Discussion on the start-up and shutdown of the compressor auxiliary oil pump
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The auxiliary oil pump in our company keeps starting up after the compressor stops operating. I don’t understand why the management requires this; the compressor is of the reciprocating, symmetrically balanced type with a shaft-mounted pump. I really can’t figure out why the auxiliary oil pump is supposed to start up after the compressor stops running
The function of the auxiliary oil pump is to provide lubrication before the machine is started up or after it is shut down. Once the machine is running, the gear pump or shaft pump built into the machine will be responsible for circulating the lubricating oil; at this point, the auxiliary oil pump can be turned off. However, after the machine is shut down, the lubricating oil circulation usually continues for a certain period of time, and it is then the auxiliary oil pump that ensures this circulation
Okay, thank you. Ours keeps turning on by itself; I don’t understand why
I have basically never seen reciprocating compressors; this is probably done to keep the compressor in a hot standby state, so that it can be started immediately in case of a problem, thereby reducing wear on components such as bearings. In the case of centrifugal air compressors, the auxiliary oil pump needs to keep running when the equipment is shut down, so as to handle emergencies (and also to detect any leaks in the pipelines or wear on the oil pump, as well as to meet the requirements of interlock systems).
Thank you. It makes sense; I think that’s how it should be considered
The spare equipment, along with the lubricant circulation system, helps to keep the lubricant clean, maintains the oil temperature within normal ranges, and enables the spare equipment to start up promptly