Oliver Franz and Alexander
Harenkamp, PROGNOST Systems,
Germany, question whether
frame vibration offers effective
machinery protection for
reciprocating compressors.
Se eaten seat eedu snes
eeinthrstment sirens
ice ea
Re ue c)
Tec erence
eet eens
Parnes eco een ere
ee eee es
eee ese
However elty shows that ecprocating compressors have
eee ete Cog
ee eer ae und
een ie cc!
Pence ene ecard
eer ties ties
ferent cco)
Prec ower niece)
fore tee errr
engineering stage. These standards were valid tthetimeof
Baie rete ere ttn}
theage ofthe reciprocating compressor population iis clear
that mary ofthese are, critical machines hve never been
ene eer ee ere eet oy
rer.
Even after numerous catastiophic reciprocating
Pee eter acento ay
pei a cece ba
the history of applicable standards can help clarity the
ere
PN SREY)
Sr erent ea mon See ca
eres ere ceed
pee ee ne enn
eet cue enc)
Seem eee ead
Peer ence ene asa
eee Maen one eee)
eee ete ence aR ced
sensor based machinery monitoring and was named:
eee are teeter?
Pee ee er eer k
Pec
‘Asa consequence of evolving vibration rronitring
technology, AP lowed up with a parallel standard covering
teens lee ur
Reena
ees)
Poni icineValnty
Figure 1. Acceleration versus velocity signals
Table I. Hisory of API standards
1875 APL670 edition Non-cantacting Viation and Axial
“Postion Monitoring Systeri
1986 AP 670.2% edition
2000 AF 670-4" edition ‘Machinery rotection ystems’
“The 3 revision of API 670, released in1983 was more than
an extension and update of the previous API6I0. It
Incorporated and replaced the API 678 standbrd, which Focused
‘on accelerometer based monitoring, To better reflect Is safety
relevant character, the API670 was renamed Machinery
protection systems’ forits 4 edition, released 2000 and sti
valid today.
From its conception in}9%6 tots current ecition the API
standards covering monitoring of tial machinery Focused very
snuchon the technical requlrernents of centrfugal equipement
{eg gas and steam turbines, centrifugal compressors), These
require monitoring of a¥al and radial shaft postions, speed and
surge,along with beating and frane vbration,
‘Until 2007 ~ 2008, when the APL 670 5® edtion task force
‘wat formed, reciprocating compressors had never been a focus
‘within APL 670, The 5* edition of API 670, tobe released in
202, will offer valuable information and guidance on how to
effectively protect reciprceating comprestoss, ated on past
‘experience, wets in collaboration with machinery protection
system verdors have made an important agreement to include
Information on applying crosshead acceleration asa safety shut
down parameter,
‘While the machine specific standards (AA 610, APL 61, APL
(612. APL 613, APL 616, APL 617 and API 618) mainly deal with the
aspocts of machinery desig, installation, pevormance and
support systems, limited guldance for monitering and
safeguarding is offered. AP 670 Is increasingly becoming the
central document for all aspects for machinery protection. fs
singular, concise standard and useful appendices cover a lot of
‘machinery with special needs, such as recirccating
compressors.
ston BU ereeaars
Monitoring adoiprpcating,
“This chort excursion into the histoveal background of API
standards largely explains why numerous recprocating
‘compressoss are equipped with ‘machinery protectin systems
originally designed for centrifugal machinery. Two commen
approaches often found on aged reciprocating machinery ate:
1 Frame vibvation meatured as velocity.
| ister rod position measurement.
‘Many compressor operators have confirmed the
Inadequacy ofthese cutdated systems to protect against the
most costly compressor damages, such as breaking piston rods,
seling wrist pins and other fllure modes involving loss of
containment. While older systems often miss developing
catastrophic damages, users regularly report a story of
nuisance trips due to transient process peaks or single time,
on-critical impacts. Cansequertilly operators begin to
corsider disarming their outdated protection system instead
‘wusting their proven maintenance practices and relying on
sturdy machine decign
Limitations and differences
‘To understand the limitations of the standard approach of
‘monitoring reciprocating machinery, itis important to
derstand the difference between auniform rotating
‘movement of a turbine shaft in comparison to a reciprocating
‘movement. Machines with a uniforn rotation typically show
‘almost zero shaft deflection per cycle, along with a solid, stiff
‘connection to the ground and virtually no detectable frame
vibration
Incentrast, a reciprocating compressor exhibits very
different behaviour requiring a different monitoring approach,
Fistons are driven back and forth by crosshead type drive trains,
Involving the reversal of piston rod forces frm tension into
“compression, This makes the entire frame of the compressor,
with alls components, shake and bend to a good degree
‘Suction and alscharge valves create opening and closing.
Impacts, thus leaving vibration amplitudes on the entire
‘machine This s the ‘normal eperating condition’
‘When comparing the working principles of a reciprocating,
‘compressor with a centrifugal machine, it becomes eminently
clear that a reciprocating compresior requires amorededicated monitoring approach, designed to handle all the
special challenges this machinery bears
Looking atthe workrg principal of reiprcatng machines,
the cosshead is early the focal pot Here the rteting
rmovernent ofthe crank shaft is transformed intoa
reciprocating linear) movement ofthe plston od. The
crosshead the central compenent wher all he aor forces
are transferred via the sophisticated crosshead pin/wist pin to
the pistonred.A soll crosshead guide san integral part of
each recprocating compresior ast failtatesthe movement
ofthese forces inthe right rection. Thisis the most direct
connection from the mening dive train tothe frame and is
therefore the bast postion to inal vibration sensors
2 Figure shows, reciprocating machinery ypically
demonstrates very smooth crosshead acceleration
characteris with two deine impact around the tworod
toad reversal pons. Changes ofthe acceleration signature and
amplitudeimmedately indicate adiferent mechanical
behavicur Thisallows modern machinery protection systems
todetect type fllures and eliminate consequential damage
Fallures include
1 Grosshead wrt pn fle
Increased crosshead bearing clearance
Figure 3. Compressor components and signals.
sch (irermocomnes
_soitaon MB erceemney
Loote connection of piston rod (crosihead, peton}
increased con rod bearing clearance
Piston nut failure
Linu slog
Wen installing the sensor on the crosshead gullet is
vwerth considering the rotating ection
{lochwse/antilockwite ofthe crank shaft For the best
rests, recommenced to rstall the sensor oa top for Up
tuning crosshead shoes and on the bottom for down running
crosshead shoes. This means the sereo willbe inline withthe
effective direction of forces transmitted to the crosshead.
“bref lookin the basic physics ofthe proces shows
why many contemporary operators rely on crosshead ide
acceleration asthe primary machinery protecton paramete.
Acceleration should always be the fist parameter detectable
For example tale a ear drive from location & to location. At
te starting point A, the vehicle mass accelerates (acceleration
mm/sec) utilthe desired speed isreached (velocity: m/sec)to
‘each (deplacement:m) location 8. Before any velocity can be
‘recorded, acceleration must be applied to the meses.
Nevertheless, itis important to emohasise that frame
vibration (velocity) can provide valusbleinfrmation fer some
tare falure modes when applied and evaluated correctly. Frame
velocity can reveal slowly developing foundation sues, as well
as events involving high numberof impact. These high
energy impacts agkate the equipment ints natural frequency
Lange, developing a dangerous rate cf mechanical moverert
‘The installation of fram vibration traneducers involves voting
schemes (eg.2 out of 3 to reduce nuisance trips by mounting
two groups of three velocity transdcesson the drive end and
on-crive end ofthe frame,
Itshould be considered that solid reciprocating compressor
construction including the heary foundation) requires
‘tremendous amount of kinetic energy, which is provided over
rmtiple strong impacts to reach citical velocity limits.
Yelocity transducers are typically installed anay from
components that ae likely to fil This makes frame velocity an
Inaccurate pararnter that should only be considered as a
second layer of protection Moder monitoring systems have
the capability to mathematically integrate the acceleration
signal overtime, delivering a velocity analysis per acceleration
sensor location, This reduces the value of adding frame velocity
twanschcers to amonitoring sensor scope,
‘During its arly days of plementation piston rod postion
measurement was considered a variation of shat peition
‘measurements on acentifugal machine, s the same harcware and
signal analysis logic was applied. The major difference and
‘monitoring challenge sthata piston rod’ purpose isnot to rotate,
butinstead topushard pull the piston. This can lead to significant
bering ofthe rod and varying duo to different lead steps hence
the enduring tad reputation of tod drop. These effects are not
known from monitoring centrifugal machinery to this degree For
ls ntendee purpose (namely the detection ofriderband wear
‘tesgnal must be phased and corectly analysed toelinate the
rodbendng under different load conditions Ade tional value can
be foundby analysing the dynamic component ofthe rod position
sigral formachinery protection.
Seginented signal analysis (segmenting the 360° crank angle
Into portions) has preven to be highly reliable for detectinggeese fe
loose connections in the drivetrain. These loose connections
‘can be piston rod crosshead and piston rod cylinder
connections, as well as impending pston rod cracks The piston
rod typically moves and bends even duirg normal operation,
bur the behavicur of the piston red changes significantly when
‘mechanical damages and cracks are developing. These changes
can be detected using an eight segmented analysis based on
the dynamic rod postion signal (gure)
Benefits
Managers of different disciplines have different objectives,
hence they wouldall rae the justification and value of
equipment moritoring to their operation differently. There i
no uriversal appreach that cuts all appeation, services and
crtcaly levels,
‘Operators may appreciate the added machinery uptime,
‘eslting in increased production rates and move revere, while
‘maintenance managers may plan to utilsea monktoring systern
10 optimise maintenance spending by implementing
condition based maintenance program that does not jeopardise
machine integrity or health an safety aspects. The relability
department may even consider incorporating costly largely
preventable previous machinery damages in their justifcaticn
approach.
Allof the aforementioned tring the legal obligations
{occupational safety and health adminitration hazaid and
‘operability study) in Ine with ecoromic interests of all parties
involveciby definirg an acceptable damage /loss per process
Lnit/piece of equiprrent. Mast users weuld agree that damages
resulting from a seeing wrist pin or breaking piston rods are rot
acceptable the technology is available to mitigate these.
Users of old fully deprecated, recirocatirg compressors
may considera costly replacerment ofthe asset for efferent
reasons, They may alternatively employ ust fraction of the
«capital required for replacement in ord to breathe a ‘ecard,
Ife’ into the machinery. Upgrading the compressor with a
‘moder monitoring system and state ofthe at sealing
elements can have ths effect, enabling the user to safely and
reliably run the assat for years to came.
Its pertinent to ask whether the petrochemical Industry
‘canafford to continue using inadequate monitoring
anton (BM expracarzon
Figure 4, Dynamic piston rod position and segmented analysis.
technology in the competitive contemporary business
‘environment To answer this itis important to consider the
Internal requirements for return on investment and imagine
all catastrophic demages esting loss of production
rulbance trips and safety aspects ofthe past 10 years. The
‘ast majorty of these issues would have been virtually
eliminated with an effective machinery protection system. A
significant amount can be invested into a machinery
protection system. whilst staying within company RO!
boundaties. With educated plant personnel becoming
increasingly hard to fnd, companies cannot afford to shy
‘aay from investing in a plants future.
Conclusion
Looking backat he development ofthe API standards starting
inthe 1970s itis possble to delineate the evolution of todays
standard. The ence state ofthe art monitoring approach used
cn centrfugal machines was adopted and applied on
reciprocating machinery At thistime. fame vibration
rmonitoringand rod postion menitorng made their way into
the montring standard ofrecprocating compressors.
Howeter. experience has shown that the former standards did
‘ot deliver the desired effet for monitoring reciprocating
‘machinery and eventually lec to the development of tedays
‘modem monitoring approach.
‘One ofthe main sspects is to make use ofthe working
Principle ofa reciprocating compressor and to focus onthe
crosshead guide in order to detect developing flores early and
reliably Fame vibration measurement is imply too far sway
from tre main factional components and the velocty type
‘measurement leads to rissing detections. Nevertheless frame
velocity offers small but very limited machinery protection
‘value when lookingat the common failures experienced on
Feciprocating compressors.
Baced on the experience of more than 600 critical
machines equipped itis esential to suppert the wets’ demand
for adequate machiney protection systems tailor made for
reciprocating compressors Employment of crosshead side
acceleration as the prime protection parameter and application |
oF dynamic piston rod position measurement asa reliable
second layer of protection is recommended.