Class 15

Pumps and Compressors

Pumps
- Provide energy to move a liquid from one location to another - Increase elevation, pressure, or velocity of a liquid - Centrifugal (or kinetic) and displacement pumps - common H (pump head) = [(v2)/(2g)] + z + [P/(Lg)]
H in units of ft or m v is velocity of liquid in units of ft/s or m/s z is elevation in ft or m P is pressure of the liquid in appropriate units g is gravitational acceleration (32.2 ft/s2 or 9.81 m/s2) L is liquid density in appropriate units signifies change of conditions (discharge suction)

Centrifugal Pump

Centrifugal Pumps
Pros - Simple operation, low cost, low maintenance, uniform flow, quiet operation, can handle liquids with solids Cons Cannot be operated at high head pressures, difficulty handling highly viscous fluids, narrow maximum efficiency operating conditions Head (pressure) is developed by the speed of the rotor Capacity range: 0.5 to 2 x 104 m3/hr Discharge Heads: 2 or 3 m to ~4900 m (equiv to ~48 MPa) (Typical maximum head for a single stage is 500 ft; with multiple stages, heads as high as 3200 ft can be obtained)

Efficiency

Head Select Centrifugal Pump so Operating Point is Located on the Characteristic at the Point of Maximum Efficiency Brake hp

For a given Centrifugal Pump, the Characteristic Curve Moves Upward with Increasing Rate of Rotation, N (rpm)

The Characteristic Curve Moves Upward with Increasing Impeller Diameter

Effect of Viscosity
Increasing viscosity for a fixed capacity, Q, decreases the pump head and the pump efficiency, and increases the brake horsepower

(Viscosity effects can be substantial)

Positive Displacement Pumps (Reciprocating or Rotary)

Pros Higher efficiency, highly viscous fluids OK, high head pressure Cons Limited capacity range, no solids, lubricating fluid required Head (pressure) is developed by the speed of the rotor Capacity range: ~0.01 to 0.1 m3/sec (~ 100 times lower capacity range than centrifugal pump) Discharge Heads: up to 70 MPa

Design Procedure for Pumps

1) Given the application, specify the type of pump (typically centrifugal or positive displacement) 2) Calculate (by hand or with simulator) the shaft work required for the process operation 3) Check pump curves prior to final pump selection (operate at point of highest efficiency) Wo = shaft work (in kW) = [H q L]/1000 where: H = total dynamic head (N-m/kg) q = volumetric flow rte (m3/sec) L = liquid density (kg/m3)

or
Wo = shaft work (in kW) = [H q]/1000 where: H = total dynamic head (Pa) q = volumetric flow rte (m3/sec)

Power Input = Power Output / Efficiency

Peters, Timmerhaus, and West (Plant Design and Economics For Chemical Engineers, McGraw-Hill, 2003)

Compression and Expansion of Fluids

Gas compressors (and blowers and fans) are designed to increase the velocity and/or pressure of gases

Classifications
Fan increases kinetic energy of the gas with a compression ratio no more than 1.1 (110% of suction pressure) Blower increases pressure head more than velocity compression ratio < 2 Compressor increases velocity head very little, has a compression ratio > 2

Compressors
- avoid liquids entering or condensing in compressors - gases moved via centrifugal force, displacement, or momentum - because gases are compressible, T between suction and discharge gas is significant even for moderate compression ratios - power inputs are large because of large molar volumes of gases - usually well insulated so heat losses are negligible compared to their power reqts (adiabatic)

Centrifugal Compressors
- T may limit compression ratio in a single stage - need for multiple stages is usually dictated by impellor rotation-rate limitations (centrifugal) - Multiple stages allow compression ratios up to 30:1

Positive Displacement Compressors

-Single stage compressors limited to about 400oF discharge temperature (compression ratios ~ 2.5-6 per stage) -To achieve high compression ratios, use multistage reciprocating compressors with interstage water cooling

Screw Compressor Lobed Blower

Peters et al. 2003

Design Procedures for Compressors

Power Requirements
(Assuming Adiabatic Operation)

Had (adiabatic head) = RT1[(k/(k-1)] [(p2/p1)((k-1)/k) 1]

Where: k = Cp/Cv Cp = specific heat at constant pressure Cv = specific heat at constant volume Had (N-m/kg) R = gas law constant in kJ/(kg-K) T1 = inlet gas temperature (K) p1 = inlet pressure (kPa) p2 = outlet pressure (kPa)

Adiabatic Power (single stage compression)

Pad = m Had
where: m = mass flow rate of gas (kg/s) Pad = power (kW)

or Pad = 2.78 x 10-4 Q1 p1 [(k/(k-1)] [(p2/p1){(k-1)/k} 1]

where: Q1 = volumetric gas flow rate at inlet (m3/hr)

Adiabatic Discharge Temperature T2 = T1 [(p2/p1) {(k-1)/k}]

Adiabatic Power (multi-stage compression)

-Assuming equal division of compression work between stages -Intercooling of gas between stages back to T1

Pad = 2.78 x 10-4 Nst Q1 p1 [(k/(k-1)] [(p2/p1){(k-1)/(kNst)} 1] T2 = T1 [(p2/p1) {(k-1)/kNst}]

where: Nst = number of stages involved in the compression T1 = temperature of gas at compressor inlet (K) T2 = temperature of gas at compressor discharge (K)

Adiabatic Efficiency
Efficiency = ideal power reqd / power actually consumed
Centrifugal Compressor: 70-80% efficient Reciprocating Compressor: 60-80% efficient Rotary Compressor: 60-80% efficient