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Quest Training

Reciprocating & Screw Compressors: Operation, Maintenance & Troubleshooting Training Course

Explains how reciprocating and screw compressors work, from components, lubrication and capacity control to start-up, routine maintenance and troubleshooting.

MEC · Mechanical EngineeringAll Levels#2836ClassroomEnglish , Arabic
Duration
5 Days
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Free substitution at any time · 30+ days' notice: full refund minus 10%. Cancellation policy

Sectors:Industrial Engineering, Maintenance & OperationsCategories:Mechanical Engineering

Course Overview

Reciprocating and screw compressors are essential assets in oil and gas facilities, petrochemical plants, gas processing units, and industrial production systems. Their reliability directly affects process continuity, equipment availability, energy consumption, and operational safety. Understanding the differences between these compressor technologies and their operating characteristics enables maintenance and operations teams to improve performance and prevent costly equipment failures. This course provides practical technical knowledge of reciprocating and rotary screw compressors, covering their operating principles, major components, performance characteristics, lubrication systems, cooling arrangements, capacity control, and protection systems. Participants will examine routine operating procedures, start-up and shutdown requirements, preventive and predictive maintenance, inspection techniques, and common failure mechanisms. Particular attention is given to vibration, overheating, abnormal noise, lubrication problems, leakage, capacity loss, and deviations in suction and discharge conditions. Through practical exercises and equipment-based case studies, participants will develop systematic troubleshooting skills, interpret operating data, identify the root causes of performance deterioration, and select appropriate corrective actions. The programme supports improved compressor reliability, reduced unplanned downtime, more effective maintenance planning, and safer operation across industrial facilities.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the operating principles and design characteristics of reciprocating and screw compressors.
  • Identify major compressor components and understand their functions.
  • Monitor compressor operating parameters and evaluate performance deviations.
  • Apply safe start-up, shutdown, and routine operating procedures.
  • Understand lubrication, cooling, sealing, and capacity control systems.
  • Develop preventive and predictive maintenance practices for both compressor types.
  • Identify common mechanical, operational, and process-related failure modes.
  • Analyse vibration, temperature, pressure, noise, and lubrication-related symptoms.
  • Apply structured troubleshooting and root-cause analysis techniques.
  • Recommend corrective actions to improve reliability, efficiency, and equipment service life.

Who Should Attend

Mechanical and rotating equipment engineers. Compressor maintenance and reliability engineers. Mechanical technicians responsible for compressor servicing and repairs. Plant operators and control room operators. Maintenance supervisors and planners. Oil and gas production, gas processing, and petrochemical personnel. Reliability, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance specialists. Technical professionals responsible for equipment performance and availability.

Learning Outcomes

  • Differentiate between reciprocating and rotary screw compressor technologies and their applications.
  • Identify the functions of cylinders, pistons, valves, crankshafts, rotors, bearings, and sealing arrangements.
  • Interpret compressor operating data and recognise deviations from normal performance.
  • Explain the effects of suction conditions, discharge pressure, temperature, and gas properties on compressor performance.
  • Assess lubrication, cooling, sealing, and capacity control system performance.
  • Perform structured routine inspection and maintenance checks.
  • Recognise symptoms of valve failure, rotor wear, bearing deterioration, excessive vibration, and overheating.
  • Diagnose common causes of reduced capacity, abnormal discharge temperature, leakage, and excessive power consumption.
  • Apply root-cause analysis to recurring compressor failures.
  • Develop practical maintenance and reliability improvement recommendations.

Course Outline

Day 1

Compressor Fundamentals, Design, and Operating Principles

  • Overview of positive displacement compressors and their industrial applications.
  • Comparison of reciprocating and rotary screw compressors in terms of design, capacity, pressure, efficiency, and operating characteristics.
  • Reciprocating compressor components: cylinders, pistons, piston rings, suction and discharge valves, connecting rods, and crankshafts.
  • Screw compressor components: male and female rotors, casing, bearings, timing gears, and sealing arrangements.
  • Single-stage and multistage compression and the role of intercoolers and aftercoolers.
  • Gas compression principles, pressure ratios, volumetric efficiency, and basic performance calculations.
  • Compressor operating envelopes, process requirements, and manufacturer operating limits.
  • Practical Exercise: Compare technical data for reciprocating and screw compressors and identify the most suitable technology for selected operating conditions.
Day 2

Compressor Operation, Control, and Monitoring

  • Pre-start-up inspections and readiness checks for compressor packages.
  • Start-up, normal operation, shutdown, and restart procedures.
  • Monitoring suction and discharge pressure, temperature, flow, power consumption, and vibration.
  • Lubrication systems, oil condition, oil pressure, and filtration requirements.
  • Cooling systems, intercoolers, aftercoolers, and discharge temperature management.
  • Capacity control methods: clearance pockets, cylinder unloading, speed control, slide valves, and variable-speed drives.
  • Compressor protection systems, alarms, trips, and operating interlocks.
  • Practical Exercise: Evaluate a compressor operating scenario using pressure, temperature, vibration, and lubrication data to identify abnormal conditions and determine appropriate operator responses.
Day 3

Preventive Maintenance, Inspection, and Condition Monitoring

  • Developing preventive and predictive maintenance programmes based on operating duty and manufacturer recommendations.
  • Inspection of reciprocating compressor valves, piston rings, cylinders, rods, bearings, and crankcase components.
  • Inspection of screw compressor rotors, bearings, seals, casing, and oil separation systems.
  • Lubricant selection, oil analysis, contamination control, and filtration performance.
  • Vibration monitoring, temperature trending, acoustic observations, and other condition monitoring techniques.
  • Alignment, coupling inspection, fastener integrity, and foundation condition.
  • Maintenance documentation, service intervals, spare parts planning, and maintenance history.
  • Practical Exercise: Review a compressor maintenance record and condition monitoring report, identify emerging deterioration indicators, and prepare a prioritised maintenance action plan.
Day 4

Troubleshooting and Root-Cause Analysis

  • Diagnosing low capacity, excessive power consumption, and reduced compression efficiency.
  • Investigating abnormal discharge temperature, high vibration, unusual noise, and pressure fluctuations.
  • Reciprocating compressor faults: leaking or damaged valves, piston ring wear, rod problems, and excessive clearance.
  • Screw compressor faults: rotor contact, bearing wear, oil carryover, seal failure, and lubrication deficiencies.
  • Identifying causes of overheating, inadequate cooling, oil contamination, and lubrication pressure loss.
  • Assessing the effects of suction restrictions, discharge backpressure, gas composition, and process instability.
  • Applying fault isolation, evidence-based diagnosis, and root-cause analysis methods.
  • Practical Exercise: Diagnose a simulated compressor failure using operating trends and inspection findings, identify the probable root cause, and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
Day 5

Reliability Improvement, Maintenance Planning, and Safe Equipment Management

  • Evaluating compressor availability, reliability, mean time between failures (MTBF), and mean time to repair (MTTR).
  • Identifying recurring failure patterns and opportunities to reduce unplanned downtime.
  • Maintenance planning, job preparation, spare parts criticality, and repair coordination.
  • Overhaul planning, component inspection, dimensional checks, and post-maintenance verification.
  • Safe isolation, depressurisation, stored-energy control, and lockout/tagout (LOTO) requirements.
  • Applying manufacturer recommendations and relevant industry standards to maintenance and equipment management.
  • Energy efficiency improvement through operating optimisation, leakage reduction, and performance monitoring.
  • Practical Exercise: Develop a reliability improvement plan for a compressor package using failure history, maintenance findings, and operating performance indicators.

Upcoming Dates

Selected date

Lisbon · 11 – 15 Jan 2027 · Classroom

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13 – 17 Dec 2026€4,700€4,230until 23 Nov
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14 – 18 Dec 2026€5,300€4,770until 23 Nov
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20 – 24 Dec 2026€4,800€4,320until 30 Nov
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28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€7,700€6,930until 7 Dec
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AmsterdamScheduled
29 Mar – 2 Apr 2027€6,000€5,400until 8 Mar
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CairoScheduled
18 – 22 Apr 2027€3,800€3,420until 29 Mar
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CasablancaScheduled
26 – 30 Apr 2027€4,700€4,230until 5 Apr
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Cape TownScheduled
26 – 30 Apr 2027€7,700€6,930until 5 Apr
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