A1 Management & Technical

Consultant Pune

Training Program on Reciprocating compressor

D. S. Bontadkar
 Reciprocating Compressor
• Gas Laws : P1 V1 = W R T1 , P= pressure (Absolute),
V=Volume, T= Temp (Absolute), W= weight R= Gas
constant
• Gas Law : P1 V1 / T1 = P2 V2 / T2 = W R
• Differential Pressure = Pd - Ps
• Compression Ratio = Pd / Ps (Pressures in absolute units
• Horse power BHP
=144*P1*V1* (n/[n-1])*{ (P2/P1)^[(n-1)/n)]-1 )/33000+VHP + FHP
• VHP : Valve losses in HP
• FHP : Friction loss in HP
• Compression Efficiency is the ratio of the theoretical
horse power to the actual indicated horse power required
to compress a definite amount of gas
• Mechanical Efficiency is the ratio of the indicated horse
power in the compressing cylinders to the brake horse
power delivered to shaft.
• Overall Efficiency: it is the product of the compression
efficiency and the mechanical efficiency.
 Basic Principles
Compressor Cycle in the Pressure-Volume Diagram
next cycle
begins

Discharge
Pressure p

Expansion p,V-
Diagram
Compression

..... of the gas Volume V

in the cylinder
Suction 2.3
 Types of Reciprocating Compressor
• Single acting : Air or gas is compressed on one side of piston
• Double acting : Air or gas is compressed on both side of piston
• Single stage: Air or gas compressed from Ps to Pd in one cylinder.
• Multi stage: Air or gas is compressed Ps to Pi in one cylinder and Pi to Pd in
other cylinder. Compression in two stage
• Air cooled : Cylinder is cooled by cool air. Fan Or Flywheel
• Water cooled: Cylinder is cooled by cooling water flowing through cylinder jacket
• Lubricated : Lubricating oil used for reducing the friction & sealing of piston ring
and cylinder bore.
• Non lubricated: Non metallic piston rings used no lubricating oil used in cylinder
• Primary and secondary: When first stage cylinder and second stage cylinders
are mounted on different frame and running gears the first machine is primary
and second is secondary compressor. Primary and secondary can be different
types of compressor also
• Low pressure: Pd up to 60 psig, Medium pressure : Pd upto 250 psig High
Pressure above 250 psig
• Vacuum pump: When suction Ps is below atmospheric.
• Booster compressor; When suction pressure is above atmospheric
• Portable : Compressor mounted on trolley or trailer
• Stationary compressor: Compressor mounted on foundation
• Compressor depending on drive: V belt driven, Direct coupled, gear box driven
machine
 Selection of compressor
• Quality of air: Oil free Air required
• Advantages & disadvantages of various types of compressor
• Capacity of compressor : units used for mentioning capacity
• Discharge Pressure: Compression ratio will decide number of
stages. Compression ration per stage approx 4 used
• Duty Cycle / Load factor : Intermittent duty, Continuous Duty
• Power available: Electric, Engine, Gas engine etc
• Cooling media available: water cooled or air cooled
• Space available: Type of compressor & Foundation required
• First Cost: Initial investment
• Specific power consumption : BHP / 100 CFM
• Efficiency of compressor: power consumption
• Reliability of compressor: Life Cycle, No of hrs
• Maintenance cost
• Capacity control required: Variations in capacity required
 Cylinder Arrangement
• Vertical: Cylinders mounted vertical
• Horizontal: Cylinders mounted Horizontal
• L :Cylinders vertical and horizontal compressor
• W shape: Two cylinders at 45 deg and one cylinder vertical
• V shape: Two cylinders mounted at 45 deg
• Tandem arrangement: One cylinder in front of other cylinder
• Divided cylinder: Frame end will act as one stage and Outer
end will act as second stage
• Valves in Barrel cylinder: Suction and discharge valves
mounted in cylinder
• Valves in head :Suction and discharge valves mounted in
cylinder heads
• Billet cylinder: High pressure forged cylinder,
• Balanced Opposed cylinder: Two horizontal cylinder mounted
180 deg
 Compressor Components
Crank Mechanism

big end bearing

crankshaft connection rod crosshead guide

main bearing crosshead crosshead crosshead bearing 3.1

connecting pin
 MOC for Reciprocating compressor
• Frame or Crank case: High grade cast iron casting or ASTM Class 40 or 50
• Crankshaft: Carbon steel forgings AISI 1045 , ASTM 668 class F, Nodular
Iron ASTM A-536 Grade 80-55-06
• Main Bearings Shell may be cast iron or steel with the Babbitt linings or
Aluminum without Babbitt or Steel bronze Babbitt
• Con rods: Low carbon steel forgings
• X head pin bushing: Bronze, Aluminum or tri metal construction
• Cross head pins are steel & hardened to 50 RC
• Xhead: Steel with x-head shoes, Aluminum, or cast iron
• Piston material :-Aluminum (above 10”)or cast iron (below 10“) & Fabricated
steel
• Piston Ring: For lub Machines Cast Iron, for NL machines Teflon with filler
material glass, carbon, bronze, ceramic, Mo2S,
• Cylinder: Cast Iron, Nodular Iron, Forged Steel
• Liner: Centrifugal cast iron, Corrosive application Ni-resist cast iron (20%
Ni)
• Piston Rod: Low carbon steel AISI 1037, Low alloy steel AISI 4140, for
corrosive gases 410 SS. Carburizing, nitriding, induction hardening, plasma
spray with chrome oxide, tungsten carbide, flame hardening method used
for hardening
 Compressor Operation
• Effect of speed on compressor reliability
• Effect of Clearance volume on volumetric efficiency
• Effect of Reciprocating weights on friction, & unbalance
forces and vibration
• Effect of compression ratio & differential pressure, on
compressor performance, Piston ring leakage, Capacity,
Temperature rise
• Effect of running clearances, & good alignment on
reliability.
• Energy saving by multi staging,
• Effect of pressure drop across filter on capacity, power,
and disch temp.
• Effect of pressure drop across the inlet and disch valves
on capacity and power consumption
• Effect of gas leakages across the piston rings
 Purpose of cooling water
• 20 % of heat is picked up by jacket cooling water
• 80 % of heat is picked up by cooling water through inter
cooler and after cooler
• Dimensional stability: keeping cylinder bore round
• Proper lubrication and distribution of oil within the
cylinder.
• 2 gpm/100cfm of water through intercooler for 20 deg F
temp rise
• 1 gpm/100cfm for 20deg F temp rise in cylinder jacket
• 1 to 1-1/2 gpm/100cfm for after cooler for 20deg F temp
rise
• 10 psi drop in inter cooler, 10 psi drop in cylinders. 10 psi
drop in the automatic control valves
• Water inlet temp is 10 degree F above gas inlet temp
• Cooling of air or gas will condensate water vapor. the
same will be collected and removed before it enters in
plant pipe lines
• Shutting off water valve when compressor is shut down
 Function of lubrication
• Reduce friction , Transfer heat generated by friction
• Flush away entering dirt wear, debris, and held them in
suspension until filtered out
• Reduce the gas leakage by sealing, minimizing internal
temperature and capacity loss
• Prevent corrosion when compressor is idle for long
periods
• Minimize deposits thus reducing maintenance cost
• Additives are used by oil manufacturers to improve the
oil properties.
• Sludge formation due to water condensation, dust ,
foreign particles
• High oil temp reduces the oil viscosity, increases the oil
oxidation, carbon formation
 Precautions for lubrication

• Clean the oil filter and fill the sump to proper level
• Build up the oil pressure : hand driven priming oil pump
or equipped with motor driven pump
• Check for leaks, settings and operation of alarm and
shutdown devices for pressure, temp, vibration & flows
• Fill lubricator sump with proper grade of oil
• Operate the lubricator and check the flow of the oil
• Failing to prime and purge each line before starting the
compressor can cause serious damage due to
inadequate lubrication
• Check proper functioning of drains .
Overhaul & Repair of Reciprocating Compressor
• Read & understand the instruction manual supplied by
the compressor manufacturer
• Recommended clearance are given for the component of
compressor. Use the parts with original dimensions &
tolerances
• It’s important always to maintain the proper tolerances
and clearances between mating parts
• Material specification must be same or better than
original
• Heat treating and hardness of material must be same or
superior in quality
• Weight of reciprocating parts must be very close to
original in order to minimize unbalance forces and
resulting vibrations
• Is the repair done with proper care, proper
manufacturing techniques, such as square ness,
parallelism and surface finishes ,
 Overhaul & Repair of Reciprocating Compressor

• Crank shaft web deflection

• Piston Rod run out
• End floats
• Con rod bores check for distortion and parallelism
• Top & bottom bumping clearances
• Bearing clearances
• Piston and Rider rings side clearances and end gaps
• Inspection of cylinder for wear, taper, oblongness,
surface finish etc
• Crank shaft inspection and repairs
• Wear & Tear of parts