Why is there an internal leak in the oil cooler?
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The 800,000-ton heavy catalyst reactor has been in operation for just two months, and almost all of the oil coolers in its compressor lubrication system are leaking internally. Is this due to operational issues or equipment problems? I would be very grateful if experienced individuals could help analyze the cause.
To put it briefly, it is necessary to specify the type of oil cooler, whether it is welded or expanded, and whether the tubes used are copper, stainless steel, or carbon steel; generally, copper tubes are used most often, and the expansion method is quite common. Leaks at the expansion joints usually occur due to excessive water pressure, and if this is the case, it is also related to the quality of the equipment; in such situations, the water pressure can be adjusted slightly
There is no unified view on this; generally, the water pressure in an oil cooler is lower than the oil pressure. Some standards specify that the oil pressure should be higher than the water pressure. Therefore, it is likely that the oil pressure is too high, and it should be reduced. It could also be a problem with the pipe bundles. Before putting it into use, a pressure test should be carried out as required; if the pressure test is successful, it generally will not leak during use.
If there is a welding issue with the new equipment, it should show up during pressure testing; it’s possible that the testing procedure wasn’t followed or there is a problem with the equipment itself
It is likely caused by issues with the pipeline design, the welding on the pipelines, or the materials used. In particular, the weld joints need to be taken into consideration.
There are mostly issues with equipment manufacturing; as long as there is no overpressure during operation (no mistakes or problems), it’s fine
It’s likely due to a problem with the equipment; if it’s tube expansion, this kind of leakage can easily occur if the expansion isn’t done properly
Since it’s a unit that has just started operation, I think there should be no issues with the pipes. If it was welded, the quality of the welds should be checked.
It is not ruled out that there may be a problem with the cooling water you are using – severe corrosion could be the cause; it’s unlikely that equipment manufacturing defects are responsible for all the internal leaks
Oil coolers are not considered pressure vessels; generally, water flows through the tube side, and the most likely cause of internal leakage is manufacturing defects. It is advisable to use a butt-welded connection for both the tube sheet and the heat exchange tubes as well