Topic 5 Engine, Drive Train and Compressor
Topic 5 Engine, Drive Train and Compressor
Gordon Mosher
November 2018
PUMPS
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MD6540 Caterpillar Engine Servicing
The Caterpillar C2512 HD engine is rated at 957 KW or 1,283 hp. Engine crankcase
holds 98 approx. 98 liters of oil. The engine oil level must be checked at the
beginning of every shift.
Engine Oil
Filters Fuel filters
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MD6540 Caterpillar Engine Servicing
Drive Shaft
Mounting Bolts
Right
Tram/Feed
Pump
Dipstick
Left
Tram/Rotation
Pump
Oil level
plug
Modified input
Output Pump Drives assembly
The “Funk” boxes used in the MD6540 have a center input shaft and are 1:1.1428
up-speed speed ratio 1800rpm input – 2057rpm output. The MD6540C has a
1:1.307 Up-speed ratio (1500rpm input – 1960rpm output) All the bearings are C3
ball bearings. Being C3 they have greater clearances. The bearings are a press fit
onto the gear shaft and are a sliding fit for the outer race into the housing. The
outer race and the housing fit quite easily together and are a loose fit. DO NOT
LOCTITE THE OUTER RACE OF THE BEARING IN. They are designed and
must be a loose fit. The outer race must be allowed to float. Once in operation the
outer race will expand from the heat to fit the housing perfectly.
The “Funk” box takes 13 litres of 85/140 gear oil. See Topic 10 for the servicing
and maintenance scheduling. In harsh operating conditions it is advisable to
change the Pump Drive oil @ 250hrs, this will prolong bearing and component life
The gearbox box oil level MUST be checked at the beginning of every shift. This
will be checked on the dipstick and filled as required. See previous slide.
Note: If Pump Drive box is ever removed, it is critical that when re-
installed the Centaflex driveline is aligned properly prior to final
tightening of Pump Drive mount bolts.
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Pump Drive Gear Box
The Pump Drive Gear Box is fitted with a Temperature Transducer to monitor the
oil temperature in the gear box. An alarm will occur on the drill monitor when the
oil temperature reaches 95C and will shut the machine down at 101C.
Compressor
Housing
In order to provide compressed air to the drill bit and for auxiliary air to operate
other functions, the MD6540 is fitted with a single-stage, low pressure, positive-
displacement, oil flooded-lubricated type air compressor located behind the
engine. The compressor operates in association with the separator / receiver tank
to provide compressed air 3600cfm @ 100psi.
Air compressor - The compressor consists of two rotors, a male and female rotor.
As the rotors turn, air is drawn into the compressor from the air inlet. At this this
stage the air is compressed, before being discharged into the receiver tank via the
discharge hose.
Upon start up and during operation, compressor oil is injected into the compressor
unit from the separator tank via the cooler, and is mixed directly with the
compressing air. Oil is actually pushed from the separator tank by air pressure to
the compressor, therefore
Air End
Compression Cycle
1 2
Discharge
Suction
When measuring the temperature of the compressor, there will always be a rise in
temperature from the inlet end of the compressor to the outlet end due to the rising air
temperature of the compressing air. If the outlet end is hotter compared to the inlet end, it
would indicate that the bearings at the outlet end are failing.
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Compressor Oil COOLS
Female
Rotor Male
Rotor
Stator
Female
Rotor
Male
Rotor
Stator
Spring
Holder
Spring
Drive Ring
Mating
Ring Retainer
O-Ring Flexible
Primary Diaphragm
Sealing Ring
NOTE: Do not handle or touch the Mechanical shaft seal with Bare Hands, keep plastic
wrapping around seal, or use appropriate disposable type gloves. Failure to protect seal
from skin contact will result in premature failure of seal.
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Compressor
Basic Cooling and Lubrication Circuit
Compressor Compressor
Shutdown Running
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Compressor
Compressor Discharge Temperature gauge and Sender - monitors the temperature of the
air /oil mix leaving the compressor. This gauge is located on the console inside the cab.
Compressor Discharge Temperature Switch – Shuts engine down at 250°F (121°C)
Compressor Discharge Temperature Transducer – Provide input for drill monitor readout
and fan speed output
Compressor Oil Pressure Transducer – Provide input for drill monitor readout and alarm
and shutdown set points.
• Receiver Tank
System Capacity
50G (189Litres)
Oil Level
Half Way in
the Top Sight
Glass
Scavenge line sight glasses - used to indicate the flow of fluid going back to the compressor unit,
from the fluid pick up in the receiver tank. When the compressor is running at full load, fluid flow should
be visible in this sight glass. Daily inspection of the sight glass while the compressor is running,
provides an indication of the separator elements condition. There should always be a small flow of oil
through the sight glass, approximately a 1/3 full. A sluggish flow at full load may indicate a need to clean
the scavenge line strainer and/or orifice. Full flow may indicate that the element is nearing failure.
Scavenge line strainer -. Is used to capture any fibrous material from separator element as well as
any other contaminant material. Excessive amounts of fibrous material may indicate that the separator
is starting to fall. The scavenge line strainer must be checked and cleaned every 500hrs.
Scavenge line orifice - Whilst running, the Orifice will minimise the volume of air being recirculated
from the receiver tank to the compressor and thus having to be re-compressed. The Orifice also
minimises the volume if air which continues to pass through the scavenge line from the Receiver Tank to
the Air End. A greater volume would cause oil mist to reach the Air Filters. The orifice on the inner
separator scavenge line is 0.031” and the orifice on the outer separator scavenge line is 0.093”.
Scavenge Line
Return Port
Minimum
pressure
valve
Minimum pressure / check valve. This is a 60 psi check valve which maintains the
minimum of 60 psi in the compressor receiver while operating. This prevents the receiver
from discharging all its air down the service air line before the compressor has a chance to
re-pressurise the receiver. Without the minimum pressure valve the sudden pressure drop
and re-pressurisation between the wet and dry side of the element would cause the element
to fail.
NOTE: when working down stream from the minimum valve, pressure may be trapped
between the minimum valve and the main air valve. It is therefore necessary to manually
vent this pressure by disconnecting the hydraulic cylinder from the main air ball valve, and
operating the ball valve manually, venting the air out through the drill string.
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Minimum Pressure Valve
Quad (seal) Valve Make-up
Ring
A To the
compressor
oil cooler
pack
From the
compressor
oil cooler From Receiver
pack tank
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Compressor
Thermal by-pass valve - the compressor oil passes from the separator tank, up
through the spear in the receiver tank, and through the thermal by-pass valve
before passing through the filter to the compressor. Once oil temperature has
reached 88°C (190°F), the thermostat shifts and allows oil flow into the oil
coolers before passing through the filter and onto the compressor.
The thermal valve is designed to maintain operating temperature, and is used for
fast warm-up at start-up and to eliminate condensation during operation
The thermal valve porting (A,B and C.) is clearly marked on the valve. The port
labelling has been cast into the valve housing itself.
A quick test to ensure that the thermal valve is working properly once the
compressor is running at operator temperature, is by measuring the temperature of
the four hoses which run from the thermal valve. The hose from the compressor
receiver tank and the hose to the cooler should be the same temperature. The
hose from the cooler and the hose to the compressor oil filter should also be the
same temperature but approximately 10°-15° C cooler than the the other two.
Test port to
cooler
From cooler and to
compressor are a
To cooler
common gallery
gallery
Test port,
from cooler
To
compressor
To
compressor
Oil
Filter
1. Head
2. M2-Visual auto reset/25psi
4. E2-Electrical/Visual 25psi
w/DIN connection
6. Bypass Valve
7. Element
8. Bowl
9. O-ring
10. Drain Plug - SAE-4
Compressor oil flows from the compressor oil filter, through the oil stop valves, through
a manifold and onto the compressor to lubricate its various parts, such as bearings.
The oil stop valves are normally closed and are piloted open at start up. Their pilot
comes from the discharge of the compressor. When the compressor first starts up the
air pressure created pilots open the oil stop valves and allows flow through to the
compressor. Therefore in order to provide the oil needed for lubrication, air pressure is
needed.
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Compressor
• Oil Stop
Valve
1. Compressor Inlet
2. Control Cylinder
3. Stop Screw
4. Vent Orifice 0.062”
Note. SKL 3600/100 Compressor inlet does not have a hole in the butterfly
Compressor
Control Circuit
100psi
40psi
Control Diagram
System Pressure regulator – This is a relieving type pressure regulator. It is connected between the
receiver and the inlet control cylinder. The regulator controls the receiver pressure by closing the inlet
valve when their settings are reached. When air pressure builds up to 100psi, flow is allowed through to
the inlet cylinder to close the Butterfly.
Inlet control cylinder regulator - this is a pressure reducing regulator which is set to 40 psi. It limits the
pressure from the receiver to Port 2 on the inlet cylinder to 40 psi when in the run mode .If the setting is to
high the compressor will be slow to unload when the flushing air is turned off and the receiver tank
pressure will ‘overshoot’ the regulator setting. If the setting is to low the compressor will be slow to load
when the flushing air is turned off and a delay will occur or the flushing air will be reduced.
System blow down valve (N.O.) - this is a 2-way normally opened (N.O.) valve that is piloted closed
from the same pilot line that opens the oil stop valve. When the compressor firsts starts up the system
blowdown is piloted closed which allows the receiver to build up pressure. When the compressor is shut
down the valve opens and vents any remaining receiver pressure. The system blowdown valve will stay
open until the compressor starts up again.
Running blowdown valve (N.C.) – this is a 2-way normally closed (N.C.) valve that vents excess
receiver pressure to atmosphere when receiver pressure reaches the regulator setting and the inlet is
closed. Because the inlet butterfly has a bypass valve, the compressor continues to make a small amount
of air, this excess volume must be vented to atmosphere.
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Compressor Regulation
System Pressure Regulator
System pressure
regulator
This Relieving or Back pressure regulator is used for controlling the System Pressure.
This regulator is Normally closed N/C (Fig 1) and its function is to “Relieve or Bleed off” as
the incoming supply air pressure approaches the mechanical spring setting of the valve. This
means that, as the increasing air pressure entering the valve becomes great enough to
“crack” the valve seat open (Fig 3), the valve will start and the continue to allow air to pass
through at a pressure directly relative to the pressure being supplied into the valve (Fig 4).
Example: The more air pressure supplied into the valve, the more the valve opens to relieve.
This occurs until the spring tension cannot compressed any further.
OUT INLET
Spring
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Running Blowdown
Air Flow
Fan Motors
Hydraulic oil flows from the fan pump through the hydraulic fan motors then
through a thermal by-pass valve then straight back to tank via the return filter until
65°C (150°F) is reached. The thermostat will then shift and redirect oil through
the cooler pack before going back to tank. If the cooler becomes blocked oil will
be redirected straight back to tank via the by-pass check valve. The by-pass
check valve like all check valves is a differential check valve and opens at 45psi
differential between the secondary and primary lines . The thermostat by-pass is
mounted at the bottom of the cooler pack.
When the engine is shut down, in order to prevent the inertia from the fan
draining the motor pressure line and causing the motor to cavitate, oil is diverted
from the cooler discharge (to tank line) back through the motor via the wind down
check valve, therefore ensuring positive charge on the inlet for the fan motor.
AtAt
Operating
Start-up Temperature
“Cold” Thermal
C
Valve
A
B
Bypass Cooler
Check Valve Manifold
Intake air to both the compressor and the engine passes through the air cleaner
assemblies. These assemblies consist of an inner and an outer disposable filter,
the assembly body and a cup or pre-cleaner dust hopper at the base of the air
cleaner assembly. The engine and compressor have one Air Filter assembly
each. Both the inner and outer filter must be replaced regularly, see Topic
10 for service scheduling.
Proper air cleaning servicing will result in maximum engine protection against the
ravages of dust, and can also save time and money by increasing filter life and
dust cleaning efficiency.
Air cleaner servicing must include
• an inspection of the air transfer ducts between the engine air cleaner and the
engine, and the compressor air cleaner and the compressor,
• ensuring the air cleaner mounting bolts and clamps are tight, and that the
assembly is held securely,
• ensuring gaskets have not been damaged
• ensuring there is no dents or damage to the assembly which could cause leaks
• ensuring the filter elements are not dented or damaged
• ensuring pre-cleaner tubes are not plugged or blocked with dirt