Compressor 12
19-09-2009, 06:33 PM
I have had the opportunity of being apart of starting a brand new facility built and designed by Ingersoll Rand which we all know is pretty new to the industrial (NH3) refrigeration business. IR has come from a background of Hussman which mainly works with large refrigerators (supermarkets, cosco, ect.).
We have been seeing what could be called normal start-up problems consisting of control issues, liquid pump problems, and debris ect. We have 2 separate systems here Med (50-33F) and Low Temp (-10F) running off the same cond. tower but separate screws (single stage). As of about 3 months ago with near perfect performance before, we have gone through 4 Liquid pump seals on 2 pumps and seeing a very weird substance suspended in our ammonia on the low side. This substance has IR and FES scratching their heads.
After draining the oil pot on the low side Acc. 3 times in a 3 month period (with minimal oil maybe 5gal total) and changing 3 oil filters on the low side screw, we cannot seem to pinpoint or figure out what this substance is. Some factors I believe to be a concern linked to this problems is listed as followed:
1. Location of construction being in farming community and lack of clean pipe during construction
2. Cavitation and cracking of oil in liquid pump
3. Possible use of wrong oil in pump at start-up (I was not employed at that time)
All liquid strainers have been pulled and problems are only found on the low side, either strainer completely clogged or restricted. The substance is found in the pots but not at the amount that we find when we pull the liquid pumps inside the inlet pipe. It seems this substance migrates to the low side and turns the ammonia almost pink in color. In large quantities after sitting and drying it comes to the consistency of powdered hot coco. Very weird. :eek:
I have pictures in my photo album of this substance and may be a help in figuring out our problem.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
We have been seeing what could be called normal start-up problems consisting of control issues, liquid pump problems, and debris ect. We have 2 separate systems here Med (50-33F) and Low Temp (-10F) running off the same cond. tower but separate screws (single stage). As of about 3 months ago with near perfect performance before, we have gone through 4 Liquid pump seals on 2 pumps and seeing a very weird substance suspended in our ammonia on the low side. This substance has IR and FES scratching their heads.
After draining the oil pot on the low side Acc. 3 times in a 3 month period (with minimal oil maybe 5gal total) and changing 3 oil filters on the low side screw, we cannot seem to pinpoint or figure out what this substance is. Some factors I believe to be a concern linked to this problems is listed as followed:
1. Location of construction being in farming community and lack of clean pipe during construction
2. Cavitation and cracking of oil in liquid pump
3. Possible use of wrong oil in pump at start-up (I was not employed at that time)
All liquid strainers have been pulled and problems are only found on the low side, either strainer completely clogged or restricted. The substance is found in the pots but not at the amount that we find when we pull the liquid pumps inside the inlet pipe. It seems this substance migrates to the low side and turns the ammonia almost pink in color. In large quantities after sitting and drying it comes to the consistency of powdered hot coco. Very weird. :eek:
I have pictures in my photo album of this substance and may be a help in figuring out our problem.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.