Bauer K15 Cracked Intercoolers

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Hello I am new to your group and am seeking some friendly advice from those here that are far more knowlegable than I. I have aquired a Bauer K15V-E3 Compressor that has almost 100000hrs. The tech that last worked on it said the intercoolers have cracks and are no longer available. This is why it was replaced. I am a refrigeration tech with experience with reciprocating, scroll and screw compressors but at much lower pressures. My question is could these intercoolers be repaired, or welded or do I have to make new ones, or have them made? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
 

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They can't be repaired reliably. They flex considerably with pressure and dumping. They will crack within a few hundred cycles after being welded.
You can fabricate new ones, or have them made. They are simply steel tubing. In shops on the water, I have replaced the intercoolers with rolls of stainless tube hanging in the canal. Water is much more efficient at removing heat.
Recip, scroll, and screw. Sounds like an Ingersoll lineup.
 
Sure anything is fixable. But is it worth it?
You probably can silver solder the cracks... if its actually cracked.... (pressure test and soapywater)
But it might crack after you fix it....
Probably stress fatigue...
I find some of those coolers really vibrant
A few more mount clamps would make a huge difference...

If you can't buy it... I would probably make my own....
Some steel or copper tubing depending on what stage it is...
@happydiver posted something about tungum tubing which I found interesting...
 
"that has almost 100000hrs."
that’s almost 11.5 years of continuous use 24 hours a day 365 days a year. I'd say that it has served well and you could try and resell it back to Bauer so they can use it in their advertising.

Otherwise, you'll have to have every aluminum part Magnafluxed for stress cracking, replace all the tubing (which is shot anyway), and build a bomb proof bunker to run it in since it will soon catastrophically self-destruct (I've seen the results of a 4th stage cylinder separating from the block and the damaged concrete walls of the building).

Michael
 
Sorry, didn’t see the last two digits on the hourmeter were hundredths!! So just under 1000hrs!!😄 Thanks for the advice!
 

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