Premium Lubrication to Enhance Productivity in Power Generation

India is the third-largest producer and second-largest consumer of electricity worldwide, with an installed power capacity of 395.07 GW, as of January 2022.

August 22, 2022. By News Bureau

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India is the third-largest producer and second-largest consumer of electricity worldwide, with an installed power capacity of 395.07 GW, as of January 2022. Duly, the country’s power sector is witnessing a flurry of demand as industries expand to accommodate aspirations of a swiftly-growing economy. The power industry depends on a network on complex equipment and machinery to maintain desired power flows for the round-the-clock electricity supply. The complex machinery, in turn, require lubrication from the most premium solutions to maintain smooth operations without unexpected delays and loss of man-machine hours.

Leading industrial providers, like Mobil^TM Lubricants, are today playing a critical role in helping power operators optimize their profitability and productivity. By collaborating closely with such operators, Mobil is today making rapid headways in providing practical solutions to pressing equipment challenges – in turn, helping businesses maximize their performance.

Energy efficiency for continuous power

Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited (KPTL) is a leading engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company with proven experience and expertise spanning over three decades. For its operations, the company had installed a Shin Nippon steam turbine in 2003 which was being lubricated by the Mobil DTE^TMOil Medium turbine oil to achieve low maintenance cost and reliable operations. Steam turbines extract thermal energy from pressurized steam and use it to conduct mechanical work on a rotating output shaft. This particular lubrication solution is a part of the Mobil DTE™ Oil Named Series oils which include high quality, rust- and oxidation-inhibited circulating lubricants. They are used widely in steam turbines and hydro turbines, as well as all other continuous circulation methods involving pumps, valves, and ancillary equipment.

Along with using this advanced oil, Mobil recommended KPTL to opt for the Mobil Serv^SMLubricant Analysis (MSLA) program for condition monitoring and oil analysis – to enhance the productivity of the turbine. At KPTL’s Sriganganagar plant, regular oil samples were tested for equipment component health analysis and turbine oil suitability assessment. With time, the services and lubricants provided by Mobil resulted in a positive change for the plant. The high oxidation stability and resistance to varnish formation provided by Mobil DTE Oil Medium combined with superior servicing of MSLA helped KPTL achieve turbine life that was greater than 13 years. Moreover, only 1,400 litres of oil top were required for 1,14,300 hours of power generation – duly resulting in annual savings of USD 12,252.

Servicing with care

The right choice of a high-performance premium circulating lubricant can help organizations gain significant energy savings by directly reducing electrical energy consumption or lowering friction and operating temperatures. Alongside, imbibing the bestin-class service solutions provides businesses with an additional edge to meet their productivity and profitability goals. With the rise of digitalization, Mobil has been working towards enhancing servicing through web-based provisions like MSLA that bridge the gap between the real and virtual worlds. The extensive range of expert technical services under MSLA are designed to help businesses optimize their equipment maintenance programs and machine availability, so they can achieve their goals in safety, environmental care, and productivity.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) have become an integral part of industries, and the power industry is no exception. AI/ML has the potential to cut energy waste, lower energy costs, and substantially reduce man-machine interaction to make processes accessible and easy to operate. For power companies, machine learning allows machines to learn independently, drawing conclusions from their experiences for future operational efficiencies, with the machine solving problems, and reducing operations and maintenance downtime and costs.

The power industry in India is at the cusp of rapid transformation with twin goals of aiding economic growth and achieving energy-efficiency targets. Today, more than ever, opting for superior lubrication solutions is critical for the industry to perform with productivity and profitability. As a committed partner to India’s industrial growth, Mobil is proactively pursuing innovation to help the power sector play its decisive role in powering India’s economic transformation.

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