Chemical Process Equipment Area: [Weekly Topic] Low compressor oil temperature issue? (2011.8.3-8.14)
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Please discuss the following: 1. Does your unit have a low oil temperature alarm in the compressor oil tank? 2. What is its main function? Personally, I think there’s no need for an alarm when the oil temperature is low; it’s sufficient to pay attention to starting the electric heater if the temperature is too low. Under normal conditions, the oil temperature in the tank shouldn’t be low, right? We welcome everyone to participate actively. It is best to discuss the topic in light of the actual conditions of your own workplace; meaningful discussions that relate to real-world production will earn rewards ranging from 10 to 50
There is no low oil temperature alarm in a normal compressor tank, but it is present in screw ammonia refrigerators; its main purpose is to ensure the proper operation of the compressor :victory:
Our facility is equipped with a low-temperature alarm, but it’s not used very often. Generally, there is a steam heating coil in the tank, or the lubricant cooling system is turned down
There is an alarm system and a interlock system; the oil pump starts when the oil temperature exceeds 20 degrees, and the main engine can be started only when the oil temperature is above 35 degrees. When the oil temperature is below the required level, its performance does not meet the specifications; its viscosity increases, which affects the formation of the lubricating film around the bearings, potentially leading to bearing damage.
Our system also has a low-temperature alarm, but during system protection, once the ambient temperature drops to the set alarm level, the unit keeps emitting alarms; however, this doesn’t seem to have much effect under normal conditions. So it seems unnecessary to set a low alarm.
I’m not sure whether the low-alarm and interlock systems in your company are connected to the units Is it not allowed to start the oil pump or the unit when the oil temperature has not reached the required level? Solve,
None of these three centrifugal units of ours are equipped with an oil temperature low alarm; I’ve never seen any unit that has such a feature. Well, I personally think it’s useless, as the oil temperature doesn’t drop during operation...
In my opinion, setting up an alarm for low oil temperature, or even installing a interlock to activate the electric heater, requires little investment and provides a certain level of safety. It can effectively prevent shutdowns caused by excessively high bearing temperatures resulting from too low oil temperature.
Our centrifuges are equipped with an oil temperature interlock; they cannot be started if the temperature is below 20°C. Could the oil temperature be low after starting the vehicle? I don’t know when it will be low. It might be below the optimal oil temperature range, but it will still be usable; just set the coolant temperature at that value
Regarding the oil temperature issue, with the compressors I’ve operated in the past, no low-level interlock was set for normal operation; however, there was a high-level alarm at 55°C, but this did not trigger an automatic shutdown. One of the conditions for starting the machine was that the oil temperature must be below 35°C. But it depends on human factors – if the electric heater remains on, the oil temperature rises very slowly, and it’s not advisable to try to start the machine in such circumstances. It’s possible to lower these starting conditions, but this isn’t very practical for emergency use
Here, the lubricating oil is heated using low-pressure steam!