For a H2 recip compressor with packing vent to atmosphere arrangement, gas can be seen from the vent upon compressor running. Is this normal? How do we usually quantify whether the packing is leaking excessively? I was told if the vent temperature hits 80% of gas discharge temperature then it would be considered leaking excessively, but not sure if this figure is too conservative/ optimistic.
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Recip compressor normal packing leakage
- Thread starter Wkcoo
- Start date
Yes. Packing leakage is normal and unavoidable. The normal amount of leakage depends on the process conditions and packing design. The compressor manufacturer should be able to provide a range for expected normal leakage. This vent should be instrumented to detect high temperature or high flow. If the concentration of H2 in the vent is a safety concern, a purge (usually N2) should be added to the packing case. A baseline for leakage can be established with new packing after an appropriate run-in period.
Johnny Pellin
Johnny Pellin
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