Choosing and Maintaining Lubricants

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 @ 3:00pm Eastern / 12:00pm Pacific

Presentation Synopsis

Varnish has been a problem plaguing the power generation industry for decades. With new technologies, base stocks, and testing methods out on the market how do you determine the best method for your unique system? And how do you maintain it to make sure it is reliable long term?

Using case studies and lab results, this presentation will go through the composition of varnish, its implications, and various ways to mitigate varnish. But, mitigating varnish is not a one size fits all. Many times, equipment owners need to come up with a solution where an outage or high budget is not an option. This session will cover the use of various options including filtration units, cleaning/high velocity flushing, and the top-tier chemical treatments available. With the use of actual customers results, the difference between these methods and the short/long term solutions they provide will be discussed.

This session will also discuss replacement fluids. Petroleum based turbine oils have evolved using better base oils from Group I to Group II and now Group III. Advances in lubrication have also taken place with polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) and gas-to-liquid (GTL) base stocks. The chemical makeup, solvency, and benefits of these different base stocks will be compared.

Key Takeaways for Users

Mitigating varnish is not a one size fits all
Basic understanding of the various options including filtration units, cleaning/high velocity flushing, and the top-tier chemical treatments and the short/long term solutions they provide
Replacement fluids
Chemical makeup, solvency, and benefits of different base stocks
Fluid maintenance
Understanding of what is possible based on actual customers results

Presenter

Chelsea Bukowski – Power Generation Product Manager

Chelsea Bukowski was the power generation product line manager for American Chemical Technologies, and post-acquisition is now a Shell Technical Key Account Manager. In addition to Shell lubricants, she continues to offer ACT lubricants incorporating unique non-varnishing Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG) base stocks. Chelsea has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky, and currently resides in Charlotte, NC. She has 6 years’ experience with PAG-based lubricants and technically representing them into the Steel, Entertainment, Marine, and Power Generation markets. As a specialist in the Power Generation product line, she has drafted and given many presentations on the value and performance benefits that PAGs can offer this industry.

Contacts

Chelsea Kovanda, ACT – ckovanda@americanchemtech.com
Mark Albert, Power Key Account Manager – Mark.Albert@shell.com
Doug Tshudy – Power Key Account Manager – Douglas.Tshudy@shell.com
Hector Lara – Power Sales Team Lead – Hector.Lara@shell.com
Shanna Bauer – Power Sector Marketing Manager – Shanna.Bauer@shell.com

About Shell Lubricant Solutions

Rising global energy demand is placing increasing pressure on power engineers to consistently deliver peak performance. Shell Lubricants aims to provide you with industry insights, products, services and training to help you maintain reliable, efficient equipment with peace-of-mind.

Products and Services

We offer OEM-approved products for industrial applications from turbine oils to greases and gearbox oils, and we now offer the ACT line of PAG products as well. We are proud to also offer supporting services such as LubeAnalyst fluid condition monitoring, LubeOptimizer reliability services, and more.