compresor damage due to liquid entrainment

[mb04]

Hello!
Anybody knows how to identify that i have problems due to liquid entrainment in the compressor.
Besides the level control of the scrubber, there is another signal, such as vibrations or something else??
Thanks!!

 

[bimr]

With reciprocating compressors, mists will vaporize because of the heat. As the amount of liquids increases, the droplets will hit the suction valves and vaporize because the valves are hot. As more liquids enter and hit the valves, damage will occur, as the liquids vaporize, the heat they absorb causes localized cooling of the metal and the valves break.

If the liquid does get through the valves in the liquid form, they will fail. The valves may be broken and gas will pass back and forth through the broken valves cause an increase in average cylinder temperature. Hot suction valves is an indication of the problem.

A large amount of liquid will break the pistons or rods and the unit should stop because of vibration or sensing errors. There should not be an escape of gas because the failures are internal.

 

[zdas04]

I've attached a picture of what happens after 30 days with 10 L/day of mist/aerosol coming into the compressor. Much more carryover than that and you risk actually ingesting liquid (i.e., there is enough water to quench the head below the flash point of the water) and you break things (valves if you are very lucky, crosshead shafts or crank shafts if you are less lucky).

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[chicopee]

That picture from zdas04 pretty much sums it up. zdas04, how was the condition of the head cover?

 

[zdas04]

This was a client's picture, you get what the client's give you. I didn't see the head cover.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[EdStainless]

In applications where it is high risk I have seen people use multiple temp sensors (as mentioned above) and also additional vibration sensors (tubed to listen for changes in noise).
It might be prudent to put a sensor in the inlet line to detect excessive moisture before you see it at the compressor.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube