ABODEX Process Systems engineers and manufactures high-integrity Lube Oil Consoles designed to protect critical rotating equipment. We provide custom-engineered lubrication solutions that ensure the reliability and longevity of turbomachinery in the Oil & Gas, Power, and Chemical industries.
Governing Standard: API 614 (Lubrication, Shaft-Sealing and Control-Oil Systems).
Our lube oil systems are essential for the life and maintenance-free operation of high-value process equipment. Dependable performance results in increased uptime, which directly translates to increased profits for the end user. We specialize in both “special purpose” and “general purpose” oil systems, designed to lubricate and cool hydrodynamic bearings in compressors, turbines, gears, and pumps.
Key Industries & Applications:
Our API 614 Lube Oil Consoles are designed to serve a variety of critical rotating equipment:
- Oil & Gas: Centrifugal compressors, screw compressors, and expander-compressors.
- Power Generation: Steam turbines, gas turbines, and turbo-generators.
- Chemical & Industrial: Large pumps, electric motors, and speed reduction gears.
Core Components of Our Skid-Mounted Lube Oil Systems
Adhering to API 614, our systems integrate every necessary component onto a robust, modular skid for seamless installation and operation .
- 1. Lube Oil Reservoir (Tank):
- Design:Atmospheric or pressurized (closed system) design as required. The tank is designed with a sloped bottom for proper drainage and a demister (oil separator) to vent tank vapors.
- Construction: Carbon steel or Stainless steel.
- Features: Equipped with a built-in electric oil heater, level gauges/transmitters, and a sloped design to ensure proper net positive suction head (NPSH) for the pumps .
- 2. Pumping Units:
- Configuration: Fully redundant pumping system, typically consisting of a main pump and a 100% standby pump.
- Drive Types:
- Main Pump: Can be electrically driven or shaft-driven mechanically from the compressor/gear train .
- Auxiliary/Standby Pump: AC motor-driven, designed to start automatically upon low pressure.
- Emergency Pump: DC motor-driven for coast-down and emergency shutdown scenarios to protect bearings during power outages.
- Types: Screw pumps or gear pumps selected for reliable performance and adherence to NPSH requirements.
- 3. Oil Coolers:
- Design: Shell & tube or plate type coolers to maintain proper oil viscosity and temperature (typically cooling the oil to 40-50°C at bearing inlets).
- Redundancy: Options for single or dual coolers with switching valves to allow for cleaning without system shutdown.
- 4. Filtration System:
- Design: Twin barrel (dual) fine filters with a three-way switching valve, allowing for changeover without interrupting operation.
- Filtration Rating: Designed to meet API 614 requirements, typically achieving filtration fineness down to 25 microns or 5 microns for high-speed applications.
- 5. Rundown Tank / Overhead Tank:
- Function: A critical safety feature that supplies oil to bearings via gravity during the coast-down period in the event of a total power failure, ensuring the rotating shaft receives lubrication until it comes to a complete stop.
- Sizing: Carefully sized to meet the duration of reverse rotation or coast-down time, preventing bearing damage.
- 6. Instrumentation & Controls:
- Monitoring: Pressure gauges/transmitters (PT), temperature indicators (TE/RTD), and flow meters to monitor header conditions.
- Control System: A PLC-based control panel (mounted on the skid or remotely) that manages pump start/stop sequences, alarms, and trips. The system typically starts the auxiliary pump on low header pressure.
- Safety: Includes pressure safety valves (PSV), low-low pressure trips, and high-temperature alarms.
Why Choose ABODEX API 614 Lube Oil Consoles?
- API 614 Compliance: Full adherence to the latest editions of API 614 for both special-purpose and general-purpose applications, covering components, controls, and instrumentation.
- System Reliability: Conservative design and proper component selection ensure maximum reliability for critical turbomachinery, minimizing the possibility of failure.
- Integrated Safety: Features like overhead rundown tanks, DC emergency pumps, and reverse rotation detectors ensure bearing protection during all operating scenarios, including emergency shutdowns and power outages.
- Custom Engineered: Each system is tailored to the specific flow, pressure, and cooling duty required by your compressor, turbine, or gear train. Available in "open" (atmospheric tank) or "closed" (pressurized tank) configurations.
- Modular Skid Design: Factory-assembled, tested, and shipped on a single skid for minimal site installation time and cost.
