Industrial Chemistry 2016-2017

Technologies Degree

4 Course Engineering in Industrial

EXERCICE 4: COMPRESSOR TRAIN

A plant is designed to compress a gas stream from 450 kPa at 6200 kPa in three
stages. After each compression, the compressed gas is in turn cooled to 60 C at each
stage to condense the heavy components. In order to maximize the final volume of
the gas, each stage liquid is recirculated to the previous stage. Each stage consists of
a compressor, a heat exchanger and a flash separator. The process flow diagram is
Compressed Output
Gas stream
Vapor
c o m p r im id o

shown in the figure. Please use the RKS-BM Method.

Inlet Gas
stream
G as de
e n tr a d a
1

H 1
3

C 1

F1

F2

Step 1

E ta p a 1

H 2

H 3

C2

F3

C 3

F4

Step 2

Step 3

E ta p a 2

E ta p a 3

13

11
10

12

14

Table 1 indicates the conditions of operation for each compressor. Each compressor is
simulated using the outlet pressure and efficiency. F1, F2, F3 and F4 are simulated as
an adiabatic flash separation.

Table 1: COMPRESSOR DATA

Compressor

Pressure (kPa)

Isentropic efficiency (%)

Step 1

1100

78

Step 2

2600

75

Step 3

6200

72

The inlet conditions of the gas: temperature 45 C, pressure= 450 kPa. The
composition of the inlet gas is shown in Table 2.
Table 2: FEED STREAM
Components
Nitrogen
CO2
Methane

kmoles/h
181
1920
14515

Components
Isobutane
N-Butane
Isopentane
1

kmoles/h
770
2810
953

Industrial Chemistry 2016-2017

Technologies Degree
Ethane
Propane
Results:

4 Course Engineering in Industrial

9072
7260

N-Pentane
Hexane

1633
1542

1. Indicate the work required at each stage of compression and total work W stage
required.
2. Which compressor requires more work and why.
3. Determines the heat exchanged at every stage in W, temperature from the
outlet after the compressor in C and defines the output currents.
4. You make the same example using a single stage, how much work is required?
Consider the compressor isentropic efficiency of 75%. Determines the heat
exchanged at stage in W, temperature from the outlet after the compressor in
C and defines the output currents.
5. You make the same example using two stages. Consider the intermediate
pressure 3650 kPa and isentropic efficiencies of compressors are respectively
75% and 75% how much work is required? Determines the heat exchanged at
every stage in W, temperature from the outlet after the compressor in C and
defines the output currents.
Summarize the results of work in the next Table
Compression
Total
Work

3 Steps

2 Steps

1 Step

(watt)
Total duty (watt)
6. In the 3 stages compression: Using the thermodynamic method LK-PLOCK and
indicate if the total work of three steps changes and that is the difference.
7. In the 3 stages compression: If the efficiency of compressors increases to 100%,
what is the total work?
8. In the 3 stages compression: Indicate currents of rupture and the equipment
sequence of calculation employed.

Industrial Chemistry 2016-2017

Technologies Degree

4 Course Engineering in Industrial