Refrigeration Compressor

Refrigeration Compressor Dynamic Simulation and Optimization of LNG Plants and Import Terminals In Handbook of Liquefied Natural Gas, 2014 8.4.4.2 Verification of driver capability and startup conditions The refrigeration compressors and the drivers are some of the key equipment in the LNG plant. These machines have to be started up without any operational issues. The drivers for these compressors could be gas turbines, steam turbines, or electric motors. It needs to be ensured that these drivers have enough power to bring the entire compressor string from a shutdown condition to normal operating speed. This could be an issue for single-shaft gas turbine and electric motors, which have limited torque available during startup at speeds lower than the normal operating speed. Dynamic simulation can be utilized to verify the driver torque adequacy during startup. A related issue is the startup conditions that are used in the compressor loop. The initial pressure used for the startup has a big impact on the torque requirements during the ramp-up to normal speed. Hence, the selection of right starting pressure is critical, if it needs to be different from the settle-out pressure. These starting conditions can be fine-tuned and selected using simulation (Heckel et al., 1998). A related concern is the process conditions in the compressor loop during startup. The possibility of encountering vacuum conditions in the compressor suction can be verified for startup using low pressures. This information is valuable to ensure the right design pressures are used for the piping and equipment that can experience low pressure conditions. It may also be required to ensure that the antisurge valve openings are clamped during the startup to prevent excessive flow through the stages. The suitable valve openings can be developed using simulation analysis (Fantolini et. al., 2012). The key input here is the driver speed-torque curve that defines the capability of the machine at various speeds. The torque available has to be sufficient to provide both the compression power and the acceleration power. A certain amount of margin also needs to be provided (Figure 8-9). The gas turbine has a predetermined speed acceleration rate that can be programmed into the model for simulation of startup. The model would then calculate the total torque based on the operating point on compressor curves and the rotational inertia of the string. Another important factor that should be included here is the possible seal gas leakage. This can add to the torque requirements during startup as mass is added to the compressor loop, resulting in higher torque demand.

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