The investigation on the evaluation of reciprocating compressor component failures using the reliability approach was examined for a period of five (5) years. The components monitored were valves, seal, pistons, bearing, O-rings, and cylinders and the numbers of failure per year were obtained as 10, 8, 2, ,7, 9 and 4 for the first year, 6 6, 2, 5, 7 and 2 for the second year, 7, 6, 2, 3, 7, and 3 for the third year, 5, 5, 1, 4, 5 and 2 for the fourth year and 5, 4, 1, 3, 4 and 1 for the fifth year with total number of failures 33, 29, 8, 22, 23 and 12 respectively. This investigation covers from 2016 to 2020 with order of failures as 33 (values)> 29 (seal)> 23 (O-rings)> 22 (Bearing)> 12 (cylinders)> pistons. The total down time per year was evaluated and the obtained result revealed 4209.87 hours for the first the year, 3355 hours for the second year, 14622.34 hours for the third year, 13358the .37 for the fourth year,, and 5582.65 hours for the fifth year as well as corresponding mean down time of 105.25 hours, 119.83 hours, 52223 hours, 607.20 hours and 310.15 hours. The reciprocating compressor failure and downtime can be contributed to lack of maintenance as well as over utilization and indeed constant failure can be related to check to ascertain the root cause of the component failure and this increased the downtime maintenance of the operation, The trend of the failures were monitored and the downtime as well and measures to control the occurrence was also put in place, since root cause of the failures were identified.

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1. Arthur, M. & Dunn, N. (2001). Effective condition-based maintenance of reciprocating compressors on an offshore oil and gas installation. IMECHE Conference Transition, 48(4), 548-557.

2. Bogner, M., Heldmann, M., Artinger, A., Ehrhard, J., & Beer, J. (2018). Turboladerverdichter mit variablem Einlass zur Realisierung hocheffizienter Antriebskonzepte. In J. Liebl (Ed.), Ladungswechsel im Verbrennungsmotor Proceedings (pp. 135-151). Wiesbaden: Springer Vieweg.
3. Bhakta, A., Sandeep, D., Vaibhadur, B., Shruti, A., & Subhrajit, D. (2012). A valve design methodology for improved reciprocating compressor performance. International Compressor Engineering Conference, Karnataka, India, 1(2), 20-77.
4. Brablik, J. (1972). Gas pulsations as a factor affecting operation of automatic valves in reciprocating compressors. Proceeding of Purdue Compressor Technology Conference, 188-195.
5. Brezonick, D., & Mike, J. (1995). New high-capacity natural gas compressor package from Hurricane. Diesel Progress Engines & Drives, 61(10), 46.
6. Battal, D., & Irfan, U. (2014). A non-cost analysis of CNG compressors with changing stage numbers during compressing. Mechanical Engineering Department, Kirikkale University, International Engineering Journal, 90(318), 357-3571.
7. Bidant, Y., & Baumann, U. (2011). Improving the design of a high-pressure casing with the help of finite element analysis to ensure the rotor dynamic stability of high-pressure centrifugal compressor equipped with a hole pattern seal. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power Transactions of the ASME, 133.
8. Brahler, C.D., Hickman, D.A., & Shade, W.N. (2008). Performance control of reciprocating compressors - Devices for managing load and flow. Gas Machinery Conference, Albuquerque.
9. Catto, A. G., & Prata, A. T. (2000). A numerical study of instantaneous heat transfer during compression and expansion in piston-cylinder geometry. Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A, 38(5), 281-303.
10. Corvaro, F., Giacchetta, G., Marchetti, B., & Recanati, M. (2017). Reliability, availability, maintainability (RAM) study on reciprocating compressors API 618. Petroleum, 3(2), 266-272.
11. Czapka, T. (2015). Erweiterung des Verdichterkennfeldseines Abgasturboladers für verbrauchsoptimierte Verbrennungsmotoren. Dissertation. Hannover: Leibniz University Hannover, ISBN 978-3-8325-3994-8.
12. Dagilis, V., & Vaitkus, L. (2007). Slider-link driven compressor (II): Simulation results. Mechanika, Kaunas: Technologija, 1(63), 50-57.
13. Boeka, A. G., & Lokken, K. L. (2006). The Iowa gambling task as a measure of decision making in women with bulimia nervosa. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 12(5), 741-745.
14. Frech Júnior, A., Bianchi, E. C., & Aguiar, P. R. D. (2013). Comparação de desgaste para dois tipos diferentes de diamantes sintéticos CVD em sua utilização para a dressagem de ponta única de rebolos de óxido de alumínio. Fórum Ambiental da Alta Paulista, 39-49.
15. Estupinan, E. A., & Santos, I. F. (2007). Dynamic modelling of hermetic reciprocating compressors, combining multibody dynamics, finite elements method, and fluid film lubrication. International Journal of Mechanics, 1(4), 36-43.
16. Fujiwara, T., Bamba, T., Numakura, R., Sasaki, Y., & Yokoyama, Y. (2018). Variable geometry compressor development to improve operating range and efficiency for automotive turbocharger. In The 13th International Conference on Turbochargers and Turbocharging, London, UK, 16-17.
17. Glahn, C., Königstein, A., & Hermann, I. (2019). Der variable Kompressoreinlass – Die nächste Entwicklungsstufe nach der variablen Turbinengeometrie. In 24th Supercharging Conference, Dresden, 115-138.
18. Grigoriadis, P., Benz, A., & Sens, M. (2011). Variable trim compressor – Ein neuer Ansatz für eine variable Verdichtergeometrie. In 16th Supercharging Conference, Dresden, 249-261.
19. Grigoriadis, P. (2008). Experimentelle Erfassung und Simulation instationärer Verdichterphänomene bei Turboladern von Fahrzeugmotoren. Dissertation, Berlin: Technical University of Berlin, 10(14), 1768.
20. Grigoriadis, P., Müller, S., Benz, A., & Sens, M. (2012). Variable trim compressor – A new approach to variable compressor geometry. In 10th International Conference on Turbochargers and Turbocharging, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London, 111-120.
21. Grolier, P., Tyssandier, V., Cardinault, N., Caris-Veyrat, C., Amiot, M. J., Bouteloup, C., & Borel, P. (2002). Vegetable-borne lutein, lycopene, and β-carotene compete for incorporation into chylomicrons, with no adverse effect on the medium-term (3-wk) plasma status of carotenoids in humans. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 75(3), 526-534.
22. Gunesh, R.G., & Sanjay, B.M. (2012). Optimum synthesis of motion-generating four-bar mechanisms using alternate error functions. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 41-61.

The investigation on the evaluation of reciprocating compressor component failures using the reliability approach was examined for a period of five (5) years. The components monitored were valves, seal, pistons, bearing, O-rings, and cylinders and the numbers of failure per year were obtained as 10, 8, 2, ,7, 9 and 4 for the first year, 6 6, 2, 5, 7 and 2 for the second year, 7, 6, 2, 3, 7, and 3 for the third year, 5, 5, 1, 4, 5 and 2 for the fourth year and 5, 4, 1, 3, 4 and 1 for the fifth year with total number of failures 33, 29, 8, 22, 23 and 12 respectively. This investigation covers from 2016 to 2020 with order of failures as 33 (values)> 29 (seal)> 23 (O-rings)> 22 (Bearing)> 12 (cylinders)> pistons. The total down time per year was evaluated and the obtained result revealed 4209.87 hours for the first the year, 3355 hours for the second year, 14622.34 hours for the third year, 13358the .37 for the fourth year,, and 5582.65 hours for the fifth year as well as corresponding mean down time of 105.25 hours, 119.83 hours, 52223 hours, 607.20 hours and 310.15 hours. The reciprocating compressor failure and downtime can be contributed to lack of maintenance as well as over utilization and indeed constant failure can be related to check to ascertain the root cause of the component failure and this increased the downtime maintenance of the operation, The trend of the failures were monitored and the downtime as well and measures to control the occurrence was also put in place, since root cause of the failures were identified.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Arthur, M. & Dunn, N. (2001). Effective condition-based maintenance of reciprocating compressors on an offshore oil and gas installation. IMECHE Conference Transition, 48(4), 548-557.

2. Bogner, M., Heldmann, M., Artinger, A., Ehrhard, J., & Beer, J. (2018). Turboladerverdichter mit variablem Einlass zur Realisierung hocheffizienter Antriebskonzepte. In J. Liebl (Ed.), Ladungswechsel im Verbrennungsmotor Proceedings (pp. 135-151). Wiesbaden: Springer Vieweg.
3. Bhakta, A., Sandeep, D., Vaibhadur, B., Shruti, A., & Subhrajit, D. (2012). A valve design methodology for improved reciprocating compressor performance. International Compressor Engineering Conference, Karnataka, India, 1(2), 20-77.
4. Brablik, J. (1972). Gas pulsations as a factor affecting operation of automatic valves in reciprocating compressors. Proceeding of Purdue Compressor Technology Conference, 188-195.
5. Brezonick, D., & Mike, J. (1995). New high-capacity natural gas compressor package from Hurricane. Diesel Progress Engines & Drives, 61(10), 46.
6. Battal, D., & Irfan, U. (2014). A non-cost analysis of CNG compressors with changing stage numbers during compressing. Mechanical Engineering Department, Kirikkale University, International Engineering Journal, 90(318), 357-3571.
7. Bidant, Y., & Baumann, U. (2011). Improving the design of a high-pressure casing with the help of finite element analysis to ensure the rotor dynamic stability of high-pressure centrifugal compressor equipped with a hole pattern seal. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power Transactions of the ASME, 133.
8. Brahler, C.D., Hickman, D.A., & Shade, W.N. (2008). Performance control of reciprocating compressors - Devices for managing load and flow. Gas Machinery Conference, Albuquerque.
9. Catto, A. G., & Prata, A. T. (2000). A numerical study of instantaneous heat transfer during compression and expansion in piston-cylinder geometry. Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A, 38(5), 281-303.
10. Corvaro, F., Giacchetta, G., Marchetti, B., & Recanati, M. (2017). Reliability, availability, maintainability (RAM) study on reciprocating compressors API 618. Petroleum, 3(2), 266-272.
11. Czapka, T. (2015). Erweiterung des Verdichterkennfeldseines Abgasturboladers für verbrauchsoptimierte Verbrennungsmotoren. Dissertation. Hannover: Leibniz University Hannover, ISBN 978-3-8325-3994-8.
12. Dagilis, V., & Vaitkus, L. (2007). Slider-link driven compressor (II): Simulation results. Mechanika, Kaunas: Technologija, 1(63), 50-57.
13. Boeka, A. G., & Lokken, K. L. (2006). The Iowa gambling task as a measure of decision making in women with bulimia nervosa. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 12(5), 741-745.
14. Frech Júnior, A., Bianchi, E. C., & Aguiar, P. R. D. (2013). Comparação de desgaste para dois tipos diferentes de diamantes sintéticos CVD em sua utilização para a dressagem de ponta única de rebolos de óxido de alumínio. Fórum Ambiental da Alta Paulista, 39-49.
15. Estupinan, E. A., & Santos, I. F. (2007). Dynamic modelling of hermetic reciprocating compressors, combining multibody dynamics, finite elements method, and fluid film lubrication. International Journal of Mechanics, 1(4), 36-43.
16. Fujiwara, T., Bamba, T., Numakura, R., Sasaki, Y., & Yokoyama, Y. (2018). Variable geometry compressor development to improve operating range and efficiency for automotive turbocharger. In The 13th International Conference on Turbochargers and Turbocharging, London, UK, 16-17.
17. Glahn, C., Königstein, A., & Hermann, I. (2019). Der variable Kompressoreinlass – Die nächste Entwicklungsstufe nach der variablen Turbinengeometrie. In 24th Supercharging Conference, Dresden, 115-138.
18. Grigoriadis, P., Benz, A., & Sens, M. (2011). Variable trim compressor – Ein neuer Ansatz für eine variable Verdichtergeometrie. In 16th Supercharging Conference, Dresden, 249-261.
19. Grigoriadis, P. (2008). Experimentelle Erfassung und Simulation instationärer Verdichterphänomene bei Turboladern von Fahrzeugmotoren. Dissertation, Berlin: Technical University of Berlin, 10(14), 1768.
20. Grigoriadis, P., Müller, S., Benz, A., & Sens, M. (2012). Variable trim compressor – A new approach to variable compressor geometry. In 10th International Conference on Turbochargers and Turbocharging, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London, 111-120.
21. Grolier, P., Tyssandier, V., Cardinault, N., Caris-Veyrat, C., Amiot, M. J., Bouteloup, C., & Borel, P. (2002). Vegetable-borne lutein, lycopene, and β-carotene compete for incorporation into chylomicrons, with no adverse effect on the medium-term (3-wk) plasma status of carotenoids in humans. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 75(3), 526-534.
22. Gunesh, R.G., & Sanjay, B.M. (2012). Optimum synthesis of motion-generating four-bar mechanisms using alternate error functions. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 41-61.