HERE are many cases in gas production op- cations in which the pressure of a gas must bermaised to higher value. As the pressure in : aga reservoir depletes, itil eventually reich 0 Fine where i will no longer overcome all the pressure Avid“ Josses'in the syste is pressure of the line into whch the gas fe being delivered, tis then necessary to wer cornpressde to the system to supplernent the r= virenergy, In this type of application, the svetion oF [fake pressure. and possibly the volume compressed int Sidnge with time even though the discharge pres 2 ure mi remain constant, Compressors have teen used 7 ewer the wellhead pressure helo atmospheric, thst “ff to pull a vacuum on the well in order to obtain max iu rates. se coimpressors are also used to overcame the losses i 2) qed inthe Tong distance transportation of tural as rough Wansmission lines, This may require large ¢ ‘pacity machines operating. at, essentially constant con * ons, 2 the injection of as for presse maintenance oF €- 74 ine sequifes, Compression of produced gas 10 a high 7 Aresure to move suicient volumes into the reservoir ‘ eation of ea8 into storage Fields also requires a com alle of operating under a wide range of con ‘The engineer is,concermed with essentially two types +: gfcompressor design problems: (1) determination of the 1 power requited to compress a certain volume of gs from + fome given intake pressure to a given discharge pressure and (2) estimation of the capacity ofan existing com presoruneer required pressure inerease conditions. is ies frequently necessary to calculate the tenmperature in- ease occurring in the gas as it is compressed. | TYPES OF COMPRESSORS, ‘The principal types of, compressors ‘are. positive-dis- ovement. or intermittent flow, units and continuous How pits, Positive-displacemient units are those in. which uceessive volumes of gis are confined within a closed space and elevated to a higher pressure. Continuous Mow Units are those in which & rapidly rotating element ae~ tcelerates the gas ax it passes through the element, con= vetting the velocity head into pressure, partially in the Totating element and partially in stationary diffusers or bniades, ‘The principal compressor types are defined be- tow (see Fig, 5-1) _-Reviprocating compressors are’ positive-displacement ‘nwachines in which the compressing’ and displacing clewent isa piston having a reciprocating’ motion within a cylinder. i ‘ Rotary positive-displacement coniprestars are “wa ‘chines in which compression and displacement ace ef, * fected by the positive action of rotating elements. _—Slidding-veme compressors are rotary positive-displace- ‘ment machines in which axial vanes slide radially ia a rotor eccentrically mounted, in a eylindrical casing, Gas tapped between vanes Is compressed and dis placed <= Liquid-piston compressors are rotary positive-dis- placement rnachines in'which water of other, guid is ted as the piston to compress and displace te gas hand. ; —Twe-inpeller straightlobe ‘compressors ase rotary pusitivesdisplacement machines in which two stright inating lobed impellers trap gas and carry it from ine take to discharge. There is no internal compression i n9Compressors Posiive-ceplaconiont Coninupus-tow Uintemitent ow) reopen Rly. Byte Bene sxcprae | sage | cnn | "et pw cain? tea Ata | Fig. 6:1. Chart of principal compressor typos. From Cor pressed’ Air*and:. Gas Data, “copyright 1980, Courtesy Ingersoll land. =rllelicul-.or spirat-love compressors’ are rotary posi- tiye-displacement, machines jin: whieh two intermesb Sing rotors, cael, with a helical, form, compress: and “displace the gas, i Centrifugal compressors care, dynam rican of fan ti pliers, usualy shod fon the Side gas. Main gas floweis i ial! Asia Compress! are dynamic machines in. which gas ‘acceleration is obtained, by the action of the bladed ‘rotor sheoiided on'the bade ends, Main gas How is siceelerate, the —atixed-flow compressors are dynamic machines, with ‘an impeller form combining some characteristics of both the centrifugal andl axial types, =-Hjectors’ are devices that use a bigh velocity gas or steam jet (0 entrain the inflowing gas, then convert the velocity of the niixwre,to, pressure in a diffuser. rery compressor is, made up of One or more, basi elements." single eleinent, or & group of elements in parallel, comprises a single-stage compressor. Many compressioit problems involve eonstions b vind the prsstical capability of 3 Gas Production Operation, 4 compression ratio fabsoite dsc ps “Too gical woe tied by absolute intake pressure) msiy cause eq ave aligchurge temperature or other design probleing! Tr iherefune may become necessary.to combine elements dr groups of elements in scrigs 00 form a multistage unity ii ehich there will be (wo OF more steps oF compression! ‘The yas is frequenlly cooled between stages t0 reduce the temperature aml volume entering the following: stage} Note that & ge is an individual busie compressor!" avithin itsell, It is sized to operate jn series with one, of! nore autional basic compressors, and even though they! thay all operate from one power source, exch is still ali, Separate compressor. The following. simplified discus! sion show the peineiples of operation oF exch prinepa type of compressor i Positive Displacement Compressors The basie reciprocating eompréspion elemenvis i sin! le eylinder compressing on only One side of the (Gingleacting), A unit compressing on both sides of the piston (louble-aeting) consists of two basie single-ueting) elements operating in paralfe) in one casting “The reciprocating compressor Uses automanic spring: louse valves that open only when the proper uifferentiat pressure exists yoross the valve. Inlet valves open when! uce in the, eyligder is slightly. below, the intake pressure. Discharge valves open when the presstice in th eylinder iy slightly above the discharge pressuiv. Figure 5-2, diagram A, shows'the basig elem the eylinder full of low pressure gas, On the theoretical pV dixgrats, point 1 is the start of compression and both valves are closed am B shows'thi compression Sikoke, the piston! ‘ving wwe oe IK i the gl ome of gs wi an secomanying ‘> Diagram C shows'the'piston’coinpleting the Uelivery 1! suoke, ‘The discharge ¥alve opened just bey poi 2 ‘Compressed gas is Mowing’ out throuigh the d eae tw the receiver inh Afr the piston reed pont 3, the dst vale! will closes Heuving thelearance space fll with alischan ys During the'expansion’ gram 1, both the inet and dischirge’ valves rein close, aid gos trapped in the elearunce space increases in volt hme, causing a reduction in pressure. This continues as°t! the piston moves to'the right until the eylinder pressure! ' Arops belove the ialet pressure at point 4, "The inet val will now open ain! gus will Now into the eylindec unit the end of the reverse struke at po > the intake or sition steuke, iMluteated by ‘At point P fon the pV diagram, the inlet valve will close, and the131 r ; Cr EE Receivn posure ope capes id “ge Clearance volume: "oT Tint pressuto » 1 Ib Oe gpa el Receiver presgure Scant ologaa oe h clearance vdiume Infet pressure py fet ese ° a = Compression Rocriver pressure Ps Coarance volume Inlot prossuro p, ‘Discharge rrr Te isch jet t Expansion Receive! prossuro Disearge) Fig. §:2. Tho various steps in a reciprocating compressor cycle, From Comprossed Alr and Gas Data, copyright 1900. Courtosy IngorsollRand.* t i