Hi Guys,

In my plant we have 12 unit of VMD500 double acting air compressor.

Since year 2000, the maintenance strategy was changed from time based (running hours) to condition based (i.e Vibration,Temperature and Lube Oil analysis).

However now we are in fire fighting mode due to frequent tripping problem and major breakdown with those compressors.

Based on Cost analysis if we going back to time based maintenance, the cost will exceed USD200k every year.

Appreciate any advice on the best Condition Monitoring practice for this air compressors.

hi ROZALIK,we are using Recip trap 9260- dynalco system for reciprocating gas engine and compressors as well as bently rod drop system.see the web

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RT Online is a new generation Windows® based data ... RECIP-TRAP, AQUA-PROBE, BETA-LINK, AND RTwin ARE. TRADEMARKS OF DYNALCO. DYNALCO RESERVES THE ...
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www.bently.com

quote:

Originally posted by Rozalik:
Hi Guys,

In my plant we have 12 unit of VMD500 double acting air compressor.

Since year 2000, the maintenance strategy was changed from time based (running hours) to condition based (i.e Vibration,Temperature and Lube Oil analysis).

However now we are in fire fighting mode due to frequent tripping problem and major breakdown with those compressors.

Based on Cost analysis if we going back to time based maintenance, the cost will exceed USD200k every year.

Appreciate any advice on the best Condition Monitoring practice for this air compressors.

Rozalik,

Since, you are already using the tools required for CBM. Why aren't you benefiting from it, instead you are now in fire-fighting mode?? How did you transition from time-based to CBM? Have you dropped all your time-based activity on the compressors?
If configured properly, the Vibration/ Temperature/Oil program including monitoring of operating parameters should be sufficient to detect compressor faults.
Frankly, I don't see the need for Recip-Trap on these machines and going into its analysis is another game altogether....my opinion.

Regards....Rajan

Hello Rozalik,
I have spent many happy years gently nursing recip compressors and so I understand the panic engendered by a few problems in short succession.
It sounds to me like you have several things going on here and it is very easy to get lost in a wilderness of opinion-based solutions.
My suggestions:
1. Perform a deep Root Cause Analysis of your problems (Proact method for example)
2. Look back to your Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
3. From 1 and 2 devise a fact-based maintenance strategy to eliminate your problems.

If you want any more specific/commercial information, you should contact me outside of this board.
Best Regards,
Tom Murphy

I´m not familiarized with this kind of compressors but found some photos on the web. Wouldn´t seem to be big compressors, so, cross talk with give you problems if you use Dynalco or Windrock products, which I think, give the best in large reciprocating machinery.

Maybe the best option is what another guy mentioned here, check your failure modes, perform some failure and root failure analysis and design an specific maintenance strategy for this equipment. What kind of failures are your worst nightmare at this time ?

quote:

VMD500

I think one must always look at the overall picture..."Where will I get the best bang for my buck?" or "How can I best use my efforts?"

It is my experience that not all machines benefit from 100% PDM. I often find that a conbination of CM, PM, PDM type work on machines having significantly harder to failure prediction modes is needed. Again, as mentioned by follow subcribers, Look at the frequency of failures. Has there been any significant changes in the collected data (any deviations)? If you have a failed machine, can it be sent out for in-depth failure analysis (if the expertise is not in house)? You might be overlooking something. Can a routine PM address the cause of failure?

You may find that not just one type of maintenance will sufice, but rather a combination. You are over budget already, so reduce the PDM activity, increase PM activity, and, if it fails, find out why and how long in between PMs/CM did it fail (find a mean). You might find the answer. AND Always make sure that when you pull an oil sample that you are not draining it too much below manufacturer's recommended levels (refill immeidately if necesary ). JUST A THOUGHT - From my internet searches, a VMD500 is oil free???? I might be completely wrong.

What kind of temperature tracking technology are you using?

quote:

Originally posted by Rozalik:
Hi Guys,

In my plant we have 12 unit of VMD500 double acting air compressor.

Since year 2000, the maintenance strategy was changed from time based (running hours) to condition based (i.e Vibration,Temperature and Lube Oil analysis).

However now we are in fire fighting mode due to frequent tripping problem and major breakdown with those compressors.

Based on Cost analysis if we going back to time based maintenance, the cost will exceed USD200k every year.

Appreciate any advice on the best Condition Monitoring practice for this air compressors.

Dear Sirs
This is my first time vivisting this forum and first time trying to reply. So i hope it works. My company Steadvale are experts on Broomwade Recips please visit our web www.steadvale.co.uk or email me cdickson@steadvale.co.uk

Not only on condition monitoring i can also over you all consumable spares and hardware (complete machine) all manufactured at our plant to oem spec.

Please contact me direct
Craig dickson

http://turbolab.tamu.edu/pubs/T36/T36-TUT01.pdf

A free tutorial on reciprocating compressor condition monitoring co-authored by forum member Steve Schultheis

Pete that is a very nice brochure.
DanV the oil-free means that the air delivered by the compressor is oil-free. A dentist would be sued when his "victims" above the inconvenience of being threated, also had to taste lube oil

Coming back to the point, training of the "vibration experts" seems necessary. Looking at the compressor, it has a lot of moving parts.

Vendor Warning - I now work for Windrock, Inc.

Windrock has a complete line of monitoring products for reciprocating machinery, with hundreds (if not thousands) of data collectors and online systems in place.

www.windrock.com for those that are interested.

I'd be happy to explain further, please call my cell phone at 865-388-3802 if interested.

Thanks!

Buddy Lee, CMRP
Regional Sales Manager
Windrock, Inc.

6310_Family_brochure.pdf (276 Kb, 25 downloads)

What type of breakdowns you are facing? Is it failure of major components? Long back, in one of our plants, we had faced failure of crankshafts of four compressors within a single month which was all attributed to fatigue failure. All the crankshafts were supplied at the same time and failed after almost same no. of days in operation.
Each and every failure may have its specific reason and I think correct monitoring of vibration, temperature and lub oil is sufficient to avoid breakdowns. May be a re-scheduling is required.