Intercooler leak
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The intercooler of the oxygen compressor often leaks. This is a shell-and-tube cooler; the tube side is filled with circulating water at 0.4 MPa, while the shell side contains oxygen at 1.0 MPa. The baffle plates are made of red copper, as are the tubes themselves. The spacers are made of stainless steel. The unit is installed in a horizontal position, with about one-quarter of its surface welded shut. The cause of the leakage is unknown. I’m not sure whether it’s the issue with the opening size or a leak in the copper pipe Please provide the answer and the reason!
I believe the main cause of the leakage is likely temperature changes, which lead to thermal expansion and contraction of the tube sheet flanges as the temperature varies. It is recommended to change the intermediate cooler to a stuffing box type; the intermediate coolers in our workshop are of this type, and there have never been any leakage problems.
One should observe carefully, confirm the location, and then draw a conclusion.
This occurs due to cracks that appear as a result of the different expansion rates of the various materials in the cooler under temperature and pressure changes, which leads to leaks. This is caused by discrepancies in the design calculations and material selection for the cooler. Additionally, the degree of vibration of the materials inside the tubes and the casing must also be taken into account; significant vibration can also cause leaks.
There is a high possibility of leakage at the connection between the tube and the tube sheet; just open it and test by applying pressure to find out. There are reasons related to operations as well as issues with the equipment itself in this regard.
It is recommended to change the intercooler to a stuffing box type. How does one go about making this change? Do we have to handle every pipe? It’s not that troublesome~ During pressure testing, bubbles were observed at the pipe outlet when washing powder water was used; however, this doesn’t indicate whether there is a leak at the pipe outlet or inside the compressor itself. Additionally, this compressor features four stages of compression, and it is only the intercoolers in the second stage that often leak. What could be the reason? Manufacturing defects can be ruled out, as the other intercoolers made by them have never leaked (personal opinion).
Could there be any impact on the manufacturing process? Like compression ratio and things like that? Answer quickly~~~