Water in Turbine Oil

Water in Turbine Oil

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When a critical filter housing failure led to a hazardous hydraulic fluid release, Bennett Filtration was there to provide a swift, safe solution.

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Turbine oil used in steam turbines, gas turbines, blowers, vacuum pumps and hydro turbines is designed to shed water. Additional water can be introduced into the turbine oil through lube oil cooler failures, damaged heat exchangers, seal leaks, improper cleaning practices, and contaminated turbine oil. 

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For optimal operations, water content in turbine oil should be no greater than 150 ppm, as excess water can lead to many issues, including reduced lubricating ability, corrosion, oxidation, and reduced efficiency. Not only that, but unmanaged water ingression requires derating turbine output, an unplanned outage, a turbine trip or bearing “wipe.”

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So when a paper mill with a small low pressure steam turbine disclosed they have neverending issues with water ingression into the turbine oil, we gave them our full attention to provide a solution to rid them of excess water and keep them in working operation.

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We installed a properly sized coalescing unit on the turbine oil reservoir as a kidney loop to effectively separate turbine oil from free undissolved water. Our goal was to reduce turbine oil water content to 150 ppm moisture content—an ideal oil condition.

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The coalescing unit got the job done in eight hours, and has been kept in continuous service ever since, to maintain low moisture content in the turbine oil and permitting safe turbine operation with time to plan maintenance repairs in an orderly fashion.