals is called metallurgy.

Types of metallurgical inspection

Online metallurgical inspection (Visual and non-destructive)
Offline metallurgical inspection (Both destructive and non-destructive)

The following tools are used for on-line and off-line (shut down) metallurgical inspection

Metallurgical microscope

Metallographic (Surface preparation) equipment

Replica making equipment

Hardness tester

Thickness meter

Depth gauze

Alloy analyzer

Other destructive testing equipment with the help of BUET

Activities of Metallurgical inspection in KAFCO

Metallurgical inspection of different metallurgical equipments and their structural
function and properties and decision making according to these equipments' longevity
and performance.
To analysis of different metallurgical or material failures and provide expert advice in
need of replacement and rectification.
To determine the future metallurgical inspection, planning & recommendation for repair
and replacement of different static equipment.
To perform the RISK BASED INSPECTION (RBI) activities from the metallurgical

point of view in the ammonia plant.

To check the quality of welders for any new project, repair works and select the qualified
welders and their welding from metallurgical point of view.
To check the quality and composition of incoming material of different parts of the
equipment.
To organize different nondestructive metallurgical inspection such as Metallographic &
replica analysis.
Online corrosion monitoring of pressure vessel, tanks, heat exchangers and piping such
as for painting, atmospheric corrosion, structural stress and weldments for external stress
corrosion cracking of Stainless steel.
Thickness monitoring for piping & equipment, cladding & overlay welds by ultrasonic
Thickness meter.
Hardness monitoring; pre-weld and post-weld hardness monitoring of weld and heat
affected zone.
Replica analysis of Boiler Super heater tubes, Boiler Water Tubes, Boiler Bank Tubes,
Economizer Tubes and Steam Header, Primary Reformer catalyst tubes, Convection coils
to assess the remaining life.

Benefits of Metallurgical inspection

Metallurgical inspection is mainly responsible for determining the relationship between
mechanical behavior and structure (both macroscopic and microscopic). When mechanical
behavior is understood in terms of Metallurgical structure, it can be possible to improve the
mechanical properties or to control them.
CODES AND STANDARDS

The following codes and standards has followed in KAFCO for different pressure vessel,
reactors, reformers, heat exchangers and piping according to different -

Equipments

Codes and standards

Pressure Vessels
(a) Design, Fabrication

ASME VIII Div. 1

and Inspection

or Div. 2 or
AD-Merkblatter

(b) Material

ASTM, JIS, DIN and/or

material of MFR's
country of origin

(c) Welding Procedure

ASME Section IX

Qualification

or AD-Merkblatter

(d) Welder and Welding

ASME Section IX

Operator Qualification

or AD-Merkblatter

(e) Technique of Non Destructive Testing

ASME Section V
or AD-Merkblatter

(f) Flanges

ANSI B16.5

(g) Trays

ASME VIII Div. 1

Heat Exchangers
(a) Design, Fabrication and Inspection

ASME VIII Div.1 or Div.2

Or AD-markblatter TEMA class-B

(b) Material

ASTM, JIS, DIN and/or material of

MFR's country of origin

(c) Welding Procedure Qualification

ASME Section IX or AD-Merkblatter

(d) Welder and Welding Operator

ASME,Section IX

Qualification

or"tD-Merkblatter

(e) Technique of Non-Destructive Testing

ASME Section V
or AD-Merkblatter

(f) Flanges

ANSI B16.5

(g) Air Coolers

ASME VIII Div. 1 and API 661

(h) Double Pipe or Multi-Tube

ASME VIII Div. 1,

and MFR's Standard;

(i) Steam Condensers

HEI

Storage Tanks
(a) Design, Fabrication and Erection

API 620 or API 650

(b) Material

ASTM, JIS, DIN and/or

material of MFR's
country of origin

(c) Tank Venting

API STD 2000

Civil Works
(a) Concrete Design and Construction

ACI

(b) Design Load

ANSI or UBC

(d) Test Method

ASTM

(e) Material

Locally available
material and/or others

Piping
(a) Design

ANSI B31.1, B31.3

816.5, ASME, API, MSS

(b) Material

ASTM, JIS, DIN and/or

material of MFR's

country of origin
(c) Pressure Piping Flange

ANSI B16.5 (except for

lens ring gasket)

e) Valve (face-to-face

ANSI or MSS

dimension)

Fired Heaters
(a) design of pressure parts

API RP 530 (except for

Reformer Cat Tubes)

(b) Material

ASTM, JIS or others of

MFRs country of origin

Package boilers
(a) Design

ASME

(b) Material

ASTM, BS or others of
MFRs country of origin

Cooling tower
(a) Design

CTI

(b) Material

JIS or MFRs standards

Fire fighting
(a) Design

NEPA

(b) Material

Material of MFRs country of origin

The following defines abbreviations used to designate codes and standardsALMA

American Gear Manufacturers Association

ASME -

American Society Mechanical Engineers

ASTM -

American Society for Testing Materials

ANSI -

American National Standard Institute

API

American Petroleum Institute

ASA

American Standards Association

ACI

American Concrete Institute

Al

The Asphalt Institute

AISC

American Institute of Steel Construction

AGA

American Gas Association

ASHVE

American Association of Heating and Ventilating engineers

ASHRAE

American Association of Heating Refrigeration and Air conditioning Engineers

CTI

Cooling Tower Institute

CEMA

Conveying Equipment Manufacturers Association

DN

Deutche Normen

JIS

Japanese Industrial Standard

JCS

Japanese Cable Makers' Association

SJEC

Standard of Japanese Electrical Committee

HEI

Heat Exchanger Institute

IEC

International Electrical Code

ISO

International Standards Organization

ISA

Instrument Society of America

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

MSS

Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valves and Fittings Industry

NEMA

National Electrical Manufacturer Association

NEC

National Electrical Code

NFPA
OSHA

National Fire Protection Association

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PCA

Portland Cement Association.

SSPC

Steel Structures Painting Council

TEMA

Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association

CONCLUSION

KAFCO is one of the leading Chemical plants in Bangladesh and we are lucky enough that we
get an opportunity to have an industrial attachment in KAFCO. This tour helped us to enrich our
knowledge about industrial operations and to have a comparative view of our theoretical studies
with the practical field of chemical engineering. But we only had a visual idea about the unit
operations and chemical processes as it is quite difficult to know the ins and outs of the whole
process. It will be more effective if the duration of the tour can be extended for a month or twice
in the four years undergraduate course. It will be helpful if we can get a chance to have a look on
the internal parts of some equipment like Turbines, Compressors and Pumps. It will be possible
if the duration of the tour is extensive.