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Purdue University

Purdue e-Pubs
International Compressor Engineering Conference

School of Mechanical Engineering

1978

Rod Loading of Reciprocating Compressors


J. D. Mowery

Follow this and additional works at: http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/icec


Mowery, J. D., "Rod Loading of Reciprocating Compressors" (1978). International Compressor Engineering Conference. Paper 249.
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/icec/249

This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact epubs@purdue.edu for
additional information.
Complete proceedings may be acquired in print and on CD-ROM directly from the Ray W. Herrick Laboratories at https://engineering.purdue.edu/
Herrick/Events/orderlit.html

ROD LOADING OF RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS

John D. Mowery, Manager of Engineering


Cooper Energy Services
Superior Operations
Springfield, Ohio

1. GENERAL

with the square of the compressor rotative speed.


Figure 2 illustrates that the inertial load will also
vary with the reciprocating weight. One should also
notice that the inertial load is a "reversing" load
in that it changes from tension to compression (and
back to tension again) during one complete rotation
of the crankshaft.

Rod loading is a major consideration for the designers


and operators of reciprocating compressors such as the
one illustrated in the cross-section. One has to ascertain that the net rod load does not exceed the design
limitations placed upon the machine, which for the
Superior compressors are shown in Table 1. These limitations are determined by consideration of many stresses:
the rod compressive and tensile stresses, the rod column
stresses, crosshead compressive and tensile stresses, the
rod and crosshead thread stresses, and the crosshead pin
(wrist pin) shear and bearing (bushing) stresses. These
stresses are evaluated for their strength of material integrity including the stress at crosshead pin bushing.
The crosshead pin bushing stress must be considered not
only for its magnitude, but also, and more importantly,
for its direction of application. Since the crosshead pin
bushing stress (or load) is many times the limiting parameter in reciprocating compressor applications, we
should take a closer look at its development, its effects,
and its control.

b. Gas Load
Figure 3 shows the gas load developed in a double
acting 12.5" diameter 6" stroke cylinder operating
from 100 psig suction pressure to 250 psig discharge
pressure. The gas load on each end of the piston is
determined by finding the pressure inside each end of
the cylinder at various points in the stroke. This can
be accomplished by approximating the compression
process as an adiabatic process and using the relationship P2 = P] (V]/V2)k. This pressure is then multiplied by the respective piston areas to give the head
end and crank end gas loads. The total gas load is
then found by adding the H. E. gas load and C. E. gas
load. Figure 3 also indicates that the total gas load
for a double acting cylinder contains a reversal.

2. CROSSHEAD PIN BUSHING LOAD (ROD LOAD)


DEVELOPMENT

c. Net Rod Load


The load which is applied to the crosshead pin bushing
is developed from two sources: the forces of inertia of
the reciprocating piston, rod, and crosshead assembly,
and the forces resulting from compression of the gas in
the cylinder. Let us consider each of these forces individually, and then combine them to give us the total
rod load.
a.

(1) The net load applied to the crossheod pin bushing is found by the algebraic summation of the inertial load and the total gas load. Figure 4 illustrates the net rod load developed by the double
acting 12.5" cylinder as well as the inertial and
gas loads which comprise this rod load. Notice
in Figure 4 that a load reversal of some 160 duration exists in every crankshaft revolution.

Inertial Load

The inertial load is that force which develops as a


result of the weight (mass) of the piston, rod, and
crosshead assembly (including piston rings, nuts,
crosshead pin, and balance weights) being in reciprocating motion. Figure 1 illustrates the inertial
force developed by a 12. 5" diameter 6" stroke
cylinder with 250 pounds of reciprocating weight.
This example also shows that the inertial load changes

(2) Net rod loads for single acting cylinders ore


determined by the same procedure as for double
acting cylinders. Figures 5 and 6 show the 12.5"
cylinder in single acting head-end and single
acting crank-end applications respectively. Both
single acting applications have opened the inoperative end to suction pressure. As can be seen in
Figures 5 and 6, single acting cylinders have load

73

inertial load and the gas load, We certainly must evaluate how changes in each effect the rod load.

reversals which are both shorter in duration and


smaller in magnitude than in the majority of double
acting cylinders. Notice that the reduction in
reversal applies to both the total gas load as well
as the net rod load. In fact, it can be seen that
if the compression ratio were higher, a reversal
for the gas load would not even occur 1 a very
common phenomenon for single acting applications.

b. Inertial Load Changes - Examination of Figures 7


and 8 will reveal that by increasing the inertial force,
the net r,od load reversal also increoses, both in magnitude and duration. By analyzing the inertiol load
formula shown in Figure 1, one con see that the inertial
load can be increased without a mojor design change in
the equipment by increasing either the rotative speed
or the reciprocating weight. This gives us our first
two means of contrail ing the rod lood:

3w. ROD LOAD EFFECTS


a. As mentioned previously, we must not only consider the mognitude of the rod lood for design integrity, but we must also observe its direction of opplication (i.e. tension or compression). The direction
of the rod load has a poramount effect on the lubrication of the crosshead pin bushing. When the load is
being applied to one side of the bushing, some finite
amount of clearance develops on the opposite side.
This clearance, illustroted in Sketch 1, is filled with
oil thereby lubricoting and cooling that side of the
bushing, In order to lubricote the other side of the
bushing, o clearonce must develop there also. A
reversal in the direction of application of the lood
must occur for this to happen, And it is also evident
!hot the magnitude and duration of this reversal must
be such that a complete filling of this clearance
space with oil can be effected, This is necessary to
ochieve odequote lubrication and cooling.

(1) Increasing the rotative speed of the compressor


will increase the inertial lood ond the amount of
the reversal. (See Figure 1)
(2) Adding weight to the crosshead and piston
assembly will also increase the inertial load and.
the size of the rod load reversal, {See Figure 2).
Figures 7 ond 8 show the effects of inertial lood
changes on the net rod load,
c. Gos Lood Chonges- The effect of the total-gas load
on the net rod lood is quite different from the inertial
effect. Increasing the total gas lood may either increase or decrease the rod lood reversal.. In a single
acting opplicotion, for instance, increasing the gas
load on the operating end will decrease the reversal.
This can be seen by reviewing Figures 5 ond 6. On
the other hand, however, increasing the gas load on
the inoperative end of a single acting cylinder (i.e.
opening the crank end of a small diameter cylinder to
discharge pressure instead of suction pressure) would
increase the reversal. Ample precautions must, therefore, be employed in making changes to the gas load.
The changes we can make to the gas load are categorized into cylinder configuration changes and operating
condition chonges.

b. Reciprocating compressors operating with nonreversing loads are highly subject to bushing domoge.
Many post instances hove shown that a bushing con
foil within a very few minutes while operating under
non-reversing loods, The foiled bushing, such os the
one shown in the Photograph No. 1 & l~ wi'tl exhibit
severe wiping scars and scratches over approximately
120 of its I . D. and moy very possibly show discoloration from overheating. This damage, which is
characteristic of lubrication absence, will appear in
the direction of the applied non-reversing load, or in
the direction of the dominant load if the reversal is
marginal.

(1) Cylinder Configuration Changes


(a) The end selected for operation (in single
acting applications) wi II effect the rod load
reversal, Operating the crank end, which
has a smaller piston area, will produce a
smaller gas load and increase the reversal.

c. The Superior crossheod pin bushing design, shown


in Photograph No, 2, has incorporated helicol oil
grooves on the I. D. to aid the lubrication. While
this design configuration reflects some performance
improvements in non-reversing or marginal reversing
lood applications, it does not provide a suitable nonreversing load design thot could be used for nonreversing condition. We must, therefore, continue to
analyze each job to control the rod lood in order that
the non-reversing condition con be avoided, Let us
look, then, at woys of controlling the rod load,

(b) Operating the cylinder in a double acting


configuration will obviously increase the gas
load and the reversal.
{c) The size of the cylinder bore wi II effect
the reversal in either way. Smaller bores in
double acting cylinders tend to decrease the
reversal, but decreasing the bare in single
acting configurations tends to increase the re-
versa I.

4. ROD LOAD CONTROL


a. The net rod load con be controlled by altering the
constituents which comprise the rod load - namely the

74

(d) Decreased cylinder clearance will increase the volumetric efficiency and increase
the gas load. In single acting situations,
increased gas load will reduce the reversal;
and in small diameter double acting cylinders,
the increased gas load will expand the reversal.

f. High cylinder pressures are a natural for nonreversing rod loads. They usually mean high gas
loads, small cylinder bores, and sometimes single
acting operation- all of which are susceptible to
non-reverse Is.
6. CALCULATIONS

(2) Operating Condition Changes

Superior engineers have developed two Mark IT Fortran


programs which are used to evaluate rod loads. One
program, which is primarily used to size compressor
cylinders for specific applications, calculates the maximum compressive and tensile rod loads using the operating
pressures external to the cylinder (i.e., external rod load).
The external rod load is a close approximation of the
actual rod load and indicates whether a reversal exists
and if so its approximate magnitude and direction. By
defining a limit for the external rod load, one can also
determine if the magnitude of the rod load exceeds the
design loading capability of the machine. This limit is
properly set somewhat below the actual or internal rod
load limit (i.e., rod load based on pressures internal to
the cylinder) since pressure losses occur through the valves
thereby producing a larger ratio inside the cylinder and
hence a larger internal rod load. The use of an external
rod load limit not only benefits the engineers at Cooper
Energy Services to quickly evaluate rod loads, but it also
enables customers to periodically examine their rod loads
as operating conditions change.

Reducing the compression ratio wi II decrease the


gas load and usually improves the rod load reversal. This can be accomplished by either lowering
discharge pressure or increasing the suction pressure. One must be careful in lowering the discharge pressure by itself, however, since this
change can effect the reversal in either direction.
5. GUIDELINES
We are now fully aware of the necessity of avoiding
non-reversing rod loads. And we have illustrated
various ways of manipulating the loads to accomplish
the needed reversal. We must now apply this knowledge
to help us pinpoint non-reversing possibilities. Realizing
the principles discussed above, we should be alerted for
a non-reversing rod load when an application contains
one of the following conditions:
a. Slow Speed Operation

The second program developed at Cooper Energy Services


is used to calculate the internal rod load (both magnitude
and direction) for any cylinder at any angle of crankshaft
revolution from 0 through 360. The program considers
all of the necessary parameters which can effect the rod
load including cylinder configuration (piston and rod
diameters, stroke, rpm, reciprocating weight, clearances,
valve losses, single or double acting, tandem and tai I
rod design, etc.), gas composition and compressibility,
and all operating conditions (suction pressure and temperature, discharge pressure and temperature, barometric
temperature, etc.). The product of this program is a
print out, giving for each specified angle of crankshaft
revolution, the HE and CE gas loads, the total gas load,
the inertial load, and the net resultant of these components- the actual rod load. With this data readily available, the acceptability of the rod load's magnitude andreversal can easily be analyzed.

?low speed operation by itself is not necessarily a


problem. But with other conditions present, slow
speed could be a significant contributor to a nonreversing rod load.
b. Single Acting Operation
Non-reversing rod loads occur in single acting
operation more than in any other situation. And
single acting head end operation (SAHE) is always
more susceptible to non-reversals than single acting
crank end operation (SACE).
c. Small bore sizes in double acting cylinders
approach a single acting condition and are nonreverse I prone.
d. Low volumetric efficiencies (VE) often produce
non-reversals. Low VE's result from high clearances,
particularly in unloading sequences where clearance
is deliberately added. When performing unloading,
one should always remember that SAHE is more susceptible to non-reversals than SACE. The head end
pockets should be opened first to avoid the nonreversal.

7. SUMMARY
The purpose of this discussion was to provide a thorough
understanding of rod loads and their effects. While gas
loads and external rod loads can be used as a general
guide, they alone do not completely define the actual
rod load. Each job must be analyzed to control the rod
load within the machine capabilities such that a satisbctory reversal is achieved. The tools provided here
will help you to recognize the non-reversing possibilities
and how to avoid their occurrence.

e. High compression ratios are apt to produce nonreversals.

75

TABLE!

SUPERIOR COMPRESSORS
ROD LOAD LIMITS

COMPRESSOR
MODEL

INTERNAL ROD LOAD (LBS.)


SINGLE
DOUBLE
ACTING
ACTING

EXTERNAL ROD LOAD (LBS.)


SINGLE
DOUBLE
ACTING
ACTING

W6

35,000

35,000

30,000

MW6

40,000

40,000

35,000

76

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78

!NERTIAL LOADS
2
INE!l.TIAL LOAD = 1.4208 x 10-5(WT)(ST)(RM}
\VHERE:

[cos

+ ~L (1 - 2 SIN Q~

WT = TOTAL RECIPROCATING \!EIGHT (I.BH)


ST = STROKE (IN)
RH = RPU

RL
Q

CYLINDETl.:
''lT:
ST:
ru~:

RL:

- 9 0 0 RP!-1

= CON~illCTING ROD - LENGTH (IN)


= CRANK ANGLE IN DEGREES (oo = HEDC)
12,5 11 DIAHETER, 611 STROl'.E
250 LBH
6 IN,
900 - snn

l'l'PM

"'-INERTIA L LOADS

14.5 -

- - -

- - 500 RPJ:i

-...]

1.0

~15
0

n{I)
{I)

~-20

-25
-30
150
-35.--~

___L__

2100

120
_L_
2400

.i.__

J._

,)00
--l .

270

JOQO

330

900
CRANK ANGLE
FIGURE

60

00
,3600

l NER TIAL LOADS


INERTIAL LOAD = 1.4208 x

WHERE:

s::

1o-5(WT)(ST)(ruo~) 2

@os 9 + ~

(1 - 2 SIN

900 RPH

WT = TOTAL RECIPROCATING WEIGHT (Lm!)


ST = STROKE (IN)

,...

= CONNECTING ROD - LENGTH (IN)


Q = CRANK ANGLE IN DEGREES (0 = HEDC)

RL

E-<

~
' '// /4

WT:

ruo~:

C"''

.-1

RL:

><

ST:

12.5 11 DIAMETER, 6 11 STROKE


250 - 300 LBM

INERTIAL LOADS

900 RPM

14.5 IN.
6 IN.

150

1200

900

60

30

oo

;_i!

2~00

240

2700

J00

JJOO

.3600

.........
OJ
0

900 RPIf

250LBN

,....'\..

//

CYLINDER:

.- - - -- 300 LBlI

, "'

RM =RPM

0
.-I

g]

,/'

/
'7

/
/

-.35

---- -- --

-----

.--

_.......-

150 .

120

900

6o0

300

ao

210

240

270

JOQO

JJOO

J60

CRANK ANGLE

FIGURE 2

.DOUBLE ACTING GAS LOADS


12.5 11 DIAUETER CYLINDER, 611 STROKE
PSuct.

'c

'c=;.

~
CXI

1-4

CEI
~ DC

150
I
210

TOTAL GAS LOAD

90

00

270

.360

~-15

.0

.-~

In
!II

~-2

-2

-3
150

120

90

2100

2400

2700

1800

= 250 PSIG

~
r-1
K

PDisch,

CE GAS LOAD

,.....

= 100 PSIG

CRANK ANGLE
FIGUnE .3

-00
.3000

ROD LOADING DOUBLE ACTING

CE

GAS

LOAD

12,.5'1 DIAMETER CYLINDER, 611 STROKE

PSuct.
201---

'...

n
!/)

= 100

PSIG

PDisch,

= 250

PSIG

'

,:::
Q)

E-<15

~
~
1'""'1

><

(X)

~CE

------

........,

'

------

,.,..__

---

'''

~-

'"'

',,

,,

120

'

iDC

300

240

8
o-5
g

300

--

:no

120
l

240

cow
l

JQOO

FIGURE lf

00

~::_-NET ROD LOAD

TOTAL GAS LOAD

---

CRANK AUGLE

900

270

....

7
/

150

330

,,

'..../

-351

'

. -=-:-A;po
I

3)0:0

00
I

.360

ROD LOADING SINGLE ACTING CYLINDER


CRANK END OPEN TO SUCTION PRESSURE
12.5 11 DIAHETER CYLINDER, 6 11 STROKE
PSuct.

= 100

PSIG

PDisch.

= 250

PSIG

20
~

a
(()

E-<

CE GAS LOAD

15:

...... 1ol-

<'6
.-I

><

!
5~

/-'.

~7"/

~y

-cEb--3

60

..-:;

~DC

........

..... .......
.......

/-'.

~ I

CD

....-;

\,

JOO

-15l-

~ .... _ /

a!

---

(II

~-20

~
0

-25-

-JO

-J51e0 o

'-~---NET

J600

8 -5~

.~

'::::--......................

HEDC

J00

,,

HE GAS LOAD

150
2100

120
~oo

<JPO

600

270

CRANK ANGLE
FIGUilE 5

-~oo

JJOO

oo
J60

ROD LOADING SINGLE ACTING CYLINDER


HEAD END . OPEN TO SUCTION PRESSURE
"<:""

CE GAS LOAD

12.5 11 DIAMETER CYLINDER, 611 STROkE

PSuct, = 100 PSIG PDisch, = 250 PSIG

INERTIAL
LOAD

..-..- _.--.., _...

--- ...,..-

_......
.......

--

.,- --... ....

QO

CP

11>0

HE GAS

ioAi:l

-15

n
lll

~-20

8'

0
0

-25

-J518Qo .

150

120

900

21d 0

2AQ0

270

. 60
CRANK ANGLE
FIGURE 6

JQOO

30

00

330

3600

NET ROD LOADS SINGLE ACTING CYLINDER


CRANK END OPEN TO SUCTION PRESS; INTERNAL CHANGE
EF"FECTS

30

25

!/).-~20
i)

E-o

15 ~

~1+

~ 5~

co
V1

,~

!;i!
~eEl
1~0o ---~~;Tno~
S
-=----=--- --- ---;;;:;"}_,..
'1~---/
-5
r--~~..
-=-"";::-~
DE

r.- - -

210

0
g

_____

00

9QO

- _:__::>--~
-

-10

C)(

- - -3000
-----6o0

_.,/

...........

~'
-:7

----

........

NET ROD LOAD


SAHE - 900 RPJ.i

NET ROD LOAD


SAHE - 500 RPH

........

::::....

-15

.-I
(/)

m20

g.
0

~25 -30

J5

180

1500

120

--- __ [Do

2100

24QU

270

60

__ L

300

CRANK ANGLE
FIGURE .7

30

oo

___ ] ------- - - ' 330


360

NET ROD LOADS SINGLE ACTING CYLIND~R


HEAD END OPEN TO SUCTION PRESS .. INTERNAL CHANGE
EFFE CTS
30

25

..... 20
!ll

......-------

s-t

15 t-

-....-----~-

10

c2:'K
r-t

. . . ._ -.......

-5

120
240

NET ROD LOAD

SAGE .- 900 RPH

90

'

~ DC
Q

....

- .

~'b'
1$0 ....,.,

......... CE

", '-

::1

0\

.....

~
OJ

- -- -

~--:;,/

--------::...---~~

---.--;::
;,:;:::: ;..----

--

609.--300

--

-~
~- --r;ET ROD LOAD

.
.
SACE - 500 RPU

oo

)j0

-10

-15

!':

0
.-I
!I)

m-20

i-25

-30
-35

1j0

120

180

210

240

[0

6o0

270

300

CRM!K ANGLE

FIGURE

30
I

00
!

330

3600

PHOTOGRAPH NO. 1

87

PHOTOGRAPH NO, lA

88

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o,

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89

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