#702CX - Compressor Design, Operation, and Maintenance

Course Objective

Upon completion of this course, participants will have gained a thorough understanding of the various centrifugal (i.e. turbo) and reciprocating compressor configurations available to virtually every industrial user. Items discussed include mechanical design features, sizing and application criteria, maintainability, reliability, vulnerability and troubleshooting issues. Participants will:

Learn simple techniques and short-cut methods of machinery selection, which can take the place of tedious hand calculations and will serve as rapid means to determine sensitivity or influence of parameter changes on equipment performance.
Be able to determine the most appropriate and efficient matching of compressor to driver.
Also acquire knowledge of operating and maintenance issues by getting to know mechanical design, machinery components, piping design, as well as proven approaches to monitoring, troubleshooting and maintenance of compressor installations.

Who Should Attend?

This application and equipment course is intended to be of direct use by persons in staff positions (e.g., Senior Technicians, Operators, Supervisors, Superintendents) and corporate engineering, plant planning and design, systems design, equipment selection and evaluation, and equipment maintenance areas. It will be of value to equipment and systems specialists in engineering contractor firms. This course should also be valuable to managerial and supervisory individuals responsible for operations and maintenance functions. The industries most directly involved with the subject matter are those producing chemicals, petrochemicals, petroleum products, natural gases, manufacturing gases, steel and other metals, and plants requiring process refrigeration.

Course Description

Centrifugal and Reciprocating Compressors of several types, which have widely varying configurations and applications, are used extensively in the process industries. These compressors represent a significant part of the capital and operating costs of most plants, so that optimizing their selection is of major economic importance.

The course is devoted to design features, efficiencies, operating characteristics, reliability and maintenance implications of centrifugal compressors.

This course will cover the operating principles of centrifugal compressors, specifications, their design, thermodynamics, effects of efficiency on operating costs, energy usage, effect on plant costs, special materials of construction, selection, troubleshooting and maintenance.

The course will also cover plant run-length extension surveys, organizing for successful turnarounds and ongoing reliability improvement, and preventive vs. predictive maintenance strategy decisions.

The course will provide the participant with a basic, as well as advanced, centrifugal and reciprocating compressor technology inventory required to successfully select, apply, troubleshoot and maintain compression equipment. Throughout the course, participants will have ample opportunity to have equipment-related questions answered by the Course Director.

Course Outline

Day 1

Introduction to Compressor Types

Centrifugal, Axial, Reciprocating, Helical Screw, Ranges of Application and Limitations

Mechanical Design of Centrifugal Compressors

Compressor Side Streams, Rotors, Balancing, Rotor Dynamics, Impellers, Casings, Bearings, Seals, Couplings, Controls

Day 2

Design and Materials of Reciprocating Compressor Components
- Design and Materials, Design of Non-Lubricated Compressors, Piston Rod and Frame Loading, Distributing Forces and Balancing
Basic Compressor Parameters
- Thermodynamics, Capacity, Power, Efficiencies, Gas Properties, Intercooling
Selection of Centrifugal and Reciprocating Process Compressors
- Calculation Methods, Characteristic Curves, Stability
Turbo-Compressor Train Operation. Inspection, Maintenance, Overhaul and Repair - IMO&R
- IMO&R Planning, Execution, Documentation, Troubleshooting

Day 3

Operation and Maintenance of Reciprocating Compressors
- Lubrication and Lubrication Systems, Valves, Valve Problems and Rebuilding, Packing and Packing Problems, Non-Lubricated Compressors, Controls and Cooling Systems
Overhaul and Repair of Reciprocating Compressors
- Methods of Repair and Overhaul, Alignment and Piston Rod Run-out, Foundation Problems and Repair, Component Repair and Rebuild
Predictive vs. Preventative Maintenance (PdM vs. PM) Technique - Reciprocating Compressors
- Types of Maintenance Programs, Purpose of PM, Inspection and Inspection Forms, Vendor and Contractor Requirements, Planning and Implementation.

Day 4

Basic Approaches to Machinery Troubleshooting
- Troubleshooting Compressor Problems: Typical Problems and Solutions Diagnostic Tests, Compressed Air System Evaluations
Safety in Compressor Operation and Maintenance
- Basic Safety Rules, Safety Devices and Shutdowns, Safety Maintenance Procedures
Machinery Reliability Audits and Reviews
- Overview, Reliability Impact on Plants

Course Texts

A Practical Guide to Compressor Technology; Wiley, New Jersey; 2006