Compressor Oils

Overview

Compressors provide pressurized energy for virtually every industry. ConocoPhillips offers a full range of compressor oils that lubricate the moving parts of compressors to improve performance, lower maintenance costs and reduce the formation of harmful deposits.

Compressor oils are specially formulated for the type of compressor, gas to be compressed, discharge temperature and pressure.

What does a compressor lubricant do?

• Improves performance

• Provides a protective surface film to minimize friction and protect exposed metal parts

• Acts as a sealing fluid

• Lowers maintenance costs
  

• Serves as a direct contact coolant to absorb the heat of compression

• Reduces the formation of harmful deposits

Compressor Basics

There are many types of compressors, including rotary screw, rotary vane, reciprocating and centrifugal compressors. Rotary screw compressors represent approximately 80 percent of the industrial market for compressors.
All compressors generally work in the same manner as a rotary screw compressor (see diagram below) to increase gas pressure by reducing its volume, thereby delivering pressure energy

Synthetic Oil Benefits

In rotary screw air compressors:

•Extended oil service life (8,000+ hours)
•Reduced formation of sludge, varnish and carbonaceoLls deposits
•Electrical savings of 2-5%
•Cooler oil temperature
•Cooler discharge of compressed air
•Lower oil consumption
•Less oil carryover In centrifugal compressors:
•Increased energy efficiency
•Extended bearing life
•Lubricant does not contact the compressed air In reciprocating air compressors:
•Reduced carbon deposits on compressor valves
•Reduced oil feed rates (20-30% lower, in drops per minute) to compressor cylinders
•Higher flash points and fire points versus mineral oils
•Higher auto-ignition temperatures versus mineral oils
•Reduced wear of piston rings and packing In rotary vane air compressors:
•Reduced wear and formation of gums and sludge on vanes and slots
•Increases in oil drain intervals where the lubricating system is a circulatory system
•Reduced oil feed rates in dpm (drops per minute) in total loss (non-circulatory) systems

Recommended oils:

Syndustrial® PAG Compressor Oil

Premium-quality synthetic lubricant for use in centrifugal and oil-flooded rotary screw and rotary vane compressors processing natural gas, carbon dioxide, propane or other hydrocarbon gases

 

Syncon® R&O Oil

Multipurpose synthetic circulating oil particularly recommended for circulating systems and lightly loaded enclosed industrial gearboxes where operating conditions may be unfavorable or too severe for conventional mineral oil-based circulating oils.

 

Syncon® Refrigeration Oil

Premium-quality synthetic lubricant for use in rotary screw compressors in refrigeration service compressing ammonia, methyl chloride or carbon dioxide

 

Syndustrial® Rotary Compressor Oil

Premium-quality synthetic lubricant for use in oil-flooded rotary screw, rotary lobe and rotary vane air compressors where operating conditions are unfavorable or too severe for conventional mineral oil-based compressor oils

 

Air Compressor Oil

Inhibited circulating oil specifically developed for use in centrifugal and rotary gas compressors handling ammonia or other aqueous gases.

 

Gas Compressor Oil

High-quality lubricant developed for the lubrication of oil-flooded rotary compressors and reciprocating compressors in natural gas service. Formulated to minimize the effects of gas dilution and oil absorption.

 

Ammonia Compressor Oil

High-quality circulating oil developed for use in reciprocating, centrifugal and rotary screw compressors used in ammonia refrigeration systems, as well as refrigeration systems using carbon dioxide

 

Wet Gas Compressor Oil

High-quality lubricant developed for oil-flooded rotary compressors and for cylinder lubrication in reciprocating compressors in natural gas service.

 

Refrigerant Compressor Oil

Highly refined, naphthenic mineral oil developed primarily for USE in reciprocating and rotary screw compressors in refrigeration systems using ammonia, carbon dioxide or non-HFC refrigerant