Technical Tuesday

Technical Tuesday: Reciprocating Compressors

January 4, 2022

We always wondered where George Lucas got the inspiration for the IT-O Interrogator droid. If you know, you know. Reciprocating compressors can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. These 3 pictures are a small sample — the round compressor is from a small horsepower unit found in a machine shop. The rectangular body is common in high pressure applications like storage fields and process applications. And lastly, the old faithful is a sample of very large cylinder found in a “main-line” compressor station. Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

Round compressor from a small horsepower unit

Large cylinder in mainline compressor station

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Technical Tuesday: Tail Shaft

December 21, 2021

Have you ever seen a unit wagging its tail? A tail shaft could be used to hook multiple compressors together, but why have one on a unit like this? Manufacturers use them to create rod reversal which lubricates the crosshead pin and bushing. Under certain speed and pressure conditions, a crosshead pin and bushing can fail to cycle and burn up. One of the main contributors to this is the difference in crank end versus head end pressure created by the smaller piston face surface area of the crank end due to the rod connection. An easy way to engineer that out? Put a tail rod in the head end side of the piston. That will even out the pressure and allow the pin and bushing to receive proper lubrication and live a long and happy life together. Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Hear-Here

December 14, 2021

This here is a Hear-Here. Back in the day before Scada and automation became king, station operators got a on conference call every hour to relay pressures to the gas controller who would then tell (not ask) them to make adjustments. You can still see the remnants of those practices in a few stations, the big clocks in the engine room, telephone booths, chart recorders, etc. Another fun fact, those operators gossiped like a sewing circle. So if you broke a taillight in Houma, LA, the crew in Newark, NJ, knew the whole story within the hour. Want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Discharge Bottle Flange

December 7, 2021

What the what?!? Occasionally, we see things that just don’t seem right. If you take look at the discharge bottle flange in this picture, you will see a marvelous piece of ingenuity. Someone took a pipe cap and cut it down to fit the hole. The cap was then welded in place. That labor probably cost more than the blind flange, bolts, and gasket would have. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Young technicians, don’t be afraid to ask when you see something that doesn’t look right. Want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Over-pressure Protection Devices

November 30, 2021

Greenhouse Gas Leak Survey you say? Here is a nice place to start – these are over-pressure protection devices on valve bodies that can prevent integrity issues while the valve is closed. Think thermally related (sunshine for instance) pressure increase. It’s been said that these are better suited for liquid applications as the over-pressure potential is much higher with a liquid product when compared to a gas. So if one of these is leaking, talk to your valve people for guidance. Want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Filter/Strainer Pot

November 23, 2021

Protect the Barrier… There are 2 distinct areas in a filter/strainer pot — the clean side and the dirty side. How do you drain a filter/strainer for maintenance? Many facilities have an air fitting in the filter bleed that technicians use to force the oil out via an air blanket. Is that an issue? It can be, depending on filter rating and air pressure. It can also lead to a false sense of security that influences the technician to pull the filter early, thereby contaminating the clean side of the filter/strainer housing. This is definitely a task where patience is a virtue. Want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Inspecting a Master Rod Cap

November 16, 2021

Some folks say you never outgrow your first crush. We sure hope that is true with bearings. This is a master rod cap from a Cooper Bessemer 8V-250. Want to make sure you are looking for the right things when inspecting the cap? Would you also like to learn when and how to repair the fitment? We can help. Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Shipping a Turbo

November 9, 2021

Well, it may not have been burned up when it left there… but it was when it got here. Continuing our ‘how do you get it to the shop series’… shipping a turbo in for work? Make sure you cover the air inlet and outlets securely. Like really securely, with bolts and stuff. If not, your turbo might try to make boost at highway speed with no oil pressure. Want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Shipping Engine Components

November 2, 2021

Bouncy, Bouncy, Bouncy… This is a crankshaft from a Clark TCVD -16 and it was removed to be sent in for repair. But how do you get it to the shop? We have all seen those arched deck trailers that are in use today. They are designed to flatten out when loaded but if you have ever seen the same amount of force needed to correct a crankshaft bend, you can see where this might pose a problem. Trailer preload, bumps in the road and miles traveled can render a bent crankshaft. When shipping engine components prone to bending like a crank, cam, frame, etc., require the trucking company to use a true flat deck trailer. Want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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Technical Tuesday: Indicator Valves

October 26, 2021

Safety Alert! These are indicator valves. We use these to collect pressure data from inside compressors and power cylinders. These are not interchangeable. The power cylinder valve will work on a compressor sample point, but the compressor valve will fail when exposed to combustion. Notice the difference in the shape and handles. Pro Tip: Don’t over-tighten the Power Cylinder Indicator Valve screw — it can lead to future difficulties. New to the industry and want to know more? Join us at the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable on May 3-5, 2022 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

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