An Insight into the Added Value of SAM GUARD – Part 2

Multiple case studies in predictive analytics at processing plants

On our previous blog we shared a taste of some our customers in the different industries, different kinds of equipment, different kinds of problems. Today, we share with you a few more. Don’t hesitate to contact us for specific questions about the failures or industries that concern you.

SAM GUARD at Refineries

Mistakes in the valve positioning in a pump

SAM GUARD detected a problem with the position of valves in the pump, together with changes to the reformer tube temperature and draft opening. Engineers responded to the alert and adjusted valve positioning.

Value:

• A small error in the position of the valves would have caused major equipment failure if it wasn’t fixed.
• SAM GUARD prevented incorrectly positioned valves from causing total plant shutdown.

SAM GUARD at Pulp and Paper Plants

Motor failure in a boiler

SAM GUARD was used to retroactively investigate motor failure in a boiler, revealing that it would have detected abnormalities in vibration tags a few days before the motor failed. If the plant had been using SAM GUARD, the alerts would have led engineers to discover the cause of the motor failure and prevent it from occurring.

Value:

• Without SAM GUARD, anomalies in the vibration tags went unnoticed, causing the boiler motor to fail and shutting down the entire plant for a few days.
• SAM GUARD could have saved the plant at least $1.87 million in lost production, on top of the cost of repairs and more collateral damage.

SAM GUARD at Chemical Plants

Faulty sensors in an oven

SAM GUARD issued an alert regarding the temperature of product in an oven. Engineers investigating the alert found a faulty sensor that was producing inaccurate temperature readings. Maintenance replaced the sensor to solve the problem.

Value:

• Faulty temperature readings caused wet material to leave the oven, which causes blockages elsewhere in the plant.
• By preventing blockages, SAM GUARD saved the cost of cleaning and fixing the damaged oven, wasted wet product, and removing blockages later in the system.

Blockages in a reactor

After a series of blockages in a reactor, a chemical plant called in SAM GUARD. SAM GUARD issued an alert regarding high temperatures in the reactor. Engineers responding to the alert found that the reactor overheated the product, causing blockages. They changed the setpoints to new values, preventing the reactor from overheating.

Value:

• Ongoing blockages wasted energy and caused inefficiencies in the plant.
• SAM GUARD reduced blockages from ten per quarter to one per quarter, leading to the best ever production period.

SAM GUARD reveals the real value of predictive analytics

These are just several examples (out of many more) of the ways that SAM GUARD saved a significant sum of money in equipment repairs and lost production for several very different plants, in very different situations. We have scores of case studies from SAM GUARD users in various plants and refineries around the world, demonstrating the practical value that SAM GUARD can bring to every company in the process industries.

For more information about these and other SAM GUARD case studies and to learn how SAM GUARD can help your plant, click here for a demo