Page 11 - Reciprocating Compressors Operation Maintenance

the part failed for a reason, and if we don't find the reason for its failure,
we are certain to set ourselves up for a repeat event.
Whenever we rush a maintenance task, we are likely to omit taking the
types of measurements that are critically important to the achievement of
ran length extensions and increased reliability and safety. What is needed
is more attention to detail; the notion that equipment reliability can be
upheld by fixing only those components that are visibly defective may
not always be correct. There may be compelling reasons to call for a
restoration of all fits, clearances, and dimensions to as-designed values.
This takes time and planning. It requires access to authoritative data and
a fundamental shift away from business-as-usual, quick-fix, or big-pic-
ture attitudes.
Time and again we have seen reciprocating compressor owners/users
engage in the search for the high technology solution. When a succession
of broken valves is encountered, the hunt concentrates on better valve
materials instead of the elimination of moisture condensation and flow-
induced liquid slugging. When piston rods wear unevenly, some users
pursue superior metallic coatings, but close their ears to the possibility of
tolerance stackup being the real culprit. This progressive move towards
out-of-roundness or not-so-perfect perpendicularity of mating parts could
well be the root cause of equipment distress and would have to be recti-
fied before it makes economic sense to install components with advanced
configurations or metallurgical compositions/And we might add that it
wouldn't hurt if someone took the time to carefully read and implement
the original equipment manufacturer's maintenance manual.
With the downsizing and re-engineering of organizations in the United
States and most other industrialized countries came the attrition of expe-
rienced personnel. Less time is spent on rigorous training, and outside
contractors are asked to step into the gap. Where do they get their train-
ing? How diligently will they perform the tasks at hand if cost and sched-
ule are emphasized to the detriment of long-term reliability goals? Well,
that is perhaps the primary reason why we set out to compile this text.
There is clearly a need to provide guidance and direction to compressor
maintenance and rebuilding efforts. Having comprehensive failure analy-
sis and troubleshooting instructions readily available and widely distrib-
uted makes economic sense, and it has certainly been our goal to address
these needs by pulling together as much pertinent information as seems
relevant in support of these tasks.