Centrifugal Compressor Overhaul Case Studies
Eleven jobs, grouped by machine type. Each case shows what the machine was doing, what we opened and cleaned, what we measured, and what the machine did on the test run afterwards. Photos are from the jobs themselves, not stock images.
IHI TX-A / TX-Z series
IHI TX-A Overhaul
Second major overhaul after 37,451 running hours: inlet scroll cavitation repair, bull gear bearing replacement, impeller PT inspection, surge test and alignment data.
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IHI TX-Z Overhaul
Medium overhaul at 84,571 running hours for an electronics plant: bearing journal cleaning, babbitt pitting documented, cooler chambers and scrolls re-coated, IGV serviced, 0.629 MPa stable after the test run.
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IHI TX-A Surge Trip Diagnosis
A two-stage TX-A surging at 0.7 MPa. Root cause: cavitation on both inlet scrolls plus a leaking fouled intercooler. Both replaced, design pressure 0.8 MPa reached and held.
View details →IHI TRA series
IHI TRE series
IHI TRE100 Overhaul
High-speed rotor removed and dynamically balanced, all bearings and gas / oil seals checked, scrolls, diffusers, gas cooler and oil cooler cleaned and painted, filter set renewed.
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IHI TRE60 Overhaul
First major overhaul at a steel mill after 44,000 hours: cooler copper tube descaling, cooler end cover rust removal, cooling chamber cleaning, 3rd-stage inlet scroll cavitation repair.
View details →IHI TRX series
IHI F series
Cameron MSG series
Cameron TA series
Cameron TA3000 Overhaul
Gas cooler and oil cooler cleaned, inlet scroll, diffuser and impeller cleaned, all scrolls reinstalled with impeller clearance measured, oil filter and oil mist element replaced.
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Cameron TA6000 Overhaul
Three-stage TA6000 after ten years of service: all three impellers stripped and cleaned, fouled diffusers replaced, gearbox opened, coolers cleaned, machine realigned and test run.
View details →How to read a case study
Every case here is written in the same order, so a maintenance planner can compare them: the machine and its running condition first, then the scope of work, then the photo record, then the measured result. Where a number is missing from the original service record — a clearance that was not written down, or a running-hours figure that was not confirmed — the case says so instead of estimating.
The three figures worth comparing across the set are running hours before the overhaul, the parts that were actually replaced, and the pressure or vibration result after the test run. Those three decide whether an overhaul was planned, condition-based, or forced by a fault — and they are the same three numbers your own maintenance plan should record.
Frequently asked questions
What do these centrifugal compressor overhaul case studies record?
Each case records the machine model, why it came in, the scope of work actually carried out, a photo record of the job and — where the job produced them — measured results such as running hours, bearing clearances, impeller clearances and pressure after the test run. Cases are written after the job, from the service record and site photos.
Which IHI centrifugal compressor models are covered?
The cases cover the IHI TX-A and TX-Z two-stage machines, the TRA and TRE series, the TRX160, and the F44A3. Between them they show full overhauls, medium overhauls, a first major overhaul after 44,000 hours, and a surge fault diagnosis that ended in parts replacement.
Which Cameron compressor models are covered?
Cameron MSG (integrally geared gearbox overhaul), Cameron TA3000 (cooler and flow-path overhaul on a Turbo Air machine), and Cameron TA6000 (three-stage overhaul with impeller, diffuser and cooler work). The MSG and TA cases together cover gearbox, bearing, seal, impeller, diffuser and cooler work on integrally geared machines.
How long should a centrifugal compressor go between overhauls?
Interval is decided by running hours plus condition, not by calendar time. The cases here include a TRE60 first major overhaul at 44,000 hours, a TX-A second overhaul at 37,451 hours and a TX-Z medium overhaul at 84,571 hours, which is why vibration, bearing temperature and oil analysis trends matter more than a fixed date. Where a machine cannot reach design pressure or its discharge temperature rises with the same cooling water, the flow path and coolers are the first things to check.
Planning an overhaul on your machine?
Send us the model, serial number and the symptoms — discharge pressure, discharge temperature, vibration trend and any part numbers from the maintenance manual. We will tell you which of these cases is closest to your machine and what the scope is likely to be, before your shutdown window is fixed.
Spare parts by model
T2ATXATRATRET3ATRXTA3000TA6000TA9000TA11000MSG
Related technical guides and component pages
- Centrifugal compressor maintenance grades A to E — what each service grade covers and how the intervals are decided.
- Compressor overhaul and upgrading service — the full overhaul scope, from rotor renewal to on-site commissioning.
- What the parts of a centrifugal compressor are called — IGV, diffuser, scroll, tilting pad bearing and seal naming.
- Intercooler and aftercooler bundles — replacement bundles built to OEM drawings with a pressure test record.
- IHI centrifugal compressor series guide — T2A, T3A, TRA, TRE, TRX and TXA model comparison.