What are the negative effects of running a screw pump in reverse?
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The main oil pump of my reciprocating compressor is a gear pump, while the auxiliary oil pump is a screw pump. The current issue is that the check valve at the outlet of the screw pump is not functioning properly; as the main oil pump operates, oil flows back from the outlet of the screw pump to its inlet, causing the screw pump to rotate in reverse at a slow speed. The screw pump body indicates the direction of rotation; I wonder what negative effects might occur if it is rotated in the opposite direction?
There should be no significant impact. If there is any effect, it would be due to insufficient compressor oil pressure; could this affect the lubrication of the bearing shells?
Slow rotation indicates that the leakage amount is small; therefore, only a little lubricant returns to the oil tank, with minimal impact. It is recommended to find an opportunity to replace the check valve, in order to prevent potential damage caused by increased leakage.
It’s not a big problem; in our unit, the normal operation mode is reversed, but the speed is very low. As long as the oil pressure can be established and the unit can start properly under emergency conditions, there’s no issue.
In this case, it will not have a significant impact on the screw pump; make sure to repair the outlet check valve properly.
It shouldn’t have any impact; it’s probably a triple-screw pump. We are a manufacturer that specializes in producing triple-screw pumps as well as twin-screw pumps