GE Measurement & Control

Reciprocating Compressor Cylinder Pressure Patterns

Components and Nomenclature Instrumentation Layout

Bently NevadaAsset Condition Monitoring

Multi-Event Wheel Timing Details Cylinder Pressure Installation Details
Isolation Valve (should not induce channel resonance reference GER-4273)

Suction Valve Cage

1. Drill and tap three 3/8-24 UNF 2B thread 1.00 in. deep 120 degrees apart on 3.00-inch diameter bolt circle. 3. Slide the recip multi-event wheel over the guiding stud and align the falling edge of the divided notch with the Keyphasor. The second narrow notch should trail the first one in the direction of rotation. Loosely install 3/8 24 bolts to hold the wheel in place.
3 2 4

Suction Valve Cooling Water Cylinder Connecting Rod Crosshead Pin Piston Rod Locknut Oil Wiper Packing Piston Rod Distance Piece Intermediate Partition Packing Pressure Packing Case Cylinder Head (Frame End or Crank End) Chamber (Frame End or Crank End) Piston Piston Rings Wear Bands (Rider Rings) Chamber (Outer End or Head End) Discharge Valve Discharge Valve Cage Valve Cover
Rod Position Packing Case Temperature Frame Vibration Crosshead Vibration Packing Vent Temperature Cylinder Pressure Cylinder Acceleration Connecting Rod Bearing Temperature Cylinder Valve Temperature Recip Multi-Event Stud and Pilot (Part No. 146622-01) Recip Mulit-Event Wheel Kit (Part No. 146973-01) 4. You can precisely align the edge by measuring the voltage from the Keyphasor probe-proximitor combination when the probe is located over the notch, and then when it is over the protrusion. Rotate the wheel to obtain the minimum negative Keyphasor voltage over the protrusion and record this value. 5. Rotate the wheel to obtain the maximum negative Keyphasor voltage over the notch and record this value. Average the two voltage values to get the precise edge value. Recip Multi-Event Wheel (Part No. 145732-01)

Main Bearings Crankshaft Crankpin Bearings

38.1 mm (1.500 in.) radius

120 120

3/8-24 UNF 2B 25.4mm (1.00 in.) deep 3 places

Cylinder Pressure Transducer (-/+ 0.5% accuracy for 1+ billion cycles)

Mechanical Bracing To Protect Cylinder Pressure Transducer

Frame

A
2. Install the guiding stud of the recip multi-event wheel. 1. 2. 3. 4. Direction of rotation Falling edge Divided notch Trailing narrow notch

A
6. Rotate the wheel back to the edge. When the Keyphasor output equals the calculated halfway value, secure the wheel into place Typical Pressure Versus Displaced Volume

Crosshead Assembly Nomenclature

Connecting Rod Lubricating Passage Crosshead Pin Crosshead Shoe Crosshead Crosshead Pin Bushing

A typical indicated cylinder pressure curve will have some pressure fluctuation when the suction and discharge valves are opened. The areas labelled A and indicated by braces show these pressure fluctuations. When the valves are closed, the pressure shows a smooth line. A pressure transducer installation suffering from channel resonance will show pressure fluctuations when the suction and discharge valves are closed as well as when the valves are opened. The frequency of this resonance remains nominally constant throughout the cycle.

Suction Temperature Discharge Temperature Main Bearing Temperature

2 2

1 1

Cylinder Head (Outer End or Head End)

Single-Event Keyphasor System Multi-Event Keyphasor System

API-618 (Fifth Ed.) Protection Solution Management Solution 1. 2. Direction of rotation Minimum negative voltage output 1. 2. Direction of rotation Maximum negative output voltage 1. 2. Direction of rotation Keyphasor output equals halfway value Channel Resonance on Pressure Versus Displaced Volume Curve

Leak to Low Pressure Side (often suction valves)

Red is Theoretical Pressure Curve Black is Indicated Pressure Curve Pressure Versus Volume Log Pressure Versus Log Volume

Leak to High Pressure Side (discharge valves)

Pressure Versus Volume

Red is Theoretical Pressure Curve Black is Indicated Pressure Curve

Inter-Chamber Leak (usually piston rings)

Pressure Versus Volume

Red is Crank End Theoretical Pressure Curve Black is Crank End Indicated Pressure Curve Green is Head End Theoretical Pressure Curve Blue is Head End Indicated Pressure Curve

Reciprocating Compressor Operating Cycle

Pressure Operated Valves Mechanically Operated Valves
P2 PRESSURE CLEARANCE VOLUME

Log Pressure Versus Log Volume

Log Pressure Versus Log Volume

Rounded Heel Indicated pressure falls faster than theoretical on expansion stroke (if theoretical curve uses cylinder nameplate clearance). Indicated pressure rises slower than theoretical on compression stroke. Indicated pressure compression and expansion strokes not parallel in log-log format. Indicated pressure falls slower than theoretical on expansion stroke (if theoretical curve uses cylinder nameplate clearance). Indicated pressure rises faster than theoretical on compression stroke. Rounded Toe Indicated pressure compression and expansion strokes not parallel in log-log format.

P1

2 Stroke VOLUME

OUTLET

INLET

Indicated pressure crosses theoretical pressure (both chambers)

CLEARANCE VOLUME

P2 PRESSURE

P1

2 Stroke VOLUME

OUTLET

CLEARANCE VOLUME

PRESSURE

Leak to Low Pressure Reservoir (crank end shown, head end similar)
Supporting Evidence Is flow balance greater than 1.05? Does the trend of a particular suction valve temperature indicate a rise compared to the other suction valve covers? Does valve cover acceleration/ultrasonic show high amplitude when suction valves are closed? Supporting Evidence

Leak from High Pressure Reservoir (crank end shown, head end similar)
Supporting Evidence

Inter-Chamber Leak

INLET

P2

P1

2 Stroke VOLUME

Is flow balance less than 0.95? Does the trend of a discharge valve temperature indicate a rise compared to the other discharge valve covers? Does valve cover acceleration/ultrasonic show high amplitude when discharge vavles are closed?

Is flow balance on both chambers greater than 1.05? Is discharge temperature elevated compared to adiabatic discharge temperature? Does acceleration/ultrasonic show high amplitudes when chamber pressures different and low amplitudes when chamber pressures are equal?

OUTLET

INLET

Maximum Allowable Continuous Combined Rod Load (MACCRL) A value determined by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) based on design limits of the various components in the compressor frame and the running gear (bearings, crankshaft, connecting rod, crosshead assembly, zpiston rod, piston assembly). Maximum Allowable Continuous Gas Load (MACGL)

Gas Force Crank Angle Compressor Train Inertial Load Crank Angle Compressor Train Combined Force Crank Angle Compressor Train TDC

Synch From 29APR2003 12:36:39 To 29APR2003 12:36:39 Historical Historical Historical

-105746.2 lbf (-470382.5 N) 0 Degrees MACHINE SPEED: 276 rpm 43951.9 lbf (195508 N) 0 Degrees -61794.3 lbf (-274875 N) 0 Degrees

Indicated Suction Pressure (Toe Pressure) Cylinder pressure when the piston is at bottom-dead-center for head-end chamber or at top-dead-center for crank-end chamber. Indicated Discharge Pressure (Heel Pressure)
<--COMPRESSION FORCE TENSION--> 10k N/div

Minimum Pressure Smallest indicated pressure value that occurs over the entire pressure-volume cycle. Maximum Pressure Largest indicated pressure value that occurs over the entire pressure-volume curve cycle.

TDC

Maximum Pressure Indicated Discharge Pressure

INDICATED PRESSURE

CLEARANCE VOLUME

P2 PRESSURE

P1

5 Stroke VOLUME

OUTLET

100

440

INLET

<--COMPRESSION FORCE TENSION--> 10k lbf/div

50

220

Compression Ratio Indicated discharge pressure divided by the indicated suction pressure.

CLEARANCE VOLUME

PRESSURE

A value determined by the OEM based on the design limits of the static components (frame, distance piece, cylinder, and bolting). Rod Reversal The shortest distance, measured in degrees of crank revolution, between each change in sign of force in the combined rod-loading curve.

Cylinder pressure when the piston is at top-dead-center for head-end chamber or at bottom-dead-center for crank-end chamber.

P2

-50

Rod Reversal

-220

Minimum Pressure Indicated Suction Pressure

P1

5 Stroke VOLUME

OUTLET

-100

-440

INLET
0 100 200 20 Degrees/div Crank Angle 300

5 %/div Displaced Volume

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Bently Nevada, Keyphasor and System 1 are trademarks of General Electric Company. Copyright 2012 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.