The inspection revealed the carbon dioxide (CO2) compressor and its 2’410 kW (3’230 hp) motor were both corroded. Looking at the history of the machine, the cylinder support had broken repeatedly, causing unscheduled shutdowns. The plant’s maintenance team wanted to achieve a reliable and sustainable solution that would ensure the long-term reliability of the compressor.
The first challenge was finding the expertise required to resolve the problem, which can be difficult for ageing assets that are no longer supported by the OEM.
From the outset, the best solution appeared to be the manufacture of a new cylinder using reverse engineering techniques. This would enable several issues to be resolved at the same time. The new cylinder could be produced using forged steel, rather than cast steel and more robust cylinder supports could be incorporated to improve reliability.
A field service engineer was arranged to visit the site and take the necessary dimensional measurements. Due to operational restrictions, this task had to be completed within one day. The objective was to record all the data required to manufacture a new cylinder that would be a direct replacement as well as achieving improved performance.
Burckhardt Compression’s engineering skills and manufacturing facilities ensured that the replacement cylinder offered the best possible solution. The opportunity to improve on the original design enabled the new cylinder to be optimised for better cooling as well as easier cleaning.
As a result of Burckhardt Compression’s solution, the refurbished compressor has received a new lease of life. Reliability is improved, and the cylinder support has retained its integrity; all of which was achieved within a tight timeframe and in budget.
Matthias Reese, project management & engineering at Burckhardt Compression, said: “The solution we offered was exactly what the customer was looking for. With our systematic approach, our compressor experts not only looked at the obvious issue but wanted to find a holistic solution to improve the reliability and support the customer's sustainability goals. The compressor has been running without issues for almost two years now and we have received another order for the exact same solution for another compressor.”