Turbine Oils Protection

Protect against Varnish Buildup

Many reliability engineers see varnish buildup as just a way of life that can only be addressed after operating problems occur. But the cost of waiting to fix that problem is more than you’d think, because the related hidden costs can add up before you even realise you have a varnish problem in the first place.

GETTING AHEAD OF THE PROBLEM

The best way to prevent varnish from attacking your equipment is to detect it early and take decisive action. As we look more closely, a new problem begins to emerge—assumptions about varnish-related issues might be costing engineers more than they realise in the long run:

Varnish isn’t always considered a top priority vs others needing immediate attention and efforts.
Varnish is an issue that leads to other problems like valve stiction, reduced oil cooler performance, failure to start and trip event.
The estimated ongoing maintenance costs to combat varnish build up: USD 40,000 per turbine, per year.

SEE INFOGRAPHIC

To defeat varnish, you first must understand it

How much do you really know about varnish?

Let’s take a deeper look at some of the ways varnish impacts your operation, including why it forms in the first place, which equipment types and operating conditions are more likely to experience varnish formation, and how some methods work—and don’t work—when you’re trying to halt varnish buildup in its tracks.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

In our work with power generation plants, these are some of the most frequently asked questions about varnish formation—and prevention—that we’ve encountered.

Are there different types of varnish?

Yes. And the treatment—or removal—of varnish depends on the type of varnish that has formed and how it was generated in the first place.

What are some of the most impactful costs associated with a reactive varnish approach that we might not realise are building up?

There are several examples of costs and fines associated with varnish buildup in combustion turbines. The costs may include chemical treatments, parts replacement for plugged filters, and the actual labour costs to replace those filters. Additionally, there may be fines and lost revenue for turbine trip events or failures to start.

How do we measure varnish formation or impact in between drains or flushing when the equipment is still running?

There are several laboratories that perform tests to identify the varnish precursors in the oil before varnish forms in the turbine systems. Some of these include membrane filter patch tests or colorimeter tests.

Varnish is no longer beyond your control

Our proprietary total solution for varnish control in power generation, oil and gas, manufacturing, and other turbine applications in a holistic two-step, clean-and-control solution that cleans existing varnish out of your equipment and controls the precursors to new varnish formation, providing full-on protection effortlessly.

Step 1: Clean with VARTECH™ Industrial System Cleaner (ISC)

When added to the end-of-life in-service oil, VARTECH ISC’s state-of-the-art triple-action technology:

- Cuts through hard varnish to remove it as micro-sized varnish particles

- Captures and stabilises the micro-sized varnish particles in a protective barrier to enable effective removal of the varnish from the system without re-depositing to the equipment

- Provides compatibility with the in-service oil for optimum operational flexibility while maintaining system performance during the cleaning cycle to prepare for change out to fresh oil

SEE HOW IT WORKS

Step 2: Control with VARTECH™ Technology

GST® turbine oils formulated with VARTECH Technology help:

- Improve oxidation stability

- Reduce oil degradation

- Extend oil life by limiting harmful varnish precursors that can lead to varnish formation

VARTECH Technology inhibits varnish formation to help maintain peak performance, reliability and productivity

VIEW ALL GST TURBINE OILS

MEET OUR PROPRIETARY VARTECH™ SOLUTION

Find out how your business can benefit from our proprietary VARTECH solution — developed from rounds of rigorous innovation and testing by the experts at Chevron Lubricants.

The Harmful Nature of Varnish

Is varnish damage inevitable? Not anymore. From unplanned shutdowns, increased maintenance costs, and more, stop varnish before it stops your business by understanding it and finding the right strategy to fight it.

Why VARTECH™ Industrial System Cleaner Works

Finding an industrial system cleaner that’s right for your equipment isn’t an easy feat. But with our revolutionary VARTECH Industrial System Cleaner, you can now enjoy worry-free full-on protection without any compromise to your equipment’s integrity or uptime.

Our 2-Step VARTECH™ Holistic Solution

Defeating varnish doesn’t have to be complicated and costly, and with our VARTECH holistic solution, it isn’t. All it takes to protect your equipment and profit margins is a simple 2-step process — clean and control.

Powering a Nation with Chevron GST® Oil

As the provider of 25% of Trinidad and Tobago’s power, Trinity Power requires trustable lubricants that provide reliable outcomes. By partnering with Chevron, they can now achieve efficient operations with turbine units operating without oil change for 16 years and counting.

High Temperatures, Still High Efficiency

Powering thousands of homes and businesses in desert conditions can be challenging. For Sycamore Cogen, their secret to success is their comprehensive lubrication program designed by our lubrication specialists—aimed to maximise oil life, even in strenuous high operating temperatures.

LubeWatch® Oil Analysis Program

Track the performance of your turbine lubricants to optimise equipment life, oil replacement intervals, and help the precise scheduling of maintenance that reduces downtime and the risk of failure. Include this into your preventive maintanence program today.

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