Case Study

When a large beverage producer in the Philippines needed more durable compressor components than its OEM supplier could offer, Cook Compression was ready to respond.

The customer wanted to increase the service life of piston and rider rings in a Broomwade VMD 1500 2-stage, 377 hp, non-lubricated, utility air compressor with final delivery pressure of 100 psig. The first stage cylinder bore is 20.375 inches and the second stage bore is 12.25 inches. The OEM rings they had been using were manufactured from glass-filled PTFE and needed replacement every eight to 12 months.

Upgraded Ring Material

Seeking increased reliability and improved technical support, the customer contacted Azeri Industrial Sales, a Cook Compression representative for the Philippines. The Cook representative compiled dimensional specifications from used pistons, as well as detailed operating parameters for the unit.

Cook engineers recommended rings produced with TruTech^® P2210, a special polymer alloy that has demonstrated outstanding performance in a variety of lubricated and non-lubricated applications. TruTech P2210 has provided exceptional wear behavior with air, methane, propane, LNG and bone dry gases.

The customer installed the Cook Compression rings in the first stage cylinder to test their service life with OEM rings in the second stage.

Results: Extended Run Times

The Cook Compression rings were inspected after six months of operation and the customer found no significant wear. A second inspection five months later revealed equally impressive results. At this time, the Cook rings with 11 months of operation were compared to the OEM rings from the second stage with only eight months of operation. Despite being in use three months longer, the Cook piston and rider rings had at least ¼ inch more radial thickness than the OEM rings.

Based on these results, the customer installed Cook Compression rings in the second cylinder and has achieved its goals of extended run times, reduced costs and increased productivity.