Strategies and technologies for maintenance and repair of thermal equipment in continuous production environments

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of strategies, technologies, and organizational models for the maintenance and repair (MRO) of thermal processing equipment within the context of continuous production cycles typical for metallurgical, chemical, and energy industries. The features of continuous production (straight-line flow, system interdependence, powerful substance and energy flows, high downtime cost, territorial localization) imposing specific requirements on the MRO system are considered. A comparative analysis of classic organizational approaches — preventive maintenance, condition-based maintenance, and run-to-failure maintenance — is conducted, justifying the necessity for a flexible, adaptive hybrid model suited for continuous processes. Modern diagnostic methods applied for predictive maintenance and specifics of repairing critical units of thermal equipment under strict time constraints of planned shutdowns are detailed. Special focus is placed on integrating digital technologies (digital twins, IIoT, AI) as tools for synchronizing material and maintenance flows, minimizing downtime, and maximizing the efficiency of shutdown windows. It is concluded that the optimal MRO system for continuous production must be dynamic, data-driven, and combine principles of predictive maintenance with rigorous scheduling to ensure process continuity and economic efficiency.