Contents

• Introduction
– Compression basics
– Compressor classification
– Compressor type selection
• Reciprocating compressor
– Components
– Compressor maintenance
– Piston rod reversal
– Compressor un loading
– Lubrication
– Material of construction
– Trouble shooting
– Rules of thumb for clearance adjustment
P-V diagram of single stage compressor

Gas is compressed along

the line 1-2

Along the line 2-3 piston

pushes the compress gas
into discharge line

Gas in the clearance vol.

expand up to 3-4

Along 4-1 suction stroke

starts and gas enters in the
cylinder
Compressor Classification
rotting [Link]
Rotating vanes
A rotor, which eccentrically
rotates with respect to the
casing

Sliding vanes, free to move in

the grooves by the centrifugal
force imparted by the rotor

The gas is sucked in when

vanes creates an increasing
volume
 Screw compressor

Female rotor
Male rotor
 Lobe compressor
[Link]
Cross head design
Cross head facilitates design
for double acting and have
relatively low speed.

Cross head guides the piston

Stronger piston design &
stability.

Permit larger stroke and

greater capacity.
Trunk piston design
Piston length act as the
guiding surface in cylinder.
Higher length as compare to
diameter.

Compression is possible only

on the top and design permits
higher rotating speed. Single
acting design

Crank rotating motion is

converted into linear by
connecting rod
 Components
Power end Gas end

Crank case Cylinder and liner

Crank shaft Valves

Piston and piston

elements
Connecting rod
Stuffing box and rod
packing element
Main bearings Capacity control
devices
 Power end components
Main bearing
Main bearing
Crank shaft

Gear pump

Bearing
housing
Bearing
housing Crank case
 Crank shaft
Opposite throws along a
common centerline. These
compressors are not available
due un balance design

Centerline of opposing throws

are offset from center but it is
statically balance with equal
masses on opposite side of
crank C:\Recips\NewCustomerCourse\Graphics\[Link]
 Connecting rod

Big end Small end

 Assembly of cross head

Cross head Cross head

shoe bolts shoe

Piston rod
Connecting
Cross head
rod small end
pin
Cross head with bolted shoes
Cross head
Gas end components
Rider and piston rings

Rider bands are designed to support

the weight of piston and piston rod
assembly

Piston rings prevent the gas blowing

across the piston and to transfer heat
from piston to cylinder wall to water
jacket

Rider and piton rings are made from

Teflon with various filler such as high
performance polymers
 Types of rider rings

• Rider bands can be classified as

– Cut type
• They may be angle or butt type. Side relief grooves
are provided to relieve the gas behind the ring and it
does not behave like a piston ring.

– Solid rider band

• These types are machined with interference fit and do
not have relief groove
Cut type rider band Solid rider band
Rider and piston ring groove dimension

• The piston rings are all of cut type and the

groove depth should be more than the thickness

• Piston ring maintain contact with cylinder wall

and side of the groove for sealing.

• Various types of piston ring joints exist. It is

necessary to maintain recommended joint
clearance.
 Piston rings joint types

To measure the end clearance insert the ring into cylinder

and check the end clearance with feeler gauge
Rider and piston ring groove dimension
 Function of Valves
Sealing
element Discharge stroke
Suction stroke

Sealing element firmly

seat against land

Sealing
element Spring

Working of suction valve

Function of Valves
Suction stroke
Discharge stroke

Working of discharge valve

Valve exploded and valve components
 Types of valves

• The valves are classified on the basis of the

sealing elements and as follows
Rectangular ring

Ported disc

Concentric rings

Disc poppet
 Valve slip and valve lift
• Reverse gas flow through the valves before they
seat at the end of stroke

• Slippage is less in discharge valves as compare

to suction valves.

• Valve lift is the distance that sealing element

travels

• Lift depends upon sealing element type, rotating

speed
Valve lift
 Valve slip

Slippage in suction valve Slippage in discharge valve

Stuffing box and piston rod packing

• During discharge stroke compressed gas is

restricted by packing rings

• The packing are free to float in packing cups

• The packing rings types are
– Radial
– Tangential
– Pressure breaker
• These rings are in segments and held together by
garter springs
 Arrangement of packing rings

• Basic arrangement of packing rings are

– Single acting
– Double acting
– Pressure breaker type
• the packing rings may be water or oil cooled. The
packing cups have drilled hole for cooling
Stuffing box and rod packing arrangement
Stuffing box and packing arrangement
Types of packing rings
 Single acting ring arrangement

These rings are doweled together to get staggered cut arrangement. The radial cut
ring is placed towards pressure side and tangential cut is placed towards atm.
Side. The restricted passage b/w cup and ring restrict the gas out
 Piston end clearance
• Crank and head end clearance is adjusted in
relation to cross head

• Head end clearance is kept more to accommodate

expansion during operation

• The head end clearance is kept 2/3 of the total while

the crank end clearance is kept 1/3
• Remove the suction valve and by using lead wire
end clearance can be measured
Piston end clearance
Measurement piston end clearance
 Web deflection

Any movement of crank web from ideal position during entire rotation 360 degree
of crank shaft. Above depiction where crank centerline is curved due to any
reasons .The induce cyclic stresses can lead to fatigue failure
Measurement of web deflection
Measurement of web deflection
 Cause of web deflection
Compressor support

Alignment of compressor

Rod run out, frame alignment

Main bearing clearance

Compressor loading
 Rod drop
Rod drop monitoring facilitates
the measure rider band wear
rate. Eddy current probes are
installed near the pressure
packing gland. The probe can
be mounted above or below
the rod.

L1/B1 = (L1+L2)/B2
Measurement of big end bearing clearance
Cylinder installation
Measurement of main bearing clearance

Reading is noted after jack shaft is completely tightened and loosened

 Piston rod reversal

• The piston rod is subjected to alternative tension

and compression on each stroke called piston
rod reversal.

• It effects the life of

– Cross head pin bushing
– Cross head shoe
– Connecting rod big end bearings
 Piston rod reversal

• Two factors effect the load on the piston

• Inertia force
– Due to inertia greater force is required to reverse the
piston direction

• Gas load
– Amount of gas load and distribution effect the piston
rod load
– The gas load act on head end side is more than the
crank side due to reduction area by piston rod.
Effect of inertia load on piston rod

During HE stroke oil

film forms on the one
side

During crank end

stroke oil film
formation is reversed
thus all parts are
lubricated
 Effect of gas pressure on piston rod
Discharge Suction
pressure pressure

Head end side

Suction Discharge
pressure pressure
Compressor unloading and rod reversal

• Due to uneven load on piston rod due to gas

pressure and to ensure rod reversal while un
loading the intake valves is

– If one end of cylinder has to be unloaded it is

recommended that the head end side valves should
be unload first to ensure rod reversal
Compressor unloading and rod reversal

Example
PS = suction pressure = 10 kg/cm2
Pd = discharge pressure = 20 kg/cm2
Area of piston towards head end side = 500 cm2
Area of piston towards head end side = 490 cm2 (A-area of piston rod)
Compressor unloading and rod reversal

In normal operation:
Compressive load = Pd x A – Ps x B = 20x500-10x490 = 5100kg
Tension load = Pd x B – Ps x A = 20x490-10x500 = 4800kg
Thus rod reversal exist and all metallic parts are lubricated.
Compressor unloading and rod reversal

Unload crank end valves:

Compressive load = Pd x A – Ps x B = 20x500-10x490 = 5100kg
Compressive load= Ps x A – Ps x B = 10x500 – 10x490 = 100kg
Instead of tension a compression load acts. Thus no rod reversal
distribution of lubrication is not achieved.
Compressor unloading and rod reversal

Unload head end valves:

Compressive load = Pd x A – Ps x B = 10x500-10x490 = 100kg
Tension load= Pd x B – Ps x A = 20x490 – 10x500 = 4800kg
Thus piston rod is subjected to rod reversal and all metal parts at
cross head are lubricated so always un load head end valves .
 Piston rod run out

• Is measure how compressor internal (piston, rod,

cross head) are lined up or frame and cylinder
combination.

• Run out check and adjusted in cold condition during

erection.
• Oil and gas packing should be loosened.
• Measuring Procedure
– Piston set at max. HE side
Procedure to measure Piston rod run out

• Set the dial indicator on the piston rod for horizontal

or vertical measurement.

• Piston is then moved towards crank end side and

measure the reading.
– A negative reading indicate piston is low and expansion
during operation is accommodated.
– A positive reading indicate piston is high in relation to
cross head.

• Adjustment to be made as per OEM reading

 Piston rod run out
When the piston is moved
towards crank side a
negative reading is obtained

A negative vertical reading is preferred as it accommodates the

piston expansion during operation
 Cylinder cooling arrangement

• Cylinders are water cooled by jacketing

arrangement around the cylinder.

• Reduce the gas temperature during compression

and also dissipate heat produce by piston rings

• Cooling system types are

– Closed water cooling
– Inter and after cooling
– Thermosyphon system
Closed water cooling
Inter and after cooling system
 Capacity control

• Following methods are used for capacity control

– Intake valve un loading
• Sealing elements are opened by mechanical means
– Clearance pocket un loading
• 5% capacity control by clearance pocket
– By pass control
• Discharge gas back to suction
– Speed control
• In compressor driven by variable speed engines or
turbines
Suction valves un loader assembly

Direct acting air to un load Reverse acting air to load

 PV Diagram, dotted line shows
Valve un loading in discharge stroke
compressor at un load condition
Clearance pocket hand operated valve
 Lubrication

• Lubrication is categorized as
– Crank case or bearing lubrication
• Splash lubrication

• Full pressure lubrication

– Cylinder and packing lubrication

Pressure lubrication
Main bearing and shaft driven pump pin Crank shaft with lubricating hole
Splash lubrication
Lubricator
 Material of construction
• Frame or crank shaft
– High grade cast iron casting as ASTM class 40 or 50
• Crank shaft
– Carbon steel forging as per AISI 1020, ASTM 668 for small
shafts and AISI 1045,ASTM 668 class F for larger shafts

• Main bearings
– Shell made of steel with Babbitt lining

• Connecting rod
– Low carbon steel forging
 Material of construction
• Cross head
– Made of cast grey iron or nodular iron with slipper of cast
iron with Babbitt overlay

• Cylinder
– Low and medium pressure cylinder cast iron upto 2000 psi
pressure
– Medium to high pressure cylinder with nodular iron from
1000 to 2500 psi
– High pressure cylinder from steel forgings up to 2000 to
8000 psi
 Material of construction
• Liner
– Cast iron is used and for corrosive service Ni-Resist cast
iron is used.

• Piston
– cast iron is used due to high strength as ASTM A275 Cl40
– Aluminum is used for light weight piston with an alloy
having tensile strength 40,000psi

• Piston rod
– Low carbon steel AISI 1037 and low alloy AISI 4140
 Troubleshooting chart
Trouble Probable cause Remedies

1. Excessive ratio on 1. Repair valve or rings

cylinder due to leaking 2. Clean inter cooler
High discharge of inlet valves or rings 3. Clean jackets
2. Fouled inter cooler 4. Clean inter cooler
temperature
3. Fouled water jacket
4. High inlet temperature

1. Loose / worn main, crank 1. Check bearing

pin or cross head clearance
Frame knocks bearings 2. Increase oil pressure
2. Low oil pressure 3. Replace loose parts
3. Loose cross head pin or
shoes
 Trouble Probable cause Remedies

Noise in cylinder 1. Broken or leakage 1. Measure valve temp.

valves and fluctuation in
2. Worn or broken piston/ pressure also occurs
rider rings replace valves.
3. Moisture carry over 2. Replace rings
4. Valves improperly 3. Open head side drain
seated/ damage seat valve
gasket 4. Replace gasket
Excessive packing 1. Worn packing rings 1. Replace packing rings
leakage 2. Improper lube oil or 2. Use correct lube oil
insufficient pressure and increase lube rate.
3. Rings assembled 3. Assemble as per
incorrectly instruction
4. Scored piston rod 4. Replace rod
5. Excessive piston run out 5. Correct run out . Re-
6. Improper packing cup end shim cross head
clearance
 Trouble Probable cause Remedies

Packing over 1. Lubrication failure or 1. Replace lubricator or

heating insufficient lube rate increase lube rate
2. Insufficient cooling 2. Clean coolant passage
or reduce coolant
temperature
Suction discharge 1. Liquid carry over 1. Proper removal from
valve leakage 2. Worn valve seat / damage separators
(inlet temperature plates or sealing elements 2. Lap seat/ replace parts.
rise /pulsation in
discharge flow
valve temperature
differ)
Insufficient 1. Suction valve leakage 1. Replace faulty valves
capacity 2. Valves seat gasket 2. Replace damage
damage gasket
3. Un loader stuck 3. Isolate instrument air
4. Head gasket leak and rectify sucking
5. Worn or broken piston problem
rings 4. Replace rings
Rule of thumb for general running clearance

• Piston (cast iron) to cylinder bore or liner:

– .00125" per inch of bore diameter
– Example: 20" diameter cylinder
– 20 x .00125 " = .0250“=0.635mm clearance

• Main bearing and crankpin bearing to journal

clearance:
[Link] iron or steel-backed shells
• 00075" per inch of journal diameter=0.019mm
Rule of thumb for general running clearance

• Aluminum bearing shells

– .001“(.025mm) -.0015“(.0375mm) per inch

• Crosshead pin to crosshead bushing clearance:

– .0005“(.012mm) - .0015“(.038mm) per inch of pin
diameter

• Crosshead pin to crosshead clearance

– .0005“(.012mm0 - .002“(.05mm) per inch of pin diameter
Rule of thumb for general running clearance

• Minimum clearance between rider ring and cylinder

bore in middle of piston adjacent to piston rings:
–Cast iron piston -.00125" - .0015" per inch of cylinder
diameter

–aluminum piston -.002" per inch of cylinder diameter