Liquid slugging occurs in the piston compressor
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I read in the documentation that liquid present in the cylinders of piston-type ammonia compressors can cause liquid slugging, which may lead to an explosion of the unit. How can an explosion occur? I don’t quite understand; please explain, extra points for that
The explosion is exaggerated; the most common fault related to liquid leakage is damage to the crankshaft bearings
It may cause an explosion, with significant liquid hammer vibration
The chemical properties of gases mainly include flammability, explosiveness, thermal stability, corrosivity, toxicity, etc. Explosiveness refers to the property where, when the concentration of flammable gases in the air reaches a certain range, an explosion can occur instantly upon contact with an open flame. So it’s possible for an explosion to occur
Accumulated fluid can cause explosions; when the liquid is compressed rapidly within a cylinder, its temperature rises and its volume increases sharply. This is especially true for substances with a low ignition point, as explosions can occur in such cases. Breakages in the crankshaft piston rods can also be caused by fluid shock within the piston cylinder – that’s just my personal understanding
Compared to the strength of the connecting rod, the strength of the cylinder head should be lower~~~ If liquid accumulation leads to cylinder collision, it is likely that the cylinder head will be the first to be damaged; in such a situation, if ammonia is under high temperature and pressure (for example, in the second stage of the cylinder), an explosion can occur~~~
Liquids are incompressible, while gases can be compressed. In a piston compressor, the volume of its cylinder changes cyclically from large to small. In this way, the pressure of the gas increases as the volume of the cylinder undergoes cyclic changes. And liquids cannot be compressed. Therefore, when a larger amount of liquid enters the cylinder and its volume decreases, the liquid impacts the piston, thus damaging the equipment.
It was said upstairs that liquids are incompressible, while gases can be compressed. During the compression phase, the volume inside the cylinder decreases and the pressure rises; when this pressure exceeds the outlet pressure, the gas valve opens and the gas is released. If there is residual liquid in the cylinder and its volume exceeds the clearance volume, due to the incompressibility of liquids, the force exerted by the piston is transmitted entirely through the liquid to the cylinder head, which can lead to the breaking of the head bolts. This may result in significant ammonia leakage, as well as damage to the crankshaft, connecting rods, and piston rods.