Cylinder Rings

General Understanding

HOERBIGER Compression Technology

Cylinder rings
Piston rings :

between Piston and cylinder liner,

seal the compression space

Rider rings :

Carry the weight of the piston and

half of the rod but should not seal

Basic Understanding
Manufacturing of Rings at HRP
for differential pressures
Cylinder for piston diameters
Rings made of metals
and non metallics

0.1 to 400 bar

20 to 1400 mm
cast iron, bronze
filled PTFE, PEEK, PPS, Carbon

6.1.2

axial rider
ring width

Piston
running
clearance

axial
clearance

inner DIA of
rider ring

width of piston
ring groove

rider ring
grooveDIA

Liner
width of rider
ring groove
axial
clearance
rider ring
radial thickness

radial thickness

piston ring

inner DIA of
piston ring

axial
ring width

piston ring
groove DIA

outer DIA
of piston

cylinder DIA

Cylinder Rings

Nomenclature of Dimensions

6.6.1

Cylinder Ring Design Selection Main Factors

The main factors which influence the design selection are:

Pressures -> number of rings, style, material

Temperature -> material, type, ring sizes
Gas, its mol weight and state (lube, wet, dry, bone dry) -> number of rings
material, style
Cylinder, Piston and Rod design -> size, style
The allowable dimensions for our components -> number of rings, size, style
Required features (pin hole, pressure balancing or reliving) -> ring style
Counterface of the cylinder / liner or piston rod -> material

18/04/2012

Basic Understanding
Number of Rings According to Experience
Differential Pressure
bar gauge
psig

0 - 10
10
15
25
30
50
100
200
320

- 15
- 25
- 30
- 50
- 100
- 200
- 320
- 400

0 - 150
150
225
375
450
750
1500
3000
4725

- 225
- 375
- 450
- 750
- 1500
- 3000
- 4725
- 6000

Recommended Number
of PTFE-Rings per Piston

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6.2.6

Differential pressure for

single acting compressors : Outlet pressure minus atmospheric pressure
double acting compressors: Outlet pressure minus inlet pressure

Cylinder Rings Over Run Issue

Detail:

The piston rings must not leave the sliding area

Bearing surface

Ring stack length

Sliding area = uninterupted

cylinder length (UCL)

Over-run < 3 mm or
< 25 % of ring width

UCL = Piston ring stack length + piston stroke - 2 x over-run

18/04/2012

Basic Understanding
Ring Styles
Cut
straight cut

overlapped cut
or step cut

angle cut

Ring Profiles
without
expander

with
expander

twin
ring

pressure
balanced

6.2.3

Basic Understanding
Increasing Sealing Ability
Cut Rings with expander

Cut rings, pegged together.

Rings for low pressure

applications,large diameters

Twin Piston Ring

single acting:

Double Twin
Piston Ring:

Sealing is improved
by springing the ring
to the liner.

The smaller ring

blocks the gap in
the L-shaped ring
in one direction

Double twin
piston rings
seal in both
directions.

6.2.4

Basic Understanding
Pressure Compensation
Piston ring designs for high pressure application:
without pressure balancing
with pressure balancing
unbalanced
force

force profile

unbalanced
force

torsion

force profile

torsion

Piston rings without pressure balancing will wear quick at high

differential pressures due to high contact pressure between the piston
ring and the liner. Grooves and radial holes of pressure balanced rings
allow a controlled leakage to the outer ring diameter; thereby reducing
the unbalanced force and torsion moment promoting reduced wear.

6.2.5

Standard Piston Ring Types

Ring Type 0800
Description:
Simplest ring with
rectangular section
and straight cut (gap).

Ring will not spin,

therefore preferred on
soft aluminium piston

straight cut
6.3.1

Application:
Standard piston ring.

11

Standard Piston Ring Types

Ring Type 0801
Description:
Ring with rectangular section
and angle cut.

Greater sealing efficiency

created by longer leakage
path for gas due to angle cut.

Ring gap will not form witness

lines on the cylinder liner.

angle cut

Application:
Standard piston ring for
non brittle materials.

6.3.2

12

Standard Piston Ring Types

Ring Type 0804
Description:
Ring with rectangular
section and angle cut,
2 piece design.

angle cut

Application:
For smaller ring diameters
and less flexible materials,
to mount without warming up.

6.3.3

13

Standard Piston Ring Types

Ring Type 0808
Description:
Ring with rectangular section
and step cut, greater sealing
efficiency created by smaller
gaps, more expensive.

step cut,
(overlapped gap)

Application:
Piston ring for greater sealing
efficiency.
Not for brittle materials!

6.3.4

14

Standard Piston Ring Types

Ring Type 0811
Description:
Ring with rectangular section
and step cut, 3 piece design,
greater sealing efficiency
created by smaller gaps,
more expensive.
step cut
(overlapped gap)

Application:
For smaller ring diameters
and less flexible materials,
(especially metallic rings,
e.g. Bronze).

6.3.5

15

Standard Piston Ring Types

Pressure Balanced Ring Type 0803
Description:
Pressure balanced ring with
rectangular section and angle cut.
Less pressure load but approx.
the same cross sectional area.

angle cut

Application:

6.3.6

For high differential pressure per

ring. Longer life than plain rings.
16

Standard Piston Ring Types

Pressure Balanced Ring Type 0805
Description:
Pressure balanced ring with
rectangular section and angle
cut, 2-piece design.
Less pressure load but approx.
the same cross sectional area.

angle cut

Application:
For high differential pressure
per ring, longer life than plain
rings. For non-flexible materials.

6.3.7

17

Standard Piston Ring Types

Twin Piston Ring Type 0820

gap

Twin ring consisting of an

L-ring and a rectangular ring
both straight cut and pegged
together so that the gap of the
rectangular ring is covered
by the L-ring.

gap

Description:

rectangular ring
L-ring

Application:
The Twin Piston Ring is single
acting and only seals against
the small rectangular ring.
For light gases.

6.3.8

L-ring

rectangular ring

18

Standard Piston Ring Types

T-Section Double Twin Ring Type 0816
Description:
Double Twin Ring consisting
of a T-ring type 0816 and
2 rectangular rings all straight
cut and pegged together so
that the gaps of the rectangular
rings are covered by the T-ring.

rectangular rings
T-ring type 0816
6.3.9

Application:
Double Twin Rings seal
in both directions.

T-ring

Rectangular rings

19

Rider Rings
for Compressors

6.4

Basic Understanding

Ring Types

20

Rider Rings - Basics

Functions of Rider Ring is to:
support the piston

Factors which influence

prevent it from contacting the liner.

The Rider Ring should not seal the gas !

18/04/2012

Rider Ring wear:

specific bearing load

ring projection
piston velocity
liner surface quality
liner cooling
gas type
gas condition
bedding in procedure

21

Basic Understanding
Task - Calculation
Task:
to prevent the piston from contacting the cylinder liner.
the rider ring should not seal the gas.

Design Criteria:

Specific load values:

lube
non lube

OD

bearing load
piston and liner material
hardness of the liner
surface quality of the liner
lube or non lube
gas type
0,07 MPa
0,035 MPa

Calculation of load:
=

width of rider ring

6.4.1

weight of the piston* + half the rod weight*

OD of rider ring x width of all rider rings

* for V- and W-form compressors only the component of weight vertical to the liner

22

Basic Understanding
Axial Clearance
axial clearance

Correct design of axial clearance

is important for good operation

axial clearance
is too great

The ring moves backwards and

forwards in the piston groove
hitting both groove side faces
causing the ring and the groove
side faces to be damaged.

axial clearance
is too small

Ring is deformed so that it

bellows within the groove.

6.4.3