Compressor Packing

Packing Function
A packing case seals high pressure gas Gas seeks low pressure - it will come down the rod into the distance piece area Rings in the packing cup seal around the piston rod to prevent leakage Most cases have tie studs - for alignment only, not for tightening the case

Piston

Packing Cup Wear

Wear occurs on the seal face rather than in the groove

Cup re-working is always done on the seal face

Removal of too much area from the seal face and subsequent reduction of the land thickness below that specified for the operating pressure will require cup replacement

Packing Rings
Function

P Pressure Breaker Ring

Does not seal pressure but acts as a built-in leaker to buffer gas pressure Most important function is to slow the backflow of gas back down the rod on the suction or intake stroke. Without buffering, this backflow could blow rings off the rod, damaging garter springs and cup I.D. The three cuts in the P ring are the flowpaths for gas Clearance at the ring segments is necessary but but should not be greater than .010 per inch of rod diameter for cast iron and bronze rings

Nylon, phenolics and Teflons require more clearance because of thermal expansion

Correct Orientation of P Ring

BT Packing Ring
Single Acting Rings Proper Side Must Face Pressure

Radially cut ring is installed toward the pressure side; tangentially or angle-cut ring is installed on down pressure side Letters on both rings are always to the pressure side. In assembly, match the two closest letters toward segment ends, then place the ring segment with the letter towards its center on the opposite side
Because ring cuts overlap, there is no leak path as with a P ring. As a result the BT seals on the compression stroke but leaks at the cuts on the suction stroke making it a single-acting ring.

B
Ring as assembled on rod Ring as assembled on rod

A A
Pressure Side

BT rings are made in all materials

BTR Packing Ring (prevent extrusion)

Identical to the BT except for a third ring on the down pressure side that prevents extrusion and removes frictional heat from the rod surface Single acting like the BT sealing on one direction
B B C

Generally the BT section is plastic while the spacer or back-up ring is metal

Pressure Side

Single Acting Rings

The back-up ring, while it may be metal, can be used in non-lube applications because it does not ride on the rod and it has clearance BTR rings are used generally with pressure ranging between 700 and 2500 psi

TR Packing Ring (high pressure)

Tangentially or angle cut ring is toward the pressure side; radially cut ring is installed on down pressure side. Installation is the opposite of that for the BT ring
The TR is not doweled Face notches keep the ring from sealing against the cup on the suction stroke making the TR a single-acting ring The tangent cut ring is plastic while the radial cut ring, which serves as an anti-extrusion ring, is generally metal or rigid plastic TR rings have no pressure limitation and have been used successfully in cases up to 25,000 psi

Pressure Side

Down Pressure Side

Single Acting Rings

BD ring (very high pressure)

Double-acting rings are generally used around a vent where air could be pulled back into the machine Often used on either side of a vent depending on pressure conditions. The lower the pressure the more likely a BD should be used Tangent cuts on this (and also the BT) are step tangents. Rings can only close so far before they hit at the joint and cant close any further Step tangents enable you in installation to pack cases before putting the rods back in

Ring as assembled on rod

Ring as assembled on rod

Double Acting Rings Either Side May Face Pressure

Seal Rings Required in a Packing Case

2000 (+) psi .5-7 rings
800-2000..4-6 rings

300-8003-5 rings
below 300.2-4 rings
Pressure breakers are not counted in a packing case - only seal rings

Packing Rod Maintenance

Escape passage

Escape passage

Taper conditions are normally found at one or the other end of the stroke Wedge shape is worn in ring by the contact with only a portion of the ring contacting the rod Escape passage is created by wedge shape

Packing Rod Maintenance

(Continued)

An oversized ring will cause rings to make contact only at joints, fatiguing and breaking rings in the middle of ring segments An undersized rod will cause fatigue and break off ears of ring segments

Packing Rod Maintenance

(Continued)

Rod or ring bore misalignments create the same effect as rod taper, it wears a wedge shape on ring bores, creating a gas leakage path A poor finish on the rod or rings will pull or flex rings also creating an angular shape on ring bores that will be a gas path

Rod or Ring Bore Misalignment

Lack of Flatness or Poor Finish

Lubrication Drip Configurations

Oil

Centered

Lubrication Drip Configurations

Oil

Centered Off-set

Breaking In Packing Rings

Break In: Metallics/ Rigid Ring Materials
250psi to 500psi to 750psi to 1000psi
(60-120 mins) (60-120 mins) (60-120 mins)

Typical break-in for metal rings or hardened plastic is to come in at low pressure increments and increase until the rings seat Little or no break-in is required for Teflon or soft plastics

Wiper Rings
Function
Wiper packing keeps oil on crankshaft side of compressor

Sealing rings in wiper packings also

block gas pulsations or flow through the packing

Wiper Ring

A
A

RWS

the most basic and most commonly used wiper ring combination function is to wipe the rod and drain fluid away

Wiper Maintenance
Troubleshooting Wipers Check Clearance Check Rod Condition Check Cup Condition Check Drain Opening Check Ring Material and Style Check Spring Tension and Condition
Between .006 and .0075 side clearance is standard in a three-ring wiper set-up Oil getting into rod scratches or gouges will travel down the rod and out the other side Improper depth or clearance in the cup will bind rings A stopped drain will cause dirty oil or oil with abrasives to remain in the packing Everything else being o.k., ring material may need to be changed to better suit the service In some instances another cup needs to be added For wipers, high hardness and lowest possible wear rate is ideal

Any Questions?