The bearing metal temperature, lube oil temperature and pressure, seal oil temperature and pressure, cooling water temperature and pressure, bearing housing vibration, shaft vibration, and power consumption are the parameters that are measured in the mechanical running test.Īs per API 617, the job bearings, job vibration probes and job seals shall be used for the mechanical running test. At the end of the test, the mechanical running test result is provided in the tabulated format. When the compressor reached to MCS speed shall run for 30 minutes to get all variables such as oil temperature, pressure, bearing metal temperature and vibration levels stabilized.įter stabilization, the test technician starts the collection of measurements in each 10 or 15 minutes. The test starts with minimum speed almost at 1000 rpm to identify any abnormal issue and then increased to 100 % of MCS (maximum continuous speed) at the rate increment of 10%.įor example, if the rotor speed (MCS) is 12000 rpm, in the first stage the rotor speed is brought to 1200 rpm and then stays at this speed for a while and then is increased to the 2400 rpm, and this process continues until reaches to 12000 rpm.Īfter this 15 min, the rotor speed is reduced to the 100 MCS and compressor runs for 4 hours. The centrifugal comressor testing procedure or approved datasheet shall be used for acceptance criteria. The test shall be done based on approved test procedure. In the mechanical running test, we are testing mechanical operation of the compressor. The mechanical running test is performed after Aerodynamic performance test. Centrifugal Compressor Mechanical Running Test The plotted aerodynamic performance curve shall be verified aginst approved compressor datasheet and procedures to make sure is meeting the acceptance range for the isentropic head, surge points, efficiency and power consumption. The test shall be repeated for different shaft speed, and similarly, the surge points shall be identified. 617 requires that the aerodynamic testing being conducted based on the requirements of ASME PTC-1997.īased on the centrifugal compressor testing requirement minimum 5 datapoints including surge and choke points shall be taken, and isentropic head vs.

The centrifugal compressor aerodynamic testing is performed after completion of the assembly.

Centrifugal compressor