Air compressor blown head gasket

[ddddarkbull]

We recently received many returned compressors with blown head gasket problem. Open up the head block revealed some of the valve plates are distorted. Any idea what are the possible cause of blown head gasket and distorted valve plate.

Info of the air compressor:

Reciprocating type with direct motor coupled. 2 LP and 1 HP
Intercooler + after cooler, air cooled
Application: Pneumatic circuit for tooling, Industrial plant, Air temperature can be as low as -20C

Thanks.

 

[Compositepro]

A large amount of oil or other liquid getting inti the cylinder could cause that.

 

[zdas04]

Most recip cylinders are air cooled, so I would guess that it ingested a slug of water.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[racookpe1978]

You have poor information in your question, but i"imply" YOU are one building the air compressors, and they are being returned to you for replacement. SO, are these all mounted in the same way (like an airplane compressor always mounted in the same equipment and being run with the same piping?) or like a startup stand-alone system always mounted in the same equipment rack for a diesel engine power pack?

Or do you provide air compressors to the world-at-large and have no idea how they are being used and misused?

How many have failed this way? Two? Two dozen? Two hundred?

 

[ddddarkbull]

Most of our clients used it in their plant with their specific set up. We have a baseline product and we twik it here and there to suit the clients need. There were 6 returned in last 3 months.

 

[lukin1977]

probably they were rotating in the wrong direction and the head overheated
many reciprocating compressors use the main pulley to cool the compressor´s head

 

[bcs5274]

i have seen many failures of the gasket on small air cooled compressors
all were from heat