Leak Index Customization

Leak Index Customization
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outside of Apergy. Copyright 2018 Apergy. All rights reserved.
Leak Index Customization
 Overview
 When is it appropriate to adjust?
 Customizing
– Smoothing Factor
– Leak Index Window
– Sensitivity
 Considerations when making adjustments

Leak Index Overview
Windrock Newsletter - Pro Tip: Leak Index
 The Leak Index is a proprietary feature of Windrock software that provides the user with
an automated diagnosis of leakage within a compressor cylinder.
 The Leak Index is able to identify valve leakage, both suction and discharge, as well as
packing and ring leakage.
 In addition to finding the fault, Leak Index assigns a severity level to the problem and
gives a visual reference of the leak path.

Leak Index Overview
 The Leak Index compares the gas mass quantity in the cylinder at multiple pressure
points during compression and expansion. If there is no recirculation, the mass quantity
will be the same.
 If there is a discharge leak, the mass quantity will increase as the gas is compressed.
 If there is a suction or packing leak, the mass quantity will decrease.
 By comparing the mass quantity at multiple pressure points along the PV curve, we can
plot out and create a Leak Index percentage change.

Leak Index Overview
 If there is a discharge leak, the mass quantity will increase as the gas is compressed.
 If there is a suction or packing leak, the mass quantity will decrease.

Leak Index Overview
 In this discharge leak example, the line is sloping upward, indicating the mass quantity
of gas increasing during compression.
 In an ideal cylinder with no leaks, the mass would be constant throughout the cycle,
displaying a straight flat line.
 The mass quantity changes by 8.8% in each direction (17.6% total).

Leak Index Overview
 In this suction leak example, the slope of this line is going down, indicating the mass
quantity of gas is decreasing during compression.
 The mass quantity changes by 6.1% in each direction (12.2% total).

Leak Index Overview
 In this ring leakage example, the slope of the line is rounded, which is an indication of a
ring leak.
 The mass quantity of gas is first increasing but, as the differential pressure changes
between head-end and crank-end, the Leak Index curve begins to go down.

When is it appropriate to
adjust the Leak Index?

When is it appropriate to adjust?
 When you need to fine tune the Leak Index to better reflect the data. Data needs to
make sense!
 Compressor has excessive channel resonance or pulsation.
 Pulsation issues are causing incorrect toe point (terminal pressure) picks.
 When the unit operating conditions need to be accommodated.

Customizing the
Leak Index

Customizing
Leak Index Smoothing Factor

Customizing
Smoothing Factor
 Smoothing (channel resonance correction) is used to remove any high frequency

sinusoid that can occur in the data traces.
 The smoothing filter acts like a low pass filter.
 A smoothing factor of 1 takes one point before and one point after and averages it with
the given point to obtain a smoothed value at that point. A factor of 2 takes two points
before and two points after and so forth.

Customizing
Smoothing Factor
 Generally, the smoothing factor in the Leak Index should be adjusted to reflect the
Machine Smoothing applied to the unit pressures.

Customizing
Smoothing Factor
 The smoothing factor in the Leak Index should be adjusted to reflect the Machine
Smoothing applied to the unit pressures.
 There are multiple ways to access the Machine
smoothing factors.
Smoothing Factor Button

Customizing
Smoothing Factor
 This example has the default smoothing factor of 6 set in the Leak Index.
 Leak Index indicating a suction leak.

Customizing
Smoothing Factor
 Smoothing factor of 13 set in the Leak Index.

 Leak Index now indicating a healthy cylinder.

Customizing
Smoothing Factor
 Smoothing factor in the Leak Index can be higher than the Machine smoothing if
pulsations are affecting the Leak Index calculations.

Customizing
Leak Index Window

Customizing
Leak Index Window
 The Leak Index normally evaluates from 3% above the suction toe pressure to 9%
below the discharge toe pressure.
 The starting points can be moved further from the pressure toe points if pulsation is
affecting the toe point picks for the Leak Index.
9% Below
3% Above

Customizing
Leak Index Window
 The head end Leak Index graph is indicating a slight discharge leak due to the pulsation
3% above the suction toe pressure.

Customizing
Leak Index Window
 The Leak Index has been adjusted to 6% above the suction toe pressure to reduce the
effects from the resonance.

Customizing
Sensitivity

Customizing
Sensitivity
 The sensitivity can be changed to match your unit's operating condition.

 A sensitivity higher than 0.0% results in more leaks being called.
 A sensitivity lower than 0.0% results in fewer leaks being called.
 The default sensitivity value is set at 0.0% which will call a slight leak if the leak index is
above +/- 3.00%.
 A more serious leak will be called if the leak index is above +/- 5.70%.

Customizing
Sensitivity
 The Leak Index is indicating a ring leak on the head end. From the PV and calculations
box, we can see the crank end discharge leak clearly.

Customizing
Sensitivity
 Slightly lowering the sensitivity in the Leak Index allows the software to make a more
reasonable call about the severity of the leak.
 When making adjustments, the data needs to make sense!

Considerations when making
adjustments to the Leak Index

Considerations when making adjustments to the Leak Index
 The Leak Index is just one tool available for analysis and it should be used in
conjunction with all the available analysis tools.
 Use the tools beyond the flow balance to justify adjustments

– Reports
– Captured data
– Unit knowledge
 The data should make sense.

– A suspected issue should have multiple indications to back up the fault.
 If needed, the Leak Index smoothing factor can be raised higher than the Machine
smoothing setting to compensate for pulsation.
 Leak Index is on the expanded report 2nd page.
 If an unloaded cylinder is indicated in the Leak Index but it is actually loaded,

adjustments can be made in the Software Options / Unloaded Cylinders section.
– The cylinder may be outside of the default settings. The settings can be adjusted to
accurately reflect the actual cylinder condition.

Thank you!


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Leak Index Smoothing Factor

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 Smoothing (channel resonance correction) is used to remove any high frequency

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Smoothing Factor Button

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 Smoothing factor of 13 set in the Leak Index.

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Leak Index Window

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 The sensitivity can be changed to match your unit's operating condition.

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 Use the tools beyond the flow balance to justify adjustments

 The data should make sense.

 Leak Index is on the expanded report 2nd page.

 If an unloaded cylinder is indicated in the Leak Index but it is actually loaded,

28 Confidential Apergy Information – May not be copied or distributed

29 Confidential Apergy Information – May not be copied or distributed

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