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Piston Rings

08/19/2014 5:20 AM

what are the failures and causes of piston rings in reciprocating compressor

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Guru

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#1

Re: piston rings

08/19/2014 5:36 AM

Splits, fractures, crumbles and wear.

Usually inadequate maintenance is the cause. Did you apply the planned preventative maintenance programme the equipment manufacturer recommended?

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#2

Re: piston rings

08/19/2014 5:54 AM

If it is a refrigerant compressor, liquid in the suction line can cause damage from hydraulic shock or sudden cooling.

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#13
In reply to #2

Re: piston rings

08/21/2014 4:18 PM

Also, not enough refrigerant in the suction = hi suction temp = hi discharge temp = oil breakdown = bad stuff after that! -- JHF

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#3

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 8:00 AM

you can't compress liquid, do avoid that and the rings last longer

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#4

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 12:55 PM

"failures and causes of piston rings in reciprocating compressor"

Failures can be many things, some already mentioned, many more to be discovered by searching for the answer yourself.

Causes are to seal the compressor piston against walls.

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Guru

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#5

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 4:55 PM

metal or non-metallic? How about a picture?

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#6

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 6:12 PM

How did you determine that the piston rings failed?

  • Excessive oil consumption
  • Oil in discharge air which can also be caused by deposits on the piston rings
  • Abnormal noise during operation
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#7
In reply to #6

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 6:27 PM

No failures have been reported.

Could be an interview question ,or just idle curiosity, for all we know.

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#8

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 10:14 PM

The most reliable method I can think of to cause a piston ring to fail requires a projectile with enough kinetic energy and momentum to pierce the cylinder wall and impact the piston ring.

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#9

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 10:52 PM

Insufficient ring end gap and/or overheating can cause the ends to butt, leading to seizure in the cylinder, broken rings, fractured pistons (land separation), and several other problems.

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#10

Re: Piston Rings

08/19/2014 11:04 PM

Piston moves back and forth inside the cylinder. Piston ring is meant to give leak-tight joint between the stationary cylinder and moving (reciprocating) piston. In this contest, the main failure and cause are:

Failure: Piston ring is not giving leak-tight joint.

Cause: Abuse.

To get root-cause, keep expanding the primary cause by asking 'why', and again ask 'why' till you don't need further asking…

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#11

Re: Piston Rings

08/20/2014 1:28 PM

You didn't say whether it was a lubed, mini-lubed or non-lubed design recip. Failure of the lubricant system would be my first guess if it was a lubed or mini-lubed recip.

You also didn't state whether it was a vertical or horizontal cylinder design which could also lead one to different issues of failure based on that design difference.

Someone shutting the outlet without proper relief valves being installed could lead to overpressure and possibly damage the rings due to blow-back.

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#12
In reply to #11

Re: Piston Rings

08/20/2014 7:01 PM

What type of failure?

Cracked rings?

Worn rings?

Scuffed rings?

Blued rings?

Need more info.

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