Plan to Improve the Realibility of an Unit of Nitric Acid André Luís Claussen Estevez Gandarillas, Alexander Gonçalves da Silva, Matheus Ferreira Melo, Tiago Machado Salvador

Abstract

Weibull Analysis of Production Data allows to determine losses from corrective equipment stoppages and identify losses in operating efficiency. With this knowledge, the logical tree methodology was jointly used to detect process losses and guide the implementation of improvement actions in parallel-operated heat exchangers at a company in Baixada Santista. Therefore, the use of these assets is now made by the concept of reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) function, in order to meet its defined function, rather than the condition of the equipment itself. The effectiveness of the effect of the actions implemented was controlled through two types of loss indicators: corrective stops and efficiency. As a result, the equipment was changed at the optimum time, reducing both production losses and reducing maintenance costs. With the implementation of this work there was a production increase of 15,000 t directly associated with the avoided losses, equivalent to an annual production increase of 25 days.