Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/147079
Calumet The Calumet refinery in Superior, Wis., processes 35,000 barrels of sweet and sour crude oil from Canada and the Dakotas. Approximately 160 employees work at this site, where the finished products include a variety of specialty fuels and asphalts. With eight different lubricant suppliers, including one that was less than a mile from the facility, the refinery took a hard look at its lubrication program in order to reduce the number of oils purchased and determine how the entire system could be simplified. The lube room was unorganized with drums, cans, pumps, buckets and funnels. Labeling for the type of lubricant wasn't clear, which created numerous errors of the wrong lubricant being placed in machines. Pumps were pulled from one drum and placed into another, while containers were interchanged without labels or lids. In taking steps to consolidate and organize, the refinery switched from buckets and funnels to color-coded, labeled and contained dispensers. Other improvements were made using stackable poly tanks, breathers, vent lines, bull's-eye sight glasses, oil level indicators, dedicated lubrication systems and lube oil metering systems. Calumet also purchased a number of metal safety cabinets to store needed lubricants near the machinery. The cabinets are steam-heated and kept clean and organized. The right lube is now handy when it's needed. As part of the changes, Calumet provided best-practices awareness training for maintenance and operations personnel. Many superintendents and managers attended the classes as well. Following the training, an equipment and reliability lubrication technician position was created. The pump mechanic who was promoted into this position became responsible for closely monitoring equipment for the correct lubrication, expanding the current preventative maintenance program, coordinating the oil analysis program, working closely with the vibration analysis contractor, maintaining the oil storage facility, monitoring inventories and developing a close working relationship with operators. The operations and maintenance departments have appreciated all of these changes. Mistakes have greatly decreased, and the wrong lubricant is no longer put into compressors, pumps or gearboxes. While it hasn't yet achieved world-class lubrication, the Calumet Superior refinery knows it's on the right path. AFTER BEFORE Before improvements were made, the Calumet lube room was unorganized with drums, cans, pumps, buckets and funnels. The new lube room incorporates stackable poly tanks and color-coded, labeled and contained dispensers. Cloud Peak Energy The lube room at Cloud Peak Energy's Spring Creek mine near Decker, Mont., began as an old electrical motor-control-center trailer. Although the trailer was well-insulated and sealed, a location had to be chosen that would be centrally located yet separate from washdown and processing. Once the old electrical components were removed, the lube room was equipped with a fire-suppression system and a new heating/ air-conditioning unit for climate control. The floor was then painted with a chemical-resistant, anti-slip coating. Sealed hazardous environment lighting and a new door with a window were also added. Concrete was poured around the lube room, and concrete heating was installed on the loading dock. The completed loading dock features a handrail and a jib crane that allows lubricants to be loaded and unloaded in and out of the lube room. Portable oil totes were modified so lubricants could be moved to remote locations via overhead/vehicle-mounted cranes. An audit of the mine's lubricants determined that it could consolidate down to eight separate lubricants. Eight 65-gallon containers were then purchased to be utilized as makeup oil reservoirs. Additional 65-gallon containers are used for larger lubricant requirements. A portable cart is employed for each oil type. Filtration units were also mounted for all of the mine's reservoirs. The lube dispenser was equipped with a custom stainlesssteel drip tray. The system is designed to continually filter oil in the top "makeup" oil reservoir. During the lubrication audit, the number of greases was consolidated to six types. Containers were purchased to store all grease on hand. Reducing the stock on hand helps guarantee that grease is circulated more frequently, decreasing bleed and separation. A work order ensures that grease is restocked weekly. All "plant-wide" grease guns were disposed of, and a new grease gun was designated for each type of grease. These are the www.machinerylubrication.com | July - August 2013 35