Troubleshooting for Overheating and Frosting of CO₂ Recovery Compressors
Fix Liquid Carryover Issues
The CO₂ recovery compressor serves as core equipment for boosting gas utilization efficiency and controlling operational costs in supercritical CO₂ extraction production lines. In actual operation, abnormal unit overheating and inlet pipeline frosting are two recurring and troublesome faults. Most conventional troubleshooting practices only focus on refrigeration system inspection and equipment aging assessment, resulting in repeated maintenance work that fails to address the root causes. This persistent issue lowers CO₂ recovery efficiency and increases overall operating expenses.
Inadequate gas-liquid separation is the fundamental cause behind both faults, which leads to liquid carryover and compressor wet stroke problems. Under standard operating conditions, CO₂ fluid discharged from extraction vessels must be fully gaseous before entering the compressor. However, parameter deviations in gas-liquid separators, worn or damaged demister components, and unstable vacuum levels often result in incomplete separation. Trace liquid CO₂ and light material residues are then carried into the compressor inlet along with gaseous CO₂.
Liquid medium entering the compressor cylinder triggers two simultaneous abnormal conditions. On one hand, residual liquid CO₂ vaporizes rapidly inside the inlet pipeline and absorbs a large amount of ambient heat, causing severe pipeline frosting and low-temperature condensation. On the other hand, incompressible liquid medium increases cylinder operating resistance and friction heat, consequently activating overheating alarms and causing abnormal unit operation. Long-term wet stroke operation will accelerate wear on internal cylinder components and drastically shorten the compressor's service life.
Standardized troubleshooting and rectification procedures can effectively resolve these recurring faults. First, operators should verify that all pressure and temperature parameters of the gas-liquid separator stay within standard ranges, while checking the demister for blockage, deformation or damage. Second, calibrate the pressure matching parameters of the entire CO₂ recovery system to ensure complete gas-liquid stratification and prevent liquid medium from flowing into the compressor. Regular pipeline cleaning is also required to maintain smooth gas transmission and avoid secondary impurities accumulation.
Systematic rectification thoroughly eliminates compressor overheating and inlet frosting faults. Meanwhile, it significantly improves the purity and recovery rate of recycled CO₂ gas, optimizing the overall operational stability and economic benefits of the production line.
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