Contributor: Sulzer
One of the first steps in many repair and overhaul projects is to remove any corrosion and old coatings to reveal the true condition of the base material. Customers can now take advantage of specialized blast equipment that has been acquired by Sulzer to improve the efficiency of repair projects, even for large pieces of equipment, such as turbine rotors.
As a leading independent global maintenance specialist, Sulzer is renowned for delivering rapid repairs to a wide variety of rotating machinery including gas and steam turbines, compressors, generators, motors and pumps. All this equipment is subjected to continuous corrosion and erosion during its time in service and when the time comes for an overhaul, it is essential that the initial cleaning process is achieved quickly and effectively.
The new facilities include efficient cleaning and recycling of the abrasive media
Sulzer’s latest investment adds to the considerable facilities at its Houston Service Center. The new blast cleaning system is designed to be flexible in operation and effective at recycling the blast materials to minimize costs.
Measuring 20 feet (6m) high, 16 feet (4.8m) wide and 60 feet (18m) long, the main blast chamber can be sub-divided with a set of doors to allow two cleaning operations to be carried out at the same time but with different blast media. The scale of the new equipment means Sulzer has one of the largest blast facilities on the Gulf coast, and its flexibility means that it can also be used efficiently for smaller items.
The purpose-built blast room incorporates effective cleaning and recycling of the abrasive media as well as comprehensive dust collection apparatus to keep the local environment clean and contaminant free. The entry and exit to the blast room are designed to allow a large rotor to remain on its transport trailer, minimizing any risk of damage and reducing the time required to complete the cleaning process.
Once cleaned the equipment can be repaired, re-coated, assembled and shipped back to the customer
Justin Ashford, Division Superintendent – Core Operations at the Houston Service Center commented: “This latest addition to our extensive list of equipment will enhance the speed and efficiency with which we deliver our customers’ maintenance projects. At the same time, the environmental safeguards will ensure our repair specialists have a safe working atmosphere,.”
As an integral part of the repair process, the new blast room offers a huge capacity that provides an excellent foundation for a refurbishment project. Its flexible design and ability to use, clean and recycle a variety of blast media means the cleaning process can be completed professionally and quickly.
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