CONTENTS

List of Figures ....................................................................................................... ix-x

Preface

.............................................................................................................. xi-xii

Acknowledgments ............................................................................................... xiii

1. The Evolution of Dry Gas Seals ........................................................................ 1
Radial Seals ....................................................................................................... 2
Mechanical Contact Seals ................................................................................. 2
Dry Gas Seals .................................................................................................... 4
Magnetic Bearings and Oil-Free Compressors .................................................. 6

2. Introduction to Dry Gas Seals ........................................................................... 7

Principle of Operation ....................................................................................... 9
Balance of forces ..................................................................................... 11
Dry gas seal leakage ............................................................................... 13
Pressure prole ........................................................................................ 14
Gas lm stiffness ..................................................................................... 14
Materials of Construction ............................................................................... 15
Mating ring ............................................................................................. 15
Primary ring ............................................................................................ 16
Metallic components ............................................................................... 17
Springs ..................................................................................................... 17
O-rings ..................................................................................................... 17
Manufacturing and Verication Testing ........................................................ 18
Component balancing ............................................................................ 18
Factory testing ......................................................................................... 20
Static testing ............................................................................................. 21
Dynamic testing ....................................................................................... 22
Visual inspection ...................................................................................... 23
Static test verication ............................................................................... 23
Data collection ......................................................................................... 23

3. Dry Gas Seal Congurations .......................................................................... 25

Single Gas Seal ................................................................................................ 25
Tandem Gas Seal ............................................................................................. 27
Tandem Gas Seal with Intermediate Labyrinth ............................................. 28
Double Opposed Gas Seal ............................................................................... 30
Unidirectional and Bidirectional Gas Seals .................................................... 32

Dry Gas Seals Handbook

4. Barrier Seals ........................................................................................................ 35

Cost .................................................................................................................. 38
Reliability ........................................................................................................ 38
Performance .................................................................................................... 39

5. Dry Gas Seal Support Systems ....................................................................... 41

Seal Gas Supply ............................................................................................... 42
Seal gas source ........................................................................................ 42
Filtration .................................................................................................. 45
Control ..................................................................................................... 48
Primary Gas Seal Vent .................................................................................... 53
Primary gas seal health .......................................................................... 53
Safety issues ............................................................................................. 54
Separation Gas Supply to the Barrier Seal ..................................................... 56
Source ...................................................................................................... 56
Filtration .................................................................................................. 56
Control ..................................................................................................... 57
Secondary Gas Seal Vent ................................................................................. 59
Secondary gas seal health ....................................................................... 60
Safety issues ............................................................................................. 60
Tabulation of alarms and shutdowns ............................................................ 63

6. Dry Gas Seal Retrots ....................................................................................... 65

Economic Advantages of Dry Gas Seals ......................................................... 67
Seal oil leakage and disposal .................................................................. 67
Process gas emissions .............................................................................. 67
Maintenance costs ................................................................................... 68
Operating costs ........................................................................................ 68
Improved reliability ................................................................................ 68
Technical Feasibility Considerations .............................................................. 69
Compressor seal cavity ............................................................................ 69
Compressor seal porting ......................................................................... 70
Compressor rotor dynamics .................................................................... 70
Compressor operating conditions and proposed seal gas ...................... 70
Field experience ............................................................................................... 71

7. Dry Gas Seal Operation and Maintenance ................................................ 73

Installation ...................................................................................................... 73
Exercise the gas seals ............................................................................... 73
Prepare the compressor ........................................................................... 74
Install the gas seals ................................................................................. 75
Commissioning ............................................................................................... 76
Static testing ............................................................................................ 77
Dynamic testing ...................................................................................... 77
Operation and Maintenance .......................................................................... 77

vi

Contents

8. Dry Gas Seal ContaminationLessons from the Field .......................... 79

Case Study 1Gas Gathering Compressors ................................................... 81
Corrective actions .................................................................................... 84
Lessons learned ....................................................................................... 84
Case Study 2Gas Injection Compressor ....................................................... 88
Corrective actions .................................................................................... 92
Lessons learned ....................................................................................... 93
Case Study 3Gas Injection Compressors ..................................................... 93
Corrective actions .................................................................................... 95
Lessons learned ....................................................................................... 95
Case Study 4Gas Injection Compressors ..................................................... 95
Corrective actions .................................................................................... 95
Lessons learned ....................................................................................... 96
Case Study 5Gas Processing Compressors ................................................... 97
Corrective actions .................................................................................... 98
Lessons learned ....................................................................................... 98
Case Study 6Gas Transmission Compressor ................................................ 99
Corrective actions .................................................................................. 100
Lessons learned ..................................................................................... 100
Case Study 7Gas Lift Compressors ............................................................ 101
Corrective actions .................................................................................. 102
Lessons learned ..................................................................................... 102

Appendix A: Mating Ring Overspeed Test Report ..................................... 103

Appendix B: Dry Gas Seal Balance Report .................................................. 105
Appendix C: Dry Gas Seal Factory Test Report .......................................... 107
Appendix D: Dry Gas Seal Conguration Selection Flowchart ............. 119
Appendix E: Barrier Seal Conguration Selection Flowchart ............... 121
Glossary

............................................................................................................... 123

Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 129

Index

.............................................................................................................. 131

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