Corrosion of Bronze Oil-Sealing Sleeves In Centrifugal Gas Compressors★

Abstract

Abstract Pipe line dust was suspected as the reason for the frequent failure of phosphor bronze oil-sealing sleeves in centrifugal gas compressors when analyses of oil from the sealing systems showed appreciable quantities of iron sulfide. This was picked up, along with iron oxide and silica, from pipe line dust created by the passage through the line of steel wirebrush scrapers. Corrosion product resulting from the attack by this dust clogged up oil passages and caused failure of the sleeves. Laboratory tests with oil from the seal oil system were made with copper strips. These tests indicated the dusts picked up by the oils were responsible for the corrosion. Tests with both seal oil and scrubber oils on mild steel, aluminum, Monel, Inconel and nickel showed these suffered no attack. A cellulose-type filter was substituted for the previously used Fuller's earth filter in the seal oil system and after 7 months' observation was found to be substantially more efficient than the Fuller's earth. Meehanite oil seal rings were substituted for the phosphor bronze sleeves and the failures due to iron sulfides were eliminated.