Oil dripping from the Y-filter at the compressor inlet
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This post was last edited by Qingse Nianhua on 2019-3-6 at 16:19. As shown in the image, there is a Y-type filter on the compressor’s inlet pipeline, and oil is leaking from the flange at the bottom of the filter. The medium used in the compressor is a mixture of nitrogen, methane, ethylene, propane, and isopentane, in a closed-loop system. What could be the source of this oil-like substance in the image? Where did it come from?
First, determine whether the source of this substance is from inside or outside the device, and check whether it might be present in various materials. Based on the images, it does not seem to be an internal leakage; instead, it’s possible that it’s caused by external splashing or other factors, so a thorough investigation is needed. It’s easier to find them at night with light shining on them.
It’s an internal leakage; it’s not clear from the photos, but there is liquid at the gasket area of the flange
Most of these are light hydrocarbon oils. Don’t you have a separation tank for imports? Is the filter located in front of the liquid separation tank?
There is one total inlet for all compressors; this filter is located behind the buffer tank, after the compressor inlet valve
Check whether the liquid level in that separation tank is too high; otherwise, the liquid phase inside it will be carried into the pipes at the back! Also, think about whether this situation only occurs in cold weather
The condition of that oil seems to be that of a compressor lubricant; it doesn’t seem to be greatly affected by the weather, as it’s present even in summer
If no gas has leaked, how did the liquid get out?
It’s possible that there is too much liquid inside, resulting in a liquid seal that causes leakage of liquid, while the gas cannot get out. I once encountered a situation where the plug of the Y-filter at the compressor inlet was leaking water; when it was removed, there was quite a lot of water inside. It is because the Y-filter setting is too high; there isn’t much free water in the compressor inlet separator tank, but the high flow rate carries misty water to the Y-filter, resulting in water accumulation. There is still no good solution to it yet. Some manufacturers suggest that we install an adsorption tank behind the liquid separation tank at the compressor inlet; we are still deciding on this.
Mm-hmm, that makes sense. But I think installing an adsorption tank after the liquid separation tank might not necessarily solve the problem, because if the formation of this liquid is related to the flow rate, then the flow rate at the adsorption tank isn’t very high either