Bypass Method For Recip Compressor

Capacity Control
By Ali Ghanbariannaeeni and Ghazalehsadat Ghazanfarihashemi, Tehran, Iran | June 2012 Vol. 2!
"o. #
$i%ure 1& '(hemati( of (om)ressor by)ass line.
Buyer*s Guide
+om)ressors, re(i)ro(atin%
This arti(le (onsiders the by)ass method for (a)a(ity (ontrol in re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressors. The
method is the oldest in (ontrollin% outlet (a)a(ity, ,hi(h is used in all ty)es of (om)ressors for
turndo,n (a)a(ity bet,een 100- and zero.
The re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressor is a )ositi.e dis)la(ement ma(hine. /urin% normal o)eration, it ta0es
in a 1uantity of %as from its su(tion line and (om)resses the %as as re1uired to mo.e it throu%h its
dis(har%e line.
2nli0e (entrifu%al (om)ressors, re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressors (annot self3re%ulate their (a)a(ity a%ainst
a %i.en dis(har%e )ressure. In fa(t, it 0ee)s (om)ressin% ,ithout limitation unless ,e s)e(ify the
ran%e of ,or0, and that (a)a(ity ,ill be a uni1ue 1uantity at any )oint in time. Thus, ,e ha.e a real
need to (ontrol the (a)a(ity of the re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressor.
4oreo.er, in most instan(es, a re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressor needs to be unloaded by a by)ass line for
startu). 5ther,ise, if the (om)ressor is started in full3load (onditions, the dri.er6s re1uired tor1ue
durin% startu) ,ill be 70- of nominal tor1ue. By (om)arison, ele(tri(al motors are desi%ned for
803#0- of startin% tor1ue (a)ability. This is another reason for usin% a by)ass line. 91,2:
Bypass Method
+a)a(ity (ontrol by means of an o.erall by)ass (an be a))lied ,ithout limitations to all
(om)ressors; it )ro.ides the re(y(led %as enterin% the su(tion line (lose to the normal su(tion
tem)erature. This arran%ement is normally em)loyed for startin% and shutdo,n )ur)oses. It (o.ers
zero to 100- ran%e as ,ell.
<hen (a)a(ity turndo,n is re1uired, a by)ass ,ith a (ontrol .al.e is ne(essary. /e)endin% on the
system re1uirements, the by)ass may only be a(ross the first sta%e. 4ore often, the by)ass s)ills
ba(0 a(ross all sta%es unless the differential )ressure is too hi%h to be handled by a sin%le (ontrol
.al.e. 4a=imum allo,able )ressure dro) throu%h (ontrol .al.e shall be s)e(ified by the (om)ressor
manufa(turer.
The ta0e3off )oint for the by)ass must be at the do,nstream of a heat e=(han%er so that (ooled %as
,ill be s)illed ba(0 to the su(tion. If there is no e=(han%er in the dis(har%e, the by)ass must bran(h
into the su(tion line u)stream of an e=(han%er. As an alternati.e, a (ooler may be )la(ed in the
by)ass line. This means that an after3(ooler or a by)ass (ooler may ha.e to be used. In addition, a
(he(0 .al.e in the dis(har%e )i)e is re1uired to )re.ent the hi%h3)ressure %as from flo,in% ba(0
,hen the (om)ressor is at standstill. In any (ase, the by)ass should tie in u)stream of a su(tion
0no(0out drum so that any (ondensate resultin% from the e=)ansion (annot enter the (om)ressor
9$i%ure 1:.
By)ass (ontrol is )referred (om)ared to other methods be(ause of its smoothness, sim)li(ity, lo,
initial (osts, hi%h )ra(ti(ality and ease of a))li(ation. Be(ause this re%ulation method is .ery
une(onomi(al, it should only be used if the (om)ressor has to be o)erated at redu(ed (a)a(ity for a
short time or in (ombination ,ith another ener%y3sa.in% ty)e of (a)a(ity (ontrol su(h as unloader
.al.e, (learan(e )o(0et and ste) less method.
<hen a by)ass is used in (ombination ,ith ste) (ontrol, fi.e3ste) o)eration is more effi(ient than
three3ste) o)eration.
In multi3sta%e (om)ressors, a by)ass around the first sta%e or a )artial by)ass (an be used. By)assin%
the first sta%e only on multi3sta%e (om)ressors redu(es the ener%y ,asted in the by)ass method. It
allo,s a redu(tion in deli.ery flo, by a fa(tor de)endin% on the rated (om)ression ratio of the first
sta%e.
>o,e.er, it should be noted that there is a restri(tion on rate of flo, ,hi(h is to re(y(led in the first
sta%e. This restri(tion is related to ma=imum allo,able dis(har%e tem)erature, ,hi(h should not
e=(eed 170 de%rees + 900 de%rees $: for all o)eratin% and for hydro%en ser.i(e and ser.i(es ,ith
molar mass of less than or e1ual to 12, should not e=(eed 17 de%rees + 92?7 de%rees $:.
9A(tually, in fi=in% the re%ulation ran%e of a first3sta%e by)ass, it must be remembered that a
redu(tion of the flo, to the se(ond sta%e (auses a dro) of all inter3sta%e )ressures, and (onse1uently
it (an lead to e=(essi.ely hi%h )ressure ratios and dis(har%e tem)eratures in the follo,in% sta%es.
4oreo.er, these )ressure shifts (an (ause o.erload in the last sta%e. The re(y(led flo, has to be
restri(ted by means of an orifi(e )late in the end of by)ass )i)e.:
Therefore, a lo%i( based on this )rin(i)le should re%ulate the out)ut of all sta%es simultaneously.
5ther,ise, the (om)ression )ressure ratio in the indi.idual sta%es ,ould (han%e (onsiderably,
leadin% to an in(rease in the (om)ressed %as tem)erature. 98:
The minimum (a)a(ity that (an be attained de)ends on the number of (om)ression sta%es. The more
sta%es used for a %i.en o.erall (om)ression ratio, the ,ider the a(hie.able (ontrol ran%e. In many
)ro(ess a))li(ations, 703#0- of total flo, rate is %enerally re(y(led in the first sta%e. If a lo,er
turndo,n (a)a(ity is re1uired ,ith su(h a (om)ressor, the )roblem (an be sol.ed by )ro.idin% an
additional by)assin% line or (om)ressor sta%e or (ylinder.
As a )rin(i)al rule ea(h sta%e should be (ontrolled ,ith one by)ass .al.e ,hi(h is inde)endent of
other by)ass .al.es. $or 100- (a)a(ity turndo,n, in t,o3sta%e re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressors,
ma=imum #0- of flo, should be re(y(led in first by)ass line and the residual 80- should be
(ontrolled by the se(ond sta%e line; for three3sta%e (om)ressors, the arran%ement is the same as for
t,o3sta%e (om)ressors, but the se(ond re(y(le line is bet,een the third and first sta%e outlet )oint.
In this arran%ement, the su(tion and the dis(har%e side of se(ond sta%e should be (ontrolled by an
additional by)ass line or a differential )ressure (ontroller 9@/T:. Be(ause of lo,er initial (ost and
more reliability durin% o)eration, the @/T method is )referred and desi%ners use it in ne, modern
)lants. @/T de.i(e )re.ents o.er)ressurizin% of the se(ond sta%e (ylinders durin% needed turn do,n
(a)a(ity and )rote(ts (ylinder outlet %as tem)erature.
$or four3sta%e (om)ressor, first and last sta%es are (ontrolled by t,o se)arate re(y(led lines and t,o
@/T de.i(es used for )rote(tion of se(ond and third sta%es. This arran%ement (an be de.elo)ed for
(om)ressors ,ith more sta%es, ho,e.er, ,ith more @/T (ontrollers, (om)ressor lo%i( (ontrol is
(om)li(ated and it should be analyzed by the manufa(turer.
If side stream flo, is a.ailable in the )ro(ess desi%nation of multi3sta%e (om)ressors, e.%. bet,een
sta%e three and four in fi.e3sta%e (om)ressors, the better solution is di.idin% flo, in t,o full
turndo,ns bet,een u)stream and do,nstream of the side stream inlet )oint. Thus, total inlet flo,
9100- (a)a(ity: to first sta%e is (ontrolled bet,een first and third sta%e; moreo.er, side3stream flo,
is se)arately (ontrolled by t,o last sta%es 9i.e. fourth and fifth sta%es:.
A(tually, a (om)ressor (an o)erate in all turn do,n (a)a(ity from 100 to zero usin% )artial by)ass
line and @/T de.i(e in se.eral sta%es. The maAor differen(e ,ith o.erall by)ass method is the rate of
,aste ener%y, ,hi(h is redu(ed by ma(hine be(ause it (an si%nifi(antly run at a lo,er ener%y le.el
and sa.e )o,er in this (ondition. In other ,ords, dis(har%e )ressure in ea(h sta%e is de(reased as
lon% as )ressure ratio and dis(har%e tem)erature in ne=t sta%e are in allo,able ran%e.
This matter is .ery im)ortant and (riti(al for last sta%e be(ause all modifi(ations and )ro(ess .alues
ha.e been (han%ed in u)stream of last sta%e. Thus, in order to 0ee) dis(har%e )ressure un(han%ed in
the last sta%e, dis(har%e tem)erature may be in(reased to out of standard re(ommendation, (ausin%
maAor defe(t on ma(hine elements. As ,as dis(ussed )re.iously, the best solution is lo,er )ressure
ratio or additional sta%es in (om)ressor (onstru(tion. 97:
<ith redu(tion of dis(har%e )ressure in ea(h sta%e, the absolute )o,er in)ut (an be redu(ed ,hile
the (om)ressor flo, rate 9B: is in(reased, res)e(ti.ely. This matter is im)ortant for (ontrol .al.e
sizin% so that they (an o)erate in .ariable o)eratin% (onditions su(h as turn do,n.
If the (om)ressor should run a lon% time 9lon%er than 28 hours: in zero turn do,n, it is better that
dis(har%e )ressure 9or )ressure ratio in last sta%e: is redu(ed by (ontrol .al.e in the rele.ant by)ass
line. >o,e.er, it should be noted that there is a restri(tion in lo,3)ressure ratios in (om)ressor
(onstru(tion. Cs)e(ially, some (om)onents su(h as outlet .al.es, (ylinder 53rin%s and (rosshead )in
bearin% may be destroyed in lo,3)ressure ratio (onditions. In this ,ay, (ross head bearin%
lubri(ation is a maAor )roblem, ,hi(h should be ta0en into (onsideration in all (ases of o)eration. 9#:
Startup With Bypass Control Valves
In the follo,in%, ,e in.esti%ate the (a)a(ity (ontrol )ro(edure of a re(i)ro(atin% (om)ressor ,ith
by)ass .al.es in three sta%es. As mentioned )re.iously, the first and third sta%es are (ontrolled ,ith
se)arate by)ass (ontrol .al.es and se(ond sta%e is )rote(ted by @/T de.i(e. "ote that all (ontrol
.al.e set )oints are adAusted to%ether and finalized durin% the (om)ressor3(ommissionin% )eriod.
>o,e.er, the manufa(turer has already defined @/T set )oints durin% $AT 9fa(tory a((e)tan(e test:.
4oreo.er, desi%ners mention rele.ant settin%s in instrument set )oint list do(ument.
$i%ure 2 is an illustration of a (a)a(ity (ontrol dia%ram. In the fi%ure, @+V, @T and @/T are )ressure
(ontrol .al.e, )ressure transmitter and differential )ressure transmitter res)e(ti.ely. The main
obAe(ti.e of the (a)a(ity (ontrol is to maintain (onstant su(tion )ressure 9@T1:. The (a)a(ity of the
(om)ressor is (ontrolled by by)ass o.er the first sta%e 9@+V1: and by)ass o.er the se(ond and third
sta%e 9@+V2: and )ressure differential (ontroller on se(ond sta%e 9@/T1:.
$i%ure 2& '(hemati( of (ontrol de.i(es.
If (om)ressor su(tion )ressure @T1 is de(reased, the first sta%e by)ass .al.e 9@+V1: (ould be
o)ened (ontinuously u) to a )er(ent of stro0e 9bet,een 703#0-: until the )ressure differential in the
se(ond sta%e 9@/T1: is belo, the set )oint ,hi(h is the ma=imum allo,able differential )ressure.
If su(tion )ressure 9@T1: (ontinues fallin%, the (ontroller ,ill o)en the se(ond by)ass line to the first
sta%e by .al.e @+V2. This by)ass .al.e ,ill o)en (ontinuously u) to 100-. "o,, the first sta%e
by)ass 9@+V1: ,ill be able to (ontrol main su(tion )ressure 9@T1: ,ith @+V2 in )arallel. Thus,
desired )ressure is obtained by hi%h3)ressure %as, ,hi(h is re(y(led throu%h first, se(ond and third
sta%e by)ass .al.es.
<hen both .al.es are fully o)en, the (om)ressor ,ill o)erate in full re(y(le mode until su(tion
)ressure is in(reasin% a%ain. <hen su(tion )ressure is in(reasin%, the by)asses ,ill (lose in re.erse.
Da)id .al.e mo.ement (auses ra)id load (han%e on the (om)ressor. To )re.ent this from ha))enin%,
the (ontrol .al.e6s (hara(teristi( should be linear and the stro0e tra.el rate should be a))ro=imately
t,o minutes. >o,e.er, this rate (an be adAusted durin% (om)ressor (ommissionin%.