Gardner-Denver Rotary Screw Compressor Evaluation

[sergeyzhan]

Hello, everybody:
I'm back again on the old horse.
I'm trying to choose between the Gardner-Denver rotary screw compressor and other types. So far we have enough experience with majority but Gardner-Denver. An information I have is only an optimistic G-D sales agent type. So, I made a small questionary together with our maintenance manager to use Your professional expertise as a user, not a seller.
I would very appreciate if you could find some time and look through it. Any information you can provide will be very helpfull!
Thank you beforehand,
Sergeyzhan

1.How long do you own the system?
2.Does the unit have an automatic oiling system?
3.Does the unit have an automatic shut-off system for detecting proper lubrication and water-cooling system?
4.How long does it take start the unit from the cold start?
5.How often does the unit need to be checked (schedule for rounds)?
6.When the unit is 24/7 regimes, how often does it have to be shut down for maintenance inspection and necessary repairs?
7.What is the typical outage time?
8.What is the average cost of outage?
9.Do you have any comments other than listed?

 

[nickelkid]

Local support is very important, but you should not need very much of it with a quality piece of equipment. What type of power consumption are we talking about? Are there other unusal conditions?

 

[zdas04]

I've been operating a fleet of flooded screw compressors that has been mostly GD for 6 years. During this time the compressor fabricator I use was bought out by a competitor. The original company had the approach that screw compressors were disposable and ran them to failure (the journal bearings on the SSQ and bigger machines seem to wear to the point where the rotor is in the frame in about 4.5-5.0 years of continous service). The new company swaps frames at 4 years and replaces all the bearings. The new way is much better.

Most of my Gardner-Denver machines are SSY's (370 mm rotor) and they turn pretty slowly (1800 rpm engine driver with 1.2:1 internal gears). Last year I started running a couple of dozen Sullair 260 mm screws with 1.81 gears (almost the same tip speed with much lower inertia). After a year, fuel for the Sullairs is a couple of percentage points lower than the GD's (my fuel last year was 1.4 BCF so small changes are pretty worthwhile), but I can't tell any difference in reliability (both are excellent--over 99% run time, 76% Hp utilization, and very little lost oil).

I think a detailed answer to your specific questions would require a consulting fee.