Reciprocating Compressor

System – Process Design

Prepared by: Ankur Srivastava
Chemical Engineer
Email: ankurcheme@gmail.com
 What is a Reciprocating
Compressor-1?

A reciprocating compressor
is a positive-displacement
Figure in the next slide
machine in which the
shows the action of a
compressing and displacing
reciprocating compressor.
element is a piston moving
linearly within a cylinder.
What is a Reciprocating
Compressor-2?
Pressure Volume
Diagram
Explained
Reciprocating Compressor Sectional View-1
Reciprocating Compressor Sectional View-2
 • Reciprocating compressors are classified as either high
speed or slow speed
• Typically, high-speed compressors run at a speed of 900 to
1200 rpm and slow-speed units at speeds of 200 to 600
rpm
Reciprocating • Figure in the next slide shows a high-speed compressor
Types and frame and cylinders
• The upper compressor is called a two-throw machine
Classification- because it has two cylinders attached to the frame and
running off the crank shaft
1 • The lower compressor is a four-throw machine because it
has four cylinders attached to the frame
• The number of throws refers to the number of pistons
 Reciprocating
Types and
Classification-2
 • Broadest pressure range in the compressor family –
vacuum to 3000 barg

• Multiple Services on one compressor frame

 On a multi-stage frame each cylinder can be
used for separate gas service
 Example – One cylinder dedicated for propane
refrigeration with balance cylinders dedicated
to product gas
WHY
• Lower capital cost
Reciprocating?
• Can handle wide variations in capacity with much more
ease than any other type

• Complete skid mounted units allow easy transportation

and installation and relocation

• In general, higher efficiencies compared to centrifugal type

for the same operating conditions

• Especially suited for low molecular weight applications

such as hydrogen and hydrogen rich gases
 • Flow
 Can handle very low flows without significant
loss in efficiency
 High capacity is limited by cylinder size, stroke
Application length and speed
Limits-1
• Pressure
Very high pressures up to 3000 bara are
practically applied in the compression of
ethylene for producing LDPE (Burckhardt)
 • Discharge Temperature
 Discharge temperature generally
restricted to 135⁰C
Application  For hydrogen rich services (molecular
weight less than or equal to 12) and
Limits-2 non-lubricated cylinders the discharge
temp. shall not exceed 120⁰C
 Compressed air applications allow
higher discharge temperatures
 • Compression Ratio (Pd / Ps) is limited by
the following;

Application  Maximum Discharge Temperature

 Allowable Rod Load
Limits-3  Cylinder Volumetric Efficiency
 Typical compression ratios for a single
stage are 1.2 to 4.0
Application Limits -4

• Horsepower
 In gas processing
applications power ratings
of more than 7.5 MW
are rarely found

 Special machines with power

rating as high as 30 MW are
available for other
applications
 • Rotative Speed
 Low to moderate speeds typically at 300-700 rpm with
motors
Application  Moderate to high speeds typically at 600-1800 rpm
with motors or gas engines (field gas compression,
Limits-5 gas plant, pipeline)
 Low to moderate speeds in accordance with API STD 618
 Moderate to high speeds in accordance with ISO
STD 13631
Reciprocating
Terms and
Formulas
Piston Displacement
Definition
• Piston displacement of the reciprocating
compressor is the volume swept by the
piston inside the cylinder in unit
time and it is same as the capacity of the
compressor.
Piston
Displacement
Formulas
Volumetric
Efficiency -
Definition
Volumetric
Efficiency -
Formula
Suction Capacity – Definition & Formula

• It is the actual volume flow

across the cylinder taking into
account the reduction in flow
due to volumetric efficiency
Discharge
Temperature
Power-1
Power-2
Reciprocating
Capacity Control
 • Capacity control is required for two reasons
 To adjust the suction mass-flow to match the
process demand
 To save energy
Requirement • Following four methods are employed
& Methods  Speed Control
 Suction Valve Unloader
 Clearance Pockets
 Spillback Control
 Most speed control reciprocating
compressors are integral design with a
gas engine

Speed Speed range is 75% to 100% for

integral gas engine type thus providing
Control a capacity turndown of 75%

Speed control is often augmented by

spillback control and suction valve
unloaders and / or clearance pockets
Speed Control – Electric Motor
Variable Speed Drive
 • Valve unloaders are mechanisms which hold
open or bypass one or more of a cylinder’s inlet
valves at each end of double acting cylinders.
This provides complete unloading of one or both
ends of the cylinder.
• Common Unloader Options
Suction Valve  Three step unloading (100%, 50%, 0%)
Unloader capacities for single cylinder compressor stage

 Two step unloading (100%, 0%) capacities for

single cylinder compressor stage
• Actuator sizing may limit the use of valve
unloaders to services with inlet pressures at or
below 70 barg
 • Cylinder delivered capacity can be reduced by increasing the
cylinder clearance volume. This is done by adding a clearance
pocket. The fixed volume clearance pocket is a volume
chamber separated from the normal cylinder end clearance
volume by a valve or plug. Opening the pocket reduces the
cylinder inlet volumetric flow by trapping additional gas in the
now larger clearance volume at the end of the piston stroke.
This trapped gas is not delivered through the discharge valves
Clearance & the cylinder volumetric efficiency is reduced. Capacity
reduction of 50-60% easily achieved
Pockets • Fitted to the outboard or head end of the cylinder than to the
crank end or packing box end
• Valve unloaders combined with clearance pockets can achieve
five step unloading which provides nominal cylinder capacities
of 100, 75, 50, 25 and 0 percent
• Clearance pockets can be arranged for local/manual
operation, manual/pneumatic operation, or
automatic/pneumatic operation
Combination – Suction
Valve Unloaders and
Clearance Pockets
 • Simple controls
• Low initial cost
• Practical and easy to install
• Capacity Range: 0 to 100%
• Can be stand-alone or in combination with suction
unloader valve, clearance pocket
Spillback • Inefficient since power is wasted in recompressing the
recycled gas
Control
• Generally used in small compression requirements
• Often used as a safety backup for other capacity
controls
• Finds use during compressor start-up and shutdown
operations
Schematic –
Spillback
Control
Reciprocating
Compressor
Curve
Performance Map Multistage
 • Don’t reinvent the wheel. Use the API 618 (latest) datasheet
provided in Annex-A, which is also available in MS-Excel format to
fill up the process data

• What process data needs to be filled in?

 Define the suction and discharge conditions (P,T, Flowrate)

and gas composition

Datasheet  Define all possible options of suction and discharge conditions,

gas composition that are present and likely to be there in the
Preparation future

 In oil & gas applications it is often observed that during

summer and winter the suction/discharge conditions of
produced gas changes. Define all the cases based on ambient
conditions

VENDOR SELECTS MACHINE BASED ON THE COMPLETE OPERATING

ENVELOPE. AND THE CONSULTANT / CLIENT IS RESPONSIBLE TO
PROVIDE THAT.
 • HYSYS simulation model
• Based on the Compressor performance
data
• Forms the basis for material and energy
Process balance.
Simulation • Defines the cooler heat duty.
• Generates property data for the
calculations.
Process Simulation PFD – Aspen HYSYS
System Components
Lubrication
System
 • Vertical Knock out vessels.
• Limit liquid carry over to the compressors.
• Internals – SMS / SV / SVS
• Design based on Shell DEP for 2 phase
Suction separation.
Scrubbers  DEP 31.22.05.11 Gas/liquid separators
- Type selection and design rules
• High Liquid Level in scrubber initiates a
trip interlock of the compressor
 Coolers • Cool the hot gas between stages
(interstage coolers)
(Interstage
• Cool the final discharge gas (aftercooler)
and After) • Majority oil & gas applications use Air
Cooled Heat Exchangers
 • Necessity
 Because of their cyclic mode of operation,
reciprocating compressors produce pressure
pulsations in their inlet and discharge piping
Pulsation • Pulsation suppression devices can be plain
Suppression volume bottles, volume bottles with baffles,
orifice systems, and proprietary acoustic filters
Devices-1 • During detail engineering, piping system design
is acoustically simulated , using analog and digital
computation methods, to determine pulsation
levels and ensure satisfactory piping vibration
levels, compressor performance, and valve life
 • Simplest Pulsation Suppression Device is a Volume Bottle (unbaffled)
Pulsation • Mounted on or very near a cylinder inlet or outlet
Suppression • Volume bottles are supposed to be part of the connected piping vibration
analysis for reciprocating compressors
Devices-2: • Volume bottles are sized empirically for an adequate volume to absorb the
Volume Bottles pulsations
• Approximate volume bottle sizing can be done using the chart above
Pulsation
Suppression
Devices-3:
Volume
Bottles
 • Suction Line and Discharge line valves
provided for system isolation
• In many cases the isolation valves are
automatic valves with operation available
Suction, both from field and plant control room
Discharge and • Check valve prevent backflow and are
installed in the discharge line as close as
Check Valves possible to the discharge connection as
feasible
• In all applications involving flammable
hydrocarbons and possibility of fire
exposure the valves shall be of fire safe
design
 • Required at the discharge of each
reciprocating compressor stage
Pressure Relief • Relief Valve setting not to exceed MAWP
of the cylinders
Valves • MAWP for cylinders should be at least
10% or 1.7 bar, whichever is greater, over
the rated discharge pressure
 • Required to empty the system of gas
during a planned maintenance or
emergency shutdown
• Most blowdown valves are automatic
remotely operated valves
Blowdown • Compressors handling hazardous and
Valve flammable gas have blowdown valves
connected to the plant flare system
• In absence of a flare, blowdown valve
piping should be routed to a remote
location for atmospheric blowdown based
on safety studies
 • Threaded piping not to be used
• For hydrocarbon service minimum line
sizes should be 2 inch
Suction and
• Pipe wall thicknesses to be consistent with
Discharge Schedule 80 pipe
Piping • In rare circumstances, where 1- or 1.5-
inch pipe is used in pressure services, the
wall thickness shall correspond to
Schedule 180.
Process
• Blowdown calculation
• Pipe sizing calculations
• Hydrate calculations

Calculations • Gas Blowby Calculations

 • Intent: Reduce the pressure of the
equipment to 50% of design pressure
within 15 minutes during a fire
emergency.
Blowdown • Typically done using Dynamic
Depressuring Utility in Aspen HYSYS
Calculation • Relief valves are not a depressurisation
device.
• Ball valve + Orifice combination OR
control valve
 • Importance of pressure drop and machine
performance.
• Tools used.
Pipe sizing
• Cooler header sizing.
calculations • Avoiding loops in suction.
• Provision of drain boots.
 • Hydrates are ice-like non-stoichiometric
crystal structures composed of water
molecules encaging natural gas molecules.
Hydrate • Solid formation, chokes piping.
calculations • Flow problems.
• Formation depends on P,T conditions and
composition.
• Predicted by HYSYS
 • Caused by loosing liquid level in the
scrubbers.
• High pressure gas flows into the low-
pressure system potentially over
pressurising it
Gas Blowby • Calculations are done to ensure that the
downstream system is adequately
calculations protected
• The control valve is considered to be fully
open during this case
• The highest operating pressure of the
upstream system is considered for sizing
 • Process shutdown.
Safeguarding • Emergency shutdown.
philosophy • Other shutdowns.
Process
Flow
Diagram
 Compressors: Selection & Sizing, 3rd
Edition, Royce N. Brown

A Practical Guide to Compressor

Technology, 2nd Edition, Heinz P. Bloch
Literature
Reference
Compressor Handbook, Paul C. Hanlon

Reciprocating Compressors, Operation &

Maintenance, Heinz P. Bloch & John J.
Hoefner