Efficiency Of Centrifugal Compressor

What, me worry?

--Alfred E. Neuman

Not sure what you are up to, but some thing that is damaged would not run for long for good.

No vibration might not be the sign that all is in good shape.

Try with proper maintenance and contact the manufacturer.

Nothing to go on with here.

Did you phone the manufacturer? If not, why not, please?

Are you saying the machine was running without sufficient flow, causing the rotor to project toward the inlet side thrust pad, causing damage to the thrust pad without triggering the spindle shaft surge alarm and moving the pinion gear out of position on the bull gear thereby creating an abnormal condition for a machine who's rotor tip speed approaches the speed of sound? I would look for metal particles in the outflow, if it is not already too late. Oh, I forgot to ask which stage? Never mind.........

Yes machine has less discharge flow, thrust pad has damaged, rotor axial load is on thrust bering of bull gear through coupling (gear coupling) and high speed helical gear teeth.We have no axial position monitoring device.CAN WE RUN MACHINE MORE ON THIS POSITION?

No permission is needed, nor will be forthcoming, from this forum. The local decision to commit carries implications were the machine to fail in service that only a local decision-maker can judge.

The manufacturer's recommendations would be of high value in making that judgement, and would be discovered very quickly by using the telephone to make contact. A recommendation to do so has already been made, and the forum has received no indication that the call has taken place since that recommendation took place.

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It is not a good idea to run the machine due to personnel safety risk and the high risk of further damaging and/or destroying the compressor.

It is difficult to guess exactly what happened however from your description something was introduced into the compressor that has caused significant damage to the internal components resulting in movement of the rotor.

Some of the apparent causes of this type of damage are:

1. Water condensation buildup inside the case due to poor or inoperative drains or improper discharge piping design.

2. Improperly sized, dirty, or missing compressor intake filter.

3. Inadvertent introduction of an intake filter component or tool into the compressor during maintenance of the intake filter.

If the intake filter(s) are clean, properly sized, and correctly maintained, nothing harmful would be allowed into the compressor.

It would be in your best interest to contact the compressor manufacturer field service division and arrange for a thorough internal inspection of the compressor then follow all of their recommendations.

CAN WE RUN MACHINE MORE ON THIS POSITION?
Sure, if you want to turn your compressor into a molten pile of slag!

What kind of question is that?

Obviously you have no knowledge of the inner workings of the compressor so why are you coming to an engineering forum instead of contacting the manufacturer?

From your post, it seems that you are still running it so why ask us?

It's fine. Go ahead and use it.

Nothing will happen, I promise.

Now, doesn't that sound about as silly as going to an unknown, anonymous forum and asking them to diagnose and trouble shoot your failing compressor.

Call the manufacturer!

N.

My standby line is, "The supply of fools will always outstrip the demand".

I say run the damn thing!

Obviously it is still putting out enough air for your needs so why not.

BUT have your local compressor vendor have another on hand WHEN this one fails.

And after it fails, YOU explain why YOU kept running it after YOU knew it was severely damaged then come back and tell us what happened, we need some lighthearted humor around here.

Sounds like catastrophic failure may occur without notice.

Is it possible to take the compressor out of service to properly diagnose and repair it while it is still repairable?

Do you have a redundant compressor?

Judging my OP previous posts and problem descriptions he had enough time to get one.

If not its gonna be less air for more problems to solve.

Sure, go ahead, run the damn thing till it seizes or blows up.

Don't worry about it.

You can even have people standing next to it just to protect the surrounding building from shrapnel when it blows. Saves money.