A full-size prototypical test facility was designed and built to test nonmetallic materials in support of reciprocating compressor applications. Conventional test rigs utilize a pin- or ring-on-disk configuration to produce wear data in rotary motion under relatively low applied loads. In contrast, the subject test facility is constructed around a 9-inch (23-cm) stroke compressor frame. The test specimen and counterface configurations are similar to compressor packing rings and piston rods, respectively, and specimens are spring-loaded to variable levels encompassing actual compressor conditions.

Testing to date has been performed at 500 rpm, 200°F (93°C), and three different load levels [65, 130 and 195 psi (450, 900 and 1350 kPa)]. Material wear rate in air versus specimen pressure reveals a linear relationship with a slope of approximately 0.12 mils/day/psi (0.44 μm/day/kPa). The wear performance of six different materials has been ranked in air. Future testing will focus on creating a database for material wear rates in air and nitrogen.

Subject
Wear, Air pressure, Test methods, Fixtures, Materials, Materials performance, Slopes, Polytetrafluoroethylene, Rods, Springs, Test environments, Fibers, Test specimen
© 1999 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1999
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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