Periodic vibration monitoring: Utility experience: Final report

This report presents results obtained from the cumulative experience of eight utilities which are conducting periodic, computer-based predictive maintenance (PM) programs at their fossil stations. These programs are utilizing a new generation of PM instrumentation that significantly reduces the cost of conducting a program while improving fault detection effectiveness. An overview ofhow these programs are being conducted is provided in this report, along with a summary of program results being achieved and associated cost/benefit data. One utility which tracked the actual costs of the maintenance performed and carefully estimated cost savings compiled a total program savings in 1986 of over $1 million by detecting over 100 impending failures. Finally, specific recommendations are presented for monitoring boiler feed pumps by using the information extracted from the machinery databases of the participating utilities and from the collective experiences of the authors. 15 refs., 14 figs., 12 tabs.