Water Cooled Packings

 
Water cooled packing cases are required for compressor cylinders based upon the average piston speed and average cylinder pressure. Cooled packing cases are supplied to help remove the heat generated as the piston rod/ packing friction increases with the higher pressures and piston speed.
 
Cooled packing cases are required for cylinders in accordance with the following chart:
 

Notes:
1.  All cylinders that have water cooled packing as standard must be connected to a water cooling system, unless prior approval is obtained from Ariel.
 
2.  The above chart applies for only pipeline quality gas.  Contact Ariel Application Engineering to determine if a water cooled packing is required if a separate lube supply is recommended by the Packager Standards and the application falls in Region 2.
 
 
The packing coolant is circulated through the packing cups as illustrated in the following drawing.
 
 
A packing coolant system is required for cooling of the packing case(s). The coolant should be a treated water / glycol solution. The flow shall be 1 gallon per minute for each inch of piston rod diameter and requires a nominal pressure drop of 30 psig. The cooler should be sized for a heat rejection rate of 70 btu/minute/inch of rod diameter and a coolant inlet temperature into the packing not to exceed 130 °F. Cooler water will increase the amount of heat that can be transferred to the water. Cooler water is better in higher pressure applications.
 
The following is a schematic of a typical packing cooling system.
 

 
 

Ariel Corporation Application Manual
17 Sept 2004