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A note from Robert X. Perez:

Welcome to this installment of Compressor University!

Most high-speed centrifugal compressors rely on fluid film bearings-such as tilting pad journal (TPJ) bearings and equalized (Kingsbury style) thrust bearings-for rotor support and positioning. A compressor's rotor position must be maintained within a few thousandths of an inch to operate efficiently and reliably. A bearing failure will not only mean a compressor shutdown; it could also result in secondary or peripheral damage to costly internal parts. Early detection of a bearing failure may only result in an outage lasting a few days, but an undetected failure, causing major internal damage, can force an outage for weeks or months. 

Pumps & Systems, July 2008

Welcome to the first installment of Compressor University. The mission of this column is to educate readers in a practical manner about industrial compressor technology with an emphasis on efficiency, reliability and safety. 

Pumps & Systems, November 2007

Propane refrigeration systems are often required in the natural gas processing industry to provide the required chilling in condensing heavy components for a rich gas. This study explains a simple correlation to estimate compressor power and condenser duty per refrigeration duty in three-stage propane refrigerant systems - important parameters to consider when designing any refrigeration system.

Pumps & Systems, April 2008

A look at the role that liquid ring vacuum pumps and compressors play in the ethanol and biodiesel production process.