Case #: 4
Situation:
A total revamp of the refinery process resulted in the obsolescence of all cylinders previously used on two different integral angle compressor units.
Customer's Need:
Customer required 10 cylinders in a platform service and three cylinders for a platform service on OEM integral angle compressor units. In addition, two cylinders were required for an OEM integral angle machine for a D.U. Recycle service as well as the revamp of two existing cylinders on the OEM unit which were to be utilized in a D.U. Booster service.
ACI's Solution:
The two different services on the I-R engines required substantially different bore sizes to accommodate the specific flow rates for the two services. Since the compression ratios of the two services were not high, fixed clearance did not have a major influence on cylinder sizing. As a result, both services utilized a common body with different liner bores. The use of a slip fit liner offers the customer maximum flexibility. The ten inch liner bore, platform cylinder utilizes a filler piece in the front head which is omitted from the front head of the unifiner service. The filler piece is used as a potential clearance adjustment for the ten inch bore cylinders and permits the addition of an insert to the 8-7/8 bore cylinders to reduce fixed clearance. The ductile iron cylinders were fitted with a full complement of a unique design, failsafe, suction valve bypass unloaders to permit loadless start up and shutdown. Cylinders were of a non lubricated design and were provided with distance pieces to accommodate piston rod oil dams. While the larger bore I-R cylinders were of an eight valve configuration, the new D.U. Recycle cylinders for the Worthington engine were of a four valve design. These cylinders attached directly to the existing distance pieces and maintained the centerline of crank to centerline of suction and discharge flange location that was associated with the original cylinders. The new cylinders featured the same type of suction valve bypass unloader. These cylinders were also of a non lubricated design. Because it is a refinery application, cylinders were produced to API-618 specifications.
Follow-up:
Some ten years after installation the cylinders continue to meet the customers performance expectations from both a thermodynamic and mechanical stand point.
