Piston compressors
The procedure describes restorative repair and wear protection of piston compressors without shutting down for repair and without disassembly. The treatment is carried out by adding XADO revitalizant gel in stages to the standard crankcase oil and, if a lubricator is fitted, additionally to the lubricator oil.
Units covered by the method
01Method
What is treated
- Compressors subject to treatment must be in working order and must have no parts with 100% wear or mechanical damage (item 1.1).
- It is recommended to treat piston compressors with relatively clean oil — the residual oil service life must be at least 40% (item 1.2).
- If a lubricator is used to lubricate the cylinder-piston group of the compressor, the lubricator oil is treated as well (item 1.5.3).
- If there is no lubricator, the compressor is treated only by adding XADO revitalizant gel (industrial) to the compressor crankcase in stages (item 1.5.4).
- Piston compressors that are new or have initial wear (up to 10%) are treated with a smaller amount of XADO revitalizant: XADO gel is added to the crankcase oil in 2 stages, and oil with XADO gel is fed into the lubricator over 250 hours (note 3).
When treatment is not performed
- Compressors having parts with 100% wear or mechanical damage must not be treated.
- It is not recommended to treat with XADO revitalizants the cylinder-piston groups of compressors whose design uses piston rings made of non-metallic materials; in such compressors only the crank-and-connecting-rod group is treated, by adding XADO revitalizant gel to the crankcase oil in stages (note 1).
Preparation
- Before starting the treatment, flush or replace the filter elements in the compressor lubrication system (item 1.3).
- Eliminate oil leaks (item 1.3).
- Before starting the treatment, measure the main operating performance characteristics of the compressor (item 1.4).
- Prepare “XADO revitalizant gel for compressors and bearings (industrial)” at the rate of 1.5 ml per 1.0 l of standard oil for one treatment stage (item 1.5.1).
- Pour a small amount of the standard oil heated to 40 - 60°C into a separate container and dissolve in it the calculated amount of gel to be added to the compressor crankcase (item 1.5.2).
- If a lubricator is fitted, in another container dissolve, in the same way, an additional amount of gel for the volume of lubricator oil required to keep the compressor running for 400 hours (item 1.5.3).
- Stir each mixture thoroughly until a homogeneous blend is obtained (item 1.5.5).
What is measured before and after
| Parameter | Instrument | How and when |
|---|---|---|
| Compressor output — the time in which the piston compressor fills a separate closed receiver to the operating or a fixed pressure | stopwatch | Before the start of the treatment and after completion of the full cycle (items 1.4, 1.4.1). |
| Vibration level at fixed points in the vertical, horizontal and axial directions (vibration acceleration, vibration velocity, vibration displacement) | vibrometers | Before the start of the treatment and after completion of the full cycle (item 1.4.2). |
| Noise level at fixed points | sound level meter | Measurements are taken at a fixed distance from the reference points with no extraneous noise sources present (item 1.4.3). |
| Power consumption (or current consumption) of the electric motor with the compressor unloaded and at a fixed load | electricity meters, current clamps, wattmeter or multimeter | Before the start of the treatment and after completion of the full cycle (item 1.4.4). |
| Oil pressure at a fixed operating temperature | standard or test pressure gauge | Before the start of the treatment and after completion of the full cycle (item 1.4.5). |
| Operating temperature mode of the compressor | — | Determined before the start of the treatment and after completion of the full cycle (item 1.4.6). |
What the reports on these components showed
- Increased electric power consumption33 cases · median 9 %, 44 values
- Loss of compression64 cases · median 12 %, 110 values
- Elevated vibration32 cases · median 46 %, 14 values
- Increased fuel consumption28 cases · median 12 %, 20 values
- Increased clearances and backlash19 cases · median 26 %, 2 values
- Elevated operating temperature17 cases · median 18 %, 15 values
- Oil pressure drop22 cases · median 21 %, 7 values
Consolidated register of the evidence base →
Dosage rates
| Compound | Rate | How and when |
|---|---|---|
| XADO revitalizant gel for compressors and bearings (industrial) | 1.5 ml per 1.0 l of standard oil | For one stage of treating the compressor crankcase; 3 stages in total (items 1.5, 1.5.1). |
| XADO revitalizant gel for compressors and bearings — solution for addition | 1 part of the gel being dissolved to 5 - 10 parts of oil heated to 40 - 60°C | Proportion for preparing the solution in a separate container using the standard oil (item 1.5.2). |
| XADO revitalizant gel for compressors and bearings — for the lubricator | 2.0 ml per 1.0 l of lubricator oil | Added to the volume of lubricator oil required to keep the compressor running for 400 hours (item 1.5.3). Example: oil consumption through the lubricator is 0.25 l/hour, over 400 hours of continuous operation — 100.0 l, calculated amount of gel: 100.0 l x 2.0 ml = 200.0 ml (item 1.5.4). |
| XADO revitalizant gel — in case of increased oil consumption | 1.5 ml per litre of oil added | During the first 200 hours of operation, top up the consumed oil with an additional amount of gel dissolved in it — to maintain a constant concentration of the revitalizant in the standard oil (note 2). |
Treatment stages
- Add the first mixture to the compressor crankcase. Start the compressor and run it in normal mode without overloads.Start of the total running time count
- The second stage of treating the compressor crankcase is carried out in the same way as the first stage.At an interval of 8–12 hours of total compressor operation
- The third stage of treating the compressor crankcase is carried out in the same way as the first stage.At an interval of 8–12 hours of total compressor operation
- The second mixture is fed through the lubricator in the doses required for topping up (before adding each dose it is recommended to stir the oil thoroughly), as the oil in it is consumed.Over 400 hours of operation
After treatment
- The compressor treatment is considered complete after 400 hours of total compressor running time, counted from the start of the first treatment stage (item 1.7).
- After completion of the full cycle, the main operating performance characteristics of the compressor are measured in accordance with items 1.4.1 - 1.4.6 to determine the effectiveness of the XADO revitalizant compounds (item 1.4).
Points to watch
- After the mixture has been added, the compressor must run in normal mode without overloads (item 1.5.8).
- Before adding each dose of oil to the lubricator, it is recommended to stir the oil thoroughly (item 1.5.7).
- It is not recommended to treat the cylinder-piston groups of compressors with piston rings made of non-metallic materials (note 1).
- In case of increased oil consumption, during the first 200 hours of operation the consumed oil must be topped up with an additional amount of XADO revitalizant gel (note 2).
Compounds for these units
- Revitalizant gel for compressors and bearingsPiston, screw and centrifugal compressors; rolling and sliding bearings running in an oil bath; machine-tool spindle units and slideways.
- Revitalizant gel for cylinder restorationEngine cylinders with heavy wear or surface damage deeper than 0.15 mm — applied to the bore before the main treatment.
Methods for specific machines
- KT-6 CompressorTwo-stage reciprocating compressor of the brake system of TEM-2, TGM-4, TGM-6 and ChME3 diesel locomotives. Treated without removal from the locomotive, through the oil bath of the crankcase.
- Compressor 2ВМ4-24/9A two-stage compressor with separate lubrication: the crankcase and the cylinder-piston group through the lubricator. Both channels are treated, each according to its own calculation.
- Compressor 4ВМ10-120/9A large reciprocating compressor with a 300 l oil bath. Two different rates in one machine: the crankcase in stages, the lubricator continuously.
- Compressor 2ВМ10-50/8Reciprocating compressor with a 150 l oil bath. The crankcase and the lubricator are treated to different norms.
- ВШ high-pressure compressorA high-pressure compressor — working measurements run up to 200 atm. The oil sump holds 17 l; the cylinder-piston group is lubricated through the lubricator.
- ГШ CompressorAir compressor with a 25 l oil bath. Treatment is carried out through the crankcase, in three stages, without disassembling the machine.
- Compressor ВЕ-6/13Reciprocating compressor with a 20 l oil system. Treatment in three stages through the crankcase, without taking the machine out of service.
- Compressor АДП-720/2,5Treatment is carried out through the crankcase only: the lubricator is not used, and no second compound is prepared.
Reports on this unit
- SE UkrNTC “Energostal” · 2013↑ 2–13% — compression by cylinder of the petrol GAZ-52, 7.1–9.6 → 8.5–9.8 kgf/cm² (single maximum 32 %)
- SE UkrSTC “Energostal”, pilot plant · 2013↑ 35.4% — compression in the fourth cylinder, 6.5 → 8.8 kgf/cm²
- Transservice LLC · 2013↑ 2.5atm — compression across the cylinders, 28–29 → 31 atm
- PJSC Novokramatorsk Machine-Building Works · 2013↑ 0.2bar — compression in the weakest cylinder, 8.0 → 8.2 bar; the other cylinders changed within 0.5 bar
- ChAAP “Promin” · 2012↑ 3.9–8.3% — compression across the cylinders, 28.7–30.5 → 31.0–32.5 kgf/cm²
- PTP Pavlogradpogruztrans · 2012↑ 25–36% — compression of the worn cylinders, controller position 5, 22–24 → 30 kgf/cm²
Source: Instructions for the use of XADO revitalizant gels IE-24.6-25612000-005-2008, pages 8–9.