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Fundamentals of Turboexpanders
Fundamentals of Turboexpanders
INTRODUCTION/DESCRIPTION:
The term "Turboexpander", Figure 1, is normally
used to define an Expander/Compressor machine as
a single unit. It consists of two (2) primary
components; the Radial Inflow Expansion Turbine
and a Centrifugal (Booster) Compressor combined as
an assembly. Its Wheels are connected on a single
Shaft. The Expansion Turbine is the power unit and
the Compressor is the driven unit.
APPLICATION:
The typical Turboexpander process installation is
shown in Figure 2, Simplified Process Schematic.
High pressure, moderately cold gas flows into the
Expander section of the Turboexpander. The gas
flows through the Expander Variable Inlet Nozzles
(Guide Vanes) and then through the Wheel,
exhausting at a lower pressure and at a substantially
colder temperature. Gas flows from the Expander to
the Demethanizer, where condensate is removed.
FIGURE 1 TURBOEXPANDER
EXPANDER/COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY
CROSS-SECTION DWG.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
TYPICAL TURBOEXPANDER
PROCESS SCHEMATIC
(SIMPLIFIED)
EXPANSION PROCESS
Gas Composition
Flow Rate
Inlet Pressure
Inlet Temperature
ENERGY EXTRACTION:
Where does the energy come from? With reference
to Figure 3, which shows the typical Expansion
HORSEPOWER BALANCE:
FIGURE 4
COMPRESSION PROCESS
= HPExpander - HPBearings
= 961.9
30
= 931.9 Horsepower
HPCompressor =
= 18.30 btu/lb
The value of 1.4145 is, again, the constant to convert
the units into Horsepower, just the same as the
Expander formula. h'Adiabatic is the ideal Head Rise,
or energy change, from the Inlet Pressure to the
Discharge Pressure of the Compressor. The units are
btu/lb of gas flow. W is the symbol for mass flow
through the Compressor, and the units are
lbs/second.
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
Pout = Discharge Pressure, PSIA
Pin = Inlet Pressure, PSIA
Cp = Specific heat at constant pressure
T1 = Inlet temperature, R (R = F + 459.69)
Z = Compressibility Factor
= Greek Symbol "Gamma", stands for the Ratio
of specific heats
h'Adiabatic =
We start by assuming a reasonable efficiency, c, on
the Compressor, such as 75%. Figure 4 shows a
typical Compression Process in which the ideal head
rise, h', is lower than the actual Head Rise, ho,
= 1415 ft/sec
[
Pout =
]
[
U = .7 x Co
= 145 x [ 1.0665 ]
4.333
= .7 x 1415
= 145 x 1.322
= 990 ft/sec
= 191.7 PSIA
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
U = Tip Speed of Wheel, ft/sec
Co = Spouting Velocity, ft/sec
g = 32.2 ft/sec2
J = 778 ft-lb/btu
N=
Diameter
=
=
= 6.46 inches
= 35,146 RPM
HOW TO APPROXIMATE THE EXPANDER WHEEL
DIAMETER:
h'Adiabatic =
U =
FIGURE 5
(
U =
U =
P & ID 1
U =
U = 1070.6 ft/sec
Now calculate the Compressor Wheel
Diameter from the equation:
U =
From the Expander analysis, the design
speed was calculated to be 35,146 RPM.
So rearranging and solving the above
formula:
Compressor Wheel diameter =dC
FIGURE 6
P & ID 2
dC = 6.98 inches
** CAUTION NOTE:
While the above method does give the
steps necessary to do the initial rough
sizing of the Expander and Compressor
Wheels, it is vastly over simplified. In the
above, certain values were assumed for
specific speed, efficiency, head coefficient,
etc. These assumptions were used for
ease of demonstrating the formulas only.
These assumptions MUST NOT be used as
"rule of thumb" values, as they may give
false results in an actual case. Any actual
design analysis should be performed by an
experienced Turboexpander Design
Engineer.
TURBOEXPANDER CONTROLS, WITH REFERENCE TO
THE TURBOEXPANDER SYSTEM SCHEMATIC DWG
(FIGURE 5 & 6):
FIGURE 7
ORIGINAL AUTOMATIC THRUST
EQUILIZATION DESIGN
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9
PERFORMANCE MAP OF
THE COMPRESSOR
The Thrust balancing is accomplished by maintaining
or decreasing the pressure behind the Compressor
Wheel. This is accomplished when the Thrust force
(oil pressure) on the Compressor Thrust Bearing is
increased, which causes the Piston to slowly open
the Spool Valve, thereby reducing the pressure in
the area behind the Compressor Wheel causing the
load on the Compressor Thrust Bearing to reduce.
The opposite occurs when the load is increased
toward the Expander Thrust Bearing. In turn, the
Spool Valve will tend to close. With the GTS version,
the end of the Thrust Equalizing Valve can be viewed
and verified as to which direction the Thrust Valve is
in.
DESCRIPTION OF SURGE CONTROL SYSTEM:
As flow is reduced, the pressure in the Compressor
tends to be lower than the discharge pressure and a
momentary reversal of flow occurs. This reversal
then tends to lower the pressure at the discharge,
allowing for normal compression until the cycle
repeats itself.
SURGE CONTROL:
The most common method of Surge Control uses the
Compressor P to represent head and the
differential pressure across an Inlet orifice (called
h) to represent capacity. The function of the Surge
Control system is to keep the ratio of P/h from
exceeding the slope of the surge line.
FIGURE 10
SURGE CONTROL
FIGURE 11
ANTI-SURGE CONTROL SYSTEM