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bernard
05-11-2007, 10:50 PM
Hi

How long should the suction socks be left in on new packs.I,m being told remove them straight away,mmmm

I would be grateful for your views

Thanyou Bernard

PaulZ
06-11-2007, 05:01 AM
Hi Bernard
When we install NH3 compressors the makers recommendation is 100 hours. We will check at this time and if very dirty will leave another 100 hours. HFC's are probably less as the pipework is much cleaner.
Paul

subcooler
14-11-2007, 11:57 PM
Hi
If a sock is a filter, than it should not be remove on the suction since it will permanently protect the compressor from solid contaminant without causing more pressure drop.

Latte
15-11-2007, 12:17 AM
Barnard,

Mark Fiddy is the man to speak to on this one. I think its 72 hours but i suppose it depends who make the pack.

Whatever make sure they are taken out. Mark took over a site that hadnt had the socks taken out. Eventually they broke up and the whole supermarket went down. i seem to remeber it took him (And other engineers) about 3 days working 24hours stripping all the cases and changine oil and driers every hour to clear the system.
not sure if he's online at the moment but "He's the man who can" :D

Regards

Raymond

PaulZ
15-11-2007, 11:32 AM
Hi Subcooler
Suction socks are thin cloth either wrapped around a suction strainer or inserted inside the strainer.
Their main use is to trap any very fine particles coming down the suction line.
Once the compressor has run for a while they are removed.
Raymond is right they can break up and because they are only thin, bits can get drawn through the strainer as generally it is only fine mesh on on a heavier frame.
These socks are common on a lot of ammonia compressors or at least a strainer.
Paul

Suta Eugen
15-11-2007, 03:48 PM
After 300 h of first start a new instalation you must change the :
- all the filters ;
- all oil ;
- chek the oil acidity .

US Iceman
15-11-2007, 05:08 PM
I would stick with the 100 hour rule. Then pull the socks and remove then completely. Clean the screens at this time if need be, then put it all back together.

bernard
15-11-2007, 08:14 PM
Thanks all

Bernard

Grizzly
15-11-2007, 08:15 PM
Hi Guys.
In my experiance on Industrial applications Suction Socks have been left in for various lengths of time. Sometimes by accident for very long times and have only been discovered when Suction Pressure problems have been experienced.
Suction Socks are usually fitted to collect any contaminates from the pipework introduced during the initial install. Historically on Ammonia installs where the steel pipework had a "ark" root weld. A suction sock was needed to catch the large amount slag that was produced on the internal faces of the pipework. We used to leave them in for a couple of weeks.
Nowadays most of the Pipe Fabricators I know "Tig"
weld the whole joint. As this is a very clean process the need for a suction sock is somewhat reduced.
Suction socks are not to be confused whith suction strainers. Fitted after a semi / hermetic motor burn out. These too can sometimes be forgotten and left in far to long. I have seen these where the "cintered"
cylinder has imploaded along with the internal gause.
On that occation someone ripped out a perfectly good plc controller and fitted time delay switches to load the system. When the controller was only unloading the system due to the abnormally low suction pressure.
Cheers Steve.

subcooler
20-11-2007, 12:07 AM
HI Paulz

Thanks for the advice on NH3. We usually use Sporlan RPE element on HFC, HCFC racks. We rarely broke one since the element is sandwich between 2 perforated metal walls.

Truly