Abstract: This paper carries out relevant modifications for the large-scale imported compressor interstage cooler aiming at existing problems including damage and shedding of corrugated fins on the windward side of the hot-air passage, gap corrosion and blockage of corrugated fins, severe corrosion and leakage of tube bundles, significant bending deformation during integral hoisting, frequent fracture of tie rods between upper and lower side plates, as well as low heat-exchange efficiency. Modification measures are implemented as follows: installing perforated-plate anti-erosion baffles on the air-inlet side of the cooler; adding mist eliminators on the cold-air side; replacing the material of heat-exchange fins from aluminum alloy to red copper; changing the original 4 mm-thick downward-bent steel plates for upper and lower side plates to 12 mm-thick upward-bent steel plates, increasing the thickness of carbon-steel reinforcing plates in the middle of tube bundles from 2 mm to 4 mm, connecting the reinforcing plate assemblies to upper and lower side plates via bolts while removing the connecting screw rods between the original upper and lower side plates; retrofitting the roller structure of side bottom plates; installing automatic drain traps; installing low-potential zinc blocks to inhibit corrosion of copper alloys based on the principle of sacrificial-anode cathodic protection; and adjusting circulating water quality. Through this series of improvements, the problems existing in the compressor interstage cooler have been eliminated. The above-mentioned measures can provide references for fault treatment and energy-saving retrofitting of coolers of similar centrifugal air compressors.

Key words: centrifugal compressorlinterstage coolerlcorrugated finslcorrode