Maquette Artikel€¦ · September 22, 2010, Winterthur, Switzerland Kundentagung “Technische Diagnostik und ... The official presentation of the certificates was on March 8, 2010

2/2010

Interchangeable hydraulics Two pumps in one casing

Acoustic test rigMeasurements below the ambient noise level

Lifetime extensionModification of gasturbine components

Tailor-made solutions for customer-specific needs

EDITORIAL

The Sulzer brothers laid the foundations oftoday's company in 1834 in Winterthur,Switzerland. Sulzer is active in the fields ofmachinery, equipment manufacturing, andsurface technology in more than 120 locationsaround the world. Its divisions are globalleaders in their respec tive markets, includingthe oil and gas sector, the hydrocarbonprocessing industry, power generation, pulpand paper, aviation, and the automotiveindustry. Sulzer employs a total of 12000professionals who develop innovative newtechnical solutions. These prod ucts and servicesenable Sulzer's customers to achieve sustainedimprovements in their competitive positions. www.sulzer.com

Sulzer PumpsSulzer Pumps offers a variety of centrifugalpumps, ranging from custom-built models tostandardized series. The division's market-leading position reflects its research anddevelopment activities relating to process-oriented materials as well as its reliable service.It serves customers in the oil and gas, hydro -carbon processing, pulp and paper, powergeneration, water distribution and treatmentsectors, as well as other specialized areas. www.sulzerpumps.com

Sulzer MetcoSulzer Metco specializes in thermal-spray andthin-film processes for surface technologyapplications. The division coats and enhancessurfaces, produces materials and equipment,and develops machining processes for specialcomponents. Its customers are active in theaviation and automotive industries, the powergeneration segment, and other specializedmarkets. www.sulzermetco.com

Sulzer ChemtechSulzer Chemtech is the market leader in thefields of process tech nol ogy, separationcolumns, static mixing, and cartridge tech -nologies. The division has sales, engineering,production, and customer service facilitiesthroughout the world that enable it to meet theneeds of its customers in the oil and gas,chemical, petro chemical and plastics industries.www.sulzerchemtech.com

Sulzer Turbo ServicesSulzer Turbo Services is a large independentprovider of repair and maintenance services for thermal turbomachinery and other rotatingequipment. The division also manufactures and sells replacement parts for gas and steamturbines and compressors. Its customersoperate in the oil and gas, power generation,and other specialized industrial sectors. www.sulzerts.com

Sulzer InnotecThe research and development unit supportsthe development projects of Sulzer's owndivisions as well as projects of industrialcompanies around the world by providingcontract research and special technical services. Sulzer Innotec has considerable expertise inmaterials engineering, surface engineering,fluid technology, as well as in the field ofmechanics. Its core competencies in the area ofcontract research also focus on these traditionaldisciplines. www.sulzerinnotec.com

Sulzer today

2 | Sulzer Technical Review 2/2010

Dear Technology Professionals, Customers, and Partners,It is a priority at Sulzer to provide solutions that combine products and services withengineering know-how and special knowledge of customer applications. The articlesin the current issue of the Sulzer Technical Review (STR)give an impression of how Sulzerapproaches customer-specific tasks and develops tailor-made solutions. Sulzer Pumps has developed efficient and reliable pumps that require a

minimum of maintenance for the harsh climate of Siberia. We have designed twodifferent impellers that are adequate for different flow rates but can use the same casing.Sulzer Innotec has developed and realized an acoustic test rig to improve ventilationcomponents for modern energy-saving buildings. This test rig is capable of measuringnoises even below the environment level. The article by Sulzer Turbo Services focuseson efficient and effective solutions in the case of early deterioration of gas turbinecomponents. A further topic is the production of impellers for a pump storage hydropower

plant. All process steps—from the mechanical production and welding technology tothe necessary test engineering for quality assurance—were completed by Sulzer Innotec.Sulzer Chemtech presents its new location in Russia, where we now bring ourengineering, refinery and petrochemical know-how to this vast region, including fullmanufacturing capabilities. Sulzer Metco presents a new intelligent gun technologythat simplifies thermal spraying and provides an even higher assurance in quality.We interviewed the Head of Services at Sulzer Metco, who explained the advantagesof surface coating to us.

I hope you enjoy this issue.

Sincerely yours,

Ton BüchnerCEO Sulzer

CONTENTS

On the cover:The compressor of a gas turbine repaired and coated by Sulzer.

Sulzer Technical Review 2/2010 | 3

4 NewsExhibitions, Events

Tailor-made solutions6 Two pumps in one casing

Sulzer Pumps delivers pipeline pumps with interchangeable hydraulics, enabling possible flexible operation

10 Measurements below the ambient noise levelDesign of an acoustic test rig and development of software for recording anddata analysis

13 Sulzer analogyTailor-made by nature

14 Lifetime extensionRepair assessment and modification of gas turbine components and assemblies

Panorama18 Single-source manufacturing

Production of impellers for a pump storage hydropower plant

21 Sulzer worldWelcome to Sulzer Chemtech in Russia

22 EvoLink™ for plasma sprayingThe next step in intelligent gun technology

26 InterviewValentin Bühler, Sulzer Metco

27 Imprint

Exhibitions, Events

July 12–15, 2010, San Diego, CA, USAAMTA Annual Conference & Exhibition 2010www.amtaorg.comInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

August 2–5, 2010, Kansas City, MO, USAACE Ethanol Conference & Trade Showwww.ethanol.orgInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

August 10–12, 2010, Pittsburg, PA, USACoal Gen Conference & Exhibitionwww.coal-gen.comInformation for Sulzer Turbo Services: Stephanie KingPhone +1 713 567 [email protected]

September 8–10, 2010, Lima, PeruExpoMINA 2010www.kallman.comInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

September 9–10, 2010, Mumbai, India16th Annual India Oil & Gas Review Summit &International Exhibitionwww.oilasia.comInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

September 13–16, 2010, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilRio Oil and Gas 2010www.ibp.org.brInformation for Sulzer Turbo Services: Stephanie KingPhone +1 713 567 [email protected] for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

September 15–17, 2010, Almaty, KazakhstanMining World Central Asia 2010www.miningworld.kzInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

September 21–24, 2010, Basel, Switzerland ILMAC 2010www.ilmac.chInformation for Sulzer Chemtech: Heinz SchmidPhone +41 52 262 29 [email protected]

4 | Sulzer Technical Review 2/2010 4302

New Sulzer MIXPACTM Unit DoseExact dosing, unhindered accessibility to all treatment areas in the mouth of the patient, as well as the highest hygiene standard possible are what mostdentists want when working with a 2-component mixing system. Until now,dentists often had to take matters

into their own hands to achieve this.Sulzer Mixpac recognized this need and developed a unique system, “Sulzer MIXPACTM Unit Dose”, that perfectly corresponds to what dentistswant for the intraoral use of 2-componentmixing systems.

Sulzer released its Sustainability Report2009, June 21, 2010, which received theapplication level A+ of the Global Report-ing Initiative. The company is committedto continuously improving its sustainabil-ity performance. The frequency of acci-dents was further reduced and hazardouswaste production per net value addeddecreased.Sustainability is a key factor for the

success of Sulzer. The company is commit-ted to creating long-term economic value,while proactively assuming its social andenvironmental responsibility. SociétéGénérale de Surveillance (SGS) and theGlobal Reporting Initiative (GRI) con-

firmed that Sulzer reports according tothe GRI G3 application level A+.“With the increasing scarcity of resources,energy efficiency has become a growingneed, and Sulzer solutions make a signif-icant difference with combined economicand ecological advantages,” CEO TonBüchner states in the SustainabilityReport 2009. For instance, state-of-the-artpumps offer higher reliability and efficien-cy, and high-quality coatings for turbinesreduce energy consumption. Sulzer is alsoworking on new opportunities, such assolutions for non-food-based biofuels andthermal solar power, which help reducedependency on fossil-based fuels. In 2009, Sulzer further decreased the

accident frequency rate by 25% to 5.6 accidents per million working hours. For2010, the target has again been loweredto 4.5 with the long-term goal of zero acci-dents. The ecological footprint of Sulzeroperations is closely monitored, in partic-ular regarding energy consumption andcarbon dioxide emissions. As a signatorymember of the United Nations GlobalCompact, Sulzer is fully committed to itsprinciples in the areas of human rights,labor, environment, and anticorruption.The Sustainability Report 2009, a

full GRI content index, and additionalinformation can be found at www.sulzer.com/sustainability.

Sulzer publishes Sustainability Report

Sustainability Report 2009

September 22, 2010, Winterthur, Switzerland Kundentagung “Technische Diagnostik undMaterialprüfung”Information for Sulzer Innotec: Ulrich RitterPhone +41 52 262 69 [email protected]

October 2–6, 2010, New Orleans, LA, USAWEFTEC’10www.weftec.orgInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

October 4–6, 2010, São Paulo, BrazilABTCP Pulp and Paper 2010www.abtcp-tappi2010.org.brInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

October 4–6, 2010, Phoenix, AZ, USAGas Machinery Conference (GMRC)www.gmrc.orgInformation for Sulzer Turbo Services: Shyrone AyresPhone +1 504 392 [email protected]

October 4–8, 2010, Johannesburg, South AfricaELECTRA MINING AFRICA 2010www.specialised.comInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

October 4–8, 2010, Bogotá, ColombiaExpoenergia 2010www.feriainternacional.comInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

October 5–7, 2010, Houston, TX, USATurbomachinery Symposiumwww.turbolab.tamu.eduInformation for Sulzer Turbo Services: Stephanie KingPhone +1 713 567 [email protected]

October 13–15, 2010, Lucca, ItalyMIAC 2010www.miac.infoInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

October 19–20, 2010, Durban, South AfricaTAPPSA National Exhibitionwww.tappsa.co.zaInformation for Sulzer Pumps: Claudia PrögerPhone +41 52 262 39 [email protected]

Exhibitions, Events


Sulzer Mixpac is awarded ISO certificationSulzer Mixpac is awarded ISO certifi -cation for its social and environmentalpolicy commitment. The facilities at Haag,Switzerland, and Eschen, Liechtensteinwere audited by the Swiss Association forQuality and Management Systems (SQS),the independent certification organizati-on. The auditors certified that the environ-

ment and work safety managementsystem at Sulzer Mixpac fulfilled all of therequirements. The official presentation ofthe certificates was on March 8, 2010. Thisstill very young enterprise has alreadyinternalized and implemented a very pro-gressive way of thinking about its peopleand the environment.

The SJD-API pump is the culmination of intensivedevelopment work that spanned the globe withinSulzer Pumps and brought heritage technologiestogether with leading Sulzer innovation.Sulzer Pumps undertook a major project to com-

bine several existing technologies and develop aworld class pump for the global market. Intro-duced in 2009, the SJD-API (ISO13709VS6) verticalcan pump provides tailored solutions that draw onour best technologies to meet customer needs andspecification requirements.

Application-specific designFor very high head applications, thrust balancedimpellers may be furnished to reduce the hydraulicthrust carried by the thrust bearing. A variety ofwear part and other options are available to suitrigorous customer specifications.

Product testing and selectionThorough product testing is accomplished toISO13709 criteria using ISO9906 and H.I. proce-dures and methods. Hydrotest, performance, andNPSH testing can be completed in various factory locations for customer convenience.For further information on the Sulzer Pumps

vertical product lines: www.sulzerpumps.com.

Sulzer world-class technology andleading innovation in one product

SJD-API vertical pump.

TAILOR-MADE SOLUTIONS


Russia is keen to develop moreoutlets for its massive reserves ofcrude oil. The gateway to the east

for Russian oil will be the eastern SiberiaPacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline, a4700km (2900 mile) pipeline systemoperated by Transneft, a Russian state-owned company responsible for thenational oil pipelines . With a totalnetwork length of almost 50000km,Transneft owns the world’s largest

pipeline system. Once fully constructed,ESPO will transport crude oil from fieldsin eastern Siberia and the Khanty-MansiAutonomous Okrug in western Siberiato the Asian Pacific markets of Japan,China, and Korea .ESPO’s first stage comprises the con-

struction of a 2757km (1713 mile) sectionwith a capacity of 30 million tons (220.5million barrels) of oil per year. One oilbarrel equals 42 US gallons or 159 liters.

The first part of the pipeline, with adiameter of 1.22m, links Tayshet in eastSiberia’s Irkutsk region to Skovorodinoin the Amur region, in Russia’s far east.There will also be a branch fromSkovorodino to Daqing in China, with aplanned capacity of 30 million tons a year. The second stretch will run an addi -tional 2100 km (1304 mile) to the east from Skovorodino to the Pacific Oceanterminal at Kozmino. This terminal can

Sulzer Pumps delivers pipeline pumps with interchangeable hydraulics, enabling possible flexible operation

Two pumps in one casingRussia is currently building a pipeline system almost 5000km long, that connects oil fields inSiberia with markets farther east, e.g., China and Japan. Because this pipeline system isbeing built in two stages, the operating conditions for the pumps installed in the initial phasewill change as pipeline length and required flow increase for the final phase. Sulzer Pumpsdeveloped pumps with interchangeable hydraulics in one casing, a feature that allowschanging the pump characteristics according to the stage of pipeline construction.

In the harsh and remote Siberian environment it is important that the installed pumps are efficient, reliable, and require a minimum of maintenance.


serve tankers with deadweights from80000 t to 150000 t and will eventuallyhave three loading booms. The secondleg of ESPO will pump 367.5 millionbarrels of oil annually, whereas thecapacity of the stretch from Tayshet toSkovorodino will finally be raised to anannual 588 million barrels. Along the route, 32 pumping stations

will move the fluid, including 13 stationswith a total tank-farm storage capacityof 2.67 million cubic meters (94310000ft3).Each pumping station will comprise threepumps in series and one spare pump. Inthe first phase, six pumping stations arerequired to move the oil eastwards. The first phase also includes the

construction of an export terminal andof a dedicated 35MW power station in Olyokminsk. In this power station, fivegenerating sets with crude-oil-firedengines will deliver the electricity topower the remote pumping stations.In November 2006, Sulzer Pumps

received the order from Russia to designand build the pumps for the first phaseof this exceptional project. The orderincludes main pipeline pumps as well as vertical-booster and vertical-loadingpumps.

Flexible operation possibleIn the initial phase, the pipeline is shorter,and fewer production systems are hookedup to the system. The length of thepipeline influences the pressure losses

and thus the required head to be deliv-ered by the pumps. As more oil fields areconnected to the system, the requiredflow rate increases compared with theinitial configuration . The parametershead, discharge flow, and rotating speed determine the specific speed of a pumpand thus influence the shape of theimpeller. Specific speed is a characteristic

number for each pump hydraulic and itincreases with higher flow and lowerhead. For the ESPO pumps, the changinghead and flow rate made it impossibleto cover all requirements with a singlepump. In the initial phase, a pump withlower specific speed is required, whereas,in the final phase, the necessary specificspeed is higher. In order to keep theinvestment as low as possible and to facilitate flexible operation of the pipeline,the engineers of Sulzer Pumps designedtwo hydraulic configurations consistingof one impeller / diffuser set for the initialphase and one impeller for the final phasethat fit into the same pump casing. For the first construction phase of

ESPO, the flow and head requirementsare considerably lower than for the finalphase. The first phase hydraulic has asmaller impeller diameter but approxi-mately the same shaft diameter as thefinal flow hydraulic. The diffuser forphase one accommodates the lower flowrate and fits into the volute type pumpcasing that is matched to the phase two

hydraulics. Once all oil fields are hookedup, the flow rate increases such that it istoo high for the initial low flow-hydraulic.At this stage, Sulzer will install the high-flow impeller. The volute casing is hydraulically

designed such that it matches the per-formance of the high-flow impeller.

Design for maximum loadWith higher flow rate and head, therequired power input increases. Thishigher power means that shaft, bearings,and casing have to handle higher loadsin the final expansion stage. The Sulzerspecialists designed all mechanical partsso that they can take the increased loadwhen the pipeline operates at full lengthand full capacity. Thanks to thisapproach, no change is required to thepump casing, shaft seal, or bearingassembly when changing the hydraulics


Government-proposed far east oiland gas pipelines

Phase 1

Discharge Flow 4500 m3/h

159000 ft3/h

Variable speed 1542–2910 min-1

Power consumption 4.6 MW

Phase 2

Discharge Flow 9600–12000 m3/h

340000–424000 ft3/h

Maximum 375m (1230 ft) at minimum differentialhead flow (9600 m3/h; 340000 ft3/h)

Variable speed 1465–2695 min-1

Power 13 MW, driver rating 14.5 MW

Design Pressure 105 bar (1523 psi)

Hydrotest Pressure 150 bar (2176 psi)

Main designdata of the pumpsfor the 2 phases of ESPO.

Pavlodar

Omsk

West Siberian oil & gas fields

Tomsk

Angarsk

Tayshet

East Siberian oil & gas fields

Russia

China

Mongolia

Lake of Baikal

Baikal-Amur Mainline

Skovorodino

Tynda

Beijing

Daqing

Yellow See

Vladivostok

Sea of Japan

Khabarvosk

Vanino

Sea of Okhotsk

600 Kilometer600 Miles

––– Oil pipeline---- Proposed oil pipeline––– Gas pipeline---- Proposed gas pipeline



for the higher discharge. Also, the shaftremains the same for both hydraulicdesigns. Equally, the whole drive systemis designed for the full-load case. These features make the ESPO pumps

like two pumps in one casing, bothworking around the best efficiency pointin their specific operating range. Inaddition to the hydraulic adjustments, avariable-speed drive further increasesoperational flexibility. The experts at Sulzer Pumps had to

develop a pump that could operate atoptimum efficiency with flow rates of4500 and 12000m3/h. Such a demandingdesign task required the use of the mostmodern tools in Sulzer’s R&D depart-ment in Winterthur (Switzerland). Com-putational fluid dynamics (CFD) madeit possible to predict the interactionbetween rotor and stator for the low-flowand the high-flow operating condition.

The flow field analysis of the full stagegave the designers valuable insight andhelped to optimize rotor/stator interac-tion to achieve maximum efficiency andlow-pressure pulsations for the widerange of given operating conditions.

Stringent mechanical analysisToday, the design of a pump is an inte-grated process including hydraulic development and structural analysis.Before a hydraulic contour is released formodel or prototype manufacturing, it alsohas to pass stringent mechanical analysiswith the most advanced tools using thefinite element method (FEM) . The mechanical design department

carried out a complete 3D calculation ofthe pump casing, including bolts, nuts,and gasket for the most critical load cases. The hydrotest pressure of 150 bar waschecked as well as the risk of interstageleakage and the deformations and stressesin the casing.

Fine-tuning on the test rigIn order to verify the CFD based impellerdesign, Sulzer carried out model tests inthe Winterthur laboratory . Scaled-down models of the hydraulics for phaseone and phase two were machined fromaluminum blocks using a high-precisionfive-axis milling machine. The measure-ments confirmed the CFD predictions forthe hydraulic configurations with thelower specific speed for phase one,whereas the design for the second phaseneeded some fine tuning on the test rig. In addition to the model test, Sulzer

Pumps carried out string tests with thepumps in the Leeds (UK) workshop,which was also responsible for pumpmanufacturing. For the tests of thedesigns in both the initial and the finalphases Sulzer built a special test bed inLeeds. This new installation made itpossible to execute out tests across the full operating ranges and at themaximum power of 14.5 MW. 24 stringtests were carried out over a period of ten months to prove the completeintegrity of the skidded units.

CFD supported the pump design. The diffuser inserts guide the flow in the volute,designed for flow rate which will be almost tripled in phase 2.

Structural analysisof the casing for themost critical loadcases ensures

mechanical integrityof the full operational

life of the pumps.

Precisely machined model pumpsat a reduced scale enable the designersto fine-tune the hydraulic design on thedevelopment test rig.

Velocitymin max


Service contract to ensure reliableoperationThe ESPO pipeline is in the focus of the Russian government, because itconnects the west Siberian Oil fields with China . Russian Prime MinisterVladimir Putin inaugurated the ESPO oilpipeline during a ceremony at theKozmino oil terminal on December 28,2009, calling it a “strategic project”. There-fore, its safe and reliable operation is ofhigh importance. To ensure best-qualitymaintenance to minimize unexpectedoutages, a service contract was signed inDecember 2009. In the scope of thisservice contract, two teams of Sulzerservice engineers supervise the technicalmaintenance performed by the person-

nel of the customer on the Sulzer pumps.Vostoknefteprovod Limited LiabilityCompany, the operating company of theESPO pipeline is a subsidiary of Transneft.The Sulzer teams are based in thecustomer’s service centers in Bratsk andNeryungri, east Siberia, and sequen tiallyvisit each of the pumping stations. Inthese pumping stations, the mainpipeline pumps and additional boosterpumps, all manufactured by SulzerPumps UK, work around the clock. The oil deliveries by the pipeline

started in early 2010 and the first cargoof oil was delivered to Japan’s Mitsubishithrough ESPO on January 30, 2010,according to the Russian oil producerGazprom Neft.


Paul Meuter Sulzer Pumps Ltd Zürcherstrasse 12 8401 Winterthur Switzerland Phone +41 52 262 85 93 [email protected]

Brian Germaine Sulzer Pumps (UK) Ltd. Manor Mill Lane Leeds LS11 8BR United Kingdom Phone +44 113 272 45 28 [email protected]

Frank Nissen Sulzer Pumpen Deutschland GmbH Ernst-Blickle-Strasse 29 76646 Bruchsal Germany Phone +49 7251 76 144 [email protected]

Pumping station of the ESPO pipeline with Sulzer pumps in operation.



In early 2009, Sulzer Innotec receivedan inquiry from Belimo AutomationAG to provide advice in the design of

an acoustic test rig. The customer, Belimo,develops, produces, and distributesactuators for air control flaps and valvesfor heating, ventilation, and air-conditio-ning technology (HVAC). In the HVACarea of residential buildings in particular,Belimo is faced with increasing comfortrequirements regarding noise. In early 2009, Belimo started a project

to install a dedicated acoustic test rig inorder to already examine and optimizenew products with respect to noise during the development and prototypephase. The acoustic test rig had to be

designed to allow measurements in a production and development environ-ment. The level of substantial ambient noise and the low noise emissions of the very quiet actuators (<40dB(A), i.e., far below the ambient noise levels)made high demands concerning thesoundproof chamber and the selection of the measurement equipment.

Project planningSulzer Innotec suggested the followingproject phases:• Measurement of some Belimoproducts in an anechoic chamber,which also resulted in suggestionsfor improvements of the products

• Demo version of signal analysis andadequate display of results asrequested by the customer

• Selection of an adequate soundproofchamber

• Selection of a suitable microphonearrangement

• Selection of suitable microphonesand recording equipment

• Procurement of a soundproofchamber, microphones, andrecording equipment

• Software programming for signalrecording and analysis according tothe specifications

• Commissioning of the acoustic testrig

The customer agreed to the recommen-ded project phases, and the work wasstarted.

Measurements in the anechoicchamber of Sulzer InnotecThe Belimo actuators were measured witheight microphones. The actuators werelocated in the center of a cube-shapedarrangement of the eight microphones . With this arrangement, the sound

power could also be measured in the caseof directional radiation. The goal of the measurement was, on the one hand, to

Design of an acoustic test rig and development of software for recording and data analysis

Measurements below theambient noise levelSulzer Innotec was awarded a contract to design a test rig for the acoustic measurementof ventilation and air-conditioning equipment. The components to be tested emit noisethat is partially below ambient noise levels. The test rig was successfully launched in early2010, and the customer has performed measurements of various products.

Measurementsetup in the

anechoic chamberof Sulzer Innotec.


identify typical sound pressure levels andsound power levels as a basis for theselection of an adequate soundproofchamber, microphones, and recordingequipment. On the other hand, these measurements should clarify whether measuring with eight microphones wasappropriate.

Analysis and display of the measure-ments as required by the customerThe analysis of the recorded signalsshowed that Sulzer Innotec’s anechoicchamber was an ideal measurementenviron ment. In combination with the one-inch microphones, amplifiers and recording equipment, the backgroundsound pressure level was significantlybelow 20dB(A) and, therefore, very low.With activated actuators, however, themeasured sound pressures were, in somecases, only slightly above this value,which indicated that the soundproofchamber and the entire measurementchain must meet high requirements.The customer-specific analysis and

display of the data included, in parti cular,the plotting of the sound pressure levelsof the individual microphones as well asthe sound power level for the entireactuator. The variation of the signal

spectrum in time was displayed as a color-coded spectrogram and a peak-holdspectrum shows the overall dominant frequencies. The output of spectrumswith a fine frequency resolution allowedBelimo to clearly attribute certain noisecomponents, for example, that of a par-ticular gear wheel . From such detailedinformation, suitable design improve-ments could then be derived.

Selection of a soundproof chamberand microphone arrangementThe measurements of the ambient noiseperformed by Belimo at the dedicated siteof the new test rig were combined withthe now-known requirements for thebackground noise level inside thechamber in order to determine the sound-proofing requirements. A suitablesupplier of soundproof chambers ofvarious sizes was contacted, and asuitable modular chamber was ordered.The final installation of the transportabletest box was performed by Belimo .Thanks to the proven measurement

equipment of Sulzer Innotec, it could be demonstrated by color-coded spectro-grams that the sound pressure clearlydiffered at the various microphones posi-tions. The changes could also be heard

by the human ear. There fore, SulzerInnotec recommended the cube arrange-ment with eight microphones or, as analternative, a tetrahedron arrangementwith four microphones. For the alternative arrangement, the

actuator to be tested would have beeninstalled and measured twice, with a 90°rotation in between. This would haveresulted in lower procurement costs formeasurement equipment but in a highereffort for measurement and analysis. Thecustomer chose the cube arrangementwith eight microphones that could bemounted at different distances from thecenter. The distance of the microphones from

the device being tested is a compromisewhen taking into account the followingaspects: distance to the actuator and to the outside walls, expected soundpressure level, and the thickness of anoptional sound-absorbing lining.

Selection of the sensors andrecording equipmentInitially, the technical specifications ofsome low-cost microphones and analogto digital converters were reviewed care-fully, and some samples were procuredand tested. However, it turned out thatthe low-cost components did not meetthe specifi cations and that the quality ofthe test recordings was substantiallyinferior to those made by Sulzer Innotecin its anechoic chamber with laboratoryequipment.


Test rig and soundproof chamber from the outside.

10’000

9’000

8’000

7’000

6’000

5’000

4’000

3’000

2’000

1’000

0

Measurement: M 2.1 Peak Hold

Soun

d p

ress

ure

[dB

(A)]

Time

Freq

uenc

y [H

Z]

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Sound pressure[dB(A)]

Noise levels, spectrogram and peak-hold spectrum in arbitrary units.



Sulzer Innotec finally recommended sensitive, pre-polarized 1/2-inch micro-phones with an integrated preamplifierand constant current supply (IEPE) as well as highly sensitive 24-bit analog-to-digital converter cards with an adjustable input voltage range. The exceptionally high requirements for the measurement chain were only met by high-quality and high-priced compo-nents, and Belimo was confident in ourselection.

Software programmingThe software for signal recording andanalysis was specifically designed for thetypical measurement tasks at Belimo. Thesoftware was delivered in severalversions. The version called “Easy Mode”is intended for standardized measure-ment tasks, for example, a sound powermeasurement. It automatically performsmost settings for the operator. On the other hand, the version called

“Expert Mode” provides the operatorwith more options for recording, analysis,and display of the results. Therefore,special measurement tasks and analysismethods are also possible. Four sparechannels are available, for recording addi-tional signals such as vibrations and otheroperating parameters of the device beingtested. Finally, Sulzer Innotec also created

the “Expert Reader” version, which doesnot require any measurement hardwarefor recording to be installed, but allowsloading and analysis of data that wererecorded with the “Easy” or “Expert”modes. This “Expert Reader” runs on anydesktop PC or laptop .All software was created with

LabVIEW and compiled for the MicrosoftWindows operating system. Therefore,Belimo did not need to purchase additio-nal software licenses. The software wasdesigned in a “State-Machine” archi -tecture that includes the program states“preview”, “record”, “save”, “analysis”,“load” and “calibrate” . In the “calibrate” state, the entire measurementchain can be verified. A subsequent cali-bration of the brand-new microphonesresulted in deviations of <0.1dB from thefactory calibration. Belimo’s request toextend the program to make longer recor-dings turned out to be a challenge duringthe development. This failed initially due to the high

memory needs for the intermediatestorage of the data in working memory.By skillfully programming the calcu lationof interim results, the problem was partially resolved. A solution that allowsthe use of ready-made procedures fromLabVIEW and keeps the elegance of graphical programming can only be

expected by using a 64-bit operatingsystem, e.g., Windows 7. This shouldallow the interim storage of the largeamount of data that arises from longermeasurements.

Commissioning of the acoustic test rigThe procurement and installation of thesoundproof chamber, the actuators to betested, and additional equipment neededfor operation was managed by Belimo.In parallel, the abovementioned softwarewas created at Sulzer Innotec. Finally, the software was installed on the measu-rement PC in November 2009 and initialtest recordings of actuators were made.Immediately, the excellent sound qualityof the recordings convinced. The purchaseof the high-quality equipment paid off.After Belimo had become familiar

with the operation of the equipment and with the measurements taken in thenew soundproof chamber, Sulzer Innotecimplemented some minor softwaremodifications that had been suggested by the customer. In January 2010, thesystem was handed over to Belimo andsince then has been used successfully to measure various products.

Easy Mode graphical user interface.

“State-machine” diagram.

Ulrich Moser Sulzer Markets and Technology LtdSulzer InnotecSulzer-Allee 258404 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 82 [email protected]

Hans Rudolf GrafSulzer Markets and Technology LtdSulzer InnotecSulzer-Allee 258404 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 82 [email protected]

Record Save

Load

Preview

Calibrate

Analysis

SULZER ANALOGY

Tailor-made by nature

4304 Sulzer Technical Review 2/2010 | 13

Quite early, humans discovered that thewild horse could help them move fasterthan their own legs would permit. Different races of horses resulted throughbreeding. However, such tailor-madework was merely biological fine-tuning.Nature had already developed the horseinto the perfect running machine duringthe course of evolution.

The life of the horse in the steppe ledto legs well developed to be able toescape from enemies and to search forfood in a large area. The lungs, heart,and muscles are tuned to performancein such a manner that the maximummetabolic rate is four times greater thanthat of other animals of comparable size.Thoroughbreds, which have a top speed of 70 km/h (45 mph), are as fastas antelopes. And while the cheetah,with its 120 km/h (75 mph) of quickhunting sprints, is bushed and pantingon the ground after 400 meters (440 yd),the horse can remain at an almost continuous trot for twelve hours,covering 160 kilometers (100 miles) inthis time.

Toe-dancerThe horse owes its running talent not least to its special legs. The longerthe legs, the greater the step. However,the legs are only swift if they are slenderand light. Therefore, in the course of its development, the horse positioneditself higher and higher on its toes. Nowit stands only on the middle toe—thetoenail has become the hoof, and whatthe layman sees as knee is anatomi cally

the ankle joint. The horse is therefore atoe-dancer par excellence, whichproduces fleet-footed and energy-efficientmovement.

The special joint ligaments of the frontand hind legs are also energy-efficient.When the hooves hit the ground, theytense like springs. Not only does thiscushion the impact of the hoof, but kineticenergy is also stored that forces the legup again after contact with the ground.

Performance-enhancing air pumpA galloping horse needs a lot of oxygenfor its muscles, making an efficientpump necessary. In order to optimallyutilize its lungs, the horse uses an addi-tional mechanism. Where in the humanbody the arm is connected to the upperpart of the body via the clavicle, thisbone is absent in the horse. Its forelegsare coupled directly to the ribs with strong muscles. When the forelegs hitthe ground hard in a gallop, the impactpushes the ribs up and thus squeezesthe used air out of the lungs. Half a steplater, the horse throws its head and neckupward, relieving the forelegs, expand-ing the chest, and filling the bellows onceagain with air.

It is this pumping mechanism that allowsthe horse to always breathe exactly once per step of its gallop. The faster ahorse moves its legs, the more oxygenis pumped into the blood by the lungs.This effect is a performance regulator,but also a performance limiter becauseno training in the world makes the racinghorse breath faster than taking steps.

The horse also knows how to travelin the most economical way over longdistances. If you give free rein to a horse,it chooses a speed of about 5 km/h(3 mph). At this speed, its legs swingexactly in the natural rhythm that aphysical pendulum of this length andmass would have, which consumes theleast amount of calories. If the legs swingfaster than a pendulum would, energyconsumption increases. To optimizeenergy consumption, the horse picks upthe pace by switching from walking totrotting and finally to galloping. The mostefficient speed for each pace can be determined by measuring the oxygen consumption per distance travelled: forthe trot about 14 km/h (9 mph), for thegallop about 22 km/h (14 mph).

Herbert Cerutti

Palomino horse on grazing land. Photo credit: Lenkaden, 2010 used under license from shutterstock.com



Gas turbine components are sub-jected to high temperatures, aswell as high stress levels, and are

exposed to aggressive gases at the sametime. Gas turbines have to be fired tohighest possible temperatures to get thebest efficiency and the highest output.Fighting degradation of componentsexposed to high temperature is a contin-uous challenge.

Factors affecting gas turbinecomponent lifetimeThe steady-state temperature is the firstfactor. It controls oxidation and corrosionrates, degradation of base material quality,and creep lifetime. Creep lifetime is verydependent on material temperature. Gasturbine hot-section components aremade of nickel-base and cobalt-basesuperalloys. Excessive temperature canaffect the material integrally—sometimesirreversibly. Thermal cycling creates

cyclic stress loads, which can be verysevere. Most cracking of gas turbine com-ponents is a consequence of thermalcycling . Thermal cycling cracks canoccur in sound material as well as in agedmaterial .

Stresses are factor number twoSteady-state stress levels in materials thatare subjected to high temperature willlead to creep, which is a slow continu-ous plastic deformation of the material.Cyclic stresses can lead to fatigue, whichis the initiation and growth of cracks bycyclic stress. Cyclic temperature changeswhile starting and stopping can createvery high cyclic stresses. As a result,cracks can initiate and grow during evena very low number of stress cycles. Fatigue by thermal cycling thus is

known as “thermal fatigue” and “low-cycle fatigue.” When a component isweakened by internal degradation of the

base material, it becomes much more sen-sitive to thermal fatigue. Cyclic stressescan be created by external mechanicalexcitation, like tip rubbing or rattling ofcombustion components or by irregular-ities in the gas flow pattern that createcyclic pressure loads on components.Usually, the cyclic stress level is low andthe vibration frequency is high. It is worth mentioning that the crack

growth rate under identical stress andtemperature conditions is very similar formost superalloys. Stronger alloys showa longer crack initiation time, but, afterinitiation, the crack growth rate is nearlythe same as for weaker alloys. Many high-cycle fatigue failures are

caused by components that have devel-oped cracks by excitation of a harmonicmode. At the same time, it is very impor-tant to understand that pure cyclicmechanical overstressing (by forcedvibration) can make a component fail just

Repair assessment and modification of gas turbine components and assemblies

Lifetime extensionGas turbine components have different life-limiting failure modes. Life-limiting deteriorationis frequently created by a detail of a component. A thorough analysis and creative thinkingcan lead to modifications that result in substantial extensions of turbine lifetime.

Functional design of a gas turbine.

Intake Compression Combustion Exhaust

Air inlet Combustion chambers Turbine

Cold section Hot section

Author Jeff Dahl, licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 3.0


as easily. In all cases, it is important todetermine and address the root cause ofthe mechanical excitation rather than justfocus on the determination and trimmingof natural frequencies. Initiation of cracks,growth, and ultimate failure usually take place in the range of thousands tosome millions of cycles. Because of thehigh frequency, this can happen ratherquickly. The excitation of a natural frequency

in gas turbine components can lead tosevere amplification of the cyclic stresslevel and to failure in a very brief periodof time (seconds to minutes). Especiallylong rotating blades can be sensitive toexcitation.

Oxidation and corrosion are otherfactorsSuperalloys are a blend of many elements,of which, many are very sensitive to oxidation. Like in stainless steel, the alloys are protected against oxidation and corrosion by the formation of a stable,dense, and tight oxide scale. Depending on the alloy (or the coating),

this scale can be either chromium oxideor aluminum oxide. Industrial gasturbines with very long operating timesbenefit from high-chromium alloys;turbines in which the alloys are exposedto the highest temperatures benefit fromhigh aluminum contents. The latterturbines cannot offer the fuel flexibilityfor which old, “low”-temperature gasturbines were once known. Onlychromium oxides can offer reasonableprotection against attack by sodiumsulphate or sodium vanadate salts (“hotcorrosion”). All modern gas turbines, as used in

public utilities, operate with high metaltemperatures. They are protected by high-aluminum coatings and need very cleanfuel gas and combustion air. Up to about750°C, the combustion gases only attackthe material at its surface or, to someextent, along grain boundaries. At higher temperatures, diffusion in the

alloy becomes increasingly important and, consequently, oxygen and other reactivecomponents from the combustion gases

can penetrate deep into the surface of thecomponent. In this surface layer, alloyingelements react in order of decreasing reactiveness, leading to depletion and for-mation of internal oxides, nitrides etc.Because of the high stability of these com-pounds, this cannot be restored .

Damage in gas turbine componentsThe damage created by the mechanismsabove renders the information that isneeded to assess the severity of theprocess creating it. If this damage hadbeen foreseeable in its full extent in thedesign phase, appropriate design modi-fications would already have been imple-mented in that phase. Therefore, pure reverse engineering, in

which, essentially, the same calculationsand estimations are made as in theoriginal design phase, cannot be guaran-teed to offer a good analysis and solution.It is a valuable instrument to supportmodification initiatives. If a solution toor a mitigation of a problem is possible,often a great deal of additional informa-tion can be retrieved from the used anddamaged components, especially whenthere is an opportunity to compare thesecomponents with similar componentsfrom other turbines and other typesand/or brands of turbines. From suchexperience data, the following commentson generic types of damage can be made.

CreepCreep is slow plastic deformation thatoccurs in a component under stress athigh metal temperature. The creepprocess gradually exhausts the plasticdeformation capability of the component.Up to about two percent plastic deforma-tion does not usually create seriousproblems with the alloy. In many cases,however, the accompanying mechanicaldeformation already exceeds acceptancelimits for safe operation. This creep damage can be repaired—

not by addressing the material or the rootcause of the problem—but by mechani-cal correction of dimensions, e.g., bycutting back and by rebuilding asrequired. Since the deformation ofstraightening actions adds up to the creepdamage, the straightening process shouldnot be used for critical components. Itshould be emphasized that in many casesof creep damage, the base material is stillin very good shape, e.g., it would be pronounced “to be in good shape” by aninvestigating metallurgist. This is not contradictive to a rejection

of that same component because ofmechanical non-conformance. Practicalexperience shows that true metallurgicalcreep damage is a rare phenomenon.Most gas turbine components exhibit ametallurgical creep life that is a multipleof the actual lifetime.


First-stage blade after coating removal and cleaning. It exhibits thermal cycling cracking inthe leading edge and on the airfoil.



Material degradationWhen components are produced, thematerials structure have the right grain size distribution and size and distribution of different phases likecarbides and Gamma-prime phase. Thesephases have limited stability and cangrow, redistribute, disintegrate, or convertinto other phases. Unwanted new phaseslike s-phase can be formed over time aswell. Some degradation is completelyreversible; some is not.

FrettingFretting is the wear of components thatare in low-amplitude vibrating contact.The slight relative motion creates anongoing process of diffusion welding andtearing apart of these welds on a micro-scopic scale. In many alloys, fine particles are thus

torn out of the surface, leading to thetypical signs of fretting. Hardness of thealloys is only a factor but not an all-deter-mining parameter. Cobalt-base alloyshave better resistance to fretting thannickel-base alloys.

Assessment and basis of modificationof existing gas turbine componentsIn the operation of a gas turbine, goodhousekeeping is the art of finding the bestcompromise between limited componentlifetime and efficient power output of thegas turbine. In other words, gas turbine(hot-section) components are designed forand will be operated to survive an opti-mized and limited lifetime. The weakestpoints of designs will determine thelifetime. By repair or modification of thesepoints, lifetime can be extended. At the same time, these weakest points

are usually concentrated in just a singledetail of the entire component. Since mostlife-limiting processes in gas turbine com-ponents are controlled by processes thatare based on diffusion kinetics, which, inturn, are highly material temperature con-trolled, small changes in metal tempera-ture can lead to dramatic extensions ofcomponent lifetime. Thus, modificationscan usually be small changes with big con-sequences. A good impression of the stresses and

temperatures of gas turbine components

can frequently be obtained with a straight-forward analysis. Metal temperature dis-tribution can be assessed with fairaccuracy by determining the ageing ofthe alloy in various areas. A simple andstraightforward analysis can yield areliable identification of safe zones forrepair or modification, critical dangerzones, and transition zones. It is obviousthat this analysis must be carried out andinterpreted conservatively. When first-order calculations indicate borderlinecombinations of stress and temperature,3D measurement and finite element cal-culations are the tools to refine the model.The required technology is sophisticatedand available. Thorough knowledge of superalloy

metallurgy, properties, processing,coating etc. is a prerequisite to undertak-ing any steps in modifying gas turbinecomponents. Despite that fact, most mod-ifications are a result of straightforwardsound thinking and acting. Solutions canaddress a very specific case or a widearray of problems.

Examples of modifications for longerlifetimeThermal-barrier coatings (TBC) in indus-trial gas turbines are plasma-sprayedceramic coatings that act as an insulatorbetween hot gases and cooled compo-nents. A TBC not only reduces averagemetal temperature, but also reducessteep thermal transients. TBCs were introduced for combustion

components many decades ago. Becauseof their surface roughness, gas turbineoriginal equipment manufacturers(OEM) and users were reluctant to intro-duce them on airfoil surfaces. Whenincreasing power and efficiency require-ments led to higher firing temperaturesand internal cooling technology couldnot keep pace, and when the require-ment to achieve acceptable lifetimes fromcomponents grew to a nearly unachiev-able level, TBCs were introduced onairfoils. In many cases, lifetime wasdoubled or tripled, and, surprisingly, fewor no effects were found in internal effi-ciency or power output.

Deep thermal cycling cracking in the leading edge of a gas turbine blade.


First stage leading edge damagesThe leading edge of a gas turbine bladeis exposed to the severest risk of over-heating because of the high rate of heatexchange that is caused by the impinge-ment of hot gases. Leading edges, thus,are provided with the majority of thecooling air and are frequently designedas a relatively thin-walled pipe that iscooled by internal airflow. Despite the large amount of cooling air,

leading edges are still vulnerable to over-heating and thermal cracking, as isdemonstrated by many sets of damagedcomponents. It frequently proves thatcracking in a set of components is morepronounced in components with thinleading edges than in the ones with thickleading edges. A thick leading edge willconduct more heat to cooler parts of theairfoil than a thin one. In reverse engi-neering, component modification tothicker leading edges is more easily incor-porated than in repair of existing compo-nents although reliable processes areavailable for the latter as well.

Lifetime determined by corrosion rate Cooling air is a scarce commodity in gasturbines. Components that lack coolingwill deteriorate within an unacceptablyshort period of time. When lifetime isdetermined by the corrosion rate of thebase material, one option is to simplyincrease wall thickness of that component.This is well feasible but not straightfor-ward, since the external dimensions ofthe profile should not be violated.Additionally, the available cooling air

can be redistributed in such a way thathotter sections will be provided withmore cooling air at the expense of coolingair for areas that have already exhibitedlong lifetimes because of ample cooling.

Example lifetime extensionIn the case described here, the modifica-tion was more complex than usual.Border conditions were: no changes intotal cooling airflow for this componentand no changes in the contour of theairfoil were allowed. The original com-ponent was produced from uncoated

Inconel 939 and had thin walls at thetrailing-edge cooling-air exit slot. Themodifications were as follows:• Internal cavity and the cooling-air exitslot modified to double minimal wallthickness• Cooling-air impingement insertmodified for cooling-air distribution to the hottest sections• Change of material from IN939 toIN738LC with better resistance tointernal oxidation and nitridation• Application of an oxidation-resistantaluminum diffusion coating

In these components, lifetime was tripledby this combination of actions.

Successful lifetime extensionMany gas turbine hot-section componentshave a limited lifetime. Oxidation, corro-sion, material degradation, and thermalcracking are the usual lifetime determin-ing processes. A limited lifetime can becaused by deterioration of only a detailof a component.

A thorough analysis and understandingof the mechanism can lead to accuratepinpointing of that detail and to ways toimprove lifetime of the component.Improvements can be made on existingservice-exposed components as well asin new designs. Lifetime extensions to amultiple of the original lifetime have been achieved.

Sjef MattheijSulzer Turbo Services Venlo B.V.Spikweien 365943 AD LommNetherlands Phone +31 77 473 [email protected]


Hot Corrosion damage in first stage gas turbine blades.

Single-source manufacturingPANORAMA


Sulzer Innotec has long-standing experi-ence in the production of impellers andthe associated five-axis simultaneousmilling technology. In particular, forshrouded impellers where the cover discand hub are connected through the blades,different production methods, partiallydeveloped and patented by Sulzer Innotec,are in use. These methods range frombrazing for impellers with small loads toconventional or laser welding construc-tions for greater loads through to integralmanufacturing where the blade channelsare milled from a single blank.

Double-flow pump impellersIn the example presented, differentdouble-flow pump impellers, i. e.,impellers with blade channels at bothshaft ends, were to be produced asreplacement for existing impellers .The initial design as a shroudedimpeller with welded cover discs waskept by the customer. Available forgedblanks from X3CrNi13-4 (1.4313), a cor-rosion- and acid-resistant steel forpumps and turbine parts for power-plant constructions, were provided bythe customer.

Five-axis simultaneous millingFor milling of these impellers with adiameter of up to 900mm and a rawweight of up to 1.1 tons, Sulzer Innotecuses the Hermle C50, which is one of thelargest milling machines with a swivelrotary table employed in impeller produc-tion. Five-axis simultaneous millingrequires specialized programming know-how. Blade geometries characterizedthrough ruled surfaces—surfaces thatconsist of a group of lines—are beneficialin impeller production because thesesurfaces can be economically manu -factured using flank milling at compara-tively small programming expense. With the example presented, the blade

geometry is characterized through a cur-vature that deviates from a ruled surface,thus a line-by-line point milling of theblades was required. It is a challenge toidentify an economical milling strategyand simultaneously ensure the request-ed surface quality and roughness. Additionally, the vibration behavior of

the tool must be considered because forlarge impellers, the required millingtools—with loss of rigidity—are alwayslonger in order to process the materialon the hub contour along the blade height.The tilt of the impeller blades towards

Detailed view of the foot radius on the blade’s leading edge.

For the production of impellers for a pump storage hydropowerplant, the customer was looking for a manufacturing partnerwith expertise in mechanical production and welding technologyas well as the necessary test engineering for quality assurance.Sulzer Innotec satisfied these demands.

Double-flow pump impeller CAD-model.

PANORAMA

the hub additionally reduces tool acces-sibility for milling of the blade channels.Due to the roughness achieved in themilling process, manual finish on themilled surfaces was not necessary. The visual impression of an uneven

surface in the detailed view of the footradius on the blade’s leading edge isdeceptive . The effective average rough-ness after milling is 0.8 – 1.6µm in accor-dance with N6-N7. The double-flowdesign of the impeller must be flippedover to process the opposite side, whosegeometry is mirrored through a horizon-tal plane and offset by half a blade pitchin the circumferential direction. Since therotation direction of the milling machineshaft does not change, each side requiresan almost entirely new programming ofthe milling process. The new programs take the different

cutting parameters of the milling toolsduring conventional and climb millinginto account. The slots required forwelding were milled into both cover discs,which were finally welded to the bladesafter machining. Slot welding fromoutside is necessary; a regular T-joint atthe blade fillet can not be executed frominside the blade channel due to lack ofaccessibility. A fully finished hub with oneof the two cover discs is shown beforeassembly .

Slot welding on the cover discsThe welding process requires a profoundknowledge of all welding methods usedand, most importantly, highly developedmanual skills. The welding workshop atSulzer Innotec has more than 1000PQRs(procedure qualification records) and cul-tivates a knowledge base in welding technology used by its highly qualifiedwelders with long-standing professionalexperience. The material of the pumpimpeller requires that all components bepreheated before welding. First, the TIG(tungsten inert gas) welding method isapplied. The concentricity tolerance of thecomponents must be ensured within one-tenth of a millimeter when tack weldingthe cover discs to the blades. This is nota simple task considering that only thecover disc’s external diameter is lying onthe blades. Other than that, there is a gapof up to 4 mm between the slot in thecover disc and the blade contour. The gapbetween cover disc and leading edge canbe seen in . After tack welding, the gap between

the blade and the cover disc is bridgedwith a root pass, and the connection isthickened with a support layer. Allwelding operations across the entireimpeller must be executed according toa special welding-sequence plan in orderto balance and minimize the welding dis-

tortion. To fill the slots in the cover disc,instead of TIG welding, SMAW (shieldedmetal arc welding) is used because of its greater deposition rates. Insulating blankets prevent the compo-

nents from cooling down too muchduring the welding . Towards theexternal diameter of the impeller,improved accessibility in the bladechannel then allows a T-joint at the bladefillet. Therefore, in this area, there is aswitch from welding from the outside viaa slot to welding via a blade channel. Forall process steps during welding, a round-table is required, which allows the welderto properly position the impeller.However, accessing the welding zonesstill remains a great challenge.Also in the welding workshop, the

welded joints are subsequently buffedwith manual grinding machines. Carefulmanual finish ensures the required N7surface quality and dimension accuracy;a draft-compliant flow channel is created.After welding and buffing, the impelleris preturned and ready for heat treatmentto reduce the residual welding stress .

Non-destructive testingTo ensure quality, a series of tests accom-panies the entire production process.Even regular visual testing (VT) of thework execution is specified in the qualitycontrol plan. All requested non-destruc-tive testing methods are carried out byaccredited Sulzer Innotec test personnel.After milling, i.e., before welding,magnetic particle inspection (MT) is performed on all chip-finished surfacesas well as on the welding area. In MT, a


Fully finished hub with one of the two cover discs before assembly.

Blade leading edge below the milled welding slot.

PANORAMA


component is magnetized and fluorescentmetal particles are applied as testingagent. Surface cracks and flaws close tothe surface distort the magnetic flux; thisdistortion will be indicated through the accumulation of the testing agent. After welding of the cover discs, the

welding joints are subject to ultrasonictesting (UT), penetration testing (PT) andadditional MT. In UT, ultrasonic wavesinserted into the component are reflect-ed by any defect, measured and therebybecome visible. By this means, materialdefects within the component can bedetected. PT uses the capillary effect offine surface cracks or pores, which absorban applied coloring agent. The agentbecomes visible after cleaning the com-ponent and treating it with a developer.Subsequent to the stress relief annealingmentioned above, another PT and MT arecarried out along with a hardness test atdefined positions on the impeller.

Repair weldingA defect must be repaired if it is detectedduring a non-destructive test and doesnot comply with the test criteria. Thisapplies to defects in the forged blank, butalso to welding faults that may occur evenwhen working with the utmost care. Theinitial step of the repair instructionsinvolves manual milling of the flaw withsubsequent VT, MT, and PT. The repair

welding can then be carried out and isin turn verified by VT, MT, PT, and UT.Sulzer Innotec has a welding process

qualification record that allows smallscale welding repairs without subsequentheat treatment as designated for thismaterial.

Final inspectionAfter the final manufacturing step, which mainly includes finish turning ofthe external contour to the final dimen-sions, the impeller is tested once more.First, the weld joints are subject to pene-tration testing. Second, the chip-processedsurfaces are subject to MT and, finally,the geometrical dimensions are verified.

A test disc from the same raw materialbatch as the pump impeller, which wasalso subject to the identical heat treatmentas the impeller, is available for a stressanalysis, including notch impact, bend,and tensile tests. The final acceptance inthe presence of the customer is executedat Sulzer Innotec. Upon delivery of the impellers, the customer receives full docu mentation, including all material certificates, test records, and welding confirmations.

Production from one sourceSulzer Innotec combines productionexpertise in mechanical cutting process-es and welding with the related engineer-ing know-how. Our customers, small andmedium-sized enterprises as well as inter-national groups, also benefit from ourservices in test engineering and from ourR&D expertise in materials and fluidmechanics. Sulzer Innotec can therefore provide a

high level of quality for demanding production requirements while meetingclose deadlines at the same time. The slot-welded pump impellers presentedabove are a typical example of our expertise.

Thomas PetersSulzer Markets and Technology Ltd Sulzer InnotecSulzer-Allee 258404 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 51 [email protected]

Insulating blankets prevent the components from cooling down too much during the welding.

Preturned impeller before postweld heat treatment.

Sulzer Chemtech in Serpukhov has a land plot area of 8000m2.

Russia and the states of the former Soviet Union, with their vast oil and gasreserves and their large number of oilrefineries and petrochemical plants, havebeen an important and interesting marketarea for Sulzer for quite some time now.In order to bring Sulzer’s technology, its expertise, its quality products, and its excellent service even closer to itscustomers in this area, Sulzer decided inspring of 2007 to open a local productionfacility there.

Serpukhov was chosen as the sitelocation—a city with around 150000inhabi tants, 80 kilometers south ofMoscow, and one hour away from theDomodedowo airport. Business activitiesat the new “OOO Sulzer Chemtech”company started in rental offices. In thesummer of 2008, the company moved into a renovated office building on its own premises. At the same time, theproduction plant was modernized andequipped with machines, tools, and raw

materials. Business processes in all areasof the new Russian site were establishedusing proven Sulzer Chemtech processes,and the local staff was trained byspecialists from Switzerland. Since then,the team of Sulzer Chemtech Russia hasgrown to about 50 people and the firstlarge and small orders have beensuccessfully processed.

The location in Serpukhov producesstructured packings, internals, and traysfor thermal separation. Sulzer’s Mellapakproducts are the world's most widelyused structured packings and haveproven themselves in separation columnsof up to 15 meters in diameter. The projectmanagement and construction planningis done on site in close cooperation withregional customers.

With its Serpukhov facility, SulzerChemtech is now better positioned toensure that customers in this large marketare well supplied and to further expandbusiness in the eastern part of Europe. In addition to Russia, the oil and gascountries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan can nowbe better served. As an important andsolid subsidiary, Sulzer ChemtechSerpukhov will make its contribution to ensure that Russian companies can also profit from other Sulzer Chemtechproducts and services.

Margrit Ghelfi

SULZER WORLD

Welcome to Sulzer Chemtech in Russia

Sulzer Chemtech Russia is located 80 km south of Moscowin Serpukhov. The production site was opened in April 2009and serves with its products and services the oil and gasindustry as well as the petrochemical industry in the largestcountry in the world.

4310 Sulzer Technical Review 2/2010 | 21

State-of-the-art production facility in Serpukhov, Russia.

EvoLink™ for plasma spraying


Awareness of costs, production of repro-ducible results, production of dependablequality, and adherence to increasingsafety standards are challenges within allmarkets, especially in the aerospacemarket. These challenges were the reasonSulzer developed measurement elec -tronics and a data storage system thatcould be integrated into thermal-sprayguns .The arrangement of the measuring

instruments determines the quality ofmeasurement of the physical propertiesof the thermal-coating processes. Thecloser the measurement is located to thespray position, the more precise the meas-urements, and, thus, the better quality theresults. With the technology that is cur-rently used, systematic and non-system-atic measurement errors affect the dataquality because the measurements aretaken at a large distance from the sprayprocess. There is also a safety risk, becausethe process control does not have theinformation to identify the installed gunat any time. If the system is incorrectlyconfigured, the operating conditions canbecome dangerous for both people andequipment.

Overview of EvoLinkBecause of the situation described above,Sulzer Metco developed the EvoLink™gun-monitoring and data technology. One

of the objectives of the project was to takethe critical measurements either directlyin or in the immediate vicinity of the gunand to transfer the data gained to theprocess control in an appropriate manner.Another objective was to integrate a datastorage device in the gun itself from whichthe data could be accessed as needed. TheEvoLink technology can be added to anygun used for thermal coating. Local

analog/digital conversion of the measure-ment signals and the use of reliabletransfer mechanisms result in interference-free, fast data transfer to the process con-troller. EvoLink technology can be usedto measure the following physical valueslocally: voltage, current, power, charge,temperature, humidity, volume flow forliquid and gaseous media, light radiation,pressure, and noise.

As the requirements placed on thermal coatings continue to intensify, the importance ofbeing able to acquire data that are more accurate more quickly is increasing. For fasterand more exact data access, process variables must be measured close to or even insidethe gun. Sulzer Metco has introduced a new product that measures process variablesdirectly inside a thermal-spray gun and stores the relevant data within the gun itself.

Sulzer Metco TriplexPro-200 with EvoLink technology.

PANORAMA

PANORAMA

Data storageThe data of the process and other relatedaspects are stored in the gun. The processcontrol can access these data over a securetransfer channel. EvoLink technology canbe used to store the following data locally:hardware version, information about the production, information about theconfiguration, maintenance information,calibration data, permissible limit values,operating hours counter, counter fornumber of ignitions, and other generaldata.The EvoLink functions offer the user

a number of advantages:• Improved process quality• Increased operating safety andreliability

• Reduced system complexity• Process consistency from system tosystem

• Simplified system operation• Protection against configuration errors• Improved quality documentation• Optimized management of systemmaintenance and spare parts life cycle

The great challenge in the developmentof the EvoLink technology was to inte-grate the desired measuring functions asclose to the spray process as possible ina form suitable for actual industrial use.The extremely high temperatures andelectromagnetic fields in the immediatevicinity of the spray process create harshoperating conditions that had to be con-sidered. Furthermore, the engineers couldnot allow the integrated EvoLink to inter-fere with the function of the unit on whichit was mounted, i.e., the gun. Thus,compact architecture was an importantrequirement.The EvoLink has been designed for

many different processes:• Plasma: TriplexPro-200, F4MB-XL, and9MB can all be equipped with EvoLink

• HVOF liquid fuel: WOKAJET-440 andWOKASTAR-640 are equipped withEvoLink

• HVOF gas fuel: The Diamond Jet (DJ)family also can be equipped withEvoLink

• Finally, a generic EvoLinkmodule thatcan be mounted on any type of gun isin planning

As a technical prerequisite for using theEvoLink technology, the gun must be

controlled by a Sulzer Metco processcontrol system. Measured data from theEvoLink and other data stored in theEvoLinkmemory device are sent directlyto the process controller. Communicationbetween the EvoLink and the process controller takes place via a data line (max. length: >300m). The EvoLink technology is completely

integrated in the new controller generation EvoCoat Series, is alreadyavailable for HVOF liquid fuel process-es, and is in development for plasma, gasfuel, and other processes. A retrofitsolution for MultiCoat systems series will be available as well.

Increased process qualityFigure 2 has a classical system setup . In figure 3, the measurements on the

EvoLink were taken close to the sprayprocess, resulting in a high correlationbetween the measured values and thequality of the resulting coating . Thecumulative effect of measurement errorscaused by the cascading of elements inthe chain of measurement is extremelylow. This precision, together with shorter

reaction times in the system, allows theoptimization of closed control circuits,which have been relatively static and dif-ficult to deal with up to now. Overallimprovements in continuity, absoluteaccuracy of adjustment, and reproducibil-ity have been achieved. Costs can bereduced considerably now, since failurescan be detected earlier.

Increasing operational safety andreliabilityThermal spray systems can be complexas they typically are comprised of severalcomponents. The quality of the coatingmaterial and the physical operating con-ditions have a large influence on how thesystem works and on the process results.Figure 4 shows the influences in a classi-cal system setup . Figure 5 shows thesetup with EvoLink technology .In a classic system configuration, a

limited number of sensors providefeedback on the state of the system andthe process. The sensors are usually notin the immediate vicinity of the gun orthe spray process. Thus, many physical


Classical setup with long distances between the measurementand the spray process.

Process controller

Long distance

Long time

Gun

Process

Setup with EvoLink technology—short distances betweenthe EvoLink and the spray process.

Process controller

Short distanceShort time

Gun

Process

Reproducible results from a gun used in different systems.

Process controller System A

Same gun usedon two different

systems

Same process onboth systems

=

Process controller System B

Classical setup with many uncontrollable influencing factors.

Gun

Process

PANORAMA


not an issue. However, for the reasonsexplained above, the process characteris-tics of the gun can vary slightly betweendifferent spray systems even when theoperating parameters are identical. The EvoLink allows the control system

to make fine adjustments to the processparameters at any time, based on themeasurements made in the immediatevicinity of the spray process. With thedata acquisition described here and theautomatic configuration function, whichwill be explained later, the gun can easilybe used with different control systems.

Example: EvoLink technology inTriplexPro-200The following describes an interestingapplication for data acquisition with anEvoLink integrated in a TriplexPro-200three-cathode gun . The gun, as it is,already produces excellent coatings athigh production rates. However, whenthe most important parameters aremeasured closer to the process, they canbe better maintained at the desired leveland, in some circumstances, improvedeven further. For example, EvoLink can help to elim-

inate the impact of voltage fluctuationsin the gun caused by the wear conditionof the gun cables. The EvoLink providesthe TriplexPro-200 with the followingmeasured values:• True RMS voltage at all the cathodes• Cooling-water temperature in all thecathodes

• Temperature of the cooling-watersupply

• Temperature in the vicinity of theEvoLink

• Internal monitoring of the EvoLinksupply voltage

The accuracy of the voltage measurementis +/-0.2% referenced to the 300VDC fullscale. The absolute accuracy of the tem-perature measurement is +/-0.5 °C.The EvoLink measures the voltage

more often than the temperature becausetemperature changes are more gradual.Comprehensive design features ensurethat the temperature around the EvoLinkelectronics does not exceed 40°C in spiteof the harsh operating conditions.

Improved quality documentationThe gun data is stored in the reportingfile so time-consuming manual referenc-ing of the gun in the reporting softwareis no longer necessary. For example, ifthe gun is operated outside of its speci-fication due to a defect in the system orfaulty manipulation, this fact is recordedin the gun’s memory. These “deviations”can also be integrated in the quality doc-umentation using the reporting software.

Protection against configuration errorsWhen a spray system is manually config-ured and operated, there is no systemat-ic and easy way to determine whetherthe process settings entered by the userare compatible with the componentsphysically present. This is particularlytrue for the guns, in which case, incom-patibility can quickly lead to dangerousoperating conditions and/or materialdamage. The automatic identification of the

gun using a unique identification codestored in the EvoLink allows the controlsystem to optimally configure and controlthe process for the component and informthe user of any problems. Two cases areof particular importance for practicalapplication:• Case 1 : The installed gun cannot andmay not be used with the process controller in the system (for example,because the process controller does notrecognize that type of gun; the processis wrong; or the supply concept is inap-propriate, such as in the case of a three-cathode gun vs. a one-cathode gun).

influences between the point of measure-ment and the melting process are neverdetected but can have a negative effecton the process. The evaluation of thefeedback from the immediate vicinity ofthe spray process makes it easier to avoiddangerous or damaging operating condi-tions in the system.

Reduced complexityThe integration of sensors and activationdevices in the gun itself reduces the tech-nical complexity of the system. This hasa positive influence on investment costsand the reliability of the system. Depend-ing on the circumstances, certain systemcomponents can be eliminated, therebyreducing the space requirements andmaking installation of the system easier.

Reproducible coating results with thesame gun in different spray systemsCustomers with more than one thermal-coating system often use the same gunon different systems . Basically this is

Processcontroller

Supported guns

EvoLinkDeterminingcompatibility of

the gun and the controller. Gun

The Diamond Jet (DJ) family also can be equippedwith EvoLink.

PANORAMA

The process controller recognizes thesituation, blocks the process, andinforms the user.

• Case 2: The user’s process settings arenot within the specification of the guninstalled. In this case, the process controller prevents activation of theprocess and suggests a process settingappropriate for the gun.

In the second case, the tolerable operat-ing conditions for the gun can be storedeither in the gun or in the process controller. For example, when these dataare stored in the gun, components can bespecifically derated in order to optimizethe lifetime of the component or tocomply with other regulations. Gunswithout EvoLink technology can, ofcourse, be operated by process controllersequipped with EvoLink technology.However, the EvoLink technology onlyworks when both gun and controller areequipped with it.

Easier system operationWhen a gun with EvoLink technology isinstalled in a spray system, the processcontroller accesses the information in thegun and usually adjusts the processaccordingly. Exceptions to this weredescribed in the previous section. If onlyone recipe (set of process settings) is avail-able for the gun identified, the processcontroller chooses this recipe automati-cally. Otherwise, the user can only selectthose recipes from the human machineinterface, that the gun can carry outwithin its specifications. This setup greatly simplifies operation

for the user and prevents errors in theselection of a process. Reliable identifica-tion of the gun is a basic prerequisite forexchanging guns in fully automaticprocesses.

Optimal maintenance and spareparts managementThe EvoLink technology offers interestingnew possibilities for optimizing mainte-nance and spare-parts management.Together with the newly designed processcontroller functions, the data stored in the gun can be used to systematically plan maintenance and spare-parts orders.Figure 8 shows the functions available,depending on the type of gun :• Discrete operating hours and proce-dure counters for any number of indi-vidual parts in the gun. The mainte-nance plan can be scheduled for indi-vidual parts based on predeterminedlife cycles.

• All maintenance work carried out onthe gun is recorded directly in the gun’shistory file. These records remain in thegun irrespective of where and how thegun is used, and they can be accessedat any time by the customer.

Thanks to the detailed information onoperating times and intervals of the gunparts, the topic of preventive maintenancecan be viewed in a new light. It is nowpossible to handle the individual partsin the gun separately and reduce main-tenance costs while optimizing theprocess stability at the same time.

Storing calibration data formeasurement circuitsThe accuracy of the measured data canbe significantly increased when calibra-tion data is stored in the EvoLink. TheEvoLinkmeasurements are tested with areference signal in the factory. The differ-ence between the EvoLink measurementsignal and this reference signal is storedin the EvoLink memory. The process controller processes the correction valuestogether with the EvoLink measurement

signal, which contributes to excellent pre-cision. This calibration function is avail-able for all the physical factors listed pre-viously.

Covering requirementsThe challenges presented by changingmarkets lead to new opportunities in thefield of technological innovation. Thereis increased demand for precise andaccurate measurement and informationmanagement from the thermal-spraymarkets. The aerospace and other marketsare benefiting from the EvoLink technol-ogy because it provides enhanced capa-bilities in mastering thermally sprayedcoatings.EvoLinkTechnology provides solutions

to several challenges faced by thermalspray applicators in all industries. This revolutionary technology makes it easier for our customers to provide consistent reliable coatings while increasing their operational effi ciency andsafety.

Andreas KilchenmannSulzer Metco AGRigackerstrasse 165610 Wohlen SwitzerlandPhone +41 56 618 82 [email protected]

Urs RueediSulzer Metco AGRigackerstrasse 165610 Wohlen SwitzerlandPhone +41 56 618 81 [email protected]

Steven OrtSulzer Metco (US) Inc. 1191 Prospect Avenue11590-0201 Westbury NYUnited StatesPhone +1 516 338 24 [email protected]

Martin Koller Sulzer Metco AGRigackerstrasse 165610 Wohlen SwitzerlandPhone +41 56 618 83 [email protected]


Maintenance historyand activity counters onthe EvoLink unit.

EvoLink

Maintenance history Spare part operating time recorder

Gun

INTERVIEW

Valentin Bühler: “Agility, quality awareness, and customer orientation”

Sulzer Metco offers a variety of solutions that meet almost all industrial requirements for surfacetreatment. The Head of the business unit Servicesof Sulzer Metco, Valentin Bühler, spoke to us aboutthe benefits of coatings and surface treatments.

The new business unit Services ofSulzer Metco was established in2010. Which Sulzer Metco companieswere merged organizationally? The business unit Services of Sulzer Metco was created by merging the organizational service provider units Thermal Spray Coating Services andThin Film. The Thin Film organizationoffers PVD (physical vapor deposition),heat treatment and nitriding services, aswell as PVD system development andsales. Operating under the companyname of Sulzer Metaplas GmbH, wehave a well-reputed, leading coatingcompany in Germany.

What was the reason for this change?As part of the new orientation of thedivision Sulzer Metco, we wanted tocombine all service organizations underone umbrella. Although they offer verydifferent treatment services or technolo-gies, these organizations are character-ized by very similar processes, struc-tures, and mentalities.

How do customers benefit? These service organizations are charac-terized by in-depth knowledge of cus-tomer requirements, extreme flexibility(7/24), agility, quality awareness, cus-tomer orientation, as well as cost aware-ness. Thanks to their generally compactsize, customer requirements can be fulfilled promptly by these units. Customers in both the thermal-spray

coating and thin-film segments benefitfrom the synergy of established methods and procedures.

How many customer service centersdo you have and what range ofservices do they offer?We have a total of ten locations—six ofwhich are in Germany, one in Switzer-land, one in the United Kingdom, onein Canada, and one in the United States.Our range of services includes PVDservice and PVD system developmentin Bergisch Gladbach (D), plasmanitriding and heat treatment in Salz -gitter (D), plasma nitriding in Nieder-würschnitz (D), and PVD service andplasma nitriding in Altbach (D). Our service centers for thermal-spraycoating are located in Wohlen (CH),Salz gitter (D), Weissenborn (D), Staly-bridge (UK), Edmonton (CDN), and Barboursville (West Virginia, USA).Most of the Sulzer industry segments

are served by each of these centers. Their primary focus, however, remainson general industry and automobile as well as oil and gas.


Batch during plasma nitridingin Bergisch Gladbach (D).

Which surface treatments areapplied most frequently? What aretheir properties?In the high-volume automobile industrysector, our plasma heat treatmentprocesses, which offer corrosion resist-ance in addition to wear protection, aremost prevalent. Thermal-spray coatingspecializes in larger and very large com-ponents, such as piston rods, rollers, andpump components and offers a broadrange of applications from wear protec-tion to corrosion protection as well ashigh-temperature applications and med-ical devices. Our PVD technology offersstate-of-the-art coatings for machining,forming, plastics technology, and compo-nents—with the option of substitutingexpensive materials in combination withplasma heat treatment to achieve signifi-cant improvement in service life.

A final question: How can surfacecoatings contribute toward solvingthe major challenges of the future?Coatings are beneficial in supporting theefficient use of our limited resources,while at the same time protecting the

environment. They extend the servicelife of tools and components and facili-tate the reuse of components by simplyapplying a new coating. Coatingsimprove and optimize the efficiency ofexisting designs—efficient engineswould not be possible without coating—and are integral to the development of innovative solutions and products, forinstance, in solar technology or as sub-stitutes for hazardous substances, suchas hexavalent chromium. In addition todirect savings in the use of fossil fuels,the effects of coatings are particularlyevident in the CO2 emission reductionachieved in the lifetime cycle. Interview: Gabriel Barroso

Charging a batch for plasma nitriding in Niederwürschnitz (D).

Valentin Bühlerheads the business unit Services of Sulzer Metco, whichconsists of the Thin Film (PVD / nitriding) and Thermal Coating units. In his previous roles as Managerand Vice President of Balzers Ltd., he was responsible for the company’s business expansion in Asia, LatinAmerica, and eastern Europe. He holds masters degrees in electrical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and in business administration from the University of St. Gallen.

For readers in the United States of America onlyThe Sulzer Technical Review is published periodically bySulzer Management Ltd., P.O. Box, 8401Winterthur,Switzerland. Periodicals postage paid at Folcroft, PA, by US Mail Agent – La Poste, 700 Carpenters Crossing,Folcroft PA19032.Postmaster: Please send address changes to SulzerTechnical Review, P.O.Box 202, Folcroft PA19032.

The Sulzer Technical Review (STR) is acustomer magazine produced by theSulzer Corporation. It is publishedperiodically in English and German and annually in Chinese. The articles are also available at: www.sulzer.com/str

2/201092nd year of the STRISSN 1660-9042

PublisherSulzer Management Ltd.P.O. Box8401 Winterthur, Switzerland

Editor-in-chiefGabriel Barroso [email protected]

Editorial assistantLaura [email protected]

Advisory boardMia ClaseliusRalf GerdesThomas GerlachHans-Michael HöhleSue HudsonHans-Walter SchläpferHeinz SchmidShaun West

TranslationsInterserv AG, ZürichSupertext AG, Zürich

Design concept Partner & Partner AG, Winterthur

DesignTypografisches Atelier Felix Muntwyler, Winterthur

PrintersMattenbach AG, Winterthur

© July 2010

Reprints of articles and illustrations arepermitted subject to the prior approvalof the editor.

The Sulzer Technical Review (STR) hasbeen compiled according to the bestknowledge and belief of Sulzer Manage-ment Ltd. and the authors. However,Sulzer Management Ltd. and the authorscannot assume any responsibility for thequality of the information, and make norepresentations or warranties, explicit orimplied, as to the accuracy or complete-ness of the information contained in thispublication.

Circulation: 16000 copies.

Magno Satin 135g/m2from sustainably managed forests.

The Heart of Your Process

Sulzer Pumps is a world leader and your partner in the Oil and Gas industry for its unique ability to overcome technical barriers and provide reliable, high quality equipment.

Whether in oil and gas exploration or transport, our products are designed for effi ciency, mechanical simplicity, and easy maintenance. We strive to maximize the total life cycle of our products to add value to your operations.

Our dedicated service professionals provide the best long-term support and deliver highest quality when fulfi lling your service needs. Advanced engineering and repair services allow material upgrades and design enhancements for improved performance, power savings and reliability. With the advantages and resources of a global company, and the ability to act as a local partner, Sulzer Pumps is the full-line supplier you can rely on for proven performance.

Sulzer Pumps Ltd.Zürcherstrasse 128401 WinterthurSwitzerlandPhone +41 52 262 1155Fax +41 52 262 [email protected]

Our Equipment is Your Value

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Maquette Artikel€¦ · September 22, 2010, Winterthur, Switzerland Kundentagung “Technische Diagnostik und ... The official presentation of the certificates was on March 8, 2010