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GMRC Engine Analyzer & Reliability Workshop Nashville, TN July 27-29, 2011
Craig Martin
Aleksey Dubrovensky
Project Engineer
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LEAKAGE AT FRAME BREATHER LEAKAGE AT SECONDARY DISTANCE PIECE VENT
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LEAKAGE AT DISTANCE PIECE DRAIN
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LEAKAGE AT DISTANCE PIECE VENT
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LEAKAGE AT PACKING CASE
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LEAKAGE AT VALVE UNLOADER PACKING
TOTAL LEAKAGE
Failure to account for emissions escaping into the distance piece may result in underestimation of packing related emissions by up to 40%.
- U.S. EPA Natural Gas STAR Reducing Methane Emissions From Compressor Rod
Packing Systems, July 2003
Economics
Lost production is very costly Payback on upgrades typically less than one year
Reliability
Increase lifecycle of equipment Operating efficiency becoming a competitive necessity
Emissions Management
Vapor Recovery System
Channel emissions back to a controlled source Can be expensive and complicated
Vent Rings
WAT Ring
Side-loaded ring, single-acting Seals well at low pressures
Seal Rings
Seal Rings
Seal Rings
Seal Rings
Conventional Packing
300 ROD TEMPERATURE ~ F
250
200
100 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 DISCHARGE PRESSURE ~ PSI
Vent Rings
WAT Ring
Side-loaded ring, single-acting Seals well at low pressures
400
Temperature (F)
Standard Packing
FIELD DATA
Low Leak
Std. Bronze
Low Leak
Low Leak
Std. Bronze
Low Leak
A small number of cylinders can cause a large amount of the total leakage.
96% of the total packing leakage comes from Cylinder 1 24 SCFM - ~$100K / yr!
Distance Piece leakage can contribute a significant amount to the total leakage.
23% of the total leakage is coming from the distance piece vent
Unknown packing and Low Leak packing maintained low leak rates. Standard bronze packing has developed a moderate leak at 12,900 hours.
Std.
Low Leak =
Low Leak =
Standard Packing Seal Rings STANDARD Upgraded Packing Case Low Leak Technology
Standard Packing Seal Rings Upgraded Packing Case STANDARD Low Leak Technology
Standard Packing Seal Rings Upgraded Packing Case STANDARD Low Leak Technology
Best Practices
Packing case maintenance
Upgrade nose gasket to a spiral wound gasket Replace existing BD vent rings to a WAT Lap cups
4 light bands flatness
Verify cup depths & ring clearances Verify rod surface finish
8-12 Ra for induction-hardened rod 6-8 Ra for TC-coated or nitrided rod
CASE STUDIES
Case Study I
Measured packing vent flow
Two identical H2 machines
Five-throw Worthington BDCs
Results
Case Study II
24 cylinders Standard packing Measured packing vent leakage on-site Changed all cases over to Low Leak technology Measured leakage after upgrades
Below measurable range of flow meter
<0.01 SCFM per cylinder
Low Leak
Standard
Before
Air Cylinder Actuator Rod
After
Rope Packing
Seal Cartridge
Plug
Potential Leak
Thank You!