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COMPRESSOR

There are two basic types of compressors, 1. Dynamic, which includes radial and axial flow compressors i.e. centrifugal 2. Positive displacement, including reciprocating and various types of rotary compressors. In general, dynamic compressors produce nearly constant pressure with variable volumetric flow and positive compressors moves constant volume of gas with variable outlet pressure. Dynamic compressors Dynamic compressors are built for very large flow rates and for low to fairly high pressure, are less expensive than positive displacement compressors having same capacity. Since, pressure developed is proportional to molecular weight of gas being compressed, operation can be affected drastically by changes in gas composition. It is therefore vital to consider all possible operating conditions during design phase. Positive displacement compressors Positive displacement compressors tend to be more expensive than dynamic compressors in application where both are suitable. They require more maintenance, and not economic for such high capacities. They are advantageous for high pressure and low flow rates than dynamic compressors. There operation is less affected by changes in gas composition. Most Important Points For high compression ratios several stages are used in series for either type of compressor, with cooling step between the stages. This reduces maximum discharge temp and power requirements. Compression ratio per stage depends upon cp / cv and max allowable temp rise. It is usually 3 for diatomic gases and higher values in case of refrigerant compression. Dynamic Compressors Centrifugal Compressors Centrifugal compressors are used for higher capacities with low to fairly high pressure. They can develop high compression ratios with several casings in series, each containing up to 10 impellers. The differential pressure developed by centrifugal compressor is proportional to gas density. If gas composition or inlet P and T conditions expected to vary, full range of expected conditions must be considered. Centrifugal compressor either driven by steam turbines, gas turbines or electric motors. Speed changing gears are usually required when electric motors are used. Turbines allow variations in speed.

Axial Compressors Axial compressors are used for very high flow rate of 100,000 to 700,000 inlet m3/hr. The general appearance is similar to centrifugal compressor, but flow of gas is parallel to shaft rather than radial as in case of centrifugal compressor. Axial compressor consists of blades mounted on rotor, turning between rows of stationary blades mounted on horizontal split casing. Axial compressors are more efficient than centrifugal compressor but more expensive. Mostly used for large volume of air. Positive Displacement Compressors Reciprocating Compressor (RC) Handle wide range of condition than any type of compressor. RCs run at slower speed than centrifugal compressor and usually driven by electric motors. RCs having higher efficiency than centrifugal compressor but require periodic shutdown for mechanical maintenance for items like suction & discharge valves, piston rings, cylinder liners Most RCs are lubricated by oil injected into cylinder because of this oil may get into gas stream. When oil cannot be tolerated special non lubricated cylinders can be provided using graphite or Teflon piston rings. Unlike, dynamic compressors reciprocating and other positive displacement compressors can maintain constant compression ratio in spite of variation in gas density. Rotary Compressors Screw Compressors Operation is not affected by dirty gas and entrained liquid in gas can be tolerated. However, they can be noisy, requires noise suppressors. Lobe type Compressors Used at low pressure up to 20 psig also called blowers. Mostly used for moving air not used in process service. Sliding vane type Compressors Operate at pressure up to 125 psig not mostly used in process service. Liquid ring Compressors Used mostly for corrosive and unstable gases like chlorine, acid gases, CO2, H2S, acetylene etc. Liquid in gas stream creates no problem.

Expanders Expanders are much like compressors running in reverse manner. There most common purpose is to generate low temp refrigeration and they also provide significant power recovery. Used extensively in air separation plants and in gas separation plants. Auxiliary Equipment Drivers In chemical process industry compressors are commonly driven by electric motors or steam turbine. Gas turbine and IC engines are fairly used in gas field operation. All four types can give satisfactory operation if properly installed. Driver selection is based on overall process economics and fuel availability and has major effect on plant energy. Compressor control system can vary up to some extent depending upon which type of driver is used. Couplings and gear Diaphragm type coupling is mostly used. Interstage Coolers Interstage coolers are used to remove heat of compression between stages. Interstage cooling to lowest practical temp reduces power requirement by next stage and avoids reaching excessive discharge temp which might damage compressor. To decrease discharge temp more stages and intercoolers are required. Max allowable discharge temp should be specified by process eng or vendor. Suction drums and lines To protect the compressor from entrained liquids, suction of every compressor taken from knock out drum except 1st stage of air compressor taken air from atm directly. The use of demister pad in compressor knock out drum allows the use of smaller drum. However, due to potential damage to compressor if pieces of pad come loose and may enter into compressor to avoid this demister pad is fitted with properly designed hold down grate. If polymerization, which might plug the pad and create enough pressure to rupture the grate, in that case demister pad should not used. In addition, suction line to compressor may have to be heat traced to prevent further condensation of liquid in gas stream. This is especially important in cold climate condition and when process stream temp are much higher than ambient temp. Liquid entrainment should be avoided in reciprocating compressor and it is less critical in centrifugal compressor although it is not recommended.

Monitoring Devices In recent years sophisticated monitoring devices are available for detecting shaft vibration and axial movements. Installation of such devices is mandatory for dynamic compressor. Pulsation Dampeners Reciprocating compressors generate pulsating flow, which can cause vibration problems if not properly designed. Pulsation dampeners should be provided at suction and discharge of compressor to provide uniform flow to reduce pipeline pulsation and also to reduce friction loss in piping. Lube and seal oil system Oil is used in compressors to lubricate the moving parts and mechanical shaft seal and to operate some control mechanisms. Interruption of oil flow can cause serious compressor damage, so automatic shutdown system activated by oil failure is provided. For reciprocating compressor, system is provided to inject small amount of oil directly into each cylinder. For centrifugal compressors, with oil injected shaft seals small amount of oil is usually leaks into process stream. If compressed refrigerant gas goes onto low temp system containing brazed aluminium exchangers, the exchangers may become plugged with solidified oil for that reason vendors provide buffer gas systems and seals to minimize oil into process stream. Compressors are manufactured with closely fitting parts, very small particle of dirt, slag can cause serious damage if not removed before start-up. It is strongly recommend that SS be used for lube oil system and for all interconnecting piping between lube oil console and compressor, to reduce the amount of corrosion products, scale, slag etc. Related subjects Side Streams In large complex refrigeration system, side streams are often added or taken off at intermediate locations in single centrifugal compressor casing. Design with side streams must consider following factors: 1) Intermediate pressure levels must be carefully chosen to allow efficient design for both process system and compressor itself. 2) Recuperation is sometimes done in complex refrigeration system to reduce power requirements. Recuperation is condensation of portion of refrigerant vapor stream by vaporizing process stream, at pressure below compressor discharge pressure. When intermediate stream is taken off for recuperation, system design must be such that this stream will always be at high enough pressure to be condensed in available equipment. 3) Anti surge control must be consider full range of possible operating conditions. Settle out pressure and reverse rotation When compression system handling refrigerant or any other valuable material is shutdown, no venting may be done, so that gas contained in system is not wasted. The material in high pressure part of system will flow towards low pressure part of system until an equilibrium settle out pressure

is reached. Settle out pressure is also needed to determine seal oil pressure requirement. To calculate settle out pressure, determine total volume of system involved, total gas inventory during normal operation and assume that whole system at uniform pressure. When centrifugal compressor shutdown, compressed gas downstream of compressor will flow backwards through compressor. This will tend to first slow the compressor rotation and then cause the compressor to run backwards. In large centrifugal compressor, backward rotation speed is half of the normal speed reach within 10 to 15 seconds. Normal monitoring device do not sense the direction of rotation. During next few minutes, compressors will gradually slowdown and stops. Backward rotation is generally harmless. If turning gear engaged before compressor completely stops rotating, it may cause damage. Check valve at discharge of centrifugal compressor will tend to prevent backward flow from high pressure side to low pressure side through compressor. However, there is enough gas inside the compressor and between compressor & check valve to cause compressor to run backward. To minimize the reverse rotation, solenoid valve should be installed which will open minimum flow bypass valve automatically when compressor trips and thus equalize the pressure more rapidly. It is possible to install check valves on discharge of each stage of multistage compressor. However this is expensive and will cause more pressure drop. Liquid Injection In ethylene plant charge gas compressors, where significant polymerization and fouling can occur, small quantities wash oil may be injected to reduce fouling rate. When fouling is particularly serious inhibitors may be added in wash oil. Injection oil is usually added just upstream of process gas suction nozzle. INITIAL DESIGN OF COMPRESSION SYSTEM Following are general suggestions for setting up multistage compression system, 1. For minimum power consumption, compression ratio of all stages should be about equal. 2. Compression power can be reduced by using larger no of stages with intercooling after each stage but capital cost will increase. Too many stages will consume excessive power in interstage pressure drop 3. Interstage pressure drop should be an economic balance between cost of intercooler and capital plus operating cost of compressor. At low absolute pressure, intercoolers with very small pressure drop and large pipes with low velocity may be desirable. 4. Interstage coolers should provide as low an interstage temp as practical with available cooling water or air. In few cases, refrigeration has been used to provide even greater interstage cooling but that may increase the cost. 5. When interstage gas cools below its dew point, adequate vapor-liquid separator should be provided to prevent liquid carryover to compressor can cause serious damage. 6. If gas being compressed contains components that can polymerize, discharge temp must be low to avoid fouling problem.

CALCULATION OF SIZE AND POWER REQUIREMENTS GENERAL The final size, discharge temp and power requirements of compressor must always be determined by vendor. Compression calculation can be made assuming one of three compression paths: a) Isothermal b) Adiabatic (Isentropic) c) Polytropic Power required for given compression duty can be expressed in two different ways 1. Power is proportional to differential head times mass flow. For example, Power = ft lb force/ lb mass X lb mass / hr = ft lb / hr 2. Power is proportional to differential pressure times volumetric flow. For example, Power = lb /ft2 X ft3/ hr = lb ft / hr Centrifugal compressor calculations are usually made by assuming polytropic compression and are based on differential head and mass flow. Reciprocating compressor calculations are usually made by assuming adiabatic compression and are based on differential pressure and volume flow. In either case proper correction must be made for efficiency, compressibility and specific heat of gas.

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