REciprocating compressor - rod packing seal - Packing rings rotated inside the cup

[ENG7345]

Hi All,

We replaced the rod packing seal of our Methane compressor less than a year ago. When we inspected last week, we found sign of wear on the back of the cups, apparently due to spinning of the adjacent radial ring in its position. I cannot figure out how the ring can rotate in the cup as there is no force to push it that way. Has anybody experienced a similar case? What could be the cause of it?
Thanks.

 

[JJPellin]

I have never seen this. You should have a specification for surface finish on the rod. This is achieved with a grind in a cross-hatch pattern. I can imagine that a poorly executed cross-hatch could generate some force on the packing rings encouraging them to rotate in the cups. I can also imagine that installing the packing incorrectly with regards to orientation of the tangential rings could produce some rotational forces in operation. But, if the packing is properly lubricated, cooled and purged, I would still not expect significant wear on the cups. Is this a particularly dirty service?

Johnny Pellin

 

[Assocracer]

Who makes the compressor?