ENHANCING PERFORMANCE OF MINING PISTON COMPRESSORS BY OPTIMIZING COOLING AND LUBRICATION SYSTEMS
Keywords:
compressor, piston, cylinder, cooling system, air cooler, temperature, compressed air, reliability, lubrication system, oil filter, oil contamination.Abstract
Reciprocating compressors are a vital component across numerous industries, utilized for the compression of air and other gases. The operational efficiency of these compressors depends directly on maintaining optimal compressed gas temperatures—primarily managed by the cooling system—and the effective performance of the lubrication system. The latter reduces wear on moving parts, minimizes energy losses due to friction, enhances the sealing of piston rings and glands, and cools the friction surfaces of the drive mechanism.
In practice, the operation of reciprocating compressors is hindered by various challenges, including scale and deposit buildup on air cooler heat exchange surfaces, valve failures characterized by low Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), and intensive wear of drive mechanisms such as crossheads, shafts, and bearings, resulting in increased emergency downtime.
This article examines methods for reducing deposit formation on heat exchange surfaces and advancing the lubrication systems of reciprocating compressors. An analysis of factors limiting compressor efficiency is presented, alongside experimental results regarding the effective application of an acoustic device for cleaning the internal surfaces of air cooler tubes. The study identifies the optimal amplitude, frequency, and pulse duration of oscillations generated by the ultrasonic device to ensure the effective removal of scale from the metal tubes of intercoolers and aftercoolers. Furthermore, the paper describes experimental research on a proposed oil filter design, determining the optimal parameters for a porous filter material capable of capturing particles smaller than 1 micron.while ensuring an optimal oil flow rate within the developed filter.
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