Reasons for the damage of the five-stage piston rings in reciprocating compressors
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Stages 1 to 3 of the reciprocating compressor are supplied with oil via an oiler (at a rate of 8 to 15 drops per minute), while stages 4 and 5 operate under oil-free lubrication. So what are the reasons why the piston rings in stage 5 get damaged after just half a month of use (when the normal lifespan is 8 months)?
Reasons for piston ring damage: 1. Assembly clearance issues, including side clearance and end clearance； 2. Quality issues with the piston rings themselves, including material and manufacturing problems ； 3. Medium quality issues, such as high dust content or high moisture content, etc ； 4. The sewage issues mentioned in the previous paragraphs caused oil, water, and other substances to enter the cylinder, leading to an imbalance in the ionization equilibrium ； 5. Issues with the piston itself, causing sticking ； 6. Excessively high temperatures of the inlet and outlet gases, leading to damage to the piston rings ； 7. Defects on the cylinder liner surface result in a short service life for the piston rings. That’s about all I can think of for now.
Assembly clearance and clearance at the openings; issues with the material of the piston rings; high temperature of the medium, poor cooling of the cylinder
Is it the high oil level that causes the oil to leak out as a result of the oil slinger working?
Measure whether the cylinder is worn into a drum shape; if so, the cylinder liner must be replaced.
It seems that, in the end, it’s all related to poor lubrication
The following are my personal opinions for reference only: 1. Is there an increase or variation in the vibration of the engine unit? If so (consider the parallelism between the piston and the crosshead)； 2. Is the piston ring experiencing uneven wear or uniform wear? If it is uneven wear: 1. Consider whether the material of the piston ring meets the requirements of the original design; if it was supplied by the manufacturer, inquire whether there have been any changes in the composition of the material ； 2. Were the piston rings in this section assembled strictly in accordance with the assembly requirements, such as ensuring that the openings were not misaligned? ； 3. During installation, was the gap between the piston rings and the cylinder wall surface measured? Was there a situation where the gap was too small? In other words, since the unit began operating, has this particular component only shown signs of reduced service life? If so, it is recommended to contact the equipment manufacturer for technical consultation ； 4. When piston rings experience uneven wear, a phenomenon occurs in which the particles in the medium are relatively large. Under normal operation, the piston rings rotate; uneven wear arises as a result of this lack of rotation. It is recommended to check whether the lateral clearance between the piston rings and their grooves is too small, and also to consult the equipment manufacturer to determine whether the back pressure design is insufficient. ）
In fact, there are many reasons for piston ring damage, and different perspectives should be considered; each specific case needs to be analyzed individually. When you mention this suddenly like that, people can only offer their opinions based on experience. If you want to determine the exact cause, I think you should provide information such as the recent operating parameters of the equipment, a comprehensive analysis of the medium used, the factory data related to the material, records of inspections and maintenance, installation records, and any signs of settlement in the equipment’s foundation. This will help everyone make more accurate analyses.