Proserpine Mill | 2021
Vacuum Pump Flywheel Study
Client: Wilmar
Project summary
ADM investigated the unknown cause of a piston vacuum pump failure, involving a shattered flywheel. By applying RCA, supported by Explicit Dynamic and Nonlinear FEA, the ADM team determined that the probable cause was not fatigue failure, but coolant entering the cylinder through a rupture in the casing. This resulted in hydrolock: a sudden jamming in the drive that caused the flywheel to shatter.
Project details
In 2021, Wilmar contacted ADM to investigate the cause of a damaged piston vacuum pump. The pump’s flywheel had shattered, yet Wilmar did not know if this was due to the pump’s gradual fatigue or a sudden jamming incident.
How ADM approached the project
ADM inspected the crack and grain structure of the steelwork on site. They also searched for evidence of blockage or hydrolock, and evidence of mechanical failure causing a drive seizure.
Following this investigation, ADM conducted FEA on the flywheel including:
- Nonlinear FEA to determine if the flywheel failed from fatigue.
- Explicit Dynamic FEA to determine if the flywheel failed from a sudden jamming.
The results
ADM gave Wilmar their evidence-based conclusion that the casing in the pump likely ruptured, leaking coolant into the cylinder and hydrolocking the pump. Wilmar used these results to ensure that similar assets were not at immediate risk of failure.
ADM investigates the cause of machinery damage by using their extensive industry experience, gathered evidence, and advanced analysis capabilities.
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