Condition Monitoring

(Asset Management)

Why measure?
Improve equipments commercial,
engineering and environmental performance.
Ensure operational longevity of equipment.
Monitoring allows diagnostics and
performance analysis.
Benchmarking allows assessment of change
in equipment performance/condition.
Prediction of failure allows planning of
maintenance or repair.

What to measure?
Mechanical change
vibration, acoustic emission

Heat
infrared sensors, fibre-optic sensors,
thermocouples

Electrical change
acoustic emission, antenna, current, voltage

Chemical change
DGA, FTIR, HPLC, GC-MS, AAE/AES

When to measure?
Industrial studies of measurements on plant
show the vast majority is in good condition.
75% are in good condition, 20% require
observation and 5% show risk of damage.
Many companies have fallen into the trap of
doing a full analysis on everything.
Dont spend time analysing good
machines.
But - when to start and how often

The Plant Maintenance Resource Center

Outcomes
Determination that a machine is good
must be fast and accurate.
Results should be easily understood by
personnel who are not expert in data
analysis.
Software/instruments should show condition
clearly & simply, e.g. green-yellow-red.
If decisions require personnel to carry out
complicated analysis the program will fail.

What is being prevented?

NASA's Guiding
Principles of RCM

RCM is Reliability-Centred - It treats failure statistics in an actuarial manner and seeks to define the
probability that a system can perform its function for a specified interval under defined conditions.
RCM is a Living System - It maintains a feedback loop to facilitate continuous improvement
RCM is Function Oriented - It seeks to preserve system function, not just operability for operability's
sake.
RCM is System Focused - It is more concerned with systems than components.
RCM Acknowledges Design Limitations - It seeks to maintain inherent reliability with the
understanding that changes in inherent reliability is the province of design rather than maintenance.
It also recognizes that input from the maintenance organization is critical to continuous improvement
of system design.
RCM is Driven by Safety and Economics -Safety (human and environment) must be ensured at
any cost. Thereafter, cost-effectiveness is the evaluative criteria.
RCM Defines Failure as Any Unsatisfactory Condition - Therefore, a failure can be defined as
loss of function (operation ceases or falls below minimum capacity requirements), or a loss of
acceptable quality (operation continues).
RCM Uses a Logic Tree to Screen Maintenance Tasks - This provides a consistent approach to
maintenance of all kinds of equipment.
RCM Tasks Must Be Effective - The techniques must be technically sound and cost effective.
RCM Tasks Must Be Applicable - The tasks must reduce the number of and/or the impact of
failures.
RCM Acknowledges Four Procedure Types
Run-to Failure
Time-Directed Maintenance
Condition-Based Maintenance
Failure-Finding/Proactive Maintenance

The Plant Maintenance Resource Center

EXAMPLES

What can be measured

Circuit Breakers

Kelman Profile P2

GEC TYPE AAK 11kV oilfilled switchgear failure

Failure occurred at a male/female isolating contact assembly. The resulting explosion

caused serious damage to the busbar chamber and spout. The switchboard enclosure
contained the explosion.

The contact assembly consists of 2 parallel male contacts per phase, mounted side by side,
on the bushings of the circuit breaker. These male contacts engage in rose contacts fixed
within the spout enclosures in the fixed housing. Post fault examination showed one rose
contact assembly was welded to the male contact and had signs of severe arc damage.

Failure was attributed to poor contact giving rise to overheating, contact arcing and
subsequent flashover to earth or to an adjacent phase.

Standard practice within the organisation was confined to inspection of the cleanliness of
the contacts: no detailed examination of the isolating contact assemblies was made during
maintenance.

In this case the occupier chose to replace the switchgear with new equipment. The local
electricity supply company was informed of the failure.

file://J:\dev\operational\Ocs%20TYP(pdf)\400-499\oc483_8.htm

Motors
Signals detected by
antennas can be used to
monitor the efficiency of
motors and detect wear in
component parts.

0.015

Time Duration
Duration

A m p litu d e (v o lts )

0.01

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de

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4.5

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4
5
Time
(seconds)

9
-

x 3
10

Spectrum of Arcing During Commutation

4
3.5
3
2.5
2
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0.5

1.5

Frequency(Hz)
300
0
280
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260
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240
0
220
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200
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Ti
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speed=120
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Time Duration
(vs) Load

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0.2
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G Cullen & B G Stewart.

0.
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(Nm)

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Substation plant
Analysis of signals
from 4 antennas is
capable of determining
the location of faults
in power plant.

Advanced signal
processing and analysis of
the time of flight signals
overcomes non-linearities
and incorrect fault
location.

Transformers
IEC 60270 bushing tap. Relationship of partial discharge signal
and AC waveform provides information on fault type. Phi-q-n
diagrams provide a means of displaying information.

B G Stewart, A Nesbitt and S G

McMeekin OIPDS instrument

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Myths and reality

Asset Management
Myth 1
Asset management is about cutting
costs

Reality 1
Asset management is about optimizing
cost and performance

Asset Management
Myth 2
Asset management can be accomplished
by buying new software

Reality 2
Organizations probably possess the basic
software needed for asset management.
An analytical approach to existing data and
to determination of areas for improvement
in data quality and knowledge
management.

Asset Management
Myth 3
Asset management requires
organisational change.

Reality 3
Asset management requires behavioural
change: engagement of, and
communication between, personnel at
all levels is required.

Asset Management
Myth 4
Asset management is needed to address
the issue of ageing infrastructure.

Reality 4
Some very old assets perform very well and
some young ones do not. The issue to be
addressed is poorly performing assets.
Identifying trends, by type of asset, points
to areas of improvement.
Asset management is an answer to
defective or deteriorating infrastructure.