Problems with piston compressor packing
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The compressor packing has a cooling water circuit designed to cool the packing box. What conditions could cause the high-pressure gas from the compressor to leak into this cooling water circuit? Generally, compressor stuffing boxes are filled with softened water from a water treatment station; is it possible for high-pressure gas to flow back into the tank of that water treatment station?
The stuffing box cooling water line and the stuffing are separated from each other, just like the tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube bundle. The leaked process gas goes directly to the flare from the stuffing box, and the issue of contaminating the soft water station is generally not taken into consideration.
With regular inspections and maintenance, the possibility is almost zero.
I think the same, but the heat exchanger tube bundle will leak internally. Is it possible for the softened water circuit used for filler box cooling to be connected to the gas circuit?
Is there a possibility of leakage, or what kind of failure could cause gas to enter the water circuit?
Damage to the packing box seal ring can cause high-pressure gas to enter the circulating water system
Thank you; I’ll take a look at the internal structure of the stuffing box in person if I get the chance
It’s not along the entire length; the cooling water has a jacket between the packing box and the water jacket, while the process gas leakage occurs in the channels between the packing rings inside the packing box. These two paths are completely separated. So leakage between them basically does not occur.
A few months ago, after a major overhaul of the machine, high-pressure gas leaked into the water tank at the water station once it was turned on. Recently, while looking into issues related to compressor packing, I thought of that incident and felt a bit puzzled. I’m in the process engineering field; could my seniors help analyze whether there might have been some mistakes during maintenance that led to the above situation?
I’m not sure which specific water tank you’re referring to Is it a circulating water system? Is there a leak in the compressor interstage heat exchanger? Or is it caused by internal leakage in other heat exchangers in the system? If a leak occurs right after starting the engine, it might be due to the sealing ring of the packing water jacket not being installed properly, or the O-ring in the packing box failing to provide a proper seal. Did you perform a pressure test to check for leaks after filling the filler?
The water station is the common water source for all compressor packing and cylinder cooling water. Generally, after the packing is repaired and before starting the machine, the cover of the high-pressure chamber is installed; the airtight pressure can only reach the inlet pressure, and the packing in the second cylinder cannot achieve airtightness under operating pressure.