Case Study: Garlock Expansion Joints - Pulp & Paper Manufacturer

INDUSTRY

Pulp and Paper

OPERATING CONDITIONS

Size: Pipe- 1.5” - 48” ID
Temperature: 70°F - 250°F
Application: Various throughout mill
Media: Various throughout mill
Pressure: Vacuum to 200psi

CUSTOMER

A leading paper manufacturer with facilities located around the world.

BACKGROUND

During an initial expansion joint Preventative Maintenance and Reliability (PMR) Service performed by Garlock at the paper mill in 2015, it was determined that several competitor joints required replacement. These pipelines carry water, pulp, black/white liquor, bleach, and CIO₂.

CHALLENGES FACED

Though recommended for replacement on the Garlock Preventative Maintenance and Reliability (PMR) report, the mill postponed purchase. To date, four of those items flagged for replacement have failed - with the most recent failure resulting in an administration building filling with 4 feet of pulp.

SOLUTION AND BENEFITS

Due to these recent failures, there is now a sense of urgency at the plant to have Garlock Expansion Joints specified throughout the facility. All rubber expansion joints for this mill have been specified as Garlock Style 204, single filled arch, EPDM tube, no equal for water and pulp applications and Garlock Style 204 with GUARDIAN® FEP liner (formerly Style G200), no equal for black/ white liquor, bleach, and CIO 2 applications.

Garlock Expansion Joints offer superior performance, reliability and service life. This in turn improves plant safety, increases the mechanical integrity of equipment and allows customers to gain a competitive advantage in the market place. In addition, Garlock Expansion Joint Preventative Maintenance & Reliability Service provides critical information to customers about potential failures. This allows customers to proactively replace expansion joints before catastrophic failure occurs