Centrifugal Compressor 2nd Intercooler Leak

[refiner258]

Hello! Good day!

We have a three stage centrigugal air compressor installed at site with two intercoolers and one aftercooler. We have recently identified two leaking tubes on the 2nd intercooler. Service of the intercooler tubes is cooling water. The Pressure of air entering the intercooler is ~550 kPag whereas the pressure of our cooling water is ~350 kPag.

Question: will the compressed air at 550kPag enter the intercooler tube?

 

[Afifex]

Of course during operation, the compressed air with higher pressure will leak into cooling cycle.
but the real problem is when the compressor is stopped, at that time the water will leak into the intercooler and into compressor casing.
if the water is not drained and compressor starts again, vibration may occur and if the compressor stopped for extended periods, the casing may get rusted.


What could be measured, must be measured exactly.

 

[refiner258]

Thank you @Afifex. Apart from flow rate, what other compressor parameters could have changes during migration of air to the cooling water side? Our compressor is operated using constant pressure control method.

 

[georgeverghese]

Low stage 2D pressure, which in turn would result in high stage 3D temp upstream of stage 3 aftercooler (assuming this leak on stage 2D cooler is big enough to cause these changes).