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Compressors are engineered in a variety of types and configurations. The final design selection depends on
numerous factors. Gas type and required pressure are significant factors on both compressor and
compressor lubricant selection. As temperatures and pressures increase, the stress on the lubricant
increases as well. The first part of this two-part series appeared in the May-June issue of ML, and may be
accessed at www.machinerylubrication.com. It addressed compressor types, common operating conditions
and lubricant volume guidelines. In this second part, the authors address issues that pertain more
specifically to the lubricant, with some consideration of natural gas transmission compressor and lubricant
issues.
Compressor Lubricants
The choice of a compressor lubricant depends on the type and construction of the compressor, the gas
being compressed, the degree of compression and the final outlet temperature. Piston compressors provide
the highest gas pressures and are among the most difficult from the standpoint of cylinder lubrication.
Rotary compressors with final pressures below 1 mega Pascal (MPa), approximately 145 psi, are less
difficult to lubricate. Rotary vane compressors require the use of an antiwear oil1 because an R&O oil is
often insufficient for the crankcase splash lubrication of a reciprocating compressor. The selection of the
proper compressor and application-dependent lubricant with the appropriate physical-chemical properties is
vital to a successful process. 2 ISO 6743 - Part 3A provides a classification procedure for compressor
lubricants based on the type of equipment and operating conditions.
Some of the most commonly reported oil-related service problems with compressors include:3
Substantial oil entrainment in discharge gas (air) due to decreased efficiency of the demister element How to Prevent Compressor Oil Loss
Oil strainer plugging
Bearing failure. For successful operation, compressor oil must exhibit the following properties: 4,5,6 Lubricating Natural Gas Engines
The successful development of a compressor lubricant will depend on how well the oil meets these technical
requirements.
White Papers
Gas Solubility in the Lubricant
The solubility of natural gas and other hydrocarbons is much higher in petroleum oils and polyalphaolefin Dam Varnish - How the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Resolved Oil Contamination
(PAO) synthetics compared to other commonly used synthetic base stocks such as diesters and
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polyalkylene glycols (PAG). That is expected because both hydrocarbon gas and petroleum-based oils are Problems at its Hydro Projects
similar molecules consisting primarily of C-H bonds unlike diesters and PAGs, which are relatively polar. In Industrial Maintenance Trends Today and the
fact, in a typical PAG molecule, every third atom in the polymer backbone is an oxygen atom, which makes Future
it quite polar. Therefore, hydrocarbons are less soluble in PAGs. In wet sump reciprocating and rotary
5-Step Shaft Alignment Procedure
screw compressors, the compressed gas and the lubricant come into contact with each other. Hydrocarbon
gases are infinitely soluble in mineral oil and PAO-based compressor lubricants, while the solubility of Contamination: The Vandal We Are Reluctant
hydrocarbon gases increases with increasing pressure at a constant temperature in a less compatible fluid to Kick Out!? The Vandal Invited In?
such as an ISO 220 polypropylene glycol as illustrated in Figure 1.7
Buyers Guide
Lubricants
Oil Filtration
Poll
Yes
Conversely, increasing the temperature at a constant pressure will result in lower gas solubility. 7 Because
No
increasing gas solubility decreases viscosity, at some point the viscosity reduction of the compressor
lubricant may be too much, and lubrication failure may result because of loss of hydrodynamic lubrication,
Figure 2.2
The solubility of various gases in lubricants has been measured and reported.5,7,8 The solubility was
measured in a fixed volume apparatus. A known amount of gas and lubricant was allowed to reach
equilibrium at a given temperature. Gas solubility was calculated using the gas laws. The lubricant was
stirred to facilitate equilibrium. Solubility of methane at pressures up to 5000 psig is compared at 50C for
three lubricants: PAG, PAO and petroleum oil in Figure 3.
The methane gas solubility in PAG is roughly half that for a PAO and petroleum oil, and that solubility was
nearly as high in the PAO as in the petroleum oil. Gas solubility exhibits a significant effect on lubricant
viscosity. The greater the solubility of the gas in the oil, the greater the viscosity loss (viscosity dilution). A
lubricant viscosity dilution chart is shown in Figure 4 for methane at 50C.
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Similar gas solubility comparisons for nitrogen and ethylene are provided in Figures 5 and 6.8
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In this article, the basic principles of natural gas composition and its compression have been discussed. An
overview of various compressor designs used for natural gas, their lubrication and potential lubricant-related
problems have been provided. Finally, various tests that have been reported for use with compressor
lubrication have been summarized. This information offers a comprehensive overview of natural gas
compressor lubrication and fluid maintenance.
References
1. Arbocus, G. (1977). Synthetic Compressor Lubricants - State of the Art. Lubrication Engineering,
Vol. 34, No. 7, p. 372-374.
2. Patzau, S. and Szchawnicka, E. (1989). Oils for Air and Technical Gas Compressors. Trybologia,
Vol. 20, No. 4, p. 18-21.
3. Sugiura, K., Miyagawa, T. and Nakano, H. (1982). Laboratory Evaluation and Field Performance of
Oil-Flooded Rotary Compressor Oils. Lubrication Engineering, Vol. 38, No. 8, p. 510-518.
4. Short, G. (1983). Development of Synthetic Lubricants for Extended Life in Rotary-Screw
Compressors. Lubrication Engineering, Vol. 40, No. 8, p. 463-470.
5. Matthews, P. (1990). Lubrication of Reciprocating Compressors. J. Synth. Lub., Vol. 6, No. 4, p.
292-317.
6. Van Ormer, H. (February 1987). Trim Compressed Air Cost with Synthetic Lubricants. Power, p.
43-45.
7. Tolfa, J. (1990). Synthetic Lubricants Suitable for Use in Process and Hydrocarbon Gas
Compressors. Lubrication Engineering, Vol. 47, No. 4, p. 289-295.
8. Garg, D. (1991). Polyalkylene Glycol-Based Compressor Lubricants. Paper presented at the Sixth
Annual Reciprocating Compressor Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, September.
9. Mang, T. and Jnemann, H. (1972). Erdl kohle- Erdgas-Petrochem. Verneigt Brennstoff-Chemie.
Vol. 25, No. 8, p. 459-464.
10. Cohen, S. (1987). Development of a Synthetic Compressor Oil Based on Two-Stage Hydrotreated
Petroleum Basestocks, Lubrication Engineering, Vol. 44, No. 3, p. 230-238.
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