Fault Report: Subject: Customer Site Ref No. Customer Ref Nos. Date Rev

FAULT REPORT
Subject: Fault Report
Customer
Site
Ref No.
Customer Ref Nos.
Date
Rev:
1.0. Introduction.
On 30th of October 2020, the operators noticed a noisy whistle sound associated with power failure (Black
Out), gearbox was manually turned no up normal sound observed, after that the plant re-started after
power returned no up normal sound observed after few hours another power failure (Black out) toke
place, same noisy whistle hearted followed by crashing sound. Plant manager requested Energy Solutions
assistance to help determine the rout causes of this accident and the damage level.
field services engineer Bore scoped the 4 compressor stages and opened the gearbox manholes for visual
inspection, sever damage to compressor impellers observed with Bore scoping, under the instructions of
Tripoli gas plant manager, unit dismantling was carried out to evaluate the damage level.
2.0. Findings.
2.1. Inlet Control Valve found in open position (manually opened by operators).
Air Inlet Control valve manually

adjusted on open position. No
damage found
2.2. Damage observed at all 4 impeller stages.
Damaged Trailing Edge
Warn Impeller base due

to direct contacting with
diffuser, broken tie bolt.
2.3. Impeller tie bolts.

Broken tie bolts on the 1st and 2nd
stages
2.4. Diffuser casing was found with scoring marks the 1st and 2nd stages.
Scoring marks on all stages.
2.5. Shaft lock tooth to impeller.
Damaged engagement tooth on 1st

and 2nd stage pinion shaft
2.6. All bearings white metal found damaged.
Damaged Bearings white metal.

All oil seals and deflectors found
damaged.
Gear mesh found in good

condition, just minor scoring marks
on some tooth.
2.9. Foreign object inside gearbox.
Foreign object found inside the

gearbox
3.0. Control System and protection system inspection and testing.

Protection system found un-operational and the controller dose not respond to the trip signals such as
vibrations, low oil pressure or temperature due to a jumper wire put by plant instrument engineer.
Pneumatic control air is not operational and the inlet control valve is controlled manually. No back up
power source.
4.0. Review the run log.

The operating record showed that the plant experienced more than 100 shutdowns in the duration
between July and September resulted from power failures (Notional grid black out) sometimes exceeded
five trips per day.
5.0. Rote cause analysis and the description of failure sequence.

After collecting the available data and analyzing the findings, the damage route was simulated and found
as following: Due to the lake of backup power source on each trip caused by power failure, the electrical
auxiliary/emergency oil feed pump is not working to back up the pressure drop which occurs when
mechanical pump feeding reduced during shutdown. The function of the electrical pump is to continues
to supply the oil required for oiling and cooling the bearings during the cost down period until the
compressor completely stops and continues to pump the oil for 15 minutes after compressor completely
stops to cool down the moving parts and take out the heat, this important sequence available at each trip
happens due to power lose, as a result of that bearings got weakened by time and white metal simmered.
Plant instrument engineer was called to troubleshoot the alarm caused by second stage thermocouple,
he found that the thermocouple is faulty, he used jumper wire to stop the unite from tripping on false
signal coming from this thermocouple, but he mistakenly jumper all the trip signals. Two days before the
major failure the operator noticed that the production of liquids is dropped, after the troubleshooting he
noticed that the pneumatic air is lost and the inlet control valve is closed, the operator manually opened
the valve to resume the production, the next day the power failure take place and the operator noticed
noisy whistle coming from compressor, this sound is resulted from (Compressor Surge). During shutdown
the inlet control valve must turns to close position but due to human error the valve was manually opened
and it remained on this position during shutdown as result of that (Compressor Surge) toke place.
After power turned back operator turned the compressor by hand to check if the sound is due to damaged
mechanical parts but no wired sound observed, he restarted the plant, the compressor should not start
when inlet valve in open position but due to the jumper wire all the trip signals was jumped and the
operator was able to restart the compressor.
The compressor started under load but no damage occurred at this time after few hours of smooth
operation power failure take place the compressor got surged for second time and load crash sound
observed by the operator due to mechanical failure.
6.0. Recommendations.
1- Air compressor Protection and control systems must be repaired and recalibrated. As well the
power backup system.
2- Performing maintenance and repairs needed to return the plant to work.
3- Purchase spare parts needed to complete maintenance and repair work.

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FAULT REPORT

Subject: Fault Report

Air Inlet Control valve manually

2.2. Damage observed at all 4 impeller stages.

Damaged Trailing Edge

Warn Impeller base due

2.3. Impeller tie bolts.

Scoring marks on all stages.

2.5. Shaft lock tooth to impeller.

Damaged engagement tooth on 1st

2.6. All bearings white metal found damaged.

Damaged Bearings white metal.

2.7. All bearings white metal found damaged.

2.8. All bearings white metal found damaged.

Gear mesh found in good

2.9. Foreign object inside gearbox.

Foreign object found inside the

3.0. Control System and protection system inspection and testing.

4.0. Review the run log.

5.0. Rote cause analysis and the description of failure sequence.

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