Hi Awe,

You are sure that the element is broken? What happens when you start the compressor?

Normally, you should be able to turn the compressor element by hand. If this is OK, and the element doesn't make any LOUD noise when running than the element is still ok.

Screw element damage happens sometimes, and it can be for many reasons. Here is a list of possible causes for damage to the air end:

1. Running too hot. When the element runs too hot, the rotors start to touch each other and the housing. Eventually, the element will be jammed. This is protected by the high temperature shutdown alarm.

2. Running in the wrong direction. If the compressor runs in the wrong direction (indicated by a big arrow near the coupling), it will break down.

3. End of lifetime. A screw element has a lifetime of about 40.000 running hours. You can expect troubles when reaching these kinds of running hours. Most of the time, the bearings will fail. But you can hear this coming by listening carefully for strange noises.

4. Dirt got sucked in or dirt in oil. If you run the compressor without air inlet filter or with dirty oil filters, the element can be damaged. The oil and the air needs to be clean. The rotors turn with very little clearance. Any dirt or metal parts will damage the element.

5. Too many starts/stops will shorten the lifetime of the bearings in the screw element.

6. Too high pressure (above design specifications) will also result in a shorter lifetime.

That's all I could think of right now. I hope for you it's not the element but something else, as it is the most expensive part of the compressor.

Good luck.

I had change the all bearing of my atlas copco compressor. But now i face some problem. When i set the airend then it was free and when i run the compressor the airend was be jam. Now what i can do.