Jack O’Leary DB00096030

Fleetwood Nautical College

Air compressor operation

Certain steps and systematic procedure need to be followed in order to start
or stop an air compressor on a ship. In this article, we will learn how to start
and stop an air compressor and also find out checks that are need to be made
before starting the air compressor and also during its operation.

Checks before Starting the Air Compressor

The following steps are to be followed before starting an air compressor on a

ship.

1) Check the lube oil in the crankcase sump by means of dipstick or sight
glass.

2) All the valves of compressor discharge must be in normally open condition.

3) If any manual valve is present in un-loader line, it must always be kept

open.

4) All alarms and trips- Lube oil low pressure, water high temperature, over
load trip etc. must be checked for operation.

5) All valves in cooling water line must be in normally open position.

6) Cocks for all the pressure gauges must be in open position.

7) Air intake filter should be clean.

8 ) If compressor has not been started from long time than it should be turned
on manually with a tommy-bar to check for the free movement of its parts.

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

Starting and Stopping procedure: What is Unloading the compressor?

Unloading is a normal procedure during the starting and stopping of the

compressor. It is carried out due to following reasons:

1) When starting a compressor motor, since the load on the motor is very high
the starting current is also high. In order to avoid further loading of the
compressor an un-loader arrangement is provided which is normally
pneumatic or solenoid control and which releases the pressure during the
starting of the compressor. Once the current comes down to the running
value, the un-loader closes automatically. Normally a timer function is used for
opening and closing of un-loader.

2) Air contains moisture and during the compression process some amount of
moisture gets released. Liquid in any form is incompressible and if some
amount of oily water mixture is present inside the cylinder then it will damage
the compressor. To overcome this problem un-loader is used. During starting
un-loader comes in action and releases all the moisture accumulated inside
the cylinder.

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Fleetwood Nautical College

3) Intermediate operation of un-loader is also selected so that during the

process of compression any moisture or oil accumulation cannot take place
inside it.

4) During stopping the compressor un-loader is operated so that for the next
starting the cylinder will remain moisture free.

Checks during the Operation of Compressor:

1) Check if all the pressure gauges are showing correct readings of lube oil
pressure, water pressure etc.

2) Check for any abnormal sound like knocking etc.

3) Check for any lube oil or water leakages.

4) If cylinder lubrication is provided, check the supply from sight glass.

5) Check if the discharge pressure for all units is normal.

6) Check air temperature after the final stage is under limit.

7) Check the flow of cooling water from sight glass.

8 ) If attached cooling water pump is provided check for its free rotation.

9) Check the relief valve of all units for leakage. In some compressor,
provision is given to check the relief valve with hand lever, if provided check
all units.

Every Air compressor on a ship is fitted with several safety features to avoid
abnormal and dangerous operational errors of the equipment. If safety, alarms
and trips are not present on the air compressor, abnormal operation may lead

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

to breakdown of the compressor and may also injure a person working on or

around it.

Different safety features on an air compressor are

Relief valve:

Fitted after every stage to release excess pressure developed inside it. The
setting of the lifting pressure increases after every ascending stage. Normally
fitted between 1st stage and intercooler and 2nd stage – aftercooler.
Bursting disc:

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

A bursting disc is a copper disc provided at the air cooler of the compressor. It
is a safety disc which bursts when the pressure exceeds over the pre-
determined value due to leaky air tubes of the cooler (intercooler or
aftercooler).

Fusible plug:

Generally located on the discharge side of the compressor, it fuses if the air
temperature is higher than the operational temperature. The fusible plug is
made up of material which melts at high temperature.

Lube Oil low pressure alarm and trip:

If the lube oil pressure goes lower than the normal, the alarm is sounded
followed by a cut out trip signal to avoid damage to bearings and crank shaft.

Water high temperature trip:

If the intercoolers are choked or the flow of water is less, then the air
compressor will get over heated. To avoid this situation high water
temperature trip is activated which cut offs the compressor.

Water no-flow trip:

If the attached pump is not working or the flow of water inside the intercooler
is not enough to cool the compressor then moving part inside the compressor
will get seized due to overheating. A no flow trip is provided which
continuously monitor the flow of water and trips the compressor when there is
none.

Motor Overload trip:

If the current taken by motor during running or starting is very high then there
is a possibility of damage to the motor. An overload trip is thus fitted to avoid
such situation.

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

Maintenance

A compressor requires a proper planned routine maintenance for safe and

efficient operation and to avoid breakdown maintenance. Routine for
maintenance depends on the manufacturer’s advice given in the manual. The
following are the maintenance checks that should be carried out after the
mentioned running hours.

@ 250hrs:

1) Clean air filter.

2) Check un-loader operation.
3) If belt is provided for driving cooling water pump, check its tightness.

@ 500hrs:

1) Change lube oil and clean sump.

2) Clean lube oil filter.
3) Check and renew suction and discharge valves with overhauled one.

@ 1000 hrs:

1) Crankcase inspection, main and big end bearing inspection.

2) Relief valve overhauling.

@ 4000 hrs:
1) Piston and big end bearing overhauling, piston ring renewal.
2) Intercooler cleaning.
3) Motor overhauling.

Running hour may differ from maker to maker. The above description is a
rough idea for a general maintenance of marine air compressor.

Without the supply of air, a ship will soon be termed as a dead ship. It is very
important for a marine engineer to understand the importance of the

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

compressor; hence it’s the responsibility of the engineer onboard to maintain

the compressor, the air receiver and the air pipe line and the overall system in
the proper condition.

Troubleshooting Air Compressors on

a Ship: The Ultimate Guide
Air compressors on a ship require special attention and care for their smooth
running. It is only through routine maintenance and checkups that you can
expect smooth and efficient running of the compressors. 

However, compressor is a peculiar equipment which tends to get some or the

other problem while working. In this article, we will go through each and every
problem that can arise in an air compressor and also enumerate

This is the ultimate guide for troubleshooting air compressors on a ship

1)Lube Oil Pressure Low

The following can be the reasons for lube oil pressure low in the air
compressor:

 Faulty pressure gauge.

 Cock to pressure gauge in closed position.
 Low oil level in the sump.
 Leakage in supply pipe.
 Suction filter is choked.
 Oil grade in the crank case is not compatible.
 Attached Lube oil gear pump is faulty.
 Worn out Bearing, clearance is more.

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

2)  Abnormal noise during operation

If you get any abnormal noise during operation, the following can be the
reasons:

 Loose foundation bolts.

 Worn out bearings, clearance is high.
 Imbalance crankshaft resulting in high-end play.
 Valve plate broken or faulty.
 Relief valve lifting below setting pressure.
 Bumping clearance is less.
 Piston worn-out, broken piston ring.

3)Vibration in the machinery:

In case of vibrations, the following reasons are to be considered and checked.

 Foundation bolts are loose.

 Discharge pressure high, faulty discharge valve plates.
 Liner and piston worn out.
 Small bumping clearance.

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

4)Cooling water temperature is high

Cooling water temperature can go high because of the following reasons: 

 Inlet or outlet valve for cooling water is closed.

 Inter-cooler is chocked.
 Cooling water in the expansion tank is low.
 Pipe passage becomes narrow due to scale formation.
 Water-pump belt or gear drive broken.
 Pump not working.

5)First stage discharge pressure high

In case the first stage discharge pressure is high, it must be because of :

 Pressure gauge is faulty.

 Inter-cooler air passage is chocked.
 Second stage suction valve is not closing properly, allowing air to
escape from 2  to 1  stage.
nd st

 Discharge valve of first stage is malfunctioning, and remains in closed

position.
 Spring of discharge valve is malfunctioning.

6)  First stage discharge pressure low

In case the first stage discharge pressure is low, it must be because of :

 Pressure gauge is faulty.

 Suction filter is choked.
 Unloader of first stage is leaking.

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

 First stage suction valve is not closing properly, resulting in

compressed air leakage.
 First stage suction valve is not opening fully, leading to less intake of
air.
 Discharge valve is faulty and remains open permanently.
 Relief valve after first stage is leaking.
 Piston ring of first stage is badly worn out, allowing air to pass.

7)Second stage discharge pressure high:

In case of high discharge pressure in the second stage, the reasons can be:

 Faulty pressure gauge.

 Discharge valve to air bottle is shut.
 Second stage discharge valve plate worn out, and even the
spring worn out.
 Valve is stuck in closed position.
 After cooler air passage choked.
 Air bottle is over pressurized.

8 )Second stage discharge pressure low:

When second stage discharge pressure is low, it could be because  of:

 Pressure gauge is faulty.

 Suction valve for second stage is malfunctioning, in open position.
 Suction valve for second stage is not opening fully, and thus less intake
of air.
 Discharge valve is faulty and remains open during operation.
 Piston rings of second stage are worn out, leaking out compressed air.
 Relief valve of second stage is leaking.
 Un-loader of second stage is leaking.

9)Relief valve of first stage lifting

If relief valve of the first stage is lifting, it can be because of

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 Jack O’Leary DB00096030
Fleetwood Nautical College

 Spring of relief valve is malfunctioning, thus lifting at less pressure.

 Discharge valve of first stage is not opening.
 Intercooler air passage is blocked.
 Suction valve of second stage is in stuck position.
 Water inside the compression chamber due to crack in the jacket and
water is leaking inside.

10)Relief valve of second stage is lifting

If relief valve of the second stage is lifting, look for the following reasons:

 Relief valve is malfunctioning, lifting at lower then setting pressure.

 Main discharge valve to the air bottle is closed.
 Discharge valve plates and spring are worn out, valve in closed
position.
 Blockage in the after cooler air passage.
 Water inside the compression chamber due to crack jacket.

The above mentioned points are just a brief explanation to the problems of the air compressor
tackled on board. However, they   serve as a guiding light for finding the right fault in the
compressor.

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