Heat/Oil radiator possible malfunction

[Antony5]

Hi, all!
Trying to find exact issue, maybe someone with better knowledge of radiator heat transfer process can help.

We have a 160 KW air compressor. Recently we have encountered with high average temperature issue around 98°C. What's isn't normal, because average temperature is around 84°C. Average load also was constant, no additional air consumers was added. Average temperature and load measured by compressor monitoring system.

Oil radiator is build with two sections. Looking with thermal camera I can see what one of the sections not working. Oil inlet connection is below. Outlet connection is upwards in the middle. I am wondering why it's in the middle? Because it more cool efficient to build in opposite side of inlet.

Is it possible: oil flows by the easiest way and it might means what second part will not participate in cooling process and second part is just clogged maybe, but for now I don't understand. Still waiting for oil analysis. Magnet inside air/oil separator haven't catched particles with large amount.

Thank you for suggestions!



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[Compositepro]

You don't give us much information to work on. Look at the piping layout. A common reason for an issue like this is an air lock where air has accumulated in a high point in the piping or radiator and there is not enough pressure drop across the working section of radiator to push the air bubble through the other section.

 

[LittleInch]

We can only see what you've sent us which isn't a lot and difficult to see any connections or understand flow, air speed, fans, etc.

Some sort of decent drawing or even a sketch would help.

why you're not getting equal flow and hence heat rejection on the whole radiator could be any number of things.

Blocked tubes, poor piping arrangement, air, loss of fan blades or other blockage with air flow, we can't see your set up.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Antony5]

Ok, I attached schematics from manual.

From screw (1) compressed air with oil moves to separator (2) where gets divided. When oil comes to temperature regulation valve(3)after that to radiator (4). Coolled by motor fan 5.5kW. From radiator oil comes to filter and again to screw. Red square its additional system which we don't have
Free ventilator pressure 65Pa
Oil quantity 80l
Working pressure of compressor 7.5bar
Dimensions of radiator 2900x840 mm

What we already done:
Changed temperature regulation valve, cleaned radiator fins. There filters from air inlet so it wasnt dirty.

 

[georgeverghese]

So one side of this cooler handles hot compressed air, while the other side cools hot lube oil/water.
Dont know what exactly may be the problem here, but there is cautionary design advice in Company documents that the oil/water/ air separator (2) must be 100% made out of corrosion resistant materials, so presumably SS316 ? Check out this separator material specs and pls revert.

 

[horacio Torres]

Internal corrosion could plug some portions of the radiator with debris. It will change the flow pattern and the heat transfer.

We had similar radiation troubles in a mobile power plant we faced, so we replaced the radiator.

Horacio

linkedin.com/in/horacio-torres-molina-429a7b1b