BLACKMER NGH1013, Installation, Operation And Maintenance Instructions

Page: 6 / 32

GENERAL INFORMATION
CB6A-210 page 6/32
MAXIMIZING COMPRESSOR LIFE
Life of critical compressor components such as piston
rings, valves and packing will vary considerably with
each application, installation, and operating procedures.
Premature failure of wear parts can often be attributed to
one of the following causes:
Excessive Temperatures
Primary causes are:

Operating at pressures other than those originally
specified.

Handling a different gas than originally specified.

Clogged strainer or filter elements.

Line sizes too small, or other flow restrictions.

Excessive ambient temperature or suction gas
temperature.

Valve problems. (See Foreign Material.)

Badly worn piston rings. (See Foreign Material.)
Lower operating temperatures will increase valve and
piston ring life significantly.
Foreign Material
Solid particles in the gas stream will:

Rapidly wear the piston rings and score the
cylinder wall.

Destroy the rod packing causing excessive
leakage and score the piston rods.

Lodge in the valves causing loss of capacity and
broken valve plates and springs.
Liquid in the gas stream may:

Cause broken valve plates and springs.

Destroy the compressor if present in sufficient
quantity.
New Installations
On new installations, the valves and piston rings should
be inspected after the first few hundred hours of
operation. This will give an early indication of any
abnormal problems and allow for corrective action to be
taken before a costly failure results. Although piston ring
life will vary from application to application, wear will be
fairly consistent on subsequent sets of rings.
Extreme temperatures caused by
abnormally high discharge pressure or
valve problems can be a source of
ignition in explosive atmospheres
causing severe personal injury or death.
Hazardous gases
can cause property
damage, personal
injury or death