Corrected 12/24/2017.

The objective of this publication is to provide general guidance on the design, manufacturer, installation, and operation of centrifugal oxygen compressors, thereby safeguarding personnel and equipment. Fire in an oxygen compressor can be caused by a variety of reasons which include, mechanical deterioration resulting in excessive vibration and/or loss of running clearances within the compressor; ingress of oil (e.g., through the seal system) or foreign bodies passing through the machine.

An oxygen compressor shall be provided with a safety support system that shall minimize the development of a potentially dangerous operating condition. In the event of an incident on the compressor that results in combustion of the materials of construction, the safety support system shall be designed to minimize the effect of the fire.

The safe and reliable compression of oxygen using centrifugal compressors can only be achieved by the successful combination of many factors. This publication identifies and addresses these factors.