Common mistakes made by screw compressor unit engineers – have you fallen for any of them?

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For beginners and some engineers, during actual operation, they may neglect the relevant components of screw compressor units as well as their maintenance, which leads to frequent malfunctions of these units and creates safety hazards. Some engineers, relying on \"empiricism,\" replace faulty components with brand-new ones right away when something is \"more or less\" broken; such blind component replacement exacerbates the problems of the equipment. This kind of repair approach, which only provides temporary solutions rather than addressing the root cause, should be corrected promptly. Next, Gonglenghui will discuss the common “problems” that certain engineers often make! Common problem 1: For all items, large or small, it’s always “replacement”! We all know that the screw compressor is the core component of a refrigeration unit. When a problem occurs with the screw compressor, it is usually due to issues with components such as the rotor, bearings, and shaft seals. Some engineers manage to get the unit running again by replacing these components, which zwar resolves the fault but increases the customer’s maintenance costs. In fact, in most cases such problems do not require component replacement; if the rotor is only slightly corroded or worn, careful maintenance is sufficient to restore its original performance. Common problem number two: When faced with a problem, no analysis is done! Taking the bearings of screw compressors as another example, when problems such as overheating, abnormal noises, or wear occur in these bearings, some engineers simply replace the bearings to fix the issue, without analyzing the causes of the problems. As a result, even if brand-new bearings are installed, it will not resolve the issues caused by improper selection of lubricant or insufficient lubrication; on the contrary, it may cause further damage to the bearings. Only by identifying problems, analyzing their causes, and making gradual judgments based on those causes can the root issues be resolved. Common problem No. 3: Losing the big picture because of focusing on the small details, resulting in frequent failures. Some engineers, during maintenance, pay attention only to the maintenance of larger components such as rotors and motors, while neglecting the upkeep of smaller components like fill valves, stop valves, solenoid valves, thermal expansion valves, and pressure sensors. Although these smaller components do not cause the unit to stop operating immediately, they can have a significant impact on the unit’s cooling efficiency and service life. Engineers must not overlook these details, as it could lead to financial losses for the customer’s equipment. Problem 4: Inadequate cleaning leads to secondary corrosion and wear. When components such as rotors, bearings, and shaft seals are contaminated with oil and debris, they must be thoroughly cleaned. If cleaning is not thorough enough and tiny amounts of oil and debris remain inside, it can cause secondary corrosion and wear to these components, posing a safety risk to the equipment. Although this situation occurs very rarely, there are still individual engineers who make mistakes. Problem No. 5: Lack of guaranteed after-sales service. Customers choose us out of trust, and it is only by using professional skills and high-quality service to ensure the efficient operation of the equipment that we can live up to that trust. However, due to shortcomings in technical skills and service quality on the part of some engineers, customers’ equipment fails to operate, and when they seek after-sales assistance, those engineers are unable to help, forcing customers to bear the consequences.