Located on the Norfolk coast, the Bacton Gas Terminal can process up to 58 million cubic metres of gas per day, most of which is extracted from North Sea oilfields, delivering it via pipeline to homes and businesses across the UK. The UK government estimates gas constituted 41.9% of all inland energy consumption in 2020.
Generally, it is recommended that plant operators hold critical spares, such as power transmission products, to maximise operational efficiency and minimise breakdowns and downtime.
Installed between a gas turbine and a high-speed compressor, the Bibby Turboflex high performance 305S Torquemeter disc coupling operated at peak performance for more than 20 years.
With a torque rating up to 100kNm and a maximum speed of 7,700rpm, this unique coupling features an integrated torque meter that measures asset efficiency ensuring maximum gas output. Due to its length in service, plant operators decided to install the site’s spare coupling and return the original operational coupling back to Bibby for a health check and any necessary refurbishments.
A brand of Altra Industrial Motion Corp, Bibby Turboflex designs and manufactures engineered couplings specifically designed for turbomachinery applications.
The coupling was returned to Altra’s Bedford facility. Within two weeks, the coupling was disassembled and removed from the bearing casing. All components were cleaned, de-greased and checked, with major components then shot-blasted. Utilising a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the critical dimensions of all parts were checked against the original coupling drawings. A thorough magnetic particle inspection (MPI) was performed and a written detailed inspection report, including photos of any defects, sent to the customer.
Subsequently, Bibby replaced all flexible elements and hardware. The coupling was then re-phosphated, re-assembled and dynamically balanced back to original specification prior to shipping back. The complete overhaul returned the coupling to its original production condition.
The local engineering capabilities offered by Bibby meant that the coupling could be returned to an optimal condition quickly. The plant maintained operation efficiency by holding a critical spare coupling in stock, therefore allowing the operational coupling to be sent back for repair. Furthermore, refurbishment provided increased value compared to supplying an all-new custom coupling.