Rootes Type Blower - Portable Monitoring Equipment - Engineering Assignment Help

Assignment Task :

1. Your task is to read the scenario below and then perform a Root Cause Analysis using Table 1 and the seven worksheets provided to determine the: 

• Direct cause 

Root cause, and 

• Any contributing cause or causes to the failure. 

Scenario 

Blower failure 

A Rootes-type blower installed at an MDF board manufacturing mill has failed catastrophically. The cast-iron casing is smashed and at least one of the two rotor shafts appears broken. In normal service, the blower transfers several tonnes per hour of sanding dust from a board sander filter to a storage bin, via a 200 mm diameter blow line. The blower is driven by a 55 kW electric induction motor, via a V-belt drive. Its operational speed is 2335 rpm. Production from the board mill is continuous, so the blower runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Prior to failure, the blower had accumulated 6500 hours of service from new (9 months of continuous operation). The blower runs in a dusty environment and the blower inlet filters are serviced weekly. Maintenance staff at the mill commented that the filters are often partially blocked. The blower runs hot - because of the heat generated from the compression of air (discharge static pressure from the blower is typically 30 kPa), the blower casing temperature is typically 40 50°C. The blower was running at about 60% of its full pressure capability. Vibration levels are checked monthly, by an external condition-monitoring contractor, using portable monitoring equipment 

Background to the failure At 8am the day before the failure, the blower was reported as 'running noisily'. At 11am, the oil level in the gear case was checked and approximately 1 litre of oil added to bring the level to the level plug on the gear housing. Mid-afternoon of the same day, the blower was again reported as 'noisy' and stopped after a visual inspection confirmed timing-gear sump oil loss (this time, the vibration severity was sufficient for the drain plug to unscrew and fall out!). The plug was replaced and 3 litres of oil added to the sump. The blower then went back into service between 5pm and 6pm. Complete failure occurred at 1.30am the following morning. Prior to the original noise complaint, the overall vibration level had been assessed as high. A substantial oil leak was observed around the air outlet flange on the blower casing. The air inlet filters were reported as being clogged during this period. Generally, this blower model (not just this installation) was noteworthy for poor bearing life in service; from previous overhauls, the supplier's service personnel reported accelerated bearing wear and problems in maintaining the required inner and outer ring fits on shafts and in housings. 

After the failure The blower was replaced with a spare bare shaft assembly the supplier had in stock, and the damaged blower returned to the supplier for analysis. The blower was dismantled and a full inspection carried out. 

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