Process-gas screw compressors (dry type) compared with reciprocating-, oil flooded screwand centrifugal compressors

Process-gas screw compressors (dry type) compared with reciprocating-, oil flooded screw- and centrifugal compressors Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Lelgemann

1. Functional principle of a process gas screw compressor Process gas screw compressors are twin-shafted rotating displacement machines. From the point of view of their operating characteristics, they are comparable with reciprocating compressors. (Fig. 1) 2. Comparison with reciprocating (piston type) compressors The characteristic of the screw compressor confirms that its rotors with their innovative and sophisticated profile comprising lobes (teeth) and flutes, perform similar positive displacement compression strokes as those encountered in the reciprocating compressor. In the meshing profile of the rotor pair, as the male rotor lobe exits from a flute in the female rotor at the intake side, a chamber is formed into which the gas flows. As rotation continues, the filled flute leaves the intake port and migrates to the discharge end. At this, the opposite side of the rotor pair, the male rotor lobe enters the flute of the female rotor, so reducing the size of the previously formed chamber in which the gas is located. (Fig. 2) The gas is thus continuously compressed. Before the male rotor lobe completely fills the flute of the female rotor, thus eliminating the previously formed chamber, a port is reached through which the gas is discharged. The

Figure 1: PV-diagram of a screw compressor with an inbuilt ratio of 3

Figure 2: Mode of operation

size of this aperture determines the length of time during which the gas remains in the flute, and the pressure at which the gas is discharged. Nevertheless, the compression principle described is based on a purely rotational action. There are no oscillating masses which have to be balanced or compensated for by the foundation, and which can excite vibrations and oscillations in the

plant components installed in the vicinity of the compressor. This mechanically neutral operating action means that the foundation is simple and ideal also for critical installations on vessels or oil platforms. Moreover, the screw compressor does not give rise to any low-frequency gas pulsations. These have to be modified at great expense

Compressor Type

Availability Reliability % % 97.8 92.3 98.3 99.7

IMR&O hr/year 237.2 766.1 207.2 90.0

Forced DT hr/year 189.2 670.1 147.2 30.0

MTBF year 0.5 0.3 2.0 5.0

Recip., lubricated Recip., conv. non lube Recip., labyrinth piston Screw, oil free

97.3 91.3 97.6 99.0

that the availability of such machines falls well short of that of a process gas screw compressor. The machine elements in a reciprocating compressor which are exposed to the most danger are, however, the inlet and outlet valves, which open and close with each compression stroke. It is these which actually determine the machine availability and reliability. There have been innumerable investigations, reports and dissertations regarding this subject. In processes, two reciprocating compressors have to be provided in many cases to ensure adequate redundancy because of the associated problems. See the availability and reliability rating of process gas screw compressors compared to reciprocating compressors. The above tabulation shows the average values, based on a statistic presented in Hydrocarbon Processing, January 1999.

Notes: IMR&O: Inspection, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul, MTBF: Mean Time Between Failure, DT: Down Time

by pulsation dampers to produce a smooth gas flow so that the downstream systems is not adversely affected. In fact, the screw compressor does indeed produce gas pulsations, but these have such a high frequency that they are only acoustically perceptible, i.e. they are manifested solely as noise. The gas flow is uniform. The noise must be attenuated by means of silencers. The screw compressor is fitted with 2 rotors. These rotor pair are the only moving parts in the machine. The bearing system in the case of

the process gas screw compressor is provided exclusively in the form of hydrodynamic plain bearings for both the radial (journal) and axial (thrust) directions, and these are generally regarded as technically wear-free. A reciprocating compressor has a crankshaft with a connection rod, a crosshead with guideway, plus a piston rod moving back and forth, not to mention the pistons themselves with their piston rings. These mechanical components are, in some cases, exposed to mixed friction, so it is hardly surprising

Figure 3: Rotor pair with synchronizing gear

Figure 4: Oil flooded Screw Compressor

3. Comparison of the process gas screw compressor with the oil flooded screw compressor There are two types of screw compressor offering the same compression principle and the smoothness of operation, but which are nevertheless quite different. Outside the compression chamber, the process gas screw compressor has a synchronizing gear. This means that there is a pair of toothed wheels which are mounted on the male and female rotor and which synchronize the rotation of these two components, so that they remain properly in mesh. (Fig. 3) The profiles of the rotors intermesh to produce the suction and compression stroking without any mechanical contact. The compression chamber is not lubricated and the gas remains completely uncontaminated.

It is worth mentioning that the male rotor requires more than 90% of the compressor power input, with less than 10% of the energy being transmitted via the synchronizing gear to the female rotor. In the case of oil flooded screw compressors, there is no synchronizing gear unit. The male rotor drives the female rotor via the profile lobes, which simultaneously perform the gas suction and compression operations. Needless to say, this mechanism cannot function without lubrication. (Fig. 4) The same lubricant must be injected into the compression chamber which is also used for lubricating the bearings, because there are no semihermetic seals between the compression space and the bearings.

Compressor Type

Availability Reliability % % 98.8 99.7

IMR&O hr/year 199.9 90.0

Forced DT hr/year 99.9 30.0

MTBF year 1.5 5.0

Screw, oil flooded Screw, oil free

97.7 99.0

Notes: IMR&O: Inspection, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul, MTBF: Mean Time Between Failure, DT: Down Time

The oil flooded screw compressor have the following advantages: A. Owing to its high viscosity, the lubricant is able to seal off the clearances between the rotors in the compression space. This means that oil flooded screw compressors are able to offer a better volumetric efficiency than that of an equivalent process gas screw compressor in which no liquids are injected. This is particularly so at low circumferential velocities. In the case of the process gas screw compressor, a portion of the gas escapes unhindered at its sonic figure through the rotary clearances in the compression space from those flutes with the higher pressure into those flutes in which the prevailing pressure is lower. The portion of the gas which flows in the reverse direction has to be compensated for by raising the speed of the process gas screw compressor, and this costs additional power. B. The injected lubricant cools the gas and the compressor. Compression is performed under polytropic conditions with the temperature of compression depending on the isentropic exponent and the pressure ratio. The oil flooded screw compressor can, for example, compress air in a single stage with an isentropic exponent of 1.4, from atmospheric pressure to e.g. 10 or 12 bar.

This is not possible with a process gas screw compressor as there is no lubricant to provide the cooling effect. The process gas screw compressor must, in such cases, be of two-stage design and be provided with additional intercooling. C. The injected lubricant muffles the compression noise. Owing to the partial sealing of the rotary clearances in the compression space, the gas is unable to flow back with the sonic figure from the flute with the higher pressure to the flute with the lower pressure. This means that the gas flows back more slowly. Consequently, the oil flooded compressor is quieter overall. Depending on the design of the compressor installation, the respective sound pressure levels of compressors with no sound insulation are likely to be in the region of approx. 103 dB (A) at 1 m for the process gas screw compressor, compared with approx. 93 dB (A) for the oil flooded compressor. If, however, a maximum of 85 dB (A) sound pressure level is allowed for manned compressors, both compressor systems must be encapsulated in acoustic enclosures. D. The oil flooded compressor was originally developed as an air compressor for diesel-engine-operated portable compressors. In this sector, the oil flooded screw compressor dominates the market. The advanta-

ges of this compressor are so great that it is virtually the only compression system used for such applications. The experience gained with this design led companies to develop their refrigeration compressors also with lubricant injection. These compressors have also conquered their respective market and nowadays they are virtually the only compressors found in small and medium size refrigeration units. The associated refrigeration capacity is, however, limited by the maximum possible flow capacity of these compressors. E. The fact is, that these compressor types are manufactured in large numbers and are thus less expensive. The oil flooded screw compressor have the following disadvantages: F. The lubricant contaminates the gas being compressed, something which cannot be permitted in many processes. G. The lubricant must be recovered by means of sophisticated separating and filtration systems, in order to ensure that the oil tank does not need constant replenishment.

H. The lubricant may be deteriorated by the process gas itself or by gas constituents located within it. The lubricant is used in a extremely manner: 1. When the lubricant is injected into the compression space to the rotors which are moving with up to 50 m/s tip speed, a part of the lubricant is distributed into million of particles (droplets and aerosols) which forms a large surface and in the same time happens a close contact between the gas and the lubricant. 2. The lubricant is shock-heated from an injection temperature of about 50 C to the discharge temperature of about 90 C in some milliseconds, because by the theoretically existing temperature of may be 300 C in a polytropic compression (without cooling), this temperature rise will heat up the lubricant. 3. To keep the compressor cool, a large lubricant quantity is necessary to inject. The reservoir is situated in the lower part of the oil separator and therefore the lubricant quantity in the reservoir is restricted. That means, short retention time are used and not the 8 minutes which are determined in the API 619 specification. If the lubricant is deteriorated the compressor integrity is endangered! I. Liquids in the gas stream are absorbed by the lubricant. The lubricant is diluted or emulsified (depending on the liquid), and again the compressor is likely to be endangered!

J. Dusts in the gas flow are absorbed by the lubricant so that the oil filter currently in operation is quickly clogged; the filtration system then has to be switched over to the stand-by oil filter. If the switch over intervals are very short, the customer cannot except this service. The dust therefore has to be efficiently removed from the gas stream by filters at the suction end. K. Owing to its high viscosity, the lubricant tends to become adhered to the flanks of the rotors. The circumferential speed therefore has to be limited to approx. 50 m/s. If operations were faster, having to overcome this adhesion effect would require more and more power input, so reducing the efficiency of the compressor. The compressor stage therefore has to be larger than would otherwise be the case with a process gas screw compressor. In the case of the process gas screw compressor, the circumferential speed is determined solely by the sonic figure of the gas concerned. L. The oil tank can only be emptied following a lengthy period of degassing under atmospheric pressure. All the gases or gas constituents which have an affinity with the lubricant are dissolved in the lubricant. When depressurizing the oil to atmospheric pressure, the lubricant tends to foam as a consequence. The escaping gas may be combustible and thus explosive. When draining off the lubricant, therefore, the utmost care must be taken.

The lubricant used has to be carefully disposed off, if the oil flooded screw compressor has been employed to compress gases which contain constituents hazardous to health! The drained lubricant must then be declared and treated as toxic waste, thus rendering its disposal extremely costly. M. A lubricant refill, during service, is only possible with a pressure pump as the oil tank is exposed to the discharge pressure of the gas. Rsum: The oil flooded screw compressor is an ideal solution for clean gases and in processes in which the gas contamination by the lubricant is acceptable. In the case of all other gases, compromises in relation to service interval, availability, reliability, maintenance costs and repairs have to be made. The problem is predicting whether functional integrity can be guaranteed in relation to specific gas mixtures, because lubricant manufacturers are rarely in a position to test in their laboratories the particular gas mixture of a specific customer. Consequently, the question as to whether the oil flooded compressor will function properly when employed for this or that gas mixture is very difficult to answer.

Not any supplier of the lubricant will perform a guarantee for the suitability! Conventional mineral oil can normally not be used in oil flooded screw compressors for gas service. Currently polyalphaolefin and lubricants on diester, polyester and glycol basis are required. This lubricants are expensive and sometimes not available in some countries. Also it is necessary to clarify the disposal of the used lubricant. The process gas screw compressor is lubricated with normal turbine oil. Also, it is only possible to purchase the compressor stage models which are commercially available on the market. Often compromises in regard to the materials, bearings, sealing and on a lack of comprehensive test documentation has to be made. Consequently, the oil flooded screw compressor therefore is often not accepted by process operators in the oil field, chemical-, refinery- or petro-chemical sector. With these customers, it is primarily the availability rating which counts rather than the initial investment outlay. See the availability and reliability rating of process gas screw compressors compared to oil flooded screw compressors. The tabulation shows the average values, based on a statistic presented in Hydrocarbon Processing, January 1999.

Figure 5: Performance curves centrifugal compressor compared to screw compressor

4. Comparison of the process gas screw compressor with the centrifugal compressor As already indicated, the screw compressor is a displacement machine; the centrifugal compressor on the other hand, is a dynamic machine. (Fig. 5) Here we can see the characteristic of a centrifugal compressor compared with a screw compressor. The screw compressor has a rigid performance characteristic meaning that neither the discharge pressure nor the molecular weight of the gas have a great effect to the volume flow.

In the case of the centrifugal compressor the discharge pressure and gas molecular weight play an important role. If the discharge pressure in a centrifugal compressor is higher than the pressure for which the compressor is designed, the centrifugal compressor surges. If the molecular weight falls below the value for which the compressor is designed, the centrifugal compressor again surges. The occurrence of surging is, however, reliably prevented by special fast-response controls an important safeguard as the occurrence of surging is highly damaging for the centrifugal compressor.

Compressor Type

Availability Reliability % % 99.8 99.5 99.7

IMR&O hr/year 24.8 90.6 90.0

Forced DT hr/year 18.8 40.6 30.0

MTBF year 8.0 3.7 5.0

Centrifugal, clean service Centrifugal, fouling service Screw, oil free

99.7 99.0 99.0

Notes: IMR&O: Inspection, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul, MTBF: Mean Time Between Failure, DT: Down Time

Screw compressors cannot surge because they are displacement machines. Due to this different compression principles the process gas screw compressor needs less stages in case of light gases. The screw compressor can often produce the necessary pressure with just one compression stage, while the centrifugal compressor requires several impellers (stages). The process gas screw compressor thus constitutes a more cost-efficient solution than the centrifugal compressor in the case of light gases. In addition, the process gas screw compressor is also suitable for gases in which the molecular weight constantly changes. The centrifugal compressor gives rise to considerable problems in relation to these gases. This is very important in flare gas service, where the molecular weights changes very often. There is a further advantage.

The centrifugal compressor generally runs at a tip speed which is three times than that of a process gas screw compressor. This explains why the process gas screw compressor is not as sensitive to the presence of dust and liquid droplets in the gas as the centrifugal compressor. In principle, dust entrained in the gas causes abrasion also in a screw compressor. But here the progress of wear with 1/3 of tip speed takes approx. 9 times longer as with a centrifugal compressor. For liquid droplets entrained in the gas there is nearly no limitation for the process gas screw compressor. The quantity is allowed up to 0,5 percent of the volume of the gas under inlet conditions. It is self-evident that the liquid has to be distributed into droplets.

If a big quantity of liquid enters into the process gas screw compressor in one portion, it will of course cause a liquid hammer. Due to the right material selection for the process gas screw compressor erosion will not occur. This is complete different for a centrifugal compressor. The liquid droplets therefore has to be efficiently removed from the gas stream by a separator at the suction. See the availability and reliability rating of process gas screw compressors compared to centrifugal compressor, where is nearly no difference. The above tabulation shows the average values, based on a statistic presented in Hydrocarbon Processing, January 1999.

5. Summary of the special features of process gas screw compressors Process-gas screw compressors can be employed for all normal operating conditions where a compressor offering high availability, reliability and tailored performance is required. In addition, these compressors are particularly suitable for applications where difficult conditions occur and other compressor systems are less reliable or impractical. This predestinates the process gas screw compressor special for unmanned service in oil field service. As you remember, the compressor has no wear parts and the 24,000 operating hours required in API 619 between two major sevice activities can be achieved without any problems. The mechanically neutral operation action means that the foundation is simple and forms no problem in oil fields, on platforms or vessels. The comressor can handle, due to the positive displacement characteristic, gases with changing molecular weights like flare gas without surging. The compressor can handle, due to low tip speed liquid droplets entrained in the gas stream like associated gas in gas processsing or tank vapor applications.

The compressor can compress gases with varying inlet pressures and discharge pressures without surging. All compressor stages are available conform to NACE MR 0175 alloy steels to handle gases with a high content of H2S. Compressor stages can be supplied for recompresssion of boil-off gas even at LNG for -160C inlet temperature. Compressor stages as a module system are available in casing executions with nominal pressure 16 bar (230 psi) in a flow range from 3,500 - 90,000 m3/h actual inlet volume (2,000 - 53,000 acfm) and with a casing execution nominal pressure 50 bar (725psi) discharge pressure, in a flow range from 150 - 19,000 m3/h actual inlet volume (90 - 11,000 acfm). For details in regard to process-gas screw compressors please send your inquiry to Fax No.: 0049/208/692-9787.

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

6. Main applications of process gas screw compressors Oilfield (onshore, off-shore and on FPSOs): Gas processing (last stage upstream of the flare) (Gas gathering of associated gas) Refineries: Air compressors to API 619 standard Boil-off gas from liquefied gas tanks (down to -160C) Delayed coker gas Fuel gas Flare gas Crude gas Recycle gas Flue gas Flush gas Offgas Tail gas Strip gas Vent gas Wet gas In Petrochemical installations: Air compressors to API 619 standard Butadiene extraction, Caprolactam plant, Hydrogen-rich gas (catalytic reforming, LAB cycle gas, MBE Process), Olefin facilities, Styrene off gas, VCM gas. PSA, charge and offgas compressors

In chemical plants: Acetylene, Ammonia, Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, Lime kiln gas, calcination gas, Chlorine (dry), HCI (dry), Frigene, Hydrogen, Hydrogenrich gas, Nitric acid gas (dry), Phosgene (TDI, MDI process) Vinyl chloride Power plant: Gas turbine feeding Mining/Coking plant: Pit gas Coke oven gas Steel works: Blast furnace top gas, converter gas, reduction gas, cooling gas Brewing, Alcohol distillation: Wort boiling, Steam compression, vacuum distillation, concentration

7. Examples of application and design Flare-gas compressors with accessible noise enclosure. Two two-stage process-gas screw compressors are mounted on a single table-top foundation. Each unit compresses 11,000 m3/h of flare gas from 1.01 bar to 7.0 bar. (Fig. 6) Process gas screw compressor completely assembled at the manufacturers works as a packaged unit for installation directly at a well-head (gas gathering) without needing a foundation. It compresses 3,950 m3/h of associated gas from 1.03 bar to 3.44 bar. (Fig. 7) Process gas screw compressor completely assembled at the manufacturers works as a single-lift package for direct mounting on the deck of an offshore oil production platform. The machine compresses 5,650 m3/h of associated gas from 1.37 bar to 6.85 bar. (Fig. 8) Tank vapor compressor used in a desert area. Process gas screw compressor with speed regulating motor driver in a degassing station. 3,200 - 7,000 m3/h of tank vapor gas is compressed from 1,018 bar to 2,1 bar. (Fig. 9)

10

Figure 10

Figure 11

Process-gas screw compressor with noise enclosure in a refinery. Semi packaged unit compresses 2,200 m3/h recycle gas from 16 bar to 22 bar. (Fig. 10) Process-gas screw compressor in foundation block design with separate oil unit. Flare gas in an amount of 11,500 m3/h is compressed from 1,07 bar a to 4,5 bar a. (Fig. 11)
Figure 12

Process-gas screw compressor completely assembled at manufacturers works as a packaged unit. Single lifting unit during string test. It compresses 20,000 m3/h associated gas from 1,0 bar a to 4,0 bar a. (Fig. 12)

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