GRAPHALLOY® Upgrade in Vertical Ethylene Pump: A Case History

A petrochemical plant has de-staged a Vertical Pump from 22 – 20 stages as part of a critical pump that would cause the plant to come to a halt if not running.

MODEL: Sulzer Model HPB 6x10x10.5
SERVICE: Vertical Pump in Ethylene Service
OPERATING CONDITIONS: -24°F to 2°F

This is a J-unit pump (a pressurized shaft sealing system that provides an environment that allows the use of a standard mechanical seal in low-temperature services). If both pumps are out of service at the same time it could cost them $1.5 million/day in losses.

Repair Shop Instructions:-
The customer, a major petrochemical plant, instructed the pump repair shop to only use Graphalloy in these pumps due to the success they had with Graphalloy in their other pumps operating in cryogenic service. Graphalloy is self-lubricating, handles low lubricity fluids and works in cryogenic temperatures as low as -400°F. The plant has only 2 of these pumps, this one and a spare. If the pumps fail, the petrochemical plant comes to a halt.

The Solution: The Graphalloy Upgrade – From Experience
The refinery’s senior rotating equipment engineer, who had many years of experience using Graphalloy requested his repair shop to install nickel-grade bushings and wear rings into these pumps.

Years of Problem-Free Operation

The pumps are overhauled every 6-8 years and the bushings are then replaced, even when showing minimal wear.

GRAPHALLOY Solves Pump Problems Like These Every Day