INTRODUCTION

Compliance with environmental regulations requires the

elimination of gas leakage from machines, especially when
working with hazardous or toxic gases.
In the field of reciprocating compressors, GE Oil & Gas
has designed a special type of stuffing boxes, separation
cover or intermediate stuffing box equipped with special
rings for low pressures and inert gas buffers enabling to
do the following:
Eliminate gas leaks and convey hazardous gases to
safe handling areas
Increase operational and personnel safety
Comply with even the most restrictive environmental
laws
GAS LEAKS IN RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
In a reciprocating compressor, where the gas is processed
in a cylinder, assuming that all mechanical seals (cylinder
bottom and valve covers) are efficient, gas can only leak to
the outside from the stuffing box which functions as a
seal for piston rod. Figure 1 shows, the three potential
leakage areas:

GE Power Systems
Oil & Gas

gasket (1) between the first box, and the cylinder itself;
contact surface (2) between adjacent rings housing
boxes;
rings (3) and especially the last rings (4) downstream
of the gas recovery, which work at low pressure.
Other factors influencing leakage are the finish of the rod
and of the contact surfaces between boxes, the piston rod
run-out and the cylinder alignment.
By applying a unique surface finish for both rods (reciprocating compressors modification kit 06) and boxes,
appropriate plastic materials for seal rings (reciprocating
compressors modification kit 03) and proper assembly of
the different parts, it is possible to minimize gas leakages. However, even with a new stuffing box, leakage
cannot be completely avoided the ring seal closure
depends on gas pressure exerted on the exposed surface of the ring.
Since conditions of insufficient pressure force can compromise the seal leaks can be eliminated only by adopting
further measures.

CM&Us

Us

RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS

STUFFING BOX LEAKAGE CONTROL

CM&

CO/AL08-9/2002

THE STRUCTURE WHICH GUARANTEES LEAK

RESISTANCE
The stuffing box
To guarantee efficient sealing of the cylinder to the extension and frame, both when the seals are new and after normal wear, it is absolutely necessary to provide an exit path
for the gas leaking from the rings.
The most efficient approach is to inject (see Ffigure 1) inert
gas into an appropriate location in the stuffing box (5), (if
possible N2 or a gas which is environmentally benign at a
pressure slightly higher than the gas recovery pressure. In
this way, any process gas leakage is swept out and conveyed to a location for safe handling. In the extension there
will be only an insignificant quantity of inert gas leaking from
the buffer intermediate stuffing box and separation cover.
With reference to figure 2, the extension can contain a small
amount of inert gas or even process gas in the event of a
stuffing box failure or annomolous back pressure from the
gas recovery line.
Therefore, it is necessary to equip the intermediate stuffing
box (a) (in the case of machines with double compartment
extensions) or the separation cover (b) (in the case of simple
extensions) with an inert gas buffer system, as indicated
above for the main stuffing box. In this case, the chamber
adjacent to the cylinder is equipped with a vent to convey
any gases to a safe area.

Low pressure rings

In addition to the buffer system, a set of rings working as
a positive seal for the buffer chamber is necessary to
minimize the quantity of inert gas consumed.
Indeed, contrary to intuition, it is more difficult to seal stuffing
box components with rings working at low rather than high
pressure. While the only problem at high pressure is wear
resistance, for low pressures below 3.5-4 bar (recovery gas
pressures) the problem is guaranteeing a perfect seal with
the rod and especially with the housing box surface.
Infact, in locations where the pressure between rings is low,
during the intake stroke friction between the rod and rings
could cause detachment of the rings from the box surface
and hence gas leakage. Given that recovery pressures
may be well under this limit, it is very important to use rings
specifically designed for this application, that is rings with
springs for an axial preload (1) to guarantee sealing at all
conditions (Figure 3b).
Therefore, Nuovo Pignone has designed a new low pressure ring system consisting of three components; two rings
are tangential (2), the third consists of two parts (3) providing
axial preload against the tangential rings by means of
springs (1) housed on the inner surface of the box.
Rings with axial preload are recommended for their high
efficiency at low pressure even when there is no inert gas
buffer.

GAS + N2
N2
GAS

Cylinder
side

5 4

Figure 1

N2

Figure 2

N2

Gas leakage

Gas pressure
(cylinder side)

Friction force acting on the rings

during piston rod movement

Figure 3b

Figure 3a

STUFFING BOX LEAKAGE CONTROL

a) inert gas filter;
b) buffer pressure reducing valve;
c) low pressure alarm pressure switch;
d) safety valve for protection from buffer over-pressure.

N2
N2

Figure 5

Nuovo Pignone S.p.A.

via F. Matteucci, 2 - 50127 Florence (Italy)
Tel. +39-055-423-211- Fax +39-055-423-2800
E-mail: info.service@np.ge.com
www.gepower.com/geoilandgas

COMK/MARK 700/II- Studio Tre Fasi - 9-2002 2002 Nuovo Pignone S.p.A. all rights reserved

N2

VENT

Stuffing box types 2 and 3

a) inert gas filter;
b) variable set point buffer pressure reducing valve;
c) pressure switch for low differential pressure alarm;
d) safety valve for protection from over-pressure;
e) maximum signal selector (only for case 3).

N2
GAS + N2

SCOPE OF SUPPLY
For each cylinder, the supply consists of the following
items:
Stuffing box with set of three rings with axial preload.
Intermediate stuffing box or separation cover with
set of three rings with axial preload.
Modification drawings.
Buffer instrumentation.
Buffer instrumentation consists of:
Stuffing box type 1, intermediate stuffing box and separation covers

In this case, only three rings with springs housed in the last
box are used (Figure 4). When a buffer gas is used, the sets
of three rings are installed with opposing preload (Figure 5)
so that rings create a chamber with high leak resistance for
buffer gas injection.
Types of buffers
Usually, the maximum buffer pressure with standard materials
is 6 bar g; the recommended pressure is 0.3 to 0.5 bar higher
than the recovery gas pressure.
Different buffer gas strategies are available to meet specific
plant requirements and customer preferences:
1 - Constant pressure:
buffer pressure is kept constant and higher than the maximum
value of the recovery pressure. Recommended recovery pressure does not change very much.
2 - Variable pressure:
buffer pressure maintained at a fixed differential with
respect to the recovery pressure, therefore following variations in the recovery gas to maintain a constant over pressure.
Recommended if recovery pressure undergoes large variations and to optimize nitrogen consumption.
3 - Variable pressure with respect to pressure in the
recovery chamber:
An electronic pressure transducer is connected to the
recovery chamber of each stuffing box. This gives the actual pressure within each stuffing box recovery chamber
including effects of losses in piping and ducts.

The pressures of each chamber are compared and the

buffer pressure is set at 0.2 bar over the highest valve.
This results in increased safety and reduced N2 consumption.
ADVANTAGES
Elimination of gas leaks and hazardous environmental
conditions.
High increase in operational and operator safety.
High increase in seal efficiency at low pressure.
Optimization of buffer gas consumption.
APPLICATION
For older style stuffing boxes with metallic seal elements it is advisable to replace the stuffing box completely such as with the reciprocating compressor 03 kit.
For new generation machines, it is only necessary to
modify stuffing boxes downstream of the recovery chamber and ring housing boxes of the intermediate stuffing
box or of the separation cover, to allow assembly of
enclosed springs.
On the contrary, for models HM, SHM and SHMB,
because of dimensional limits, it is possible to assemble only one set of three rings with axial springs; therefore, the buffer chamber is manufactured with a tangential - tangential couple upstream of the recovery chamber and with a set of three rings towards the extension,
as indicated in Figure 4.

N2

Figure 4