5.3 Failure Analysis

Nova Scotia Power is a vertically-integrated utility which owns, operates and maintains the majority of its power production facilities. Facilities include thermal steam units (coal, oil and gas-fired), combustion turbines (oil and gas fired), hydro, tidal, wind and biomass.  The age and complexity of the power production facilities and equipment ranges from 90+ years for some Hydro stations, 40+ years in some steam turbines, 40+ for many combustion turbines and as new as 1 year old with respect to our wind turbines. Join Erin as she focuses on how Nova Scotia Power's RCA programs and approach integrates into its other asset management processes. Participants will gain insight into why this integration is a critical piece of the program versus execution of RCAs themselves.

​Fully understanding the maintenance and reliability strengths and weaknesses within a facility can be a huge undertaking.  Traditionally, a study to understand reliability is performed by either calculating, tracking, and comparing key performance indicators, or through a qualitative approach, observing compliance with best practices of maintenance and reliability activities to determine perceived strengths and weaknesses. Both approaches have downsides.  In this session, participants will learn about a more effective and repeatable reliability assessment that includes a quantitative assessment using plant CMMS work history to develop trends, key performance indicators, and comparisons that will either validate or invalidate strengths and weaknesses as determined in a qualitative assessment with plant personnel.  See how the ability to reliably gather and assess historical CMMS data will depend on determining a set of requirements or data signatures which can be used to validate strengths and weaknesses.  Additionally, the quantitative cost information can be effectively used to justify projects, programs, and personnel required to improve maintenance and reliability activities. Learn how a reliability assessment can most efficiently and effectively be administered in this way; the use of a qualitative assessment to better focus a quantitative analysis provides the best combination of overall understanding from personnel with the accuracy and reliability of historical data. 

Reliability is a powerful concept that applied properly makes the difference between success and failure of installations, processes and systems; nevertheless, reliability does not need to be difficult, complex and overwhelming. Quite the opposite: reliability applications  are more likely to succeed if they are easily understood by the different levels of the organization from trades to CEO. This is achieved by explaining reliability concepts easily understood by everyone within the organization.The general objective of the workshop is to provide theory and practical guidelines to the audience for identifying and addressing reliability issues that are impacting the productivity and profitability the assets they are responsible for.The workshop will provide basic knowledge and understanding regarding the tools and methodologies available within the reliability discipline, for the design, analysis and implementation of equipment strategies to systematically improve the performance of assets.At the end of the training the assistants will be able to:- Understand the current Reliability Engineering terminology- Understand and apply reliability concepts at all levels of the organization- Understand and overcome the typical reliability paradigms- Collect the adequate data and calculate basic maintenance and reliability Metrics- Understand the different reliability methodologies and the right application framework for each one- Combine different reliability methodologies to create an effective reliability program- Understand the role that Reliability Engineering plays within the Asset Management FrameworkThe workshop is specifically designed for current or future reliability engineers, maintenance supervisors and planners with maintenance, engineering and/or operations background that desire to be involved in improving reliability, availability and maintainability of assets through the application of modern reliability methodologies and tools.

Vibration condition monitoring programs play an important role in an organization's rotating equipment reliability and maintenance strategy.  While organizations may be in different stages of establishing their program, there are some common things to implement in order to get the greatest benefit from any program.  This workshop focusses on starting your program off on the right foot.  The workshop will use case histories to outline reasonable expectations, current vibration technology, and specific vibration standards for various industries.In addition to starting off on the right foot the success of a vibration condition monitoring program will depend on maintaining momentum.  This workshop will finish by addressing areas within the participants program where they can focus on improving the long term reliability of their assets instead of simply finding failures.

In early 2014 a large Canadian owned mine approached Toyo looking for input on reducing down time and operating costs at one of their primary slurry feed stations.  Existing slurry pumps were lasting three weeks. Annual operating costs exceeded $400,000 on this one pumping application. This session shares Toyo's assessment methodology and the resulting custom built pump with a patent applied for pressurized sealing system. The pump was put on trial and ran for 26 weeks - an 800 % improvement in operating time and estimated annual operating costs reduced by a factor of six. Learn more about how the pressurized seal system helps ensure clean oil across the mechanical seal faces extending pump life and maintenance requirements dramatically. 

The evolution of Preventive Maintenance (PM) is based on analyzing equipment operating conditions, its criticality to production and maintenance cost. In this case study, participants will see the journey starts with setting safe PM schedule and parts stock to sustain production. Then root causes of failures are analysed, and plans for improvement are launched. Learn how plans-in-action should be supported by motivating everyone to the expected achievement. Ahmed will share that implementation is not the end of journey - it is where we need to evaluate whether we landed on the right solution from all aspects. He will also show that sometimes, touch ups are needed. Participants will see the real journey of RajhiSteel, started with a greenfield mini mill 8 years ago. See real examples of doing more than PM in the harsh environment of steel melting Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) and its specific equipment as Water Cooled Cables (WCC).

Over the last few years at Toronto Pearson Airport there has been a significant increase in the number of travellers and subsequently a number of new retail food establishments have been added to cater and meet the demand. This session will highlight the challenges of this growth and the increased strain it put on the airport's mechanical systems infrastructure causing service interruptions which affected travellers, tenants and internal operations. In this session participants will see the process Toronto Pearson underwent to assess and diagnose the problems using a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) model, and how we developed and implemented solutions.  Participants will see that the reliability initiative was not only able to identify and assist us with technology improvements but helped Toronto Pearson develop new internal standards which have propelled us to a new phase in "water sustainability". Toronto Pearson was the first airport in North America to receive the ISO 14001 certification. These initiatives will help us to meet our commitments to the environment and sustainability into the future.

Nova Scotia Power owns, operates and maintains the majority of its power production. This is in the form of thermal steam units, combustion turbines, hydro, tidal, wind and biomass. The age and complexity of the power production facilities and equipment ranges from 90 years in some hydro stations, 40 years in some steam turbines, 40 for many combustion turbines  and as new as 3 months old in our wind turbines. Like any business, the stakeholders expect cost efficient and reliable electricity supply. Technical people expect to understand the risks, operators and maintainers expect safe and trustworthy equipment.  A need to run leaner and more profitably is a challenge that a strong asset management program can support. This presentation will highlight NSPI's approach to building an asset management program in our power generation fleet. We consciously chose innovative technologies and techniques to get results and avoid the pitfalls when following the process "by the book". Finally participants will discuss what we learned along the way and will discuss how to improve as we move forward in the never ending journey of asset management.

Based on past experiences where over 50% of mechanical failures on Toronto Transit subway rail vehicles were related to misapplication of fasteners, this presentation is an overview of training currently provided to rail mechanics. Beginning with an explanation on application of fasteners emphasizing terminology, preload, elastic elongation and friction/lubricant, it follows with a review of experiences over the past 20 years and the resultant current best practices with respect to control of quality, hardened washers, mechanical top locknuts, lubricated installations, fatigue failures, etc. The presentation includes demonstrations using a Skidmore Wilhelm bolt tensioning machine that dramatically shows effect of lubricant on preload.

The Sheerness Generating Station, a large power plant, has process and machine health data feeding into the DCS and plant historian database continuously from thousands of field sensing elements. This session is a case study of project at the plant that utilized ‘cloud’ technology to stream data about plant performance and initial equipment failures not yet notified by the Alarm Management System, to technical experts, who analyzed the information and communicated the findings back to the plant for further troubleshooting, validation and correction. The session will describe the data security and connectivity issues, the communication protocols and the benefits observed. If you are considering changes in the collection, analysis, and reporting of your own plant performance and equipment health, this session will be useful.