COMPRESSORS & COMPRESSED AIR CORRECT COMPRESSOR ASSESSMENT CORRECT COMPRESSOR ASSESSMENT
Claudia Pröger, Global Marketing Manager, Burckhardt Compression, outlines the three crucial components of compressor assessment
ompressors lie at the heart of countless businesses across countless industries, and those businesses’ success depends on their equipment performing reliably, efficiently and sustainably. When this isn’t the case, they need easy and fast access to engineering excellence to assess and help them improve their compressors.
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However, correctly assessing any issues with a compressor—or areas for improvement—isn’t always a simple job. It’s a task that must be approached with care and correct planning. There are three key stages of any high- quality assessment process, ensuring operators get the most out of their assessments and helping the assessors do their jobs effectively. These three key elements of a high-quality assessment process are: • One: Precise measurements The foundation of any high-quality compressor assessment relies upon the quality of data collection, and this includes taking relevant and accurate measurements. Measurements, and the collection of instrumentation readings, ensure that the assessment is grounded in objective data rather than subjective judgment, leading to more reliable and actionable insights. The measurement process includes everything from standard compressor instrumentation readings, such as pressures, temperatures and gas flow, to measurement of ‘general health indicators’ such as vibration level and temperatures. It also covers more advanced techniques like pV-analysis, time- domain vibration diagnostics and leakage measurements.
12 MAY 2025 | PROCESS & CONTROL
Vibration measurements are essential for detecting integrity issues, while comparative thermography is used to identify hotspots and other thermal anomalies within the compressor. Such anomalies often indicate potential problems like leakages, insufficient cooling, excessive friction or inadequate lubrication. These not only cause excess wear but can also result in a drop in efficiency and, therefore, higher emission levels. Taking this range of measurements for reciprocating compressors allows engineers to gather detailed data on the performance and condition of their components. This includes assessing the integrity of cylinder liners, piston rods, and seals, as well as how the pressure and temperature changes at different stages of the compression process.
These precise measurements offer a data- driven basis for recommendations. This means carefully tailored solutions can address the specific needs and conditions of a system, ensuring that the recommendations are both practical and effective.
• Two: Comprehensive technical meetings Engaging with the customer's technical team is crucial for understanding the specific needs and performance targets of a compressor. These meetings aren’t just a way to arrange visits and hammer out details; they form a vital part of the assessment process, as they establish a collaborative environment where detailed discussions can take place and ensure all stakeholders are aligned. Though the exact makeup of a technical meeting will vary, participants typically include maintenance and reliability teams, process
engineers, and experts responsible for efficient and stable operation of equipment. The primary objective of these technical meetings is to discuss the current performance of the compressor and identify requests for improvement. These discussions help set clear, achievable performance targets that align with the customer's operational goals. By understanding the needs of the customer and the specific conditions under which the compressor operates, the assessment team can then tailor their recommendations to deliver the most value.
Ideally, these meetings will provide a detailed understanding of the customer's expectations and a collaborative approach to problem- solving. By engaging all relevant stakeholders, the assessment team can develop solutions that address the root causes of any issues, leading to sustained improvements in performance and reliability.
• Three: Careful documentation renewal Diligently reviewing technical and operational documentation is a crucial step in ensuring that the compressor is operating within design specifications and that the design is adequate to the real-world conditions it’s working in. The types of documentation reviewed include the compressor manual, component information, piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and process flow diagrams (PFDs). On top of this, the team will also need to review the compressor’s maintenance history, as well as all the operational records, trends and data available from its monitoring systems.
The compressor manual provides input on original specifications and intended operation, while schematics and process diagrams provide an understanding about compressor interfaces. This is essential for understanding the overall system configuration, its operating
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