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6natural Gas Compression

This document discusses natural gas compression. It introduces compressors as necessary to increase gas pressure for transmission through pipelines over long distances. It then classifies the main types of compressors - rotary blowers, centrifugal compressors, and reciprocating compressors. For each type, it outlines their operating characteristics and capacities. The document focuses on reciprocating compressor design, outlining the analytical design process using theoretical horsepower calculations, efficiency considerations, and intercooling.

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Nana Twum
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515 views

6natural Gas Compression

This document discusses natural gas compression. It introduces compressors as necessary to increase gas pressure for transmission through pipelines over long distances. It then classifies the main types of compressors - rotary blowers, centrifugal compressors, and reciprocating compressors. For each type, it outlines their operating characteristics and capacities. The document focuses on reciprocating compressor design, outlining the analytical design process using theoretical horsepower calculations, efficiency considerations, and intercooling.

Uploaded by

Nana Twum
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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NATURAL GAS COMPRESSION

K. SARKODIE

INTRODUCTION
As long as the pressure at the gas could force the gas
through the pipeline to its destination, a compressor
was unnecessary.
As soon as the pressure dropped, however, some
outside means was needed to increase the pressure.
Compressors were also essential for gas transmission
pipelines extended great distances from the gas fieldextended so far that the natural well pressure could
not force enough gas through the pipeline to supply
the demand.
When a gas has insufficient potential energy for its
required movement, a compressor station must be
used

Classification of compressors

Rotary blower
Typically, rotary blowers
have a volume up to
17,000cfm, and have a
minimum intake pressure
of 10psig and a differential
pressure of 10psig

advantages
Large quantities of low-pressure gas can be
handled at comparatively low horsepower,
it has small initial cost and low maintenance
cost,
it is simple to install and easy to operate and
attend,
it requires minimum floor space for the
quantity of gas removed, and
it has almost pulsation-less flow.

disadvantages
it cant withstand high pressures,
it has noisy operation due to gear noise and
clattering impellers,
it improperly seals the clearance between the
impellers and the casing,
and it overheats if operated above safe
pressures

Centrifugal compressors
Gas is then discharged
at a high velocity into a
diffuser where the
velocity is reduced and
its kinetic energy is
converted to static
pressure.

Are primarily used in distribution systems where the


pressure differential between suction and discharge is
not over 15psi.

Centrifugal compressors
Typically, the volume is more than 100,000cfm
and discharge pressure is up to 100psig

Centrifugal compressors have few moving parts since


only the impeller and shaft rotate.
Thus, lubricating oil consumption and maintenance
cost are low.
They also have continuous delivery without cyclic
variations, and cooling water is normally unnecessary
because of lower compression ratio and lower friction
loss (multistage units for process compression may
require some form of cooling).
Compression rates are lower because of the absence
of positive displacement.

They are also used in refrigeration and closed


regeneration of adsorption plants.
The blower is built of casing in which one or
more impellers rotate in opposite directions

Reciprocating compressors

Reciprocating compressors are mostly


commonly used in the gas industry. These
compressors are built for practically all
pressures and capacities. Reciprocating
compressors have more moving parts and,
therefore, lower mechanical efficiencies than
centrifugal machines.

Process of Reciprocating compression

process
For an adiabatic condition
For an ideal gas, the compression (1-2) and
expansion (3-4) lines follow the law,
PVK =A constant
Where k is an isentropic exponent constant by
the specific heat ratios
K = Cp/Cv

The process
Clearance volume
= V3
Clearance (Cl)
= V3/ (V1 V3)
Work done
= Area 1234
Compression ratio=
P2/P1

Real gas compression


For real gases , a single compression stage
PV n = a constant
n = the poly-tropic exponent

Volumetric efficiency
Represents the efficiency of a compressor
cylinder to compress gas.
It is the ratio of the volume of gas actually
delivered to the piston displacement, corrected
to suction pressure and temperature.

Ev= volumetric effiency, fraction


r = cylinder compression ratio
k=Cp/Cv of the gas at atmospheric conditions
(isentropic process)
Cl= clearance, fraction

Practical efficiency

Practically, certain adjustments are made in the


theoretical formula, so that a typical equation
that might be used in computing compressor
performance is
Where
zs = gas deviation factor at suction of the cylinder
zd= gas deviation factor at discharge of the
cylinder

Compressor design

Compressor design

The designs involve


Reciprocating compressor
Centrifugal compressors and
Rotary blowers
The design for the reciprocating compressor is
considered for this lecture

Design calculations
Theoretical Horse power analytical method,
mollier diagram
Actual horse power/ brake horse power
Clearance volumes
Volumetric efficiencies
Compressor efficiency
Discharge pressures and temperatures
Compression ratios

Design requirements

Suction pressure
Suction temperature
Gas capacity
Specific gravity of gas composition

Compressor design
Theoretical Horsepower
Horsepower (hp or HP) is the work done over
a period of time.
One hp equals 33,000 ft-lb/min, or 746 watts,
or 75kg-m/s.
It is commonly used in measuring the output
of piston engines, turbines, electric motors,
and other machinery

THE MOLLIER DIAGRAM


This is done by tracing the increase in enthalpy from the cylinder suction
pressure and temperature to its discharge pressure along the path of
constant entropy.
This involves some care in handling and converting the various units such
as cubic feet per minute, pounds of vapor, British thermal units, and
horsepower, but it is a simple and straightforward method.
All compressor problems for which suitable Mollier diagrams exist specific
gravity natural gas is shown in Fig. below

For practical purposes, the amount of heat transferred


from the gas to compressor cylinder and piston during
a cycle is small compared to the work involved in the
compression. Thus, one assumption in compression
calculations is
1. Q=0
2. Lost work due to friction can be neglected.
3. Kinetic energy effects can be neglected.
The resulting energy balance is
W= H=-n(h2-h1)
Where
n = number of moles being compressed
h1 and h2 can be obtained from Browns enthalpyentropy charts for gases

example

EXAMPLE
What is the theoretical horsepower consumed
in compressing 1MMScfd, measured at 14.73
psia and 60oF, from 65psia and 80oF to 215
psia? What is the discharge temperature of
the gas? Assume a gas gravity of 0.6.

solution

Analytical method
The theoretical hp of the compressor Required
to compress a given amount of natural gas can
be calculated by assuming the system to be
either isothermal (T = 0) or adiabatic/
isentropic (H = 0).
IS THIS THE REALISITC?

DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS
ADIABATIC
ASSUMPTION
The calculated
theoretical Hp
gives the maximum
required hp
ISOTHERMAL
ASSUMPTION
the calculated
theoretical value
gives the minimum
required hp.

For discharge temperature for real gases

The specific heat ratio may also be found, using Kays rule-type
calculation as

Compressor efficiency
The efficiency, E, is the combination of the
compression and mechanical efficiencies. It is
a function of suction pressure, compression
ratio, speed, the physical design of the
compressor, and the mechanical condition of
the compression

Compression ratio
The ratio of p2/p1 is called compression ratio
(Rc).
Since compression generates heat, this ratio is
usually kept under six.
In field practice, this ratio seldom exceeds four
(Guo and Ghalambor, 2005) to ensure that the
compressor performs at high efficiency

where pf is the final discharge pressure in psia and n is the


number of stages.

Stage compression
Large compression ratios result in gas being heated to undesirably high
temperatures. Therefore, it is common practice to cool the gas between stages
and, if possible, after the final stage of compression

The total power is a minimum when the ratio in each stage is the same.
This may be expressed in equation form as

Heat Removed by Inter-stage Cooler

Analytical method

EXAMPLES
Calculate the adiabatic horse power required
to compress 1MMcfd of a 0.6 gravity natural
gas from 100 psia and 80oF to 1600 psia.
Intercoolers cool the gas to 80oF.
What is the heat load on the intercoolers and
what is the final gas temperature?
Using the entropy enthalpy diagram.

SOLUTION

ACTUAL HORSE POWER


ONCE THE THEORTICAL HORSE POWER IS
DETERMINED THE BRAKEHORSE POWER FOR
THE COMPRESSOR IS CALCULATED.
BHP = Theoretical HP/Efficiency (E )

Compressor ratio and efficiency

assignment
Read more on the design of a centrifugal
compressor

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