There are many different types of units that require oil flushing services prior to initial operation or startup. Air compressors, gas turbines, steam turbines and hydraulic systems—all of these have a specified OEM cleanliness procedure and standard. In the past, many machines’ cleaning phases each required a set duration, which resulted in cleaning taking more than a month or two to complete. This process was very expensive, often requiring the continuous operation of system pumps.
As the number of projects increased, a need for more providers offering industrial oil flushing services was apparent. Additionally, as units got larger, the number of bearing lines increased and oil flushing of pipes became more difficult, many oil flushing companies still used the same 1 or 2-inch hoses for their jumpers. This resulted in a highly ineffective procedure and did not reduce the duration of the flush.
With low efficiency and projects that required shorter completion schedules, a need emerged for processes that could reduce schedule and still provide the OEM level of cleanliness required to release for operation.
Engineering a Lube Oil Flush
B&W Energy Services took the lead in engineering oil lube flushing services that could dramatically reduce flushing durations with superior results. By designing external pump flushing skids, we could now increase volumes and velocities. By designing high flow rate filtration systems, we could now reduce flushing durations tremendously. The high volumes and higher velocities now created the ability to heat the oil through increased friction, changing the viscosities of the oil, which helped carry debris back through the external system filtration units at an increased rate. New heat exchangers were designed for the external flushing skid in an effort to cycle the lube oil temperatures. Together, these technical advancements now produced a 5-7 day flush, versus the 1-2 month process.
Choosing The Right Provider
The advancements B&W Energy Services created for the lube oil flushing process bore valuable results. Smaller lube oil flushing providers often introduce risk to the cleaning process by not properly evaluating each system and poorly maintaining their flushing equipment. For these many reasons, B&W Energy Services’ engineered oil lube flush services became the best in the business. Let us help you with your next project and help bring your project in on time and on budget.
FAQs
What is high-velocity oil flushing?
High-velocity oil flushing is a specialized cleaning process that removes contaminants such as dirt, construction debris, metal particles and residue from lube oil and hydraulic systems in turbines and rotating equipment.
The process uses external flushing equipment with high-volume pumps and filtration systems to circulate oil at elevated velocities and temperatures through equipment bearing lines and oil piping. This dislodges trapped particles that accumulated during manufacturing, transportation and installation.
B&W Energy Services’ high-velocity approach differs from traditional methods by using specially designed flushing skids with integrated pumping, heating and filtration components that dramatically increase flow rates and velocities. The process includes thermal cycling of the oil to change viscosity, helping carry debris through external filtration units more effectively until the system meets OEM cleanliness specifications and particle count requirements.
Why is oil flushing necessary for new turbines and equipment?
New turbines and rotating equipment require oil flushing before initial startup because lubrication systems inevitably become contaminated during manufacturing, transportation and installation at project sites.
Metal particles from machining operations, preservative oils, construction debris, welding slag, dirt and atmospheric contaminants like dust and moisture accumulate in bearing lines and oil piping during these phases. If not removed, these contaminants cause bearing damage, premature equipment failure and costly downtime within months of operation. Lubricant contamination is the number one cause of lubricant-related equipment failure.
OEM warranties typically require documented oil flushing with verified cleanliness levels before equipment can be released for operation. Gas turbines, steam turbines, air compressors and hydraulic systems all have specific manufacturer cleanliness standards that must be met. B&W Energy Services ensures your oil meets appropriate particle counts and fulfills all OEM specifications through our engineered flushing process.
Do you need oil flushing for hydraulic systems?
Yes, hydraulic systems absolutely require oil flushing before initial operation and often during maintenance turnarounds.
Hydraulic systems have close-tolerance components, like valves, actuators and cylinders that are extremely sensitive to particle contamination. Even small particles can cause valve sticking, seal damage and component wear that leads to system failures and costly downtime. New hydraulic systems accumulate metal particles from fabrication, welding slag, pipe scale and assembly debris that must be removed before pressurization and operation. Hydraulic system OEMs specify cleanliness requirements that typically range from ISO 16/14/11 to 18/16/13, depending on component sensitivity.
B&W Energy Services performs hydraulic oil flushing using the same high-velocity approach we apply to turbine lube oil systems—external flushing skids with high-volume filtration achieve required cleanliness levels efficiently. For operating hydraulic systems, periodic flushing during turnarounds can restore performance degraded by accumulated contamination, extending component life and improving reliability.
Can oil flushing be done while the plant is operating?
Oil flushing typically cannot be performed while equipment is operating because it requires isolating the lubrication system, connecting external flushing equipment and circulating oil at non-operational flow rates and temperatures. The flushing process needs exclusive control of the lube oil system to achieve the high velocities and thermal cycling necessary for effective cleaning.
However, oil flushing can often be performed while the rest of the plant remains operational, making it suitable for phased commissioning projects or turnarounds where only specific equipment is down for maintenance.
B&W Energy Services’ rapid 5-7 day flushing timeline minimizes equipment downtime compared to traditional 1-2 month processes. For operating plants, oil flushing is typically scheduled during planned maintenance outages when turbines or other equipment are already offline for inspections or repairs. Our compact, mobile flushing skids can be quickly mobilized to your site and set up with minimal disruption to surrounding operations. Pre-planning and coordination allow us to execute flushing efficiently within your available maintenance windows.