Dr. Mohammed H. S.

Zangana

Department of Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of

Engineering, Koya University

EROSIONAL VELOCITY

When fluid flows through a pipe at high velocities, erosion of the pipe can
occur. This is especially true for high capacity gas flow in which the in-situ
velocity may exceed 60 to 70 ft/sec. Erosion is not as much of a problem
in oil wells, although some high gas-liquid ratio wells may be subject to
erosion.

The velocity at which erosion begins to occur cannot be determined

exactly, and if solid particles such as sand are in the fluid, erosion may
occur at relatively low velocities.

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The velocity at which erosion may occur has been related to the density
of the fluid by the following equation.

(1)

Where,

A good value for C has been found to be about 100. If C is set equal to 100,
and the gas equation of state is used to express density, Equation (1)
becomes

(2)

where p , T, and Z are determined at the conditions at which the velocity is

to be determined.

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 The equation may be expressed in terms of gas flow rate at standard
conditions by

(3)

Where,

Gas Compression

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Gas Compressor : A gas compressor is a mechanical device
that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume.

Compressors are similar to pumps: both increase the pressure

on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a pipe.

As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the

volume of a gas. However, liquids are relatively incompressible.

There are many cases in gas production operations in which

the pressure of a gas must be raised to a higher value:

• As the pressure in a gas reservoir depletes, it will

eventually reach a point where it will no longer overcome
all the pressure losses in the system and the pressure of
the line into which the gas is being delivered. It is then
necessary to add a compressor to the system to
supplement the reservoir energy.

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 • Compressors are also used to overcome the losses incurred
in the long distance transportation of natural gas through
transmission lines. This may require large capacity
machines operating at essentially constant conditions.

• The reinjection of gas for pressure maintenance or cycling

requires compression of produced gas to a high pressure to
move sufficient volumes into the reservoir.

The engineer is concerned with essentially two types of

compressor design problems:

(i) Determination of the power required to compress a

certain volume of gas from some given intake pressure to a
given discharge pressure.

(ii) Estimation of the capacity of an existing compressor

under required pressure increase conditions.

It is also frequently necessary to calculate the temperature

increase occurring in the gas as it is compressed.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

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TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

The principal types of compressors are positive-displacement

units (intermittent flow units ) and continuous flow units.

Positive-displacement units are those in which successive

volumes of gas are confined within a closed space and elevated
to a higher pressure.

Continuous flow units are those in which a rapidly rotating

element accelerates the gas as it passes through the element,
converting the velocity head into pressure.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

Reciprocating compressors ( Piston Compressor ) are positive-

displacement machines in which the compressing and displacing
element is a piston having a reciprocating motion within a
cylinder.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

Rotary positive-displacement compressors are machines in

which compression and displacement are effected by the
positive action of rotating elements.

Sliding-vane compressors

Liquid-piston compressors

Straight-lobe compressors

Helical- or spiral-lobe compressors

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TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

Sliding-vane compressors are rotary positive-displacement

machines in which axial vanes slide radially in a rotor
eccentrically mounted in a cylindrical casing. Gas trapped
between vanes is compressed and displaced.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

Liquid-piston compressors are rotary positive-displacement

machines in which water or other liquid is used as the piston
to compress and displace the gas handled.

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TYPES OF COMPRESSORS

Two-impeller straight-lobe compressors are rotary positive-

displacement machines in which two straight mating lobed
impellers trap gas and carry it from intake to discharge.
There is no internal compression.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Helical- or spiral-lobe compressors are rotary positive-
displacement machines in which two intermeshing rotors, each
with a helical form, compress and displace the gas.

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TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Centrifugal compressors are dynamic machines in which one
or more rotating impellers, usually shrouded on: the sides,
accelerate the gas. Main gas flow is radial.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Axial compressors are dynamic machines in which gas
acceleration is obtained by the action of the bladed rotor
shrouded on the blade ends. Main gas flow is axial.

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TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Mixed-flow compressors are dynamic machines with an
impeller form combining some characteristics of both the
centrifugal and axial types.

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 TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Ejectors are devices that use a high velocity gas or steam jet
to entrain the inflowing gas, then convert the velocity of the
mixture to pressure in a diffuser.

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Thank You

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