Maintenance Types
Preventative maintenance is defined as a defensive measure to reduce the equipment downtime and energy use. This allows the system to operate at maximum effectiveness. Effectiveness can be thought of as the capability of the system to operate at the desired condition when required.
If the process requires 100% capacity, but only 75% of the compressor capacity is available due to a breakdown, the system effectiveness is reduced. In other words, is your system capacity available when you need it? This is another way of viewing the reliability of the refrigeration system.
Predictive maintenance is an analytical tool that measures known data such as oil quality, vibration analysis, and engine room operating data. Over a period, the recorded data can be used to develop trends of operating parameters. These trends provide a detailed history of the system operation.
In some cases, the information recorded as predictive measures such as oil filter differential pressure or an increase in discharge pressure would indicate preventative maintenance is required.
This cycle can be considered as a circle. We record and use data to PREDICT the system operation. When the data begins to deviate from the suitable range of operation, we perform preventative maintenance to PREVENT the system from shutting down.
After the necessary corrections or repairs are made, the system is returned to the suitable range of operation, from which we start recording data once more. Our goal is to achieve 100% effectiveness of the system, which in turn indicates a more reliable system.
The main purpose of using predictive maintenance is to listen to the refrigeration system. All of the data recorded in the engine room operating logs, oil analysis charts, and periodic vibration tests, etc. is the refrigeration systems way of communicating its condition.
We can assist you in interpreting this information and developing guidelines to initiate a predictive maintenance program.
