Equipment Preservation
What is equipment preservation?
Equipment preservation is the process of protecting critical equipment from moisture exposure that may lead to corrosion and deterioration. Power plant equipment preservation helps protect essential machinery during idle periods by maintaining controlled humidity conditions.
TDS provides plant shutdown preservation services using desiccant-based dehumidification to control moisture and reduce the risk of corrosion during shutdowns and extended storage.
Problem:
During plant shutdowns and turnarounds, critical equipment has to remain idle for extended periods. During this time, the equipment must be protected from moisture, as moisture accumulation can lead to corrosion, which may further result in:
- Malfunction of critical equipment
- Deterioration of equipment and components
- Reduction in the life of parts and machinery
- Higher replacement and repair costs
The rate of corrosion accelerates when relative humidity exceeds the critical level of 45%. Above this level, industrial pollutants such as Sulphur Dioxide can further increase corrosion rates. Additionally, corrosion becomes more severe when equipment surfaces are exposed to polluted air combined with high relative humidity. In some cases, a shutdown may last a full year, and TDS provides guaranteed climate-controlled conditions to prevent corrosion and ensure long-term equipment preservation.
Solution
Corrosion-prevention dehumidification helps control humidity levels and remove excess moisture from equipment storage areas, reducing conditions that contribute to corrosion.
Dehumidification involves drying the air by removing moisture. Removing moisture from the storage area lowers the area’s relative humidity, effectively arresting corrosion and microbial growth. During equipment storage, proper dehumidification minimises deterioration of internal systems and helps maintain equipment reliability during extended shutdown periods.
TDS Solution
TDS offers the simplest and the most effective solution for maintaining relative humidity during preservation. TDS provides best-in-class desiccant based dehumidifiers, which provide an ideal solution for moisture control during storage, effectively slowing down corrosion. Along with dehumidifiers, TDS also provides condensing units, blowers, ducts, and skilled manpower for dehumidification services.
In fossil fuel power stations, layup can be due to furnace, boiler repair, or less expensive power availability from an alternate source. During such periods, dry air circulation in the facility prevents rusting and other harmful moisture-related problems.
In nuclear power plants, during the shut down for refueling the non-nuclear components such as boilers, condensers, and turbines should be preserved to prevent it from moisture which may lead to corrosion.
In sugar mills, turbines and generators are stopped for 2-4 months for planned maintenance and repair. Due to high humidity, electromechanical equipment is prone to corrosion. All of these equipment should be preserved to protect it from moisture. Specially, turbine preservation is very critical in sugar mills.
TDS offers best-in-class desiccant dehumidification systems, which can preserve:
- Electromechanical equipment
- Turbines
- Boilers
- Transformers
- Generators
- Heating furnace
- Condensors
- Switch gear
- Jet engines
- Motors
- Gear boxes
Application based solutions for
Equipment Preservation
Key Installations
Generator Preservation, CAPARO, Jamshedpur
Preservation in Waterbox, NTPC, Dadri
Frequently Asked Questions
Equipment preservation involves protecting machinery and industrial assets from moisture-related deterioration when they are idle, stored, or undergoing maintenance. Proper preservation helps maintain the condition of turbines, generators, transformers, boilers, motors, and other critical equipment until they are returned to operation.
Corrosion prevention dehumidification controls excess moisture in the air surrounding equipment to create a dry environment. By reducing relative humidity, dehumidification helps minimise condensation and moisture exposure that can contribute to corrosion of metal components and surfaces.
Plant shutdown preservation services help protect critical equipment during planned shutdowns, turnarounds, maintenance, or extended periods of inactivity. In power plants, controlled humidity conditions can help preserve turbines, generators, transformers, boilers, condensers, and other equipment and reduce the risk of moisture-related deterioration.
TDS Asia provides equipment preservation solutions using desiccant-based dehumidification to maintain controlled humidity around critical industrial equipment. Its solutions can be used for applications such as turbine and generator preservation, transformer protection, and preservation of equipment during plant shutdowns and maintenance periods.
