Compressor Piston

Rings
Rider Rings & Rider
Bands

Compressor
Piston Rings

Piston Ring

One Piece But Cut

One Piece Angle Cut

Two Piece Angle Cut

Three Piece Step Cut

CHECKING END GAP

General Rule
BUTT CUT RINGS
(Teflon)
.0195 per inch of bore diameter
(PEEK)
.0064 per inch of bore diameter
Tolerance = +.020/-.000

Angled Cut Rings

Butt Cut x .707 + Tolerance

Be sure to
position rings in
the cylinder bore

Piston with conventional rings

Counterbore

Cylinder bore
Seal

= gas pressure

Piston movement

Piston

Seal

Piston with combination rings

Counterbore

Cylinder bore
Seal

= gas pressure

Piston movement

Piston
Piston weight makes
bottom half of the ring
seal against cylinder bore.

Seal

Metallic piston ring materials

CAST IRON

*Dirty or

corrosive gases

BRONZE
pressure

*High
*High temperature

Non-metallic piston ring materials

PTFE TEFLON
Carbon filled - Non-lube and lubricated
Glass and Moly filled Lubricated
Bronze filled - Non-lube and lubricated
(mostly air service)
High temperature, non-corrosive
Ryton

THERMOPLASTICS
Combination rings

- (Lubricated)

Compressor Piston
Rings

Any
Questions?

Rider Rings
&

Rider Bands

Rider Ring / Band

Using rider rings or rider bands

to support the piston off of the bore

Rider Ring

Rider Band

General Rule
Side Clearance = .012 per inch of ring width

General Rule
Rider End Gap
Normally twice that
of the piston ring gap.

RAM
Gap & Side Clearance
Recommendations

Typical application for rider rings

Typical application for rider bands

120

Effective length of rider =

.866 x cylinder diameter

Sizing rider rings / bands

Determining rider thickness

Bore diameter
up to 12
12 to 16
16 to 21
21 to 26
26 and larger

Rider thickness
.250
.312
.375
.438
.500

Sizing rider rings / bands

Determining rider O.D.
Rider O.D. = Bore size - running clearance

Running clearance

Ex:
10 cyl., alum. piston = .030 run. clrnce.
10 - .030 =

9.970 rider O.D.

Rider O.D.

Running clearance:
Cast iron = .002 per inch bore dia.
Aluminum = .003 per inch bore dia.

Rings & Riders

Any
Questions?