TURBOCOMPRESSORS

Lube and Seal Oil Systems

Notebook

Flexware, Inc.
P.O. Box 110
Grapeville, PA,
U. S. A.

[email protected]
www.flexwareinc.com

© 2020

FLSNB2020
 About the Authors
Anibal R. Arias is President and Technical Director of SEMTEC, a company specialized in Turbomachinery and its
Associated Systems. Mr. Arias has worked 19 years for Petroquímica Bahía Blanca, an ethylene producer located in
Argentina. During this time he was responsible for Preventive and Predictive Maintenance of Rotating Machinery;
Maintenance Engineering and before resigning from the petrochemical company he was Mechanical Maintenance
Manager.

In his past professional experience from 1975 to 2001, Mr. Arias taught engineering courses in Universidad Nacional
del Sur. Before resigning from this position, he was Adjunct Professor of Machine Elements course.

In 1990 he founded SEMTEC. Since then he has conducted numerous seminars and workshops on technical and
maintenance organization matters in Argentina and around the world including “Compressor Performance Seminar”.

Mr. Arias has a Mechanical Engineering Degree from Universidad Nacional del Sur and has extensive hands-on
technical training in the USA with Davy-Mc Kee Corporation and Elliott Company. He is a member of ASME, The
Vibration Institute and the Society of Tribologist and Lubrication Engineers. You can contact Mr. Arias at:
[email protected]

M. Theodore (Ted) Gresh is President & CEO of Flexware, Inc., Grapeville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Mr. Gresh does
consulting work, organizes Turbomachinery training seminars and is technical director of Flexware software
maintenance and upgrade and other engineering activities.

While at Elliott Co., Jeannette, PA, USA, he was Sr. Design Engineer in charge of the design of centrifugal
compressors. During this period he was involved in the design of new centrifugal compressor staging, oil seal redesign
as well as the resolution of various shop problems. As Sr. Compressor Service Engineer at Elliott Co. he was involved
with the field-testing of compressors and steam turbines and troubleshooting various field problems like performance
issues, bearing and seal problems and vibration problems including instability problems.

Gresh received a B.S. degree (Aerospace Engineering, 1971) from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to
numerous papers and magazine articles, he has published a book on the subject of compressor performance, and has
several patents related to turbomachinery. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Pennsylvania. You
can contact Mr. Gresh at his e-mail address: [email protected]

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 Lube and Seal Oils Systems
• Filters
Oil Systems - Purpose • Instrumentation
• To provide the required quantities of cooled • Temperature control valve
and filtered oil at properly controlled • Pressure reducing valves
pressures for lubrication, shaft sealing, and/or • Differential pressure reducing valves
control. • Contaminated oil drainers
• They must be designed to operate over a
range of conditions created by variations in Optional accessory equipment
ambient conditions, utilities, process, sealing • Lube rundown tanks
pressure, control demands, start-up, shut- • Seal rundown tanks
downs, etc.
• Accumulators
• Degassing tanks
Basic Components
• Overhead seal tanks
• Reservoir
• Purifiers
• Pumps
• Relief valves
• Back-pressure regulator
• Transfer valve
• Coolers

Oil System Schematic

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 Oil System Schematic

Oil Reservoir

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Oil Reservoir
To provide oil storage, to serve as a collection
point for oil returns, and to permit the
separation of solids and water and the release
of entrained gases.

Oil Reservoir Capacity

• The reservoir capacity, based on normal
flow, is determined strictly as defined by
API 614. That is:
• 5 minutes working capacity between
minimum operating level and suction-loss
level.
• 8 minutes total retention below the
minimum operating level Oil Reservoir
• The API requirement of providing a free
Oil Reservoir Levels surface of oil of not less than 0.25 square foot
• Above the minimum operating level, the per GPM of normal flow frequently defines
maximum operating level is located to the shape and proportions of the oil reservoir.
provide a volume sufficient for three days of
operation, based on expected oil usage rate, Optional equipment - characteristics
for those systems in which seal oil leakage is • Steam heaters
discharged from the unit.
• Thermostatically controlled electric heaters.
• When seal leakage is returned to the
reservoir, or on separate lube systems, the • Additional alarms.
distance between maximum and minimum • Material:
levels is established as 3 inches. Stainless steel or coated carbon steel
• Above the maximum operating level,
rundown capacity is provided to receive the Pumps
oil from any components, housings, piping, • The most common type of pump in use today
etc. that can drain back to the reservoir. in oil systems with one pumping level is the
• Free board is provided above rundown level. screw-type positive displacement pump.

• Below minimum working level the suction- Pumps

loss level is located to provide not less than
the required 5 minutes working capacity. • For high flow low head service, and for
primary lift in booster systems, centrifugal
• Suction-loss level is physically located at a pumps frequently employed.
distance of 6 inches above the top of the
pumps suction nozzle. • Their use is generally limited to pump
discharge pressure under 200 psig with the
Oil Reservoir Return Nozzles majority of applications being in the range of
125 psig.
• Return lines carrying oil at velocities in
excess of 3 feet per second, typically relief • Pump capacity is based on the maximum
valves and backpressure regulator discharges, flow of oil required by each of the items
are carried through vented nozzles to a level 4 served by the system.
inches below the minimum working level. Lube oil.
Seal oil at maximum demand.
• These lines are baffled to distribute the flow Control oil, including transient conditions.
horizontally to avoid air entrainment.

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• Actual pump capacity must not be less than • Pump drivers are sized based on two
115 % of the highest total flow required operating conditions:
under any operation condition.
• The calculation procedure of the required
a) The horsepower required during a cold start
pumping the full pump capacity at the
pressure at the pump discharge flange starts
pressure at which the relief valve passes this
with the highest oil pressure that will ever be
flow.
required by the machine.
b) 125% of the horsepower required to pump full
• This may be seal oil at normal or shutdown pump capacity at 65 SSU at maximum
conditions, control oil or simply bearing operating pump discharge pressure.
supply pressure in the case of a separate lube
system. Relief Valve By-Pass Valves
• To this maximum oil pressure at the machine • These valves provide the attractive feature of
it is necessary to add various losses: allowing an additional pump to be put in
o Static head service, a pump to be taken out of service, or
o Piping losses the pump duty to be switched from one pump
o Pressure reducing control valve losses to the other without the slightest “bump” to
o Console pipe losses the system.
o Transfer valve losses.
o Filter losses.
• This feature provides manual manipulation of
pumps for testing, maintenance or repair to be
o Cooler losses
accomplished without any system upset.

Relief Valves
• In systems with the required pump discharge
pressure of 100 psig or less, relief valves are
set at 10 psi above pump pressure. Transfer Valve
• For pressures over 100 psig, 10 % is added to • The transfer valve is sized to pass the
establish set pressure. maximum flow to the equipment being
• Each relief valve is sized to pass the actual
served.
full pump capacity at a pressure not less that • Good size criteria indicates that the pressure
10 % over set pressure and not more than 25 drop through the transfer valve should not be
% over set pressure. larger than 10 psi.

Pumps
• Highest pressure drop values occur when the
valve is at mid-stroke.
• The pump must be able to develop the
• This requires that the mid-stroke increase in
maximum pressure while delivering the full
pressure drop for the selected valve be
flow at a viscosity of 65 SSU.
determined.

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Oil Coolers Filters
• Oil coolers are designed to remove the total • Twin filters should be provided downstream
heat added to the oil from every source. of the coolers.
• Unless required by specification or by special
• This must include all heat contributed by design consideration, the filters would be
bearings, seals, and gears and the total heat piped in series with the twin coolers, utilizing
contributed by the pump or pumps in service one transfer valve.
during normal operation.
• Conditions to consider in the selection and
• Normal design is based on the following sizing of filters:
criteria:
• Clean oil pressure drop should not exceed
• Oil outlet temperature 120 ºF 3 psi under maximum flow conditions at
• Maximum water outlet temperature 120 ºF
100 SSU (120 ºF).

• Maximum oil pressure drop 10 psi

• Pass the maximum flow in cold start
conditions without reaching collapsing
• Maximum water pressure drop 10 psi pressure (80 psi for standard cartridges).
• Total fouling factor 0.002 • Filter housings must withstand a pressure of
• In order to maintain proper pumping viscosity
not less than relief valve setting or centrifugal
shut-off head.
and not to exceed temperature limitations for
positive displacement pumps, the reservoir • Depth-type filter cartridges, rated at 10
temperature should be limited to microns nominal are standard.
approximately 150 ºF.
• Cartridges with smaller micron rating are
available and should be specified for special
Detecting Heat Problems
services.
• A simple calculation is made to determine the
• Pleated paper cartridges are not
existence of a heat problem.
recommended due to their lack to water
• The oil temperature change may be calculated absorption.
by the following formula:
T = BTU/hr / 202.4 * GPM Control Valves
If T is less than 30 ºF, no problem exists. • All control valves must be carefully sized and
selected to provide proper control under
every possible operating condition.

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• The sizing involves the determination of the
required Cv under all conditions of flow and
Back Pressure Regulator
pressure drop.
• For oil systems Cv is determined as follows:
• The purpose of this valve is to maintain
constant the pressure of the header.
Cv = 0.975 * [GPM / P1/2]
• Cv values are published by the control valve
• This valve must be sized to properly
control a wide range of flow:
manufacturers for each of their various types
a) Minimum flow = 1 Pump capacity less
and sizes and are generally given for various
Maximum System Requirement.
percentages of stroke from fully closed to
b) Normal flow = 1 Pump capacity less
fully open.
Normal System Requirement.
• The control valves have different flow c) Maximum flow = 2 Pump capacities
characteristics for various types of valve less Minimum System Requirement.
plugs.
Pressure Reducing Valves
• These control valves must provide oil for
different services as:
Lube oil
Seal oil
Control oil
Each service has its own pressure reducing
valves.
• Reducing from the controlled header pressure
to a fixed downstream pressure and passing a
constant flow, only a very narrow control
range is necessary.

Piping Materials:
• A complete range of materials, flanges and
fittings is used to meet the requirements of
any system, environment or specification.
• Systems may be built entirely of carbon
steel, stainless steel or any desired
combination of these materials.
• This gives rise to the different valve types:
a) Quick Opening b) Linear Pumps Piping
c) Modified Parabolic d) Equal Percentage
• Separate suction lines connect each of the
pumps with the oil reservoir.
• The piping is sized to limit suction velocity to
a value of 3 to 5 feet per second.
• Eliminate air pockets and minimize bends
and elbows.
• Optional suction strainers.

Piping - Hydraulic Design

• Pressure line throughout the system are sized
on the basis of pressure drop, using a design
value of 9 psi drop per 100 equivalent feet of
Controller pipe.

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 pressure switch provides the necessary
• In all cases, pipe size selection is based on
contacts to indicate Auxiliary Pump Running.
maximum flow, including transients, for the • Each bearing header, or lube oil pressure
particular circuit or portion of the system level, is monitored by separate alarm and trip
under consideration. switches.
• Oil drain lines are sized to flow no more than • In 15-18 psig lube systems, the alarm switch
half full at a slope of ¼” per foot. will actuate at 13 psig falling pressure. The
trip switch is normally set at 11 psig falling
pressure.

Differential Pressure Switches

• A differential-pressure indicating switch is
provided to indicate filter pressure drop and
to actuate at a predetermined fouled filter
pressure drop.
• As a general rule, the rising differential-
pressure set to actuate this switch is 20 psid.

Instrumentation
• When a single transfer valve is used for
coolers and filters the instrument spans the
• Complete local instrumentation should be entire assembly.
provided to control the oil system, to alarm at
predetermined variations from normal
• In this case the instrument shows the over all
pressure drop.
conditions and to trip the machinery when
abnormal conditions approach damaging • As a general rule, the rising differential-
values. pressure set to actuate this switch is 35 psid.
• Pressure and temperature indicators, liquid
Temperature switch
level and sight flow indicators provide
operators with visual operating information • A temperature switch is located in the piping
necessary to manual correct for abnormalities downstream of the coolers. The purpose of
in oil temperatures, filter fouling, low oil this switch is to indicate cooler malfunction,
levels, etc. insufficient cooling water, high cooling water
temperature, etc. resulting in inadequate oil
Oil Level Switch cooling.
• Each reservoir must have an externally • This switch is set normally to actuate on
mounted level switch to alarm at minimum rising temperature at 140 ºF.
operating level.
• Differential pressure switches are located in
• Normally this indicates the need to refill the the supply piping at the compressor for each
reservoir to maximum operating level. contact seal pressure level.

Pressure switch
• With contact seals normally operating at 35
psid, the alarm setting is at 30 psid falling
• Located in the controlled header downstream pressure with the trip at 20 psid falling
of the filters, a switch is provided to start the pressure.
auxiliary positive displacement oil pump on
decay of header pressure. Pressure Gages
• This switch is normally set to actuate on a • A pressure indicator is located in the common
falling pressure 15 psi below design header pump discharge line before the coolers.
pressure.
• A gage downstream of the filters, reading
• Between the auxiliary pump discharge flange controlled header pressure is usually
and the check valve in the discharge piping, a arranged.

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• In each bearing header and lube oil pressure
level a gage is located.
• In each individually controlled seal oil level
both a differential pressure indicator and a
pressure indicator are installed.

Thermometers
• A thermometer is located in each reservoir
that is equipped with either a steam or electric
heater.
• Thermometers are located before and after
the oil cooler. The downstream instrument is
used to monitor and maintain design oil feed
temperature, usually 120 ºF.
• The two thermometers together provide the
data necessary to verify the cooler
performance.
• A temperature indicator in the atmospheric
Liquid Level Gages
drain from each bearing and seal provides a
means of locating abnormal throwoff
temperature.
Accessories
Sight Flow Indicators • The need for many other items, additionally
• A sight flow indicator is located in each to the ones already seen, is created by
variations in system design or by specific
atmospheric drain.
requirements of the particular installation.

• The depth of flow in the partially full pipe

can be observed and any change or
abnormality noted.

Liquid Level Gages

• Liquid level gages are provided on a number
of both atmospheric and pressure vessels
associated with an oil system.
• On rectangular reservoirs a reflex-type weld-
pad gage is located to span the range from
maximum to minimum operating range as
defined in API 614.
• Valved, externally mounted reflex-type
glasses are used on cylindrical reservoirs in
the proper length and sections to span the
required range.
• Reflex glasses are standard on overhead seal
tanks, drainers, degassing tanks, and other
specially designed vessels.

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Accumulators
• The most common application is that of
transfer barrier accumulators, located in the
control pressure header, to maintain adequate
oil pressure in the system while pumps swap
happens.
• Sufficient accumulator capacity has to be
provided to maintain the entire system at
normal flow for a period of twenty seconds.
• This time has been established to cover
adequately the most difficult and undesirable
turbine start-up conditions.

Pressurized Rundown Tanks

• The purpose of pressurized rundown tanks is
to supply emergency oil to seals and/or
bearings after a low oil pressure or low
differential trip-out.
• The design is just like the Direct Contact
Accumulators.
• Since the function is to provide rundown oil,
the solenoid at the pneumatic valve is
actuated only on a signal from the trip circuit.
• The rundown oil may be piped into the
system to provide seal oil only, lube oil only,
or all oil.

• In high flow systems and particularly those

requiring the use of stainless steel
downstream of the filters, bladder-type
accumulators become impractical and
prohibitively expensive.
• In these systems a direct contact accumulator
is used.

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Overhead Rundown Tanks
• The drains from any of the drainers may be
• The most simple yet positive means of returned directly to the oil reservoir, may be
providing lube oil rundown is the use of an returned to a degassing tank and then to the
overhead rundown tank. reservoir, or may be discharged outside the
• A horizontal cylindrical tank of the proper oil system.
capacity is located above the centerline of the
machine such that the top of the tank is at an
• The disposition of the drains is defined in
each project.
elevation to provide a static head of
approximately 2 psi less than the trip switch Mist Eliminators
setting.
• Upon loss of pressure, the stored oil returns
• The purpose of oil mist eliminators is to
remove most of the oil mist from the drainer
to the system providing oil to the bearings vents.
during coast-down.
• The removal of sufficient oil mist to permit
Overhead Seal-Oil Tank recycling or reclaiming the drainer vent gas
can only be accomplished by properly
• An overhead seal-oil tank is required when considering gas volume, pressure and
the compressor is fitted with sleeve seals. molecular weight in the design of the mist
• The overhead seal tank performs two eliminator.
functions:
• Provides the means of controlling the seal oil
differential pressure
• Provides seal oil storage for emergency
operation and rundown.

Degassing Tank
• The purpose of a degassing tank is to reduce
the quantity of process gas in the
contaminated oil drains before they are
returned to the oil reservoir.
• Degassing tanks are capable of removing a
large percentage of the mechanically
entrained gas but cannot be expected to
Seal Oil Drainers reduce the quantity of dissolved process gas
• A separate contaminated seal oil drainer is
by any predictable degree.
provided for each seal. • Degassing tanks consist of a flat sloping solid
• The drainers may be manual, continuous
plate tray, where oil is discharged.
automatic of the mechanical float-type single- • This tray spreads the oil in a thin sheet and
lever design, or automatic design with an delivers the flow to the portion of tray made
internal snap-acting level controller and a of perforated plate.
separate pneumatic off-on control valve.

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• Falling through the small perforated holes,
the oil is broken into small drops and streams,
allowing the gas to escape.
• To help the degassing process, oil is heated
either electrically or with steam, to a
temperature of 180 to 200 ºF.

Oil Purifiers
• There is a wide variation of design, function
and cost of oil purifiers.
• This variety comes from an equally wide
variation of oil contamination.
• The most simple is the installation of a
coalescing filter in a by-pass line from the
common pump discharge piping back to the
reservoir.
• More sophisticated designs go from
centrifuges to high vacuum oil conditioners
removing gases, solids and water to a high
degree of purification.

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