Summary of Common Problems in Daily Operation of Piston Compressors

Summary of Common Problems in Daily Operation of Piston Compressors

In daily operation, piston compressors may face common problems such as abnormal vibration, high temperature, leakage, pressure fluctuations, and increased noise. These problems not only affect the normal operation of the equipment, but also may lead to decreased production efficiency, energy waste, and even safety hazards. It is particularly important to promptly identify and resolve these issues in order to ensure the stable operation of the piston compressor. This article will summarize and analyze common problems in the daily operation of piston compressors, providing practical reference for users. Through in-depth exploration of these issues, we hope to help users better understand the operating status of equipment, optimize maintenance and management processes, extend the service life of equipment, and thereby improve overall production efficiency and economic benefits.

Insufficient displacement

Air intake system issue: clogged air filter can increase intake resistance and reduce intake volume; Failure of the intake valve spring, wear or jamming of the valve disc can lead to poor closure of the intake valve and gas leakage; Loose connections or damaged seals in the intake pipeline can also cause gas leaks.

Compression system issues: piston ring wear, decreased sealing between cylinder and piston, gas leakage; Wear on the inner wall of the cylinder, increased gap between the cylinder and piston, and gas leakage; Failure of exhaust valve spring, wear or jamming of valve disc, inadequate closure of exhaust valve, gas leakage

Cooling system issues: Blockage of the cooler, decreased cooling effect, increased compressor temperature, affecting exhaust volume; The cooling water temperature is too high, which reduces the cooling effect and causes the compressor temperature to rise.

Transmission system issues: Loose or worn belts causing belt slippage and reducing compressor speed; Loose or damaged couplings can cause a decrease in transmission efficiency and affect compressor speed.

Exhaust temperature too high

Cooling system issues: Blockage of the cooler, high temperature or insufficient flow of cooling water can all lead to a decrease in cooling efficiency and an increase in compressor temperature.

Compression system issue: The compression ratio is too high, resulting in an increase in heat generated during the compression process; The exhaust valve is not tightly closed, causing high-temperature gas to reflux.

Lubrication system issue: Insufficient or poor quality lubricating oil, resulting in poor lubrication of the friction pair and generating a large amount of heat.

Abnormal noise

Metal knocking sound: Excessive clearance between the piston pin and the connecting rod small head, wear of the connecting rod bearing, and excessive clearance between the crosshead pin and crosshead can all cause knocking sound during movement.

Friction sound: Friction between the piston ring and the cylinder wall, friction between the connecting rod bearing and the crankshaft, and friction between the crosshead and the slide can produce friction sound.

Airflow sound: Leakage of air valves and pipelines can produce airflow sound.

Lubricating oil related issues

Abnormal lubricating oil pressure: blockage or oil leakage in the oil pump pipeline, improper or malfunctioning adjustment of the oil pressure regulating valve, insufficient oil, crankcase inlet, oil pump wear, severe wear of connecting rod bearings and main bearings, unopened or malfunctioning oil pressure gauge valve, dirty and clogged oil filter, high oil temperature, etc., can all lead to abnormal lubricating oil pressure.

Lubricating oil discoloration: High exhaust temperature causes oil carbonization and blackening, or water ingress into the crankcase causes oil to turn milky yellow, as well as dirt generated by abnormal wear of moving parts causing lubricating oil discoloration.

Other issues

Motor overload: It may be caused by high suction pressure or exhaust pressure of the unit, or improper assembly of moving parts of the unit.

Safety valve tripping: It indicates that the system pressure is too high, which may be caused by the pressure relay setting being too low, the alarm not resetting, or malfunction.