COMPRESSORS

Index
 Basics of Compressors
 Classification
 Types of Compressors
 Compressors Operation
 Compressors at IPCL-MGCC
 Interlocks
 Compressors

A device used for the movement

of gas as per system

requirement
 Compressor vs Pump
• Pumps handle liquids while compressors
handle gases

• Gases being compressible, compression

causes volume reduction thereby increase
in Pressure & temperature
Air Compression

VEHICLE TYRE

FROM AIR
COMPRESSOR

HAND OPERATED AIR “PUMP”

FOR FILLING AIR IN TYRE
TUBES OF BICYCLES
 CLASSIFICATION

COMPRESSORS

POSITIVE DYNAMIC
DISPLACEMENT

RECIPROCATING ROTARY TYPE CENTRIFUGAL AXIAL

MIXED
FLOW

HELICAL LIQUID STRAIGHT SLIDE

RING LOBE VANE SINGLE GEARED
LINE
 Selection

105

104
PRESSURE psig

Centrifugal
103 Reciprocating
gh

g
j
102
10 2

Axial
10

Screw
10 102 103 104 105 106
dfg
CAPACITY cfm
PERFORMANCE CURVES

Centrifugal
Axial
Positive
Displacement
 Reciprocating compressors

Compression is achieved by reduction in

volume through Piston-Cylinder arrangement.

Types
•Stage wise •Double acting
Singe stage •Horizontal
Multi stage •Vertical

•Single acting •V-type

Reciprocating Compressor
Reciprocating Compressor
Reciprocating Compressor - Nomenclature
Cross head pin
Reciprocating Compressor - Nomenclature
 IMPORTANT COMPONENTS, & THEIR
FUNCTION
• Crank shaft
• Connecting rod
• Crosshead
• Piston & piston rod
• Cylinder & Liner
• Piston ring, Rider ring
• Valve, Unloader
• MOP, AOP
• Main, Big end & Small end bearing
 Reciprocating Compressor Operation
• Positive displacement compressors

• Consist of a piston moving within the cylinder to

trap and compress the gas

• Spring loaded valves controlling gas inlet and

outflows

• Inlet valves open when the pressure in the cylinder

is slightly below the intake pressure

• Discharge valves open when the pressure in the

cylinder is slightly above the discharge pressure

•
 Reciprocating Compressor Operation

•
 Operation & Maintenance Check Points

• Operating parameters:
Suction & Discharge Pressure, Suction
& Discharge temperature, Flow, Power
consumption, Cooling water temp, Lube
Oil pressure/temperature, Liquid level in
volume bottles/KOD, Noise level,
Vibration level (visually), Instrument air
supply pressure
 Operation & Maintenance Check Points

• Maintenance parameters:

Alignment, Axial Float of crankshaft, Bearing

clearances, Web deflection, Crosshead
clearance, Piston rod run out, TDC, BDC,Wedge
clearance, Piston ring & Rider ring thickness,
Liner/cylinder bore ID, Piston OD, Piston Groove
dimension, Packing condition, Cooling water line,
Cooling Jacket, L.O line, Filter, MOP/AOP ,
Physical condition of all parts, Foundation bolts,
Coupling etc.
Common Problems in Reciprocating Compressors

• Low flow
• High discharge temperature
• Knocking sound
• Valve chattering
• High vibration
• Packing leakage
• Low L.O Pr, High Oil temperature
 Centrifugal Compressor
• Types
• Horizontal Split Compressor

• Vertical Split Compressor

• Side stream Compressors

• Multistage Geared Compressor

• Overhung Compressor
Overhung Centrifugal Compressor
Horizontal split Centrifugal Compressor
Back to Back arrangement of Centrifugal Comp
Multi staged Geared Centrifugal Compressor
Axial Flow Compressor
Screw Compressor
Twin Screw Compressor
Centrifugal Compressor Operation
Centrifugal Compressor Operation continued…

• A dynamic compressor

• transfer of energy from a rotating impeller to

the air

• rotor accomplishes this by changing the

momentum and pressure of the air

• momentum is converted to useful pressure by

slowing the air down in a stationary diffuser.

• moving large volumes of air at relatively low

pressures
 Capacity Control of Compressors

 VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES CENTRIFUGAL / AXIAL /

 SPEED VARIATION SCREW / RECIPROCATING

 CONSTAND SPEED DRIVE CENTRIFUGAL / AXIAL

 INLET GUIDE VANE COMPRESSORS
CONTROL
 SUCTION THROTTLING
 DISCHARGE THROTLLING

 AUTO START / SHUT OFF RECIPROCATING

 STEP CONTROL COMPRESSORS
 CLEARANCE VOLUME
Suction throttling
Discharge throttling
Guide vane control
Speed control
 Surging & Stall

• Every axial & centrifugal compressor

experiences a damaging phenomenon known
as SURGING whenever the flow through it
drops below a certain minimum level
corresponding to the compressor’s maximum
discharge pressure.
• Surge is usually initiated at around 50% to
70% of the rated flow.
• Stall
 As the flow through compressor is
reduced, a point is reached where the
flow pattern becomes unstable

 if the flow oscillates in localized region

around the rotor, the instability is called
stall
Surge – What & How ?
• As the downstream
pressure increases,
operating point
moves to positive
slope.
• The flow reverses
due to positive slope
• At one moment the
D/S pressure again
drops leading to
normalizing forward
flow.
• The flow cycle
continues.
 Surge – Key Concepts
• Surge & Stall occur in dynamic compressors.

• Stall consists of localized flow oscillations

around the rotor

• Surge consists of total flow oscillation around

the whole rotor.

• The surge curve is the ZERO SLOPE POINTS

of the characteristics curve.
 Surge Detection

 Operating Point proximity to “Surge control

Line”
 Flow reversal detection - Diff. Pr and Diff
Temp.
 Sudden Drop in Motor current
 Rate of Discharge pressure increase
 Impact of Surge
• High Vibration
• High thrust
• High bearing temperature
• Internal damage
• Loss of m/c efficiency
 Anti surge System
 To prevent Surge, protection systems are
required

 The job of the anti surge system is to detect the

potential upset and automatically compensate for
it by maintaining a flow through the compressor in
excess of the surge condition
 A typical Surge Control
Dis line
System Blow Blow off
off v/v line
NRV

Computer
PT

Servo Surge limit

Comp
cylinder controller

Inlet
DP Controller
Guide
vanes

Orifice

Diff PT
Inlet
 Stonewall or Choke

•occurs when the velocity of the gas approaches its

sonic speed somewhere in the compressor (it may
occur at the impeller inlet or at the vaned diffuser
inlet).
•It is generally not detrimental to the compressor.
 Compressor Drivers

• Electrical Motors

 Constant Speed

 Variable Speed

• IC / Gas Engines

• Steam Turbines
 Elliot Air Comp
2nd

3rd
1st
 Bearings
• Radial:
-Plain type
-Lemon Bore type
-Pressure dam type
-Tilting Pad type
Radial Bearings
Thrust Bearings
Typical lube oil system of Centrifugal Comp
 Labyrinth Seal
• Oldest , Simple, Easy to
build & trouble free
• Universally used for inter
stage sealing
• Leak depends on no. of
teeth
• Operating limit ~ 5 PSI
per tooth
• A stepped teeth reduce
leak by ~40%
Liquid Fluid or Bushing Seal
Mechanical Contact Seal
Dry Gas Seal - Construction

The seal totally

comprises of an o-
ring sealed carbon
face, located in the
SS retainer, spring
loaded against a
rotating carbide
seat , fixed to the
shaft.
Dry Gas Seal - Rotating face

• The sealing faces are

lapped to high degree
of flatness
• Rotating carbide ring
has a series of
logarithmic spiral
grooves machined in
the running face.
 Dry Gas Seal
• The very unique non contact type seal similar to mechanical
contact type seal
• Instead of sealing liquid, they use small quantity of clean
sealing gas
• The seal faces operates with out actually making contact.
• The escaping seal gas separates the seal face by fraction of
thousandths of millimeter.
• With rotation, fluid is drawn inward towards the root of
groove, called the sealing dam.
• The sealing dam provides resistance to flow, increasing
pressure.
• The generated pressure lifts the carbon ring surface by ~ 3
micron.
 Dry Gas Seal - Principle
• The sealing gap should remain constant for
optimum performance
• A small gap is desirable for low leakage
• Contact of sealing surface must not occur.
• These conditions are achieved in spite of axial
movements or angular deflections
Important Components & Their Functions

• Rotor (impeller, shaft)

• Diffuser
• Casing
• Bearings (radial & thrust)
• Seal
• Balance drum
• Auxiliary system (L.O, S.O)
 Operation & Maintenance Check Points

• Suction/Discharge pressure, temperature,

Flow, Guide vane opening, Power
consumption, speed, Buffer gas, Reference
gas, seal oil pressure, L.O pressure/
temperature, Balance line pressure, Cooling
media, Vibration, Axial position, Bearing
temperature (radial, thrust), L.O/S.O
reservoir level, Leakage, Noise etc.
Compressors Interlocks
 What Is Interlock ?

Logic developed for Comp / Process parameters

• to ensure healthy compressor and process
conditions to start the machine

• to annunciate alarm to alert operator

• to take corrective actions automatically for defined

parameters

•to safeguard the Compressor by tripping

automatically if critical parameters exceed
danger limit
 Monitoring / Measurements for Interlock

Health of a Rotary machine is best monitored by

measuring and monitoring the following machine
parameters :
• Vibration levels of
 casing
 shaft
 bearing
• Speed
• Axial shift of shaft
Monitoring / Measurements for Interlock .continue
 TTemperature of Bearing pads
 TTemperature of Lube oil return line
 OOil / Seal parameters like
Temp/Pressure/Flow
 MRotor winding temp
 PProcess parameter
 Trip Interlocks

• Provided on following Major System :

 Lube Oil system
 Seal system
 Surge control system
 Speed control
 Capacity control
 Interlocks -Lube Oil System

 Lube oil tank level

low alarm to maintain tank level
 Tank oil temp
Heater are switched on/off to heat the oil to the
setting value before start up or in winter season
 Oil pumps
Oil supply to machine is ensured by Main pump,
the other pump is in standby as AUX. Pump
through automatic control
 Temp control
Uniform oil temp is achieved by oil temp control
valve installed in oil cooler bypass
 Interlocks -Lube Oil System ..continued

Lube Oil Filter diff. Pressure

On High diff. Pr alarm, change over to standby
filter
To Clean or replace the removed filter

Lube oil Pr control valve

The Pressure in the oil system is kept constant by
the Pr. Regulating valve downstream the oil filter
 Interlocks -Seal System

 In case of high pressure and high speed

machine if process gas is hydrocarbon, gas
should not leak to atmosphere.

 The seal system prevents process gas leak to

atmosphere

 Seal system maintains seal fluid pressure above

process gas pressure

 Trips the compressor if Seal diff. Pressure fails

 Start up interlocks
 Lube Oil tank level should not be low
 Lube oil overhead tank level should not be low
 Lube oil upstream filter temp should not be low
 Steam control valve should be closed
 Inlet guide vane should be closed
 Anti surge valve should be opened
 No trip parameter is active
 Control system should be healthy
 Shut down Interlocks
Lube Oil Header Pressure Low Low

Compressor Thrust Bearing Active Side Axial

Displacement High High

Turbine Thrust Bearing Active Side Axial

Displacement High High

Gear Thrust Bearing Axial Displacement High High

Turbine Bearing Vibration High High

 Shutdown Interlocks …continue

Compressor Bearing Vibration High High

Turbine Over speed
Control Room Emergency Push button
Field Mounted Emergency Push button
Control Panel Emergency Pushbutton
Motor Winding Temp High High
Motor Bearing Temp High High
Gear Bearing Temp High High
 Shutdown Interlocks …continue

• Process
Suction Drum Level High High 2 / 3 Voting

 Compressor Discharge Temp High High

2 / 3 Voting

 Compressor Suction Flow Low Low

 Plant Shutdown
 Shutdown
Interlocks
•Effects
Steam Control Valve/On - Off Valve Closes

Motor Trips

Anti-Surge Valve Opens

Inlet Guide Vane Closes

Process Shutdown
 Aux Equipment - Aux Lo Pump C/O
Two LO pumps are provided- MAIN & AUX.

 Steam / Motor driven LO pump as Main pump

 Motor driven as AUX. LO pump which is normally

in Standby mode

 If LO pressure goes down below setting , AUX.

LO pump starts automatically if kept in auto mode
 Aux equipment-Suction drum level

 Based on the level measurement , the pump is

Switched on and switched off automatically

 If level increase to for example 30%, pump is

switched on and when level drops to 10 % pump is
switched off

 If Liquid carries with gas to compressor , it will

Damage impeller & internals
 How Interlock is made
reliable ?
For single process parameter there will be more than
one sensor. Based on the voting criteria, Logic will be
activated

 2 / 3 Voting
A B C Trip Logic
Trip / alarm YES NO NO False
YES NO YES True
2 / 2 Voting
A B Trip Logic
Trip / alarm YES NO False
YES YES True