Rapid overhaul of compressor motors
First Quarter 2024
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
In August 2022, Marthinusen & Coutts (M&C) Zambia was requested by a smelter based in the Copperbelt to provide an in-country repair solution for its two critical 4,5 MW compressor motors. The company was given only three weeks in which to overhaul and commission the motors. The scope of work was to dismantle, clean and assess all parts, dynamically balance the rotors at operating speed using M&C Zambia’s own 12 ton balancing machine, supply new bearing assembly parts, assemble the motors, and no-load test and laser align the motors on site.
“Upon dismantling both motors we identified that the stator coils indicated partial discharge and the stator wedges had deteriorated significantly over time. We therefore requested M&C’s workshop in Cleveland, Johannesburg to carry out partial discharge treatment of the stator coils and to manufacture the stator wedges that needed to be replaced,” said Eugene Lottering, M&C; Zambia’s General Manager.
“Our team is well experienced in how to approach and action various stages throughout the overhaul of these motors. We successfully completed various medium voltage overhauls up to 4650 kW. The motors were no-load tested at 11 kV with exceptionally good results and the customer then gave us the go-ahead to commission the motors,” Lottering explained. “Installing them onsite turned out to be a complicated procedure, especially the alignment of the motors to the compressors.”
The motors were finally tested on load, recording satisfactory vibration levels of below 1.34 mm per second. They were successfully installed and commissioned three days before the scheduled deadline for completion.
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