Compressor Tech 12 2014

Engine

Specs-At-A-Glance

Revamp of a

North Dakota

Recip Compressor Targets Flaring

December 2014

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Compressor Demand May Have Peaked Exterran’s Highly Configurable Packages Replaceable Seat Plate For CPI Valve

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Customer:

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Challenge:

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Result:

Vertically integrated global petrochemical company, Texas. Build a world-scale olefin plant to process plentiful, low-cost shale gas.

Three trains of reliable, efficient Elliott steam turbines and compressors ensure the customer’s competitive advantage in world markets.

They turned to Elliott

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G L O B A L

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The new

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Discover what’s new at www.arielcorp.com

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Page

CT2 Founder ........................... Joseph M. Kane

COMPRESSOR

A Member of the Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications Group

PUBLICATION STAFF

Publisher ..................................... Brent Haight Associate Publisher ...............Roberto Chellini Editor ...........................................Patrick Crow Executive Editor ............................... DJ Slater Deputy Editor .............................. Mark Thayer Senior Editor .................. Michael J. Brezonick Senior Editor .............................. Mike Rhodes Associate Editor ................................ Jack Burke Associate Editor .............................Chad Elmore Associate Editor ....................................Art Aiello Copy Editor ................................ Jerry Karpowicz Digital Content Manager............Catrina Boettner Advertising Manager .................... Sarah Yildiz Circulation Manager ...................Sheila Lizdas Production Manager ............. Marisa J. Roberts Graphic Artist ........................Brenda L. Burbach Graphic Artist .............................Carla D. Lemke Graphic Artist ........................... Amanda J. Ryan Graphic Artist ................................ Alyssa Loope

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Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications

Russian Gas Brings China Relief, Potentially Pains The West

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ussia has broken ground on the Power of Siberia, a 2465 mi. (3968 km) pipeline that will link gas fields in eastern Siberia to China. The project is part of a US$400 billion deal inked in May between Russia’s Gazprom and the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). China will begin construction of its section of the pipeline early next year. Under the first phase of the 30-year contract, Russia will supply China 1.3 Tcf (38 x 109 m3) per year of natural gas starting in 2018. Future phases could increase this volume to as much as 2.1 Tcf (60 x 109 m3) per year. When complete, the Power of Siberia will be the largest fuel network in the world, linking the Chayandinskoye and Kovyktinskoye gas fields in eastern Siberia with Khabarovsk and Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast. Spurs will be drawn to China at Blagoveshchensk and Dalnerechensk, and an LNG terminal will be built in Vladivostok. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli have called the venture the world’s largest construction project, as investment from both countries will be more than US$70 billion. This contract is Gazprom’s biggest to date and is viewed as a win/win for each country as China struggles to meet its energy demands and Russia faces growing sanctions from the west due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine. China’s natural gas demand has been growing as the government seeks to move away from coal in favor of cleaner fuels. Last year, China consumed about 6 Tcf (170 x 109 m3) of natural gas and expects to consume 14 Tcf (420 x 109 m3) per year by 2020. China’s northern and eastern provinces have growing natural gas demands that cannot be met by existing pipelines or imported LNG. Be-

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ginning in 2019, the Power of Siberia will pump gas from Siberia to China’s populous northeast region. For Russia, the deal will lessen its dependence on European buyers that have imposed economic sanctions because of the Ukraine crisis. Europe still remains Russia’s largest energy market, buying more than 5.6 Tcf (160 x 109 m3) of Russian natural gas in 2013, but countries within the European Union do not mask their frustration with Russia and their desire to break free from Russia’s energy monopoly. What remains to be seen is the impact the pipeline will have on natural gas prices and availability worldwide. While specific pricing details of the Russia/China deal have not been disclosed, some energy experts warn that the deal could drive up prices for European gas consumers who are becoming increasingly dependent on Russia and now face competition for supplies. The planned LNG terminal could pose a threat to LNG producers in Australia, Canada and Africa without contracts, and could undermine the U.S.’s LNG export efforts by offering better pricing to LNG-addicted countries like Japan, South Korea and India. Taking it one step further, some analysts warn that the impact of the Russia/China deal in displacing Chinese LNG demand increases the likelihood of LNG oversupply. Much uncertainly remains. What is clear is that Russian gas will remain an influencing factor in the global energy landscape, regardless of increased supplies and availability from rising players around the world. CT2

Brent Haight, publisher [email protected]

President & CEO ..................... Michael J. Osenga Executive Vice President .... Michael J. Brezonick

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December 2014

Featured Articles 16 2014 Engine Specs-At-A-Glance 18 CPI Develops Compressor Valve With Replaceable Seat Plate 34 Exterran Offers Highly Configurable Compressor Package 36 Revamp Of A Reciprocating Compressor Unit 40 2014 Year In Review 48 Cozzani’s Stepless Capacity Control Tested 54 GEA Gradually Expands Compression Range Cover Designed By Marisa Roberts

TECHcorner

Compressortech2 (ISSN 1085-2468) Volume 19, No. 10 — Published 10 issues/year (January-February, March, April, May, June, July, August-September, October, November, December) by Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications, 20855 Watertown Road, Waukesha, WI 531861873, U.S.A. Subscription rates are $85.00 per year/$10.00 per copy worldwide. Periodicals postage paid at Waukesha, WI 53186 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2014 Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications. All Rights Reserved. Materials protected by U.S. and international copyright laws and treaties. Unauthorized duplication and publication is expressly prohibited.

20 Combustion Solutions For Achieving Low Exhaust Emissions In Integral Gas Compressor Engines

Canadian Publication Mail Agreement # 40035419. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: P.O. Box 456, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6V2, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Circulation Man­ager, Compressortech2, 20855 Watertown Road, Suite 220, Waukesha, WI 53186-1873 U.S.A.

12 About The Business — Ebbing Oil Prices Erode Gas Compressor Demand

www.compressortech2.com Follow Us @Compressortech2

Departments 4 Page 4 — Russian Gas Brings China Relief, Potentially Pains The West 8 Global Perspective — Gazprom, Ukraine Agree On Gas Sales 10 Meetings & Events

14 Monitoring Government — North Dakota’s Flares Begin To Flicker 47 Prime Movers 56 Recent Orders 58 Featured Products 59 Literature 60 Scheduled Downtime

MEMBER OF …

61 Marketplace 62 Advertisers’ Index 64 Cornerstones Of Compression — ‘Breaking The Ice’ For Mechanical Refrigeration

MEMBER OF BPA WORLDWIDE® PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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A 1,000 HP ENGINE GENERATES 332,000 CU. FT. OF EXHAUST EVERY HOUR.

AND THAT’S NOT JUST HOT AIR.

Industrial engines rarely rest, pumping out power hour after hour. That 1,000 hp engine would have filled the USS Macon airship of 1933 with 6 1/2 million cubic feet of helium in just 20 hours. But of course power isn’t the only thing these engines put out. To handle the resulting emissions demands a catalyst of equal durability, one that can remove 6 tons of Carbon Monoxide and Oxides of Nitrogen every 1000 hours. It is not surprising, then, that more and more companies are turning to the global leader in the research, design, engineering and manufacturing of advanced emission control technologies: DCL International. And that’s not just hot air either. 877.897.9759 dcl-inc.com D a l l a s

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Global Perspective

BY ROBERTO CHELLINI ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Gazprom, Ukraine Agree On deal ensures Gas Sales > EC-brokered winter supplies for Europe

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uch has been said about Russia shutting off pipeline shipments of natural gas to Ukraine and Europe to counteract the U.S. and European sanctions. But in reality nobody has an interest in altering the status quo. Russia needs the money Gazprom collects for gas sales. Europe is its major customer. Ukraine, on the edge of bankruptcy, has problems paying Gazprom’s invoices from last winter. So at the end of the day, the parties needed to sit at a table and try to resolve their problems — and that is what happened. Russia and Ukraine have finalized an agreement that will see the resumption of natural gas supplies to Ukraine. The gas price was negotiated at US$378/1000 m3 until the end of the year, then US$365 until the end of next March. Beyond that, no secure deal is in place. The accord is also dependent on Ukraine paying the first tranche of its gas arrears — US$1.45 billion — before supplies are restarted. The European Commission acted as a third party signatory, guaranteeing both sides would fulfill the obligations of the document, essentially ensuring Russia will receive payment. The agreement should eradicate fears of gas shortages in Europe this winter, particularly in the central and southeastern European nations that are dependent on Ukraine as a transit route for gas deliveries. The deal also comes just in time for the start of the winter heating season, when countries begin to draw down on gas storage. The deal is crucial for Russia and Gazprom, which have been impacted by lower revenues from the loss of the Ukrainian gas market over the summer, compounding the impact of European Union and U.S. sanctions on the ability of oil and gas companies to borrow money. Gazprom’s profits fell in the first half of 2014 due to the lower prices it charged Ukraine over the winter — just US$285/1000 m3. Gazprom cut supplies to Ukraine comDECEMBER 2014

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pletely last June, and Business Monitor International (BMI) expects its third quarter 2014 earnings to be poor. In 2013, Ukraine was Russia’s third largest gas customer, importing over 882 Bcf (25 x 109 m3) of gas for domestic use. BMI predicts a significant reduction in natural gas consumption in Ukraine due to higher prices curbing demand and the government-implemented gas savings plan. The government has introduced measures aimed at cutting gas use, including a 30% cut in consumption from the manufacturing and municipal sectors and a 10% cut by schools and hospitals. Due to its size, the long-term loss of the Ukrainian market would not be in Russia’s interest. The increase of gas prices from US$285 to US$365 will also mitigate any loss in revenues from reduced consumption in Ukraine. Regaining such a large market at an improved sales price will be a boon to Gazprom, and the Russian government especially, at a time when European gas consumption is dwindling and gas deliveries to China are still some four years from realization. BMI’s outlook for the European gas market remains bleak, considering weak industrial growth and poor pricing dynamics for power generation. Currently, one cannot see anything that would change forecasts that European gas consumption will be lower in 2023 than it was in 2006. Russia’s market share will also be challenged by Azerbaijani gas, which is expected to be flowing into southern Europe by 2019, and by increased European LNG import capabilities. Securing the return of gas sales to Ukraine, backed by a European Commission guarantee, will be an important source of revenue for Gazprom. This will help the company support investments in its other major projects, particularly those in the Far East targeting a diversification of gas sales to China. CT2 8

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11/19/14 8:39 AM

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E m im p

J * A T W

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J E T W

J J S C T W

www.hoerbiger.com

Meetings & Events

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*Indicates shows and conferences in which COMPRESSORtech2 is participating

DECEMBER

Dec. 4-6 Shanghai International Petroleum Petrochemical Natural Gas Technology Equipment Exhibition — Shanghai Tel: +86 21 6592 9965 Web: www.sippe.org.cn/en

Tel: +1 (713) 963-6283 Web: www.offshorewestafrica.com Jan. 26-28 Offshore Middle East — Doha, Qatar Tel: +44 1992 656 629 Web: www.offshoremiddleeast.com

Dec. 4-7 Basra Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition — Basra, Iraq Tel: +90 21 23 56 0056 Web: www.basraoilgas.com

FEBRUARY

Dec. 9-11 *Power-Gen International — Orlando, Florida Tel: +1 (918) 831-9160 Web: www.power-gen.com

Feb. 18-19 *Gas/Electric Partnership Conference — Cypress, Texas Tel: +1 (713) 529-3216 Web: www.gaselectricpartnership.com

Dec. 10-12 International Petroleum Technology Conference — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +971 4 457 5800 Web: www.iptcnet.org/2014/ kualalumpur

Feb. 22-25 Laurance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference — Norman, Oklahoma Tel: +1 (405) 325-3891 Web: www.ou.edu/outreach/engr/ lrgcc_home.html

JANUARY 2015

MARCH March 11-13 Australasian Oil & Gas Conference —

Jan. 20-22 Offshore West Africa — Lagos, Nigeria

DECEMBER 2014

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Feb.15-18 *Middle East Turbomachinery Symposium — Doha, Qatar Tel: +1 (979) 845-7417 Web: middleeastturbo.tamu.edu

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Perth, Western Australia Tel: +61 3 9261 4500 Web: www.aogexpo.com.au March 16-19 Nigeria Oil & Gas Conference — Abuja, Nigeria Tel: +234 706 911 7347 Web: www.cwcnog.com March 18-19 Turkish International Oil and Gas Conference 2015 — Ankara, Turkey Tel: + (44) 020 7596 5000 Web: www.turoge.com March 22-26 *Sour Oil & Gas Advanced Technology 2015 — Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Tel: +971 2 674 4040 Web: www.sogat.org March 23-24 *European Gas Transport & Storage Summit — Munich Tel: +44 20 7202 7690 Web: www.gtsevent.com

COMPRESSORtech2

11/19/14 8:44 AM

E mission m possible. XperSEAL - the unique pressure packing for reciprocating compressors offers you: „ Compliance with environmental legislation „ Increased reliability „ Reduced operating costs

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For a complete listing of upcoming events, please visit our website at www.compressortech2.com/events/ March 25-27 *Offshore Mediterranean Conference — Ravenna, Italy Tel: +39 0544 219418 Web: www.omc.it March 25-26 Georgian International Oil, Gas, Infrastructure & Energy Conference — Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +44 207 596 5000 Web: www.giogie.com March 26-28 *China International Offshore Oil & Gas Exhibition — Beijing Tel: +86 10 5823 6555 Web: www.ciooe.com.cn/2014/en March 31-April 2 Offshore Asia Conference & Exhibition — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +44 (0) 1992 656 651 Web: 10times.com/offshore-asia

APRIL

April 12-15 *Gas Processors Association

DECEMBER 2014

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Annual Convention — San Antonio Tel: +1 (918) 493-3872 Web: www.gpaglobal.org April 20-22 *Gas Compressor Association Expo & Conference — Galveston, Texas Tel: +1 (972) 518-0019 Web: www.gascompressor.org April 27-30 *Gulf South Rotating Machinery Symposium — Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tel: +1 (225) 578-4853 Web: www.gsrms.org April 28-30 *Gas Compressor Institute — Liberal, Kansas Tel: +1 (620) 417-1170 Web: www.gascompressor.info

MAY

May 4-7 *Offshore Technology Conference — Houston Tel: +1 (972) 952-9494 Web: www.otcnet.org

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May 12-14 *Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable — Moon Township, Pennsylvania Tel: +1 (412) 372-4301 Web: www.egcr.org May 12-14 Oil & Gas Uzbekistan — Tashkent, Uzbekistan Tel: +44 207 596 5144 Web: www.oguzbekistan.com May 19-21 *Sensor+Test — Nuremberg, Germany Tel: +49 5033 9639-0 Web: www.sensor-test.de

JUNE

June 2-5 Caspian Oil & Gas — Baku, Azerbaijan Tel: +44 207 596 5000 Web: www.caspianoil-gas.com June 9-11 *Power-Gen Europe — Amsterdam Tel: +44 1992 656 617 Web: www.powergeneurope.com

COMPRESSORtech2

11/19/14 8:51 AM

About The Business

By Norm shade

Ebbing Oil Prices Erode Gas Compressor indicate equipment orders Demand > Signals may have peaked

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or the past four years, while natural gas prices stagnated, strong oil and gas liquids prices have fueled growth in domestic shale development. That has driven exceptional demand for compressors, especially for gas lift, gathering and processing applications, as well as for vapor recovery. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that U.S. oil production in October was at the highest level since the 1980s. It expects that U.S. shale oil production in December will increase by 125,000 bbl/d from November. Almost all of this growth will come from the Permian Basin, Bakken and Eagle Ford plays. The Eagle Ford alone has grown 42% in the past year. The long-term growth outlook remains bullish, and Platts recently projected that the U.S. could soon surpass Saudi Arabia as the top global oil producer. Meanwhile, despite less than spectacular prices, natural gas production has also grown, led by the Appalachian Basin. EIA expects the Marcellus Shale flow to reach 16.04 Bcfd (4.5 x 108 m3/d) in December, with the Utica Shale adding 1.67 Bcfd (0.47 x 108 m3/d). This record gas production has pushed prices from above US$4.50/Mcf in the first half of 2014, down to the US$3.80 to US$4 range since August. By mid-November, New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) prices appeared to be drifting even lower. Sooner or later, just like the natural gas industry, oil had to recoil from its booming success. Production growth has exceeded demand, causing oil and gas liquids prices to plummet. Since early August, NYMEX West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices have fallen steadily from above US$100/bbl to below US$80/bbl by early November. Gas liquids prices have suffered similar declines. As oil prices have fallen, the obvious question is: “At what price does shale oil become uneconomic to produce?” Some believe it begins at US$80/bbl; others see it as low as US$50/bbl because shale oil extraction is getting more efficient. According to the EIA, production per rig has in-

Norm Shade is senior consultant and president emeritus of ACI Services Inc. of Cambridge, Ohio. A 44-year veteran of the gas compression industry, he has written numerous papers and is active in the major industry associations.

creased by more than 300% over the past four years. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that about 98% of crude oil and condensate production in the U.S. has a break-even price of below US$80 and 82% has a break-even price of US$60 or lower. That may only temper the shutdown of drilling operations but it will certainly put a damper on expansion plans. For the first time since 2010, domestic oil output is expected to grow at a slower rate than the year before. Some producers, including Continental Resources, ConocoPhillips and Pioneer Natural Resources, have already announced postponements of their 2015 expansion plans. Major oil companies, such as Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell, are also deferring expansions and scrapping operations that have narrow profit margins, according to The Wall Street Journal. Halliburton Chairman, President and CEO Dave Lesar opined that the crude oil market should correct itself next year. He said that shale operations are more responsive to market signals than is conventional oil production, so an oversupply can be erased more quickly. He also indicated that demand is creeping up, albeit at a lower rate. Some Marcellus gas producers are also re-evaluating their operations because the surge in their output, which has exceeded pipeline capacity, is driving gas prices lower. For example, Cabot Oil & Gas intends to finish its pipeline projects in the Marcellus Shale and then transfer investments to other fields until additional pipeline capacity becomes available in 2017. As it did last year, the intensity of the winter will determine the near-term pricing levels for gas. Storage levels were depleted last winter and their replenishment has helped hold prices up in some regions. EIA reported that working gas storage at the end of October was still 6.2% less than a year ago and 6.8% below the five-year average, despite a record summer injection of 2749 Bcf (7.8 x 1010 m3). All the signals suggest that compressor demand has probably peaked already, and at least a temporary retreat is a certainty for 2015. How steep and how long the decline will be depends on whether oil and gas prices begin to recover without significant production cuts. CT2

december 2014 12 Compressortech2

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Monitoring Government

North Dakota’s Flares Begin To begins for burning Flicker > Phasedown of wellhead gas BY PATRICK CROW

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The state has estimated that more than a third of flared gas results from the lack of gathering pipelines. The largest challenge there, according to the NDIC, is securing landowner permissions, which can delay projects half a year or longer. Other obstacles include zoning and permitting delays, harsh weather and labor shortages. The remaining two-thirds of flared gas is due to the challenges of altering existing infrastructure, such as the need for additional pressure on gathering lines to offset the higher pressure from newly drilled wells and increased pipeline capacity from high-pressure wells. Another challenge is the necessity to strip more liquids from the wet gas before it enters trunk lines. EIA said by the end of the year, new gas processing plants in the state would boost capacity to 1.454 Bcfd (41.1 x 106 m3/d), or 440 MMcfd (12.5 x 106 m3/d) more than last year. There are plans to build another 400 MMcfd (11.3 x 106 m3/d) of processing capacity by the end of 2016. Even that won’t be enough. As the Bakken oil wells mature, they will yield less crude but proportionately more liquids-rich gas. The state has estimated the gas processing need may grow to 2.5 Bcfd (70.8 x 106 m3/d) within 10 to 15 years. NDIC said the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation — home to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes — is a major part of the gas-flaring problem. Last August, 35.5% of gas produced on the reservation was burned. The rate peaked at 64% in 2011. The reservation produces roughly a third of North Dakota’s oil. Last August the flow was more than 333,000 bbl/d, of which 134,000 bbl/d was from tribal lands and 199,000 bbl/d from private lands. If the reservation were a separate state, it would be the nation’s seventh largest oil producer. The Three Affiliated Tribes organization has said that construction of gathering lines, processing plants and trunk lines has been complicated by the overlap of governmental rules. State regulators insist that their flaring regulations apply even on tribal lands. The tribes are developing their own approach, and the U.S. Department of the Interior is drafting its own flaring rule for federally managed lands. CT2

orth Dakota’s push to slash gas flaring finally is in motion. The surge in Bakken Shale oil production, which jumped from more than 230,000 bbl/d in January 2010 to more than 1.1 million bbl/d last August, has opened a floodgate of associated gas. However, gas pipelines in the oilprone Williston Basin are often full or far apart. Long lead times are needed to build pipeline infrastructure (see COMPRESSORtech2, July 2013, p. 14). The only way for producers to sell their crude has been to burn the gas. That’s become increasingly unacceptable, most of all for a state government witnessing prospective gas royalties go up in smoke. For the compression sector, the anti-flaring movement in the Williston Basin will create opportunities to sell packages to move the gas from the wellhead to the gathering line and on to the processing plant, which will need compression yet again. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), a third of the natural gas produced in North Dakota in recent years has been flared. At times, the rate has hit 36%. The gas is burned, rather than vented to the atmosphere, because pure methane has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide, the main component of combusted gas. The state bans gas venting. The North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) has reported that nearly 28% of gas output was flared last August, or 375 MMcfd (10.6 x 106 m3/d) out of a total production of 1340 MMcfd (38 x 106 m3/d). The other 72% was either sold or used at the production site. NDIC has established goals to decrease flaring over coming years. It set a target of 26% for the fourth quarter of this year, phasing down to 10% by 2020. In its July 1 order, the commission pledged to reduce flaring even if it had to restrict the oil flow from major sources such as the Bakken Shale and the Three Forks formation. However, NDIC said it recognized the difficult economics that companies face from rapidly declining oil and gas production curves at newly drilled wells and that it would consider exemptions on a case-by-case basis. DECEMBER 2014

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COMPRESSORtech2

11/19/14 8:59 AM

THINK GERMAN, ACT LOCAL. DO YOU FEEL THE "HEARTBEAT" OF YOUR COMPRESSOR?

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ALSO COMPRESSORS NEED HEALTH CHECKS! For your compressor health check come to NEAC Compressor Service. We have the know-how and specialists to verify the machine capability through pV analysis and a vibration survey. Our health checks go beyond. We make in depth measurements and review valve performance, piston ring and packing conditions, gas composition and possible pressure pulsations. This all has one target: No surprises.

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2014 ENGINE Diesel or Heavy Fuel

Dual Fuel 20,000

19,000

18,000

17,000

16,000

15,000

14,000

13,000

12,000

11,000

10,000

9000

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1900

1800

1700

1600

1500

1400

1000 to 5200 1000 to 2670

Caterpillar Global Petroleum

31 to 16,226

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems

8 to 16,000

Cummins

37 to 3281

Daihatsu

1300

1200

1100

ABC – Anglo Belgian Corp.

1000

KILOWATTS

Gaseous Fuel

71 to 6100

41 to 6729

172 to 2000

66 to 6600 66 to 6600

170 to 1465

Dresser-Rand

150 to 1350 288 to 768

Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) Fairbanks Morse GE Power & Water, Distributed Power Guangzhou H. Ceglielski – Pozna´n S.A. Hyundai Heavy Industries

1249 to 3729

750 to 23,850 1255 to 18,000

120 to 9500

660 to 4400 660 to 1080

500 to 30,000

575 to 10,000

15,000 to 25,000

455 to 880

2880 to 9600 2880 to 4320

Jinan

10 to 6300 400 to 1000

December 2014

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Compressortech2

11/19/14 10:33 AM

SPECS-AT-A-GLANCE Diesel or Heavy Fuel

Dual Fuel 20,000

19,000

18,000

17,000

16,000

15,000

14,000

13,000

12,000

11,000

10,000

9000

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1900

1800

1700

1600

1500

1400

1300

1200

1100

1000

KILOWATTS

Gaseous Fuel

450 to 87,220

MAN Diesel & Turbo

1740 to 87,220 1740 to 87,220

Maschinenbau Halberstadt

30 to 4000

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine

1350 to 35,520 1350 to 35,520

Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Moteurs Baudouin MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH

MWM

3760 to 15,400 3650 to 5500

60 to 883

75 to 10,000 200 to 2530

548 to 2061 400 to 4300

Niigata

500 to 13,768

Perkins

4 to 2000

1007 to 6032

322 to 1042

1685 to 12,000

Rolls-Royce

1425 to 9620

800 to 4224

Rumo

800 to 1045 800 to 1000

2700 to 80,080

Wärtsilä

4320 to 19,260 4050 to 17,550

Yanmar

250 to 3530 300 to 2000

December 2014 17 Compressortech2

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CPI Develops Compressor Valve With Replaceable for critical operations, remote/ Seat Plate > Designed hazardous environments

n CPI developed this replaceable seat compressor valve to simplify overhauls.

C

ompressor Products International (CPI) has developed a compressor valve with a replaceable seat plate for quick reconditioning in critical operations or in remote/hazardous environments. The Hi-Flo RS valve is a refinement of the company’s Hi-Flo R and V valves. CPI noted that unscheduled reciprocating compressor shutdowns can lead to costly production losses. Compressor valves have many active parts and are responsible for more unscheduled shutdowns than any other compressor component.

When a valve fails, it not only reduces efficiency and capacity but also can result in secondary damage to other parts of the compressor. CPI said its Hi-Flo R radius valves have performed reliably in the oil, gas petrochemical and air separation industries worldwide. The radiused profile of the valve

n Figure 2: This is a finite element analysis of the new seat plate in PEEK.

n Figure 1: This drawing shows the profile for the Hi-Flo R valve. December 2014

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rings (Figure 1), which control and seal the process gas as it flows into and from the compressor cylinder, provides several important characteristics. The main advantage is that the Hi-Flo R valves provide very long running times, typically up to three years between planned maintenance and overhauls. This is an advantage when service or reconditioning — requiring specialized skills, equipment and facilities — are needed for compressors that are operating in remote or difficult environments. When an overhaul is needed, valves are shipped to a CPI facility or an approved workshop, resulting in downtime that costs time and money. CPI developed the Hi-Flo RS valve at the request of a customer who operated compressors using Hi-Flo V and R valves on offshore production platforms, floating production, storage and offloading vessels and other facilities far from properly equipped maintenance workshops. The Hi-Flo RS has a replaceable seat plate that is integrated into the valve seat housing. Over time, any normal wear will be on the seat plate rather than on the valve seat itself.

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Recognized Leader

n Figure 3: This clean valve came from a third-stage gas lift compressor in service offshore. When valve efficiency begins to decline, the seat plate can be popped out and a new seat plate can be snapped into place. Because the new seat plate has the same dimensions as the original, there is no need for complicated depth and clearance adjustments, using shims and gaskets, when reinstalling the valve. The seat plate is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), the same rugged and durable material used to manufacture the rings. The difference in the strength of the replaceable PEEK seat plate compared to a traditional seat is negligible, as proven by engineering studies (Figure 2) and field tests. CPI said the Hi-Flo RS valve performs extremely well under severe operating conditions and for processing of gases that contain liquid slugs and debris. Figure 3 shows the good condition of a valve removed preventively after 13 months of operation on a gas lift three-stage compressor offshore. Total E&P Congo, equipped all stages of its PAC4 compressors with this technology in 2012 and is preparing to equip a General Electric Nuovo-Pignone 6HM3 with the technology by the end of 2014. “The CPI Hi-Flo RS is the response to our problems. We don’t need to re-machine or use special tooling for maintenance,” a Total E&P representative said. “Furthermore, we don’t need to keep complete valves in stock — only rebuild kits. We have also reduced the unscheduled shutdown time and some valves installed two years ago are still running.” The company said the new valve could be completely reconditioned on location without specialized tools, re-machining, presses or other equipment. The rebuild kit includes the replaceable plate, new valve rings, springs and buttons. CPI said since there is no reduction in valve seat thickness, no adjustments are needed if unloader forks are fitted on the suction valves. CT2

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Combustion Solutions For Achieving Low Exhaust Emissions In Integral Gas prechamber, dual-stage Compressor Engines > Passive prechamber methods explored

corner

TECH

By David Lepley, Luigi Tozzi and Emmanuella Sotiropoulou

O

ogy (patent pending). Both combinations have achieved incremental reduction in exhaust emissions with large-bore, slow-speed natural gas engines. The engine results of both of these combinations have been previously published [7]. In this paper, the continuation of the technology validation of the combination of the high-energy ignition and the dual-stage prechamber technology will be presented in terms of the complete engine test on an integral gas compressor engine. While the dual-stage prechamber technology described in this paper was tested on a legacy integral gas compressor engine, the concept is also believed to be applicable to newer, high brake mean effective pressure (BMEP), large bore two-stroke or four-stroke engines. The paper merely intends to present the potential of this technology and calls for the next step of generating specific production solutions to address the industry’s needs. The information in the following section has been published previously [7] and is presented to provide an adequate foundation for the new results presented later in this paper.

perators of lean-burn natural gas engines are constantly striving to meet emissions requirements in the most cost effective way possible. More specifically, the conversions of legacy large-bore (greater than 9.8 in. [250 mm]) natural gas engines can easily reach in excess of US$100,000. This approach still provides some cost savings over a new engine installation, but is no longer necessary thanks to recent breakthroughs in high-energy ignition systems and the design of passive prechamber plugs via the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) [1-6]. This paper provides a summary of the advancements made in the past year by coupling emerging technologies such as the high-energy ignition and passive prechamber spark plug technologies and applying them to large-bore gas engines. Two different configurations are covered. The first is the combination of the high-energy ignition technology with the passive prechamber spark plug in an open-engine combustion chamber configuration. The second is the same combination but this time the passive prechamber spark plug is located inside a fuel-fed precombustion chamber and referred to as the “dual-stage prechamber” technol-

Engine system configuration The authors decided to model and test the solutions proposed in this paper on a representative large-bore gas engine residing at the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory at Colorado State University. It is a four-cylinder Cooper Bessemer GMV-4TF with in-cylinder fuel injection. Figure 1 shows the engine installation. Table 1 contains the specifications of the engine as tested. Each cylinder of this engine can be configured in two ways. One way is to use two spark plugs per cylinder. The other way is to use a precombustion chamber, which has its own separate fuel line. The fuel admission into the precombustion chamber is controlled by a mechanical check valve. For the purposes of the test, an electronic fuel control valve (ePCC [8], Figure 2) was installed, which is able to control the admission timing and fuel amount in the precombustion chamber. This electronic fuel-control valve allows to deliver the fuel in the under sonic conditions. continued on page 22

David Lepley has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Youngstown State University. He is Product Manager – Ignition Systems for Altronic, with responsibility for developing and promoting advanced ignition technologies for gas engines. Luigi Tozzi has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Naples, Italy. His emphasis has been on lean burn gas engine combustion since the early 1980s. As president of Prometheus Applied Technologies, he leads the development and commercialization of precombustion chamber systems for large lean burn gas engines. Emmanuella Sotiropoulou has a master’s in electrical engineering from Colorado State University. As vice president at Prometheus Applied Technologies, she is in charge of the development of precombustion chamber systems for large lean burn gas engines. This paper was presented at the Gas Machinery Research Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October of 2013.

December 2014

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advantages resulting from using this ignition system compared to a conventional system are the subject of a previous publication [10]. Combustion pressure transducers are installed in all four cylinders, allowing for high-speed combustion pressure measurements via a high-speed data acquisition system (HSDA). The HSDA was controlled by a National Instruments PXI-1002 system. The software computed combustion parameters such as peak cylinder pressure and location, heat release rate, indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) and cycle-to-cycle variations. It was possible to monitor exhaust gas emissions of the entire engine. The five-gas analyzer used for the test was a Rosemount five-gas emissions analyzer that measures CO, CO2, THC, NOx and O2 concentrations. Both measuring systems are shown in Figure 3.

n Figure 1. The Cooper Bessemer GMV-4TF at the EECL-CSU. RPM

300

n Table 1. The Cooper Bes-

Bore (mm)

356

Stroke (mm)

356

semer GMV-4TF as tested at the EECL-CSU.

CR

10

The specific advantages resulting from using an electronic fuel control valve compared to a mechanical check valve have been discussed in a previous publication [9] and are not addressed in this paper. However, the need to use this type of fuel delivery system in this study was mainly to control the fuel amount delivered independently of the cylinder pressure during the time of admission.

n Figure 3. The data-acquisition equipment (left) and the gasanalyzer rack. The engine air-fuel ratio is controlled by independently setting the air mass flow rate and the fuel mass flow rate. The engine is configured to maintain a constant differential pressure of 17.2 kPa (2.5 psi) between intake and exhaust. The air mass flow rate is controlled by adjusting the backpressure. A variable-speed Roots blower is used to supply air to the engine and a variable-exhaust restriction is used to control the backpressure and to simulate a turbocharger.

n Figure 2. The ePCC electronic fuel control valve and CPU-XL ignition system on engine installation.

Passive prechamber spark plugs for open chamber configuration In the first combination of the high-energy ignition system and prechamber plugs, the two conventional spark plugs in the open chamber engine configuration are replaced with passive prechamber spark plugs. The plugs are located in the 0° location and the -45° location as shown in the model of Figure 4. CFD analysis indicated that a relatively large variation in the mixture distribution is to be expected in the two locations with a lambda of 1.75 (f = 0.571) in the 0° location continued on page 24

The engine is outfitted with the latest available ignition system technology as shown in Figure 2. A tunable, highenergy ignition system able to assure reliable ignition with lean air-fuel mixtures, while maintaining long plug life, was selected for this test [1]. This system was chosen because it allows the user the flexibility in selecting a spark waveform profile based on the flow velocity at the spark plug gap, which is determined with the help of CFD for a particular application. The specific December 2014

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conventional spark plug (left) and the prechamber plug (right). Comparison of initial flame development from two different spark locations (isothermal surface at 1500K) [7]. The flame is represented as an isothermal surface at 1500 K, seen in red. These results indicate that the use of the prechamber plugs on engine will improve engine stability and, hence, extend the lean flammability limit. This was later confirmed by the engine test at a constant load of 500 hp (372 kW).

n Figure 4. The relative location of the two spark plugs is shown.

and a lambda of 2.35 (f = 0.426) in the -45° location. This was observed at the time of spark of 5 crank angle degrees (CAD) before top dead center (BTDC). The results are shown in Figure 5.

n Figure 5. The lambda distribution of the two spark plug locations [7]. Due to the large variation in lambda distribution observed in the CFD results, the two designs shown in Figure 6 were developed. The prechamber plug designs were able to successfully trap some fuel during the direct injection event to provide a richer environment than the conventional spark plug for the initial flame development.

n Figure 8. The conventional spark plug (left) and the prechamber plug (right). Comparison of initial flame development from two different spark locations (isothermal surface at 1500K) [7]. The results indicated that the bullet prechamber plug design provided the most stable operation as seen in Figure 9. The engine stability, measured as the coefficient of variation of indicated mean effective pressure (COV of IMEP) versus NOx emissions is improved by more than a factor of 2 at less than 2 g/bhp-hr operating conditions. Further improvements in the stability at lean operating points are made by the use of the high-energy ignition system. In conclusion, these results indicate that the combination of passive prechamber spark plugs and the high-energy, tunable, ignition system provide the most robust solution for the 500 mg/Nm3 (1 g/bhp-hr) operation for large-bore natural gas engines.

n Figure 6. These are the two passive prechamber plug designs. The CFD results of the prechamber plug designs are shown in Figure 7 as compared to the open spark plug (J-gap type). The mixture at the gap of the open spark plug is 1.55 (f = 0.645) while that of the prechamber plug is 1.25 (f = 0.800) with an even richer mixture surrounding it (l=1.15, f = 0.870) to ensure strong flame jet formation.

n Figure 7. The lambda comparison at the electrode gap region between the two spark plugs [7]. n Figure 9. The COV of IMEP vs NOx and excess air ratio (l=1/f) for the three configurations [7]. continued on page 26

The results of the initial flame development initiated from two different spark locations for both the conventional open plug and the prechamber plug are shown in Figure 8. The December 2014

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Dual-stage precombustion chamber concept In order to improve the efficiency and emissions trade-off obtained by the standard precombustion chamber, a second concept was developed. Here, the reduction in emissions is obtained by reducing the fuel present in the precombustion chamber. To ensure consistent flame propagation within the now lean, homogenous precombustion chamber, flame jet ignition must be utilized. To address this problem, the “dual-stage prechamber” approach was created and is currently patent pending. Here, the combination of a smaller, fuel-rich prechamber (first stage) inside a larger, fuel-lean prechamber (second stage), are used to initiate the combustion in the main chamber. This combination leads to a reduction in the NOx pro­ duction compared to the conventional configuration. To achieve the desired distribution in the dual-stage prechamber and appropriate flame jet penetration in the main chamber, a new design had to be developed for the second stage (Figure 10) to be coupled with a passive prechamber spark plug that served as the first stage. In addition, the fueling of the prechamber was controlled by an electronically actuated sonic valve as opposed to a mechanical check valve.

which receives its fresh air-fuel mixture during compression from the first stage. The ensuing flame jets from the passive prechamber spark plug initiate combustion in the fuel-fed second stage, which in turn initiates combustion in the main chamber. The combustion simulation of Figure 12 demonstrates this combustion sequence.

n Figure 12. The dual-stage prechamber/flame jet development (isothermal surface at 1500K) [7]. Dual-stage precombustion chamber concept — full engine test The first step for proving this technology was to perform an engine test in which one of the four cylinders of the Cooper Bessemer GMV-4TF was outfitted with the new dual-stage prechamber approach. The results from this test were published in a previous publication [7]. Due to the promising results of the single cylinder test, a full engine test was performed. The baseline (conventional configuration) used the mechanical check valve for the fuel admission in the precombustion chamber. In the case of the dual-stage prechamber, as described previously, all prechamber fuel lines were installed with electronic fuel control valves. This was done as an expediency to proving out the dualstage prechamber technology. The fuel admission by these valves was kept under sonic conditions throughout the duration of the test. Future plans include the development and application of the dual-stage prechamber with the use of a mechanical check valve. The test was performed at two different load conditions to gain an understanding of the behavior of the new technology under different engine power ratings; 500 hp (373 kW) and 350 hp (260 kW). The spark timing selected for the baseline is the optimum timing for this engine configuration and is set to 3 CAD BTDC. To better characterize the performance of the dual-stage prechamber concept, three different spark timings were investigated during the test: 3, 5 and 8 CAD BTDC. For each timing, the air manifold pressure was increased to reduce the fuel injected in the main chamber and achieve leaner in-cylinder conditions. No attempt was made to optimize the timing of the electronic fuel admission valve of the second stage. Following are the comparative results of the baseline and the dual-stage prechamber concept (DS). continued on page 28

n Figure 10. The original precombustion cham­­­ ber hardware compared to the new design of the dual-stage prechamber technology. It is important to note that the use of the timed fuel delivery was done to prove the ability of this approach to reduce emissions while increasing efficiency. Once this technology proves sound, a development process will be necessary to fit this approach in meeting different application needs, such as the combination of the dual-stage prechamber with the use of a mechanical check valve. Comparative CFD analysis of the baseline conventional configuration (fuel-fed precombustion chamber with conventional spark plug) and the new dual-stage prechamber approach is shown in Figure 11. As expected, the conventional configuration is overly rich at approximately l=0.85 (f= 1.18) while the dual-stage prechamber has a lambda of 1.5 in the second stage and 1.2 in the first stage.

n Figure 11. The lambda distribution in the conventional prechamber (left) and dual-stage prechamber (right) [7]. Ignition is initiated in the passive prechamber spark plug, December 2014

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The most comprehensive picture of the combustion results is shown in Figure 13 in terms of the trade-off between brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific (BS) NOx emissions at 500 hp. All spark timings of the dual-stage prechamber produce a higher BTE with lower NOx emissions compared to the baseline. At 0.75 g/bhp-hr of BS NOx emissions, the efficiency gain ranges from approximately 0.5% points to 1.5% points. It was expected that the dual-stage prechamber would require more advance timing than the baseline due to the leaner second stage and to the time delay introduced by the first stage. The dual-stage prechamber achieves a BTE range between 30.6 and 31.8% at 0.5 g/bhp-hr. It was not possible to obtain any data points at leaner than 0.35 g/bhp-hr because the engine had reached the airflow limit.

n Figure 14. The 500 hp combustion stability comparison. prechamber improves the COV of IMEP from 4.75 to 2.2%. A comparison of the combustion pressure for the two points indicated in Figure 13 is provided in Figure 15 for all four cylinders. These two points were selected at similar COV of IMEP and have approximately 1% point difference in BTE. It is easy to see the difference in manifold air pressure as indicated by the two black arrows. Even though the dualstage prechamber is running at leaner conditions, it is able to produce higher peak pressures leading to higher efficiency.

n Figure 13. The 500 hp BTE/NOx trade-off comparison of the conventional precombustion chamber (baseline) and the dual-stage prechamber. The improved trade-off between BTE and NOx emissions can be attributed mostly to the leaner conditions occurring inside the second stage and to the enhanced flame propagation resulting from the flame jet ignition of the rich first stage. It can be further confirmed by comparing the mass of fuel in the second stage at 4.85 mg per injection to that of the baseline at 20.2 mg per injection (approximately 76% reduction in fuel). Another contributing factor for this gain in efficiency is the increased engine stability due to the more efficient design of the second stage producing three flame jets instead of one (Figure 10), increasing the main chamber turbulence and, therefore, flame propagation. The engine stability is measured in terms of the coefficient of variation of indicated mean effective pressure (COV of IMEP). A comparison between the baseline and the dual stage is shown in Figure 14. The results indicate that the baseline has an acceptable COV of IMEP of less than 5% at NOx levels higher than 0.75 g/bhp-hr. In contrast, the dual-stage prechamber is able to operate at a comparable COV of IMEP of less than 5% at a NOx level of less than 0.4 g/bhp-hr and is limited by the engine’s airflow limit. Another observation can be made at the same emissions of 0.75 g/bhp-hr, where the dual-stage December 2014

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n Figure 15. The 500 hp combustion pressure comparison for baseline (dotted line) and dual-stage prechamber(solid). Taking a look at the BTE/NOx trade-off of the 350 hp power rating, shown in Figure 16, one can see that the dual-stage prechamber technology offers more stable operation at 0.5 g/ bhp-hr of NOx emissions with approximately 1.0% point in efficiency gain. Further insight into the engine stability is shown in Figure 17 where the baseline maintains an acceptable operation (COV of IMEP < 5%) at a NOx emissions level of approximately 0.6 g/bhp-hr, while the dual-stage prechamber achieves the same at a NOx emissions level of less than 0.3 g/bhp-hr. These results confirm that the benefits of the dual-stage prechamber are maintained at lower engine power ratings. continued on page 30 28

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Combustion of the leaner mixture inside the second stage is initiated by flame jets produced by the first rich stage. In this paper, a full engine test is performed to determine the merit of this new technology. The engine used is a Cooper Bessemer GMV-4TF with four cylinders that are all instrumented. The results of the test validate the expectations set forth by a previously published single cylinder test, showing a reduction in NOx emissions much below 0.5 g/bhp-hr while gaining 1.5% points in BTE at a 500 hp engine rating. Furthermore, this approach demonstrated great improvements in combustion stability at lower engine ratings (350 hp). Both approaches presented in this paper provide a flexibility of choice to the operator in meeting emissions requirements in a more cost effective way. The dual-stage prechamber approach has demonstrated large gains over the present state of the art, warranting the continuation of developing application specific solutions. The immediate next step is the development of an optimized dual-stage prechamber configuration that allows retrofitting of integral compressor natural gas engines that use precombustion chamber fuel admission systems with subsonic check valves. This development will be the subject of a subsequent publication. CT2

n Figure 16. The 350 hp BTE/NOx trade-off comparison.

References [1] Lepley, J. M., et al, “A New Technology Electronic Ignition Which Eliminates the Limitations of Traditional Ignition Systems,” CIMAC Congress 2010, Bergen, Paper No. 173. [2] Yasueda, S., et al, “Predicting Autoignition caused by Lubricating Oil in Gas Engines,” CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai, Paper No. 37. [3] Sotiropoulou, E., et al, “A Method for Predicting Knock in Gas Engines by means of Chemical Precursors from Detailed Chemistry CFD,” Proceedings of the Eighth Dessau Gas Engine Conference, 2013. [4] Tozzi, L., et al, “Passive prechamber spark plugs: Then and now,” Proceedings of the Seventh Dessau Gas Engine Conference, 2011, pp. 157-168. [5] Martinez-Morett, D., et al, “A Reduced Chemical Kinetic Mechanism for CFD Simulations of High BMEP, LeanBurn Natural Gas Engines,” Proceedings of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division Spring Technical Conference, 2012, ICES2012-81109 [6] Convergent Science Inc. website: http://convergecfd. com/. [7] Sotiropoulou, E., et al, “Solutions for Meeting Low Emission Requirements in Large Bore Natural Gas Engines,” CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai, Paper No. 278. [8] Altronic Inc., website: http://www.altronicinc.com/pdf/ HVT Sales Sheets/ePCC_6-12.pdf. [9] Lepley, D.T., et al, “Development and Performance Analysis of an Advanced Combustion Control System on a Fuel-Admitted High-Speed Natural Gas Engine,” Gas Machinery Conference, 2012. [10] Bell, D.E., et al, “Field Validation of a Directed Energy Ignition System on Large Bore Natural Gas-Fueled Reciprocating Engines,” Gas Machinery Conference, 2012.

n Figure 17. The 350 hp combustion stability comparison. Conclusions and next steps This paper is a continuation of a previous study published in the 2013 CIMAC congress. The study was possible thanks to recent significant advancements in CFD combustion technology and high-energy ignition system technology. Two cost-effective approaches are investigated for their ability to reduce emissions in large-bore natural gas engines (greater than 250 mm). The first is the use of two passive prechamber spark plugs in place of the conventional spark plugs (J-gap type) in an open chamber engine configuration. This approach was able to reduce the NOx emissions level to 1 g/bhp-hr while maintaining good combustion stability (COV of IMEP less than 5%). To provide further improvements to the efficiency and emissions trade-off of engines configured to use a fuel-fed precombustion chamber, the second approach investigated is the use of a dual-stage prechamber (patent pending). Here, the existing, fuel-rich conventional precombustion chamber and spark plug are replaced with the combination of a small fuel-rich prechamber (first stage) inside a larger, leaner prechamber forming the dual-stage prechamber. Both stages are especially designed to function together. December 2014

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n One of the first C-Series 3516 packages sits in an Exterran assembly bay.

Exterran Offers Highly Configurable 3516 units have Compressor Package > C-Series 10- to 14-week delivery By Patrick Crow

E

xterran has launched its C-­ Series 3516 line of compressor packages to provide customers with both customization options and speedy delivery. By using a tool on Exterran’s web page, customers can designate the features for compression packages that precisely meet their operational needs. The pre-engineered C-Series 3516 offers more than 60 basic options. Exterran’s goal is to respond to the customer with a proposal within 48 hours. It can send the production

december 2014

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drawings (with dimensions, weights and connection points) within two or three business days. The package typically would be delivered within 10 to 14 weeks from one of the two Exterran assembly plants in Houston. The C-Series 3516 is available in seven base models: in one-, twoand three-stage configurations and a range of bore sizes. Exterran said those choices, with others, create a spectrum of more than 1000 possible configurations. The series is available up to 1380 34

hp (1029 kW) and outfitted with a Caterpillar 3516B lean-burn engine and an Ariel JGT4 compressor. The package is built on a heavy-duty, 12 ft. (3.65 m) wide skid suitable for mounting on a compacted gravel pad or concrete foundation. Exterran said the C-Series packages could be used in a wide array of natural gas applications generally above 5 psi (0.35 bar) inlet pressure and up to 1300 psi (90 bar) discharge pressure. Typical applications would include wellhead, gas gathering, flare Compressortech2

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elimination, gas processing and plant inlet and residue. William Sayre, vice president, product lines and marketing at Exterran, said the company interviewed its customers and its sales staff to determine the crucial issues surrounding compression package purchases. “For a significant number of our customers, speed of delivery was critical to their operations,” Sayre said. “We also found that many times they had to sacrifice or compromise some of their technical preferences in order to get the packages delivered faster. Our customers would buy available stock packages but say they wished those had certain options that would make them better fits.” Exterran responded with the C (for configurable) Series, which has the dual goals of flexibility and fast delivery. Sayre said ordering a C-Series package essentially is similar to a consumer ordering a computer on the internet, selecting the basic machine and its key components to fill a particular need.

“This method allows our customers to designate exactly the composition they want and get it manufactured and delivered very quickly,” Sayre said. Exterran launched the C-Series 3516 last January and formally introduced it about a month ago. “Since January, we’ve experienced higher market demand for this product that we had predicted,” Sayre said. “The reaction has been extremely positive. We’re going strong with the product and have delivered dozens to the field at this point.” Even if customers don’t necessarily need fast delivery, Sayre said the flexibility to customize a package is a major advantage for them, as is the unit’s simple assembly and commissioning. “We have competitors who offer many ranges, sizes and configurations of compressors and drivers,” he said. “But because of long engine and compressor lead times, they often assemble standard or speculative packages that are not tailored to a specific end use. And if they’re

building a customized package, that can take a long time.” Sayre said Exterran collaborated with the managers of its more than 4 million hp (2980 MW) contract fleet, the largest in the industry, on the design of the C-Series. It has become the new standard package for the fleet. Some of the options for the C-Series 3516 line include the quiet Harsco/ Air-X-Changers fin fan cooler, Hotstart system and Murphy Centurion Plus control panel. Standard safety features include automatic shutdown controls and checker-plated, skid-resistant work surfaces. Safety is enhanced because all local instrument gas vents are collected, manifolded and routed to connections at the skid edge. The design facilitates air emissions compliance with a catalyst housing and NPT sampling ports. Selectable safety options include exhaust insulation, caged ladders, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration-compliant work platforms. CT2

www.aciservicesinc.com 740-435-0240 december 2014 35 Compressortech2

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Revamp Of A Reciprocating study details work for Compressor Unit > Case Eastern European refinery By Andreas Hahn This verifies that the compressor ful­ fills the designated process conditions without deviations and avoids general mechanical or performance problems. Following this, a calculation is made with new operating conditions. In a first step, a pre-check is made in order to see if an adaptation of the com­ pressor for the new operating condi­ tions is possible in principle. The modifi­ cation of both the compressor itself and the surrounding accessories needs to be considered. If the pre-check result is positive, a revamp project is realistic.

n NEA delivered recips to a refinery in Eastern Europe in 2003. Recently NEA installed new compressor crankshafts with an increased stroke to fulfill the changed hydrogen gas demand.

C

ustomers are requesting com­ pressor adaptations due to new or extended process re­­­­­­­­ quirements. Reciprocating compres­ sors are always tailor-made and designed for a specific operating con­ dition and for long lifetime. New devel­ opments and requirements or product specifications demand changes in op­ erating conditions. Thus, it makes sense to verify the existing compressor equipment, to see whether it can be modified or revamped to make the new process conditions or capacity feasible. The procedure to handle revamp business is presented based on a case study. Introduction In 2003, Neuman & Esser Group delivered a reciprocating compres­ sor size 2SZL320H to a refinery in Eastern Europe for a desulfurization

Andreas Hahn is head of revamp and modernization at Neuman & Esser in Übach-Palenberg, Germany.

DECEMBER 2014

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process, compressing hydrogen from 406 psi (28 bar) suction pressure up to 1232 psi (85 bar) discharge pressure. The reciprocating compressor is a two-crank, horizontal, two-cylinder stage, double-acting, lubricated ser­ vice machine and 121,000 lb (530 kN) allowable rod load. The compressor is directly driven by a rigidly coupled electric motor with a nominal driver power of 2280 hp (1700 kW). The original design ca­ pacity was approximately 1.1 MMcfh (33,000 Nm³/hr). The NEA scope for the compressor unit as a whole included the pulsation vessels, interstage cooler and inter­ stage separator up to the last stage check valve. After only five years of successful operation, the hydrogen gas demand increased approximately 15% due to clean fuel requirements. Initially, the existing reciprocating compressor is re-calculated accord­ ing to the original or as-built situation with the compressor design tool KO³ (Compressor Optimization Version 3). 36

Compressor verification The second step is the detailed veri­ fication of a compressor revamp as an engineering study. It starts with a ther­ modynamics and compressor calcula­ tion by incorporating the specific com­ pressor details into KO³. In order to be able to run the thermodynamic calcu­ lation, the gas analysis, suction pres­ sure, suction temperature, discharge pressure and required capacity must be known for each process or case. For this case study the conclu­ sion was to install a new compressor crankshaft with an increased stroke to fulfill customer requirements within the allowable compressor limits. The pis­ ton rods and piston had to be replaced due to the existing cylinders’ running length. The advantage here is that the cylinders are not changed; the general compressor arrangement can remain. Each variation in process conditions of compressor properties has an im­ pact on compressor valves. After the detailed compressor layout calcula­ tion, the valve design needs to be con­ firmed. Since the valve dynamics exert a major influence on compressor per­ formance, valve checking is manda­ tory to confirm the compressor layout. After the thermodynamics and valves are confirmed, the compressor’s continued on page 38 Compressortech2

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n Figure 1. View of the elasto-hydrodynamic load situation under (left) maximum tension load and (right) maximum compression load calculated with KO³. mechanical properties must be verified. The safety relief valve each stage are an important fact for compressor layout for verification of the mechanical properties, because the set pressures determine the maximum rod forces and static design pressures. Typically, the crosshead bearing is one of the most critical components in a reciprocating compressor. This bearing can fail due to hydrodynamic oil pressure being too high, minimum oil film thickness being too thin or rod load reversal being insufficient. KO³ accommodates this fact by checking these three scenarios individually. For this purpose, Dr. Klaus Hoff and Egidius Steinbusch developed an elasto-hydrodynamic tool (EHD) to assess bearing hydrodynamics. This EHD tool is an integral part of KO³. Figure 1 shows the elasto-hydrodynamic load situation of the crosshead bearing under maximum tension load and maximum compression load. Increasing the stroke of a crankshaft apparently produces higher stress levels which need to be checked in terms of fatigue strength. The crankshaft load is generally dominated by bending and torsion. The fillets at the crank webs are prospective critical locations. This verification can be best quantified by utilizing finite element analysis (FEA) models. Once a sufficient number of FEA simulations have been performed, their results can be used to identify and ad-

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ENGINES FOR GAS COMPRESSION Reliable heart for your unit Power range: 40 -170 kW Fuels: NG, Wellhead gas, LPG, Biogas, CBM gas and others Version for Zone 2 available (II, 3G, T1 equipment) [email protected], +420 483 363 642

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DECEMBER 2014 38 Compressortech2

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just analytical approaches which produce approximately the same results as the FEA. That way, the individual crankshaft strength for a given job can be verified most accurately and quickly in KO³ without the need for intensive FEA studies. Verification of accessories The current API 618 Rev.5 for instance requires sufficient motor power to cover all compressor operating cases and up to the safety valve set pressure in all stages, plus a 5% safety margin. For directly coupled compressors it is mandatory to run a new torsion analysis. Only new torsion analysis can verify the components of the drive train and avoid torsion vibrations and compressor damage. If there is an increase in capacity and power, the coolers must be verified for the new operating conditions. These detail checks must be conducted by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the heat exchangers. Furthermore, the piping and vessels are affected. The sizing and ratings need to be confirmed for new flow or new operating conditions. To avoid unallowable high pulsation, a damper check is performed based on the existing vessel design and according to the limits of API 618. The damper check can be run with the KO³ calculation also and considers the new compressor layout, overall processes and operating cases. After that a pulsation and mechanical response study is carried out. Changes in compressor design and thermodynamic operating conditions were communicated to the supplier to re-investigate and validate the compressor unit.

We Manufacture and Remanufacture the World’s Largest Crankshafts Ellwood Crankshaft Group Irvine, PA, USA 16329 Hermitage, PA, USA 16148 1-800-247-1326 or 724-347-0250 [email protected] www.ellwoodcrankshaftgroup.com

MIRATECH’s New QUAD-TUNED Silencers

Risk analysis The NEA Group has generated a spark hazard analysis and risk assessment for reciprocating compressor units. If there is a substantial modification, the assessment is performed and measures are indicated. Special management for product safety is necessary for revamping and modernization. It must be assured by the OEM or an expert authority that the considered revamp measures are a safe solution and the means by which the revamp is selected and designed. Just as for new compressor design, the major revamp jobs or modifications must comply with the advised product process. This means use of a procedure for all scheduled quality control instructions, for feasibility study, risk assessment design engineering and fabrication. Revamp/modernization is a special product that needs special handling. Due to the fact that large numbers of reciprocating compressors operate over several decades and can run far longer, it is a good opportunity to make them fit for current technical specifications and process conditions by revamping. With the right technical support by a compressor OEM, the reciprocating compressor can be prepared for long-term operation and to match the operating company’s demands while remaining technically safe and economically reasonable. CT2 DECEMBER 2014

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20 2 12 0 11 2010 2009 2008 7 200 6 0 20 05

0

20

13

04 200 3 2002 2001 2000

4 1

20

20

Year

In Review

2

Expansions abound as the shale gas boom continues

By

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There’s no business like the oil and gas business right now. The shale gas boom continued through 2014, with several manufacturers and packagers taking advantage in the form of acquisitions and mergers. The biggest players were GE and Siemens. GE acquired Cameron’s reciprocating compression business in early June, and then followed it up with plans to nab Alstom’s Power and Grid businesses. Siemens, meanwhile, inked deals to acquire Rolls-Royce’s power turbine and compressor business, as well as Dresser-Rand. The compressor rental and packaging sectors also saw a flurry of activity during 2014. Exterran Partners acquired 334 compression units totaling 440,000 hp (328 MW) from MidCon Compression in February, only to go back for 162 more in July. Enerflex Ltd. purchased Axip Energy Services’ international contract compression and processing operations, as well as its after-market services business. In August, Compressco Partners boosted its fleet from 87,000 to 1,045,000 hp (65 to 780 MW) with the purchase of Compressor Systems Inc. (CSI). The year was not without its drawbacks, however. Compressor station protests were common throughout the year. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced plans in July to establish energy efficiency standards for new natural gas compressors as part of a program to reduce methane leaks from natural gas pipelines. A slowdown in the boom, though, does not appear to be forthcoming. On Nov. 11, three more news stories broke, all dealing with acquisitions and expansions. Motor-Services Hugo Stamp (MSHS) announced that it would expand its service facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. Rexnord Power Transmission announced an agreement to acquire Euroflex Tranmissions (India) Pvt. Ltd. T.F. Hudgins also completed its acquisition of Jamison Products on the same day.

November 2013 Nov. 5 – India launches its first rocket to Mars, aiming to put a satellite in orbit around the red planet. It began orbiting Mars in September, searching for methane and signs of minerals. Nov. 12 – FS-Elliott Co. LLC, a manufacturer of oil-free centrifugal air and gas compressors, expands into the Southeast Asia region by establishing a new representative office in Selangor, Malaysia. Nov. 12 – Dresser-Rand joins Gaelectric, a renewable energy firm, in the development of its compressed air energy storage (CAES) site near Larne, Northern Ireland. They also form an alliance to develop other European CAES projects. Nov. 14 – EQT Corp., one of the largest producers in Appalachia, gives Valerus a contract to provide 15,000 hp (11.2 MW) of compression for two pipeline stations in southwestern Pennsylvania. Nov. 21 – Detechtion Technologies receives an undisclosed investment by Element Partners, a growth equity fund focused on energy and industrial technology companies. december 2014

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Concurrent with the investment, Chris Smith also joins the company as president and CEO, with Gerry Conroy serving in the newly created role of senior vice president of products and portfolio. Nov. 21 – Valerus receives a contract to provide engineering, procurement and construction for a natural gas conditioning and condensate stabilization facility in Venezuela. Nov. 22 – The U.S. House of Representatives approves a bill to expedite the permitting of interstate gas pipelines, but Senate action appeared unlikely due to the threat of a Presidential veto.

December Dec. 2 – Siemens Energy improves its STC-SOL turbocompressor for coking industry applications by reducing the number of casting components and using an impeller technology that improves compressor efficiency up to 15%. Dec. 3 – Rolls-Royce receives a US$28 million contract to 40

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supply PetroChina with equipment and services to expand the flow of natural gas through the Lunnan – Tulufan branch of the second West to East Pipeline Project (WEPP II). Dec. 5 – Nelson Mandela dies at age 95. South Africans and world leaders pay tribute to Mandela, who led the transition from white minority rule in South Africa. Mandela spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa’s first black president in 1994. Dec. 5 – Dresser-Rand successfully tests its small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, known as LNGo, and expects to begin delivering the 6000 gpd (22,700 L/d) units in 2014.

n The LNGo system is shown with 3-D CAD software created by the development team at Painted Post, New York.

Dec. 9 – GE unveils plans to build its Global Research Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The 95,000 sq.ft. (8826 m2) center will focus on accelerating mid- to later-stage oil and gas technologies developed in the company’s labs, such as production systems, well construction, water use optimization, CO2 products, and energy systems. Dec. 9 – Valerus agrees to sell Valerus Field Solutions for US$435 million to Kentz Corp. Ltd., the holding company of the Kentz engineering and construction group. Dec. 11 – Flowserve Corp. acquires Innovative Mag-Drive, LLC, or Innomag, a privately owned American manufacturer of sealless magnetic-drive centrifugal pumps used primarily in the chemical and general industries. Dec. 16 – Wood Group GTS appoints Mike Fisher as president of its U.S. oil, gas and industrial services (OGIS) business. Dec. 17 – GE Oil & Gas signs a 12-year contractual service agreement with Yara International ASA, a global chemical company based in Oslo, Norway, to maintain an array of GE rotating equipment at Yara’s fertilizer complex in Sluiskil, in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands. Dec. 18 – Ronald Biggs dies. Involved in the “Great Train Robbery” of 1963, he became one of the world’s most legendary criminals. He spent more than 30 years as a fugitive before turning himself in. Dec. 19 – Cuba lifts a ban on imported autos that it imposed in 1963.

January 2014 Jan. 7 – Ojibway Enclosures completes its move from its former Janesville, Wisconsin, production facilities and offices into Universal Acoustic & Emission Technologies’ Center of

Excellence on the Ironworks campus in Beloit, Wisconsin. Ojibway was acquired by Universal AET in July 2013. Jan. 9 – Harsco Corp., the parent of Harsco Air-X-Changers, acquires Hammco Corp., an Owasso, Oklahoma-based provider of process coolers for the natural gas and petrochemical processing industries. Jan. 20 – GE Oil & Gas agrees to acquire Cameron’s Reciprocating Compression division for US$550 million. The division provides reciprocating compression equipment and aftermarket parts and services for oil and gas production, gas processing, gas distribution and independent power industries. Jan. 24 – Happy Birthday, Macintosh. On this day 30 years ago, the Apple Macintosh, later known as the Macintosh 128, was released. Jan. 28 – Axip Energy Services becomes the new name for Valerus Compression Services, which began operating as a stand-alone company on Jan. 3 when Valerus Field Solutions was sold to Kentz Corp. for US$435 million. Jan. 29 – Caterpillar Oil & Gas releases a low-emissions upgrade kit for select G3516 LE petroleum engines used in gas compression applications. The upgrade kit allows operators to modify existing engines to a lower emission configuration, enabling operation at 0.5 or 1.0 g/bhp-hr NTE NOx levels.

n Caterpillar Oil & Gas’ upgrade kit for select G3516 LE petroleum engines allows operators to modify existing engines to a lower emissions configuration. Jan. 30 – Valerus Field Solutions receives a US$62 million contract to provide engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of two compressor stations in Doddridge County, West Virginia, for Crestwood Midstream Partners.

February Feb. 2 – The Seattle Seahawks defeat the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was the first Super Bowl played outdoors in a cold-weather city. Feb. 3 – GE launches a downstream technology solutions (DTS) business to supply equipment and services more efficiently to the US$10 billion refining, petrochemical, industrial and distributed gas segments. Feb. 10 – Film star Shirley Temple dies at 85. Feb. 10 – GE Oil & Gas makes the first Latin American sale of its advanced ICL compressors to Total S.A., which will continued on page 42

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use two of the single-stage units at a new compressor station for the Incahuasi project in Bolivia. Feb. 13 – IMI Sensors (IMI), a division of PCB Piezotronics Inc., receives CSA approval of its Echo Wireless Vibration Monitoring System (model CS672A01) for vibration monitoring in Class 1 Division 2 Hazardous Area applications.

jing, loses contact with air traffic control less than hour after takeoff. No distress signal or message was sent and the plane remains missing. March 14 – GE opens its newly expanded oil and gas facility in Fót, Hungary. The manufacturing plant was substantially enlarged with the addition of a new 86,111 sq.ft. (8000 m2) manufacturing facility and a 32,292 sq.ft. (3000 m2) office building. March 19 – ICF International prepares a report for the INGAA Foundation and America’s Natural Gas Alliance. The report states that the United States and Canada will require annual average midstream natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids midstream infrastructure investment of nearly US$30 billion per year, or US$641 billion (in 2012 dollars) from 2014 to 2035. March 21 – Despite the state’s efforts to limit flaring, the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources reports that production of “nonmarketed” natural gas was 310 MMcfd (8.8 x 106 m3/d) in 2013, almost double the 160 MMcfd (4.5 x 106 m3/d) in 2011. Most nonmarketed natural gas is flared into the atmosphere. March 27 – Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP announces plans to build a 213 mile (343 km), 16 in. (400 mm) pipeline to move carbon dioxide (CO2) from the St. Johns field in Apache County, Arizona, to its Cortez Pipeline in Torrance County, New Mexico. The new Lobos pipeline will have an initial capacity of 300 MMcfd (8500 m3/d). March 31 – Paris celebrates 125 years of the Eiffel Tower. The wrought-iron lattice tower is one of the most iconic structures in the world.

n The new certification for IMI Sensors’ vibration monitoring system contains the following approval: Class I, Div. 2, Groups A, B, C and D, T4 (-20°C < Ta < 70°C). Feb. 24 – The Board of Supervisors for the South Buffalo (Pennsylvania) Township denies a request from XTO Energy to build a natural gas compressor station on the McIntyre Farm near Grandview Drive and Ford City Road. About 60 residents attend the meeting, with concerns ranging from the station’s proximity to residential property to the potential for noise and air pollution. Feb. 25 – Chromalloy renews a 10-year agreement with Solar Turbines Inc. to provide component repairs and new production support for the manufacturer’s power systems in the oil, natural gas and power generation industries. Feb. 26 – Two days after denying a request from XTO Energy to build a natural gas compressor station on the McIntyre Farm in South Buffalo, Pennsylvania, township officials approve a smaller proposal from Snyder Brothers. The Snyder Brothers’ proposal has one compressor, compared with XTO Energy’s four, and would be built 2000 ft. (610 m) from homes on Grandview Drive over a hill. XTO’s station would have been 500 to 1000 ft. (152 to 305 m) from the homes. Feb. 28 – CDM Resource Management LLC’s contract compression fleet announces that it passed the 1 million hp (745 MW) level late last year and since has grown to 1.2 million hp (895 MW). Feb. 28 – Exterran Partners announces that it is acquiring 334 compression units totaling 440,000 hp (328 MW) from MidCon Compression LLC, a subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corp., for US$360 million. The assets will provide compression services to Access MLP Operating LLC, a subsidiary of Access Midstream Partners LP.

April April 3 – MarkWest Energy Partners LP orders more than 70 Caterpillar G3600 engines. A combination of G3608 engines rated at 2370 hp (1.7 MW) and G3612 engines rated at 3550 hp (2.6 MW) will be used to support gas gathering operations across the Utica and Marcellus shale producing regions. April 7 – India begins its elections, one of the biggest voting events in the world. Some 814 million voters — 100 million more than the last elections in 2009 — are eligible to cast ballots at 930,000 polling stations, up from 830,000 in 2009. April 11 – Cook Compression completes its move of its Oklahoma City service center to 6836 Pat Ave. The new facility offers complete cylinder and power repair services for all major reciprocating compressors. April 11 – Shell indefinitely postpones a project to install subsea compression at Ormen Lange field in the North Sea due to rising costs in Norway’s offshore oil sector. The company explained that compression was not time-critical to the ultimate recovery from the field. April 14 – Enerflex Ltd., Calgary, names Marc Rossiter as president of United States and Latin American operations and Bradley Beebe as president of Canadian operations. April 17 – Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian novelist

March March 3 – Kinder Morgan orders two of Everest Sciences Corp.’s ECOChill units for its Uniondale Compressor station on the Tennessee Gas Pipeline near West Clifford, Pennsylvania. March 8 – Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport en route to Beidecember 2014

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May 16 – Sulzer begins reorganizing its Pumps Equipment division to make it more market focused and move the service aspect of the pumps business into a combined Rotating Equipment Services division. Rotating Equipment Services merges engineering services for large turbines, compressors, motors and generators. Sulzer also creates a water-related business unit within the Pumps Equipment division. May 16 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landslide win is celebrated throughout India. The party wins a majority in Parliament, giving Modi the most decisive mandate for any leader since the 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi propelled her son to office. Since 1989, India has been governed by coalitions.

whose One Hundred Years of Solitude established him as a giant of the 20th century literature, dies. April 17 – Sundyne announces that it is merging with Pressure Products Industries (PPI), a manufacturer of sealless reciprocating diaphragm compressors for the refining, petrochemical, chemical, liquefied natural gas and semiconductor markets. April 22 – Dresser-Rand launches its Magnum HammerHead valve, designed for high-molecular-weight applications at both low and high compressor speeds. The valve can be used in all brands of reciprocating compressors. April 25 – Zahroof Valves Inc. moves to a larger facility in Houston to improve compressor valve product turnaround, optimize testing and R&D capabilities and add employees. April 25 – China’s Shenhua Ningmei Coal Group places a follow-up order with Siemens Energy for four identical CO2 compressor trains. Each train consists of one STCGV integrally geared compressor driven by an SST-600 condensing steam turbine via an intermediate gear.

n The GTI Bi-Fuel system is designed to allow diesel engines to operate on a blend of diesel and gaseous fuels.

n Siemens will deliver its largest CO2 compressors to a coal liquefaction plant in Ningxia Province, China.

May 19 – Altronic’s GTI Bi-Fuel product line receives aftermarket certification from the Air Resources Board of the state of California Environmental Protection Agency (CARB) for use on off-road compression-ignition engines in stationary applications.

May May 1 – Exterran Holdings signs a 12-year compression services contract with the consortium BCAM-40 for its compressor station in Bahia, Brazil. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) will serve as the field operator for the project, which will use 28,000 hp (20,880 kW) of compression equipment, as well as associated natural gas production equipment. May 7 – Rolls-Royce announces that it is selling its energy gas turbine and compressor business to Siemens for US$1.32 billion. May 9 – CDM Resource Management completes construction of a 16,000 sq.ft. (1486 m2) training facility in Houston as part of its enhanced training program initiative. The facility has three classrooms, a conference room and 10,000 sq.ft. (930 m2) of space for instruction. May 15 – Audax Private Equity acquires Miratech Corp., augmenting it with the silencing business of another company it owns, Phillips & Temro Industries (PTI). Tulsa, Oklahomabased Miratech was renamed Miratech Group LLC. december 2014

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June June 3 – GE completes its US$550 million acquisition of Cameron’s reciprocating compression business, which was merged into the GE Oil & Gas Downstream Technology Solutions business. The new business unit was formed to deliver products and services and packaged products for the traditional downstream and unconventional oil and gas markets. June 4 – The Canadian government announces mandatory emissions standards for major industries, including the stationary engines used to drive gas compressors. The regulation also affects air pollution from boilers, heaters and cement kilns. It brings Canada’s air quality rules closer to continued on page 44 43

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those issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. June 5-7 – Commemoration events marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings are held in Normandy, France. June 12 – Motortech opens a newly constructed training center at its headquarters in Celle, Germany. June 13 – Sulzer, an independent service provider for rotating equipment, completes an agreement to acquire Grayson Armature Large Motor Division Inc. and Grayson Armature Orange Texas Inc. Founded in 1980, Grayson Armature offers electro-mechanical repair services (at an in-house machine shop), remanufacturing, redesign, upgrades, modifications and other services. June 15 – In a rematch from the previous season, the San Antonio Spurs avenge their 2013 NBA Finals loss by beating the Miami Heat 104-87 in Game 5 to win their fifth NBA title. The Spurs take the series 4-1. June 19 – BP and the China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) agree to a deal for the supply of up to 1.7 million tpy (1.5 million T/yr) of LNG over 20 years starting in 2019. June 26 – Industry companies form the Oil and Natural Gas Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ONG-ISAC) to protect infrastructure — including gas compressor stations — from cyber attacks. The American Petroleum Institute (API) helped launch the data hub, which will operate as an independent organization. ONG-ISAC will facilitate the exchange of information, help evaluate risks and provide up-to-date security guidance to companies operating in the U.S. June 28 – 100 years ago, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, and his wife, the Duchess of Hohenberg, were shot dead in Sarajevo by an assassin. The killings ignited the First World War. June 28 – Theodore (Dutch) Van Kirk, the navigator and last surviving crew member of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in the last days of World War II, dies at his home in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was 93.

n Corac Group has commissioned a “dirty gas” flow loop at its Technology Centre. July 17 – Siemens announces that it is manufacturing four large integrally geared compressors for the Shenhua Ningmei Coal Group for installation at a 4.4 million tpy (4 million T/yr) coal liquefaction plant in Ningxia Province.

n Siemens made this integrally geared turbocompressor for CO2 applications.

July 21 – The Alstom Board of Direction unanimously decides to recommend GE’s offer to acquire its Power and Grid businesses. July 23 – Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) receives a US$1.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop, build and test a linear motor reciprocating compressor (LMRC). The goal of the project is to increase efficiency and reduce costs for hydrogen compression. July 23 – Compass Compression Services Ltd. and Compass Compression Solutions Inc. break ground on a 75,000 sq.ft. (6970 m2) plant in Calgary’s Southeast Frontier Industrial Park. When the building is completed in the second quarter of 2015, Compass Compression will have 125,000 sq.ft. (11,600 m2) of gas compression fabrication capacity.

July July 1 – Enerflex Ltd. of Calgary completes its US$430 million purchase of Axip Energy Services’ international contract compression and processing operations, as well as its aftermarket services business. July 7 – Kobelco Machinery do Brasil Ltda. begins marketing nonstandard compressors (custom-engineered process compressors) in South America from its headquarters in Sao Paulo. July 13 – Germany wins its fourth World Cup title by beating Argentina 1-0 at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The lone goal in the soccer game came in extra time from Mario Gotze. July 14 – Exterran Partners acquires another 162 compression units, totaling 110,000 hp (82 MW), from MidCon Compression for US$135 million. July 17 – Corac Group expands its test facility at its Technology Centre in Slough, England, with the commissioning of a “dirty gas” flow loop. december 2014

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n Compass Compression began constructing a 75,000 sq.ft. (6970 m2) plant in July.

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July 24 – CDM Resource Management LLC announces plans to expand its Greeley, Colorado, facilities to meet growing demand for compression services in the Niobrara Shale play of Colorado and Wyoming. The company will add 2100 sq.ft. (195 m2) of office space at 1919 65th Ave., a few miles from its existing 5000 sq.ft. (464 m2) warehouse at 917 E 18th St. in Greeley. July 24 – U.S. natural gas exports to Mexico were a record 2.5 Bcfd (70.8 x 106 m3/d) on this day and averaged 2.3 Bcfd (65.1 x 106 m3/d) from June through August, more than double the pipeline flow in 2010. July 30 – The U.S. Department of Energy announces plans to establish energy efficiency standards for new natural gas compressors as part of a program to reduce methane leaks from natural gas pipelines. July 31 – ElectraTherm partners with ConocoPhillips to capture waste heat from a compressor station at Cessford, Alberta, and generate 90 kW of electricity. The company’s “Green Machine” generates power from low temperature waste heat using the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and patented technology.

of the Panama Canal, an engineering marvel that permanently changed world trade and still plays an essential role in global commerce. Aug. 18 – Cameron announces that it is selling its centrifugal compression division to Ingersoll Rand for US$850 million as part of a long-term business strategy to focus on its core markets. Aug. 19 – Festivities in Hungary mark the 25th anniversary of the opening of its borders to the noncommunist West. The open Hungarian border with Austria allowed thousands of people to leave communist Eastern Europe. The decision paved the way for the fall of the Berlin Wall three months later. Aug. 29 – A Morgan Stanley subsidiary applies to the U.S. Department of Energy for a permit to export up to 60 Bfcy (1.7 x 109 m3/y) of compressed natural gas (CNG) gas from a proposed terminal near Freeport, Texas.

September Sept. 3 – The Atlas Copco Gas and Process Division introduces its single-shaft RT153 turbocompressor, which provides flow volumes beyond 14.1 MMcfhr (400,000 m3/ hr) for large air separation units and fertilizer production. Sept. 3 – MAN Diesel & Turbo delivers two compression modules designed for quick and easy integration into a floating production, storage and offloading vessel for Petrobras in offshore Brazil. Modec and Toyo Offshore Productions Systems ordered the modules for the Cidade de Mangaratiba MV24 FPSO. Sept. 5 – Sponsors of the Alaska LNG Project file with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to begin the permitting process for construction of an 800 mi. (1300 km) gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay field to a planned liquefaction plant at Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula. Sept. 10 – GE gets an order for electric-motor-driven technology that will enable the Freeport LNG export project, on the Gulf of Mexico south of Houston, to comply with local air emissions standards.

July 31 – After 46 years, Joe Kane, the founder of COMPRESSORtech2, retires.

August Aug. 4 – Compressco Partners completes its previously announced purchase of Compressor Systems Inc. (CSI) from Warren Equipment Co. for US$825 million. The purchase boosts Compressco’s fleet from 87,000 to 1,045,000 hp (65 to 780 MW) allowing the company to offer an expanded range of compressor packages from 20 hp to 2370 hp (15 to 1760 kW). Aug. 5 – 100 years ago, the first electric traffic light was installed on a city street in Cleveland, Ohio, marking a milestone in traffic management. Aug. 15 – This day marks the centennial of the opening

Sept. 15 – Anthony (Tony) Gioffredi joins Zahroof Valves Inc., Houston, as its CEO. Gioffredi spent 12 years with EnPro Industries Inc. and Compressor Products International.

Sept. 16 – Siemens Energy receives an order from Chengdu Cryogenic Liquidation Equipment Co. Ltd. to provide two compressor trains for an LNG project with an annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes of LNG. Sept. 22 – Siemens announces that it will acquire DresserRand for US$7.6 billion, filling out its portfolio of compressors, steam turbines, gas turbines and engines. Sept. 23 – GE launches its 16.5 MW gas turbine (NovaLT16) for compression and power generation applications in the continued on page 46

n A tanker squeezes through the Panama Canal, which is undergoing a US$5.25 billion expansion.

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oil and gas industry. The NovaLT16 is rated for 16.5 MW and 7800 rpm.

n Two new 7000 hp (5220 kW) engine test cells are the latest additions to SwRI’s expanding large engine test and development facilities.

n GE’s NovaLT16 gas turbine is suited for pipeline compression, power generation and oil and gas plant compression applications.

to improve its engine research and evaluation services to industries that use engines up to up to 7000 hp (5220 kW) for applications in transportation, pipelines and power generation. Oct. 14 – Exterran gets an order to provide equipment to support 210 MMcfd (6 x 106 m3) of natural gas processing capacity at the Woodford Express facility in Grady County, South Central Oklahoma. Oct. 21 – Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee dies at 93. He oversaw the paper’s coverage of the Watergate scandal. Oct. 27 – A floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) — The Independence — arrives in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Its arrival signals the end of Gazprom’s monopoly in several Baltic nations. The terminal will have a send out capacity of 71 to 106 Bcfy (2 to 3 x 109 m3/yr). Oct. 29 – Statoil says the world’s first subsea wet gas compressor station is ready for final testing before being installed next year at Gullfaks C field in the North Sea. Subsea compression, combined with conventional lowpressure production in a later phase, will extend the productive life of the Brent crude reservoir. Output will grow 10%, or 22 million barrels of oil equivalent, to 73%. Oct. 29 – The San Francisco Giants defeat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, in Game 7 of the World Series. It was the Giants’ third world championship baseball title in the past five seasons. Oct. 31 – BG Group selects the Trent 60 DLE industrial gas turbine from Rolls-Royce as the driver for the main refrigeration compressors in the proposed Lake Charles LNG export project in Louisiana.

Sept. 30 – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorizes Dominion to convert its Cove Point, Maryland, liquefied natural gas import terminal on the Chesapeake Bay into a 5.75 million Tpy (5.22 million T/yr) export facility.

October Oct. 1 – Scott Rowe becomes Cameron’s president and chief operating officer. Oct. 2 – Hoerbiger Corp. of America Inc. hires John Metcalf as its senior vice president and head of OEM Sales and Engineering. Oct. 2 – Caterpillar Oil & Gas updates its natural gas fueled G3600 engine line, offering customers expanded fuel flexibility, a 5.6% power increase and greater altitude and ambient temperature capabilities.

n Caterpillar Oil & Gas’s updated G3600 engine line comes with the latest ADEM A4 engine control unit.

Oct. 2 – H2scan Corp., a provider of process gas monitoring solutions for industrial markets, signs a long-term supply agreement with ABB.

n H2scan Corp. nets long-term supply agreement with ABB. Oct. 6 – Exterran launches its C-Series line of configurable compression packages, pre-engineered with a wide range of configuration options. Oct. 7 – Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) opens a high-horsepower engine dynamometer facility, allowing it december 2014

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n The Trent 60 DLE industrial gas turbine will serve as the driver for the main refrigeration compressors in the proposed Lake Charles LNG Export project in Louisiana.

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PRIME November Nov. 3 – The first Godzilla movie is released 60 years ago on this day in Japan. Titled Gojira, the filmmakers took inspiration from various dinosaurs, such as the tyrannosaurus rex, iguanodon, and stegosaurus, to shape Godzilla’s final and iconic design. Nov. 3 – After receiving the required approvals, Triton legally finalizes its acquisition of GEA Heat Exchangers. Triton says that the heat exchanger business will be further developed as part of an autonomous group under the aegis of the new investor.

Movers

USA Compression

USA Compression Partners (USAC) has reported its fleet totaled 1.4 million hp (1044 MW) on Sept. 30, up 24% from the third quarter of 2013. Part of that growth was from its US$187 million acquisition of 138 million hp (103 MW) from S&R Compression in the fall of 2013. USAC said over the past year, revenue-generating horsepower in-

creased 22% to 1.3 million (970 MW). As of Sept. 30, its fleet utilization was 94%, compared to 94.5% a year earlier. The partnership spent US$320 million for new compression units over the last year, mostly for large horsepower equipment employed in fee-based midstream gathering applications. It has continued on page 57

Nov. 5 – Dean Glover is named the CEO of Miratech Group, with Kevin O’Sullivan moving from president and CEO to chairman. Nov. 11 – Motor-Services Hugo Stamp Inc. (MSHS) expands its service facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. MSHS, a turnkey supplier of engine and auxiliary systems service, parts and overhauls, said the expansion enhances its existing New Orleans-based turbocharger service facility with comprehensive in-house and on-site engine service and overhaul. Nov. 11 – Rexnord Power Transmission (RXN) enters into a definitive agreement to acquire Euroflex Transmissions (India) Pvt. Ltd. Nov. 11 – T.F. Hudgins Inc. completes the acquisition of Jamison Products, a Houston-based provider of engineered pipeline and filtration products used in a wide range of gas and fluid handling applications including strainers, separators, filter vessels, pig launchers and closures. CT2 december 2014

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Cozzani’s Stepless Capacity VSD performances Control Tested > FluxtoFlow, compared on compressors By A. Raggi and A. Giampà, Cozzani S.r.l.

n Figure 1. Slight signs are visible on the plate produced by the fingers. They had no effect on regulation.

N

ew technologies and the cost reduction of electronic components have enabled the development and diffusion of capacity regulation devices, which allow optimizing both compressor energy consumption and its global control. The stepless capacity control of reciprocating compressors is generally achieved by systems based on variablespeed drive (VSD), or on reverse flow regulation, which acts on the suction valve opening timing. Cozzani reecently developed a stepless capacity control system, named FluxtoFlow, which allows adjusting the capacity through the reverse flow method. The company said it was innovative because it is the first to be operated only by electric current in order to control the closing of the compressor suction valves at each compression cycle. Thanks to this method, the compressor processes the exact capacity required by the end user. The new system was applied to a new compressor installed in 2013 in parallel with an identical unit operating

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in the same plant, but equipped with a conventional control system. After the new compressor was installed, its control system was measured to analyze its behavior at the different set points required by the production plant. Significant parameters, such as pressure trends, PV diagrams, regulation range, repetitiveness of the actuator positions, etc., were kept under control over time. At Rosignano, Italy, Ineos has produced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) through a hexane slurry process since the 1960s. It recently revamped the ethylene recovery plant at a cost of nearly €2 million. The surplus of ethylene that doesn’t react with other raw materials in the polymerization reactors has to be recovered and properly treated to be used again, so as to reduce the polymer production costs. The recovery plant is therefore essential to assure the minimization of production costs that would become unbearable in case it malfunctioned. In fact, the cost of ethylene represents more than 80% of the final sale value of the 48

product and the efficiency of the recovery system is fundamental to ensure competitiveness. The unreacted gas coming from the reactors is conveyed at a pressure of about 4.3 psi (0.3 bar) to a group of reciprocating compressors that, in three subsequent compression and cooling phases, allow the recovery of hexane and butene in liquid form. The ethylene compressed to about 435 psi (30 bar) is then delivered to other final treatment columns to obtain a gas that can be used again in the reaction. The object of the revamping at the compression and interstage condensing plant consisted of three Termomeccanica balanced/opposed reciprocating compressors working in parallel, with a capacity of 31.8 Mcfh (900 Nm3/ hr) each. Two of these compressors allowed a variable gas flow rate from zero to about 49.4 Mcfh (1400 Nm3/ hr), while the third is a backup. All compressors run at a constant speed, and one of them has been equipped with the FluxtoFlow electric stepless capacity control system, controlled by DCS on the basis of the suction pressure setpoint that must be kept constant. In addition, the system was equipped with a bypass between the first and third stages with a manual valve used only during the plant startup, before the treated gas reaches the minimum flow rate for the activation of the capacity control system. The Cozzani system continuously performs diagnostic functions on each actuator. If a fault is detected, the electromechanic actuator is disabled and the system continues operating with the other actuators. The end user can also disable an actuator by acting on the software. If in a system, for whatever reason, there are disabled actuators, the system adopts continued on page 50 Compressortech2

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n Figure 2. The new compression and interstage condensing plant is shown after the revamp of August 2013.

the strategies studied for that specific compressor and makes it possible to control the capacity through the available actuators. The system has been running for a year, controlling the compressor capacity required by the plant. After about 8000 running hours (equivalent to 235.2 million cycles of actuations on the suction valves and consequently actuator rod displacements), valves and actuators were inspected. All inspected parts showed very slight wear and the system was controlling correctly (Figure 1) before the compressor was shut down. New compressors Ineos has installed two new compressors (Figure 2). The three-stage compressors have three double-acting cylinders and compress ethylene up to a pressure of 435 psi (30 bar). Each compressor has a nominal power of 476 hp (355 kW) and a capacity of 64 Mcfh (1800 Nm3/hr). Both machines need a capacity control system. Ineos chose the Cozzani capacity control system for one compressor and the VSD method for the other. The two compressors have been equipped with taps for cylinder pressure acquisition in order to allow the installation of a data acquisition system used to analyze and to optimize the

behavior of the system and to evaluate the global behavior of the compressors. Both machines are monitored by the control room, which generates outputs for each of the two capacity control systems, in order to keep the first-stage suction pressure constant (Figure 3). The compressors are equipped with bypass valves: One is automatic and can be controlled from the control room either with the inverter or with reverse flow capacity control system and the other is handled manually by the local staff. Experiences The Cozzani control system exchanges compressor signals for management and monitoring with the control room and receives the reference signal to control the capacity. The compressor is controlled from the

control room by implementing a logic that generates the reference signal for the reverse flow capacity control system and for the bypass valve. Ineos has developed its own logic for the plant start-up: The compressor is started when the bypass valve is closed and the capacity control system switches between the minimum capacity and the idle condition, as long as the discharge pressure reaches 145 psi (10 bar). After that, the control logic changes and the stepless capacity control regulation drives the process up to the steady working condition of 435 psi (30 bar). The compressor is controlled, to keep the suction pressure constant, through a PI controller. If the suction pressure drops down under the reference value, the regulation system reacts by increasing the delay in suction valve closing (this reduces the capacity). If, on the other hand, the suction pressure increases, the regulation system reacts by decreasing the suction valve closing delay (this increases the capacity). The control logic manages both the reverse flow capacity system and the automatic bypass valve. In order to guarantee minimum energy consumption, the bypass is closed from the rated capacity up to the lowest one allowed by the reverse flow control system; only if the required capacity is lower than this value, the control logic starts to open the automatic bypass. A VSD-controlled compressor The control room regulates the compressor flow rate by means of a reference signal for the VSD to change the

n Figure 3. This is a control room screenshot of the compressor with the reverse flow capacity control system.

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n Figure 4. Cylinder pressures with reverse flow system.

compressor speed, or by means of the actuators which command the unloading of part of the cylinders acting on the automatic bypass valve. The compressor is started running at 50% of its maximum speed with the bypass valve kept closed and only one cylinder end loaded for each stage. In this condition, if the first-stage suction pressure decreases, the bypass valve is opened. On the contrary, if the pressure increases, the bypass valve is kept closed and the compressor speed is increased. When the speed reaches a defined threshold, the control room sets the compressor to work with both ends of each stage loaded. This produces an instantaneous gas flow doubling that introduces a discontinuity in the compressor capacity. The nonlinearity is managed controlling the first-stage suction pressure. If the pressure increases, the speed is reduced and the bypass valve opened (all cylinder ends are still loaded). The control for the unloading of one cylinder end per stage is generated only if the pressure reaches a second threshold (different from the one defined before). It is important to notice that the switching between single- and double-acting december 2014

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n Figure 5. Temperature versus flow.

operation generates a discontinuity in the flow which can cause an imbalance in the plant. The compressor working cycles have been evaluated acquiring cylinder pressures of each stage. As flow rate is controlled by changing the compressor speed, the pressure has the typical trend of a full-load running machine. The pressure trend analysis at several speeds allows observing the presence of pulsation during the suction or the discharge phase. This phenomenon is emphasized in particular at low speeds. These pressure fluctuations are typically due to valve plate (or ring) fluttering phenomena and can negatively influence valve life especially if the compressors often run at low speeds due to plant requirements. VSD, reverse flow comparison The two compressors under investigation are identical, therefore the detected differences in power consumption and valve behavior depend on the system adopted to adjust the flow rate. The power comparison between the two systems neglects the contribution of the inverter (Figure 4). The discharge temperature trends detected in the two compressors for different flow rates have been com51

pared. The temperatures of the reverse flow system controlled compressor are higher than those of the VSD-controlled machine and decrease with the flow. This phenomenon is typical in capacity control systems based on the reverse flow method. In fact, the gas flows back from the cylinder into the suction piping with a temperature that is higher in comparison to the temperature of the gas coming from the process. This produces an increase of the average suction temperature and consequently of the discharge temperature. The graph in Figure 5 shows the continued on page 52

n Figure 6. Cylinder pressures during suction phase. Compressortech2

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n Figure 7. Power versus capacity is shown for both compressors (Inverter power consumption is not considered.)

temperature trends measured on the two compressors. The temperature increase in the case of the reverse flow system is minimal and doesn’t affect the process. The analysis of the cylinder pressure trends (Figure 6) highlights that, at the same flow rate, the pressure fluctuations during the suction phase are significantly higher in the compressor equipped with the VSD system compared to the one equipped with the reverse flow system. The difference is related to the control strategies. The reverse flow system performs a flow regulation by controlling the closing instant of the suction valves. To perform this function, the valve finger is actuated in order to keep the sealing element in open position starting from the first instant of the suction phase up to the one defined by the control system. Suction occurs when the valve is forced in open position, thus fluttering phenomena are not possible. This reduces the wear on springs and plate/ rings, ensuring better reliability and longer valve life. It must be considered that oscillations are generally emphasized when compressor speed is lower than the asynchronous motor nominal speed. december 2014

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The compressor set with the reverseflow system works always at the nominal speed, whereas the one controlled by an inverter generally operates at a lower speed. When the compressor runs at full load, the suction valve is not controlled and fluttering phenomena may occur. These phenomena are sensibly reduced when valve plate/ring position is driven by the valve capacity control system. The behavior of the two compressors has been monitored and analyzed beginning in August 2013. The reverse flow system has shown a higher capability in capacity control (up to 15% of the nominal flow rate) in comparison to VSD (up to 50% the nominal flow rate) (Figure 7). For this reason at the operating range required by the plant, the use of the bypass was not necessary for the compressor with the reverse flow system. On the contrary, the compressor with VSD was mainly run with the bypass open. The use of the reverse flow system has contributed to a decrease in power consumption. Conclusions The capacity control in reciprocating compressors required to adapt the compressor flow to process demands 52

can be performed through different devices. The good results obtained by the first compressor convinced Ineos to install the system on a new machine at the same plant in August 2013. A direct comparison between two different capacity control methods has been possible thanks to a second compressor controlled through VSD and bypass. Temperatures, cylinder pressures and power consumptions in both cases have been acquired for the same capacity and advantages/ disadvantages have been evaluated. The reverse flow system has proved a better capacity control capability (up to 15% of nominal flow rate) in comparison to VSD (up to 50% of nominal flow rate). For this reason, in the operating range required by the plant, the compressor with reverse flow system has mainly run with closed bypass while the machine with VSD has mainly run with open bypass. In addition, the analyses on valve behavior have confirmed that the system can reduce valve plate impact stresses and can assure its fully axial motion. This allows a better valve reliability. On the contrary, the VSD system does not offer the same advantage and increases the stress on the valves. CT2 Compressortech2

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GEA Gradually Expands venture is natural-gasCompression Range > Latest engine driven packages By Roberto Chellini

n GEA supplied this oil-free reciprocating compressor package to EnerjiSA for its Bandirma power plant in Turkey. The electric driven compressor handles 5.3 MMcfh (150,000 m3/hr) of gas from a variable inlet pressure of 350 to 550 psi (24 to 38 bar) to a discharge pressure of 580 psi (40 bar).

G

EA Group is a global business concentrated in applications/equipment for the food industry (75 to 80% of its turnover) but it also operates in other markets. In particular, it is developing solutions for energy markets. COMPRESSORtech2 interviewed Ivano Camaggi, president of GEA Refrigeration Italy’s Power Technology Center at Castel Maggiore on the outskirts of Bologna. The Italian business unit has specialized in the engineering, and production and installation and service of gas skids. GEA Refrigeration Italy installed the first screw-oil-injected fuel gas compressor for gas turbines in 1990 and recently has widened the spectrum of its activities to cover compression of natural gas for pipeline applications, associated gas, biogas, coalbed methane and syngas. It also provides chillers for inlet turbine cooldecember 2014

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ing and for production of cool water, such as at power generating plants. Most of their fuel gas skids use an oil-flooded GEA screw compressor made in Berlin (by the former Grasso). To meet customer specifications, a number of skids have been engi-

n Ivano Camaggi 54

neered to host reciprocating compressors and integrally geared centrifugal compressors from several OEMs. Camaggi said GEA’s operation in Berlin manufactures the screw compressor and delivers standard packages (skids) for the food industry. “While in Bologna, we engineer each skid tailored to customer specifications. Our gas skids are used to power both aero derivative and industrial gas turbines in 6700 to 134,100 hp range (5 to 100 MW) including the LM2500 and 6000 from GE, RB211 and Trent from Rolls-Royce and the Siemens line from Finspong, Sweden. “The great majority of the skids manufactured for Russia are based on screw compressors built in Berlin,” Camaggi said. “GEA has supplied 600 screw compressors for this application in the last 10 years. The Russian market for such skids is the biggest and presently is about 30 units per year.” Compressortech2

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GEA’s reciprocating compressor skid activity started in 2008 with a GE compressed natural gas (CNG) compressors for Iran (56 packages before the international economic embargo) and China (another 56 packages). The China packages were quite powerful for such service, 536 hp (400 kW), Camaggi said. They were used at “mother stations” to fill large cylinders transported by trucks to remote areas not served by pipelines. The gas was distributed to the public through “daughter stations.” Successively GEA Refrigeration Italy developed fuel gas reciprocating compressor packages and in 2009 sold its first five skids to Spain’s Technicas Reunidas. About 150 packages are now in operation at compressor stations, the last of which was commissioned in Turkey during September. Four reciprocating compressors driven by GE Waukesha gas engines have been delivered for pipeline compression in Uzbekistan. “These were GEA’s first skids where the compressor was driven by a gas engine, a challenging solution from the engineering point of view, and interesting also for the aftermarket service required by the driver. “The use of gas engine-driven compressor packages is very common in North America but still in its infancy in Europe and other parts of the world. At GEA we are promoting this solution because we believe it has advantages especially in areas provided with weak electric grids.” Camaggi said his engineering team should gradually expand the spectrum of skid-mounted compressor packages. “That’s why from the start of this activity with screw compressors the company has gradually expanded to recips Kiene.indd first, then to centrifugal compressors and now is looking into the gas engine solution,” Camaggi said. “We have to closely follow the state-of-the-art in our product line not only to survive, but with the aim of expanding in a highly competitive world. “Compressors and drivers, the core of our skids, are supplied by a group of international OEMs, all of which provide high-quality components. Once you are included in the vendor list, you are automatically qualified from the technical point of view. At that point, acquiring an order is only a question of being competitive. “This is only possible through a lean organization staffed with skilled personnel. Operating in a ‘custom market’ where each skid is designed in accordance to unique specs is not an ‘off-the-shelf’ activity. Each project requires a dedicated engineering activity. “However, it would be impossible to start from scratch each time. To be competitive it is essential to standardize components and use a wide array of subassemblies (modules) that at the same time reduce engineering cost, production time and increase reliability of the final product.” Camaggi said investing in human resources is the second pillar essential for success. “To be competitive these days you need skilled, motivated and competent personnel who are prepared to introduce any type of innovation in the organization structure,” he said. continued on page 56

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n This is a GE Frame 9FA gas turbine fuel gas booster system. The 7770 hp (5.8 MW) electric motor drives a skid-mounted, three-stage, integrally geared centrifugal compressor. He said being a part of an international company such as GEA offers the advantage of having a worldwide organization with the knowledge of industrial processes and with direct contacts with customers. “Customers are looking for a solu-

tion partner who knows their whole production process and can provide an application,” Camaggi said. “That’s why we anticipate, in the near future, offering our packages to chill the air at gas turbine inlet for power augmentation during the hot season.

“Recovery of associated gas at the wellhead is another interesting application that GEA will develop to reduce flaring and make gas available to fuel turbines. The associated gas, prior to compression, has to be treated in a separate skid to separate solid, liquid and gaseous impurities that could damage an oil-flooded screw compressor (oil contamination) or the gas turbine combustion system.” Compressor packages from GEA Refrigeration Italy have been installed in 20 different nations. Camaggi said his company plans to increase its market share in Russia and the former CIS nations and to expand in the Middle East and Africa. “Very active engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) combines are now located in Turkey and South Korea,” Camaggi said. “South Korean EPCs are presently handling 60% of Middle Eastern projects and it is essential to work with them to penetrate this area of the oil and gas marketplace.” CT2

Recent Orders Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce said BG Group has selected the Trent 60 DLE industrial gas turbine as the driver for the main refrigeration compressors in the proposed Lake Charles LNG Export project in Louisiana. Each of the three liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains will use four Trent 60 DLE gas turbines as part of the Air Products C3MR refrigeration process. Each train will employ two Trent 60 DLE gas turbines driving propane compressors and two Trent 60 DLE gas turbines driving mixed-refrigerant compressors. BG Group and Rolls-Royce have also agreed to the terms of a long-term service agreement covering the support and maintenance of the equipment for up to 25 years. The equipment and service contracts are expected to be activated in the first half of 2015, subject to the federal permits process and final investment decisions by BG Group and Energy Transfer, the developers of the project.

GE GE Oil & Gas will supply a gas turbine-driven compressor train and mechanical drive technology to Petronas, for a second floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility being developed off East Malaysia. GE also supplied turbomachinery solutions for Petronas’ first FLNG, which is being constructed in South Korea. GE will supply four of its PGT25+G4 gas turbine generator sysdecember 2014

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n GE’s LM6000 is scheduled for its first application on a floating LNG Vesel. tems and two nitrogen trains featuring two LM6000-PF+ 2BCL907 aeroderivative gas turbines in mechanical drive mode. The company said this is the first time an LM6000 gas turbine is being applied to an FLNG project. The project will enable offshore LNG production in certain smaller gas fields that are lacking pipelines to an onshore LNG plant. The second FLNG plant will support the growing demand for gas in peninsular Malaysia, where many power plants and commercial customers are located, GE said. GE’s equipment will be manufactured at the company’s assembly facilities in Florence and Massa, Italy. Commercial operation is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2017. Once operational in the first quarter of 2018, the second FLNG facility will produce 1.36 million tonnes/yr of LNG. CT2 56

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PRIME Movers

continued from page 47 signed, or has pending, contracts for 90% of the midstream-oriented horsepower that it expects to receive during the rest of this year, the company said.

MAN Diesel & Turbo Uwe Lauber has been named chairman of the executive board of MAN Diesel & Turbo effective Jan. 1, 2015. Lauber headed the oil and gas business unit before U. Lauber be­­­coming the executive board member responsible for global sales and aftersales on Oct. 1, 2014. He joined the Augsburg, Germanybased company in 2000. “MAN Diesel & Turbo is a company that always led the way, and it still does to this day in many areas,” Lauber said. “I look forward to continuing to extend this pioneering role together with my executive board colleagues and our 14,000-strong workforce.”

Miratech Kevin O’Sullivan, the president and CEO of Miratech Group, will become chairman and Dean Glover has been named CEO. Glover most recently was senior vice president of the products division of Global Power, which provides customengineered auxiliary equipment and

maintenance support services for the power generation industry. He is a certified Six Sigma Master Blackbelt. Miratech provides emissions and acoustical reduction solutions for natural gas and diesel reciprocating engines used in the natural gas production, oil and gas drilling, power generation, industrial, rail and marine industries.

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Triton, GEA Triton has completed its acquisition of GEA Heat Exchangers, absorbing all companies as well as all staff. Triton said it plans to further develop the heat exchanger business. Except for a for a new brand name that will be rolled out later, Triton said nothing will change for GEA customers. The GEA Heat Exchangers Group will be reorganized into three segments: climate and environment, with activities including all products for applications of HVAC technology; solutions in major power generation projects, including wet cooling towers, dry cooling systems, filing media for cooling towers, as well as further applications; and systems and components for further heat exchanger application areas such as those in the markets of oil and gas and petrochemistry, marine and transportation systems, among others. The GEA name will continue to be used until the introduction of the new brand, Triton said. DECEMBER 2014

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FEATURED PRODUCTS Online Mobile App Cummins Inc. has released a free QuickServe Online (QSOL) mobile app for Apple iOS devices that provides access to parts options, catalogs and engine dataplate information for 15 million Cummins engine serial numbers. It also includes a fault code analyzer for Cummins electronic engines. The QSOL mobile app is available globally for download in the Apple Store by searching for QuickServeMobile. Users of the QSOL app are encouraged to use the feedback button in the Settings menu to suggest enhancements. QSOL is continually updated with the latest Cummins parts and service information, the company said. www.cummins.com

Pressure Relief Valve Total Valve Systems (TVS) has introduced its model 6820 TRV, the first nonreclosing pressure relief valve that

across the spectrum of temperature, pressure and sealing classes, and op­­erate from -450° to 1500°F (-267° to 816°C) in accordance with valve specifications. The device is a fullface design with pipe flange bolting for lug, wafer and short pattern body configurations. Flange ratings are 150, 300 and 600. Set pressures are from 3 to 1500 psi (0.2 to 103 bar). www.totalvalve.com can be reset in seconds from the field or remotely, according to the company. Related product model 6220 is a shutdown version that shuts off when the valve reaches the set pressure or is triggered remotely. Total Valve’s model 6820 TRV system includes TRV module, actuator and isolation valve for high-pressure lines. The 6820 TRV requires no external power and its performance is not impacted by system backpressure. Triple-offset valves are standard

Reservoir Sensor A low-level sensing reservoir system from Dymax Corp. prevents emp­­­­­ ty material reservoirs from in­­­­­­­­­­­troducing air into dispensing lines, thereby eliminating con­­­­­­tam­­­­ination during the dispensing process.

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The system utilizes an adjustable sensor for use with pressurized reservoirs and features an SB-100 controller that activates a warning when the material in the reservoir reach­­­es a specified low level. The controller also features an external PLC connection that allows for a total line shutdown, saving time and money by stopping the dispense system when material reservoirs are empty, Dymax said. The sensor configuration is adjustable, allowing operators to set specific levels of material to signal warning and automatic shutoff options. The low-level functions include remote visual beacon, audio buzzer and auto shutdown. There are no wetted components; the sensor does not contact fluids, so it’s compatible with a wide range of materials. www.dymax.com

58

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11/19/14 10:48 AM

literature Coalescer/Separator Systems Hilliard Corp. has released in­­­­­ formation about its coalescer/ separator sys­ tems, which re­­­­ move moisture and particulate contamination from steam and gas turbine lube oils. Details are provided about its selfsufficient stand-alone or portable models, single- or multiple-element vessels and custom designs. www.hilliardcorp.com

Control Systems Petrotech Inc. has released lit­­­­­erature de­­tailing its turn­­­key in­­­­­­stru­ men­­tation and e­lec­­tric­­al serv­­­­­­­ ices, and control systems for a variety of turbo­ machinery as­ sets, such as centrifugal and reciprocating compressors. The company’s solutions are found up­ stream in oil and gas production, midstream in pipeline and natural gas processing and downstream in petrochemical and refining. www.petrotechinc.com

Flow Sensors A product catalog has been pub­ lished by Siargo Ltd., which spe­ cializes in and manufactures MEMS flow sen­ sors, modules and system prod­ ucts across a wide range of applications. The sensors can mea­ sure gas flow in a pipe diameter from 0.019 in. (0.5 mm) to 6.56 ft. (2 m) and with a flow speed of 0.19 in./s (5 mm/s) up to 246 fps (75 m/s). www.siargo.com DECEMBER 2014

Dec_LIT.indd 1

Component Repair Improving equipment performance and reducing operat­ ing costs are the focus of new literature from Mountaineer Industrial Services in Beckley, West Virginia. The com­ pany repairs and rebuilds cylinders, rods, pistons and other components used in gas production and transmis­ sion. The company also finishes those components with thermal-applied coatings or laser processing. www.bmrgroup.net Pumps_Layout 1 9/11/2014 2:44 PM Page 1

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Pag

Advertisers’ Index *Further information on this company’s products can be found in the 2014 Edition of the Diesel & Gas Turbine Sourcing Guide (at www.Dieselandgasturbineguide.net) and/or 2014 Compression Technology Sourcing Supplement (at CTSSnet.net).

ACI Services, Inc. .........................................................................35

Kiene Diesel Accessories ............................................................55

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers .......................................................58

Middle East Turbomachinery Symposium .................................53

*ARIEL ..............................................................................................1

MIRATECH ....................................................................................39

*Compressor Products International .............................................5

MOTORTECH GmbH ....................................................................13

Cook Compression ......................................................................27

Murphy by Enovation Controls ....... 37, Fourth Cover, Bellyband

DCL International Inc. ....................................................................7

Neuman & Esser Group ...............................................................15

*Dresser-Rand ................................................................................21

PROGNOST Systems GmbH .......................................................23

*Elliott Group .............................................................Second Cover

Reynolds French ..........................................................................19

*Ellwood Crankshaft Group ..........................................................39

SOGAT 2015 .................................................................................61

E Instruments International .........................................................38

Summit Industrial Products ........................................................59

Enerflex Ltd. .................................................................................25

*Tech Transfer Inc. .......................................................................2-3

Exline, Inc......................................................................................57

TEDOM a.s. - Engines Division ...................................................38

Hahn Manufacturing Company ...................................................55

*Testo, Inc. .....................................................................................47

Harsco Industrial Air-X-Changers ..............................................29

Toshiba International Corporation .............................Third Cover

*HOERBIGER Kompressortechnik ..........................................10-11

Volvo Penta ...................................................................................49

*KB Delta Compressor Valve Parts, Mfg. ...............................32-33

Zahroof Valves Inc. ........................................................................9

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Cornerstones Of Compression story continued from page 64

Frick Compressors 1895–96

Steam Engine Bore x Stroke in. (mm)

Steam Engine Type

Speed rpm

Power hp (kW)

1

4x8 (102 x 203)

7x8 (178 203)

Slide valve

80

5 (4)

2

5.5 x 8 (140 x 203)

8.5 x 8 (216 x 203)

Slide valve

80

8 (6)

3

6 x 14 (152 x 356)

10 x 14 (254 x 356)

Slide valve

75

4

7.5 x 14 (190 x 356)

11 x 14 (279 x 356)

Slide valve

5

8.5 x 14 (216 x 356)

13 x 20 (330 x 508)

6

9.5 x 14 (241 x 356)

7

Dimensions

Refrigerating

Compressor Bore x Stroke in. (mm)

24 hr. Capacity Tons Ice-Making

Machine No.

Frick Eclipse Refrigerating & Ice-Making Compressors Two Single-Acting Compressor Cylinders Per Machine Ref.: 1895-96 Combined Catalogue

LxWxH ft. (m)

Shipping Weight lb. (kg)

1

2

6.6 x 6.2 x 7.7 (2.0 x 1.9 x 2.3)

16,000 (7256)

2

4

6.6 x 6.2 x 7.7 (2.0 x 1.9 x 2.3)

17,000 (7710)

14 (10)

4

7.5

11.5 x 10.5 x 12.5 (3.5 x 3.2 x 3.8)

26,000 (11,791)

75

18 (13)

66

10.5

11.5 x 10.5 x 12.5 (3.5 x 3.2 x 3.8)

28,000 (12,698)

Corliss

70

28 (21)

10

18

14.2 x 11.4 x 13.5 (4.3 x 3.5 x 4.1)

48,000 (21,769)

15 x 20 (381 x 508)

Corliss

70

42 (31)

15

27

14.2 x 11.4 x 13.5 (4.3 x 3.5 x 4.1)

59,000 (26,757)

10.5 x 14 (267 x 356)

16 x 24 (406 x 610)

Corliss

65

48 (36)

20

32

16.7 x 12.7 x 15.5 (5.1 x 3.9 x 4.7)

68,000 (30.839)

8

11.5 x 14 (292 x 356)

17 x 24 (432 x 610)

Corliss

65

60 (45)

25

40

16.7 x 12.7 x 15.5 (5.1 x 3.9 x 4.7)

70,000 (31,746)

9

12.5 x 14 (318 x 356)

19 x 28 (483 x 711)

Corliss

60

75 (56)

30

50

18.5 x 13 x 17.5 (5.6 x 4.0 x 5.3)

82,000 (37,188)

(342 x 356)

20 x 28 (508 x 711)

Corliss

60

96 (72)

35

60

18.5 x 13 x 17.5 (5.6 x 4.0 x 5.3)

84,000 (38,095)

11

14 x 32 (356 x 813)

22 x 32 (559 x 813)

Corliss

60

105 (78)

40

70

20.5 x 14 x 19.5 (6.2 x 4.3 x 5.9)

105,000 (47,619)

12

15 x 32 (381 x 813)

24 x 32 (610 x 813)

Corliss

60

128 (95)

50

85

20.5 x 14 x 19.5 (6.2 x 4.3 x 5.9)

110,000 (49,887)

13

16 x 32 (406 x 813)

26 x 36 (660 x 914)

Corliss

55

150 (112)

60

100

24.5 x 15.5 x 24.2 (7.5 x 4.7 x 7.4)

165,000 (74,630)

14

16 x 36 (406 x (914)

28 x 36 (711 x 914)

Corliss

55

165 (123)

65

110

24.5 x 15.5 x 24.2 (7.5 x 4.7 x 7.4)

175,000 (79,365)

15

17 x 36 (432 x 914)

30 x 36 762 x 914)

Corliss

55

195 (145)

75

130

25.5 x 15.5 x 25 (7.8 x 4.7 x 7.6)

185,000 (83,900)

16

20 x 36 (508 x 914)

32 x 36 (813 x 914)

Corliss

55

228 (170)

95

155

25.5 x 15.5 x 25 (7.8 x 4.7 x 7.6)

193,000 (87,528)

17

22.5 x 36 (572 x 914)

36 x 36 (914 x 914)

Corliss

55

300 (224)

120

200

27 x 17 x 26.5 (8.2 x 5.2 x 8.1)

217,000 (98,413)

n Caption13.5 x 14 10

n The 1895-6 Frick Eclipse product catalogue indicates that the company was building ice making and refrigerating ammonia compressors ranging from 2 to 500 tons (1.8 to 454 tonnes) for packing houses, breweries, cold storage depots, ice-making factories, etc. tention. This opened the way for systems with automatic control in 1922. In the 1920s, the range of practical refrigeration was extended to well below 0°F (-18°C). Frick built some of the first successful large-scale CO2 compressors for making dry ice. In the succeeding years, Frick played a leading part in many types of commercial, industry and building refrigerating and cooling systems, extending its line to include a nine-cylinder machine. By the late 1960s, screw compressors were beginning to displace reciprocating compressors in refrigeration and air conditioning applications. By 1982, Frick had introduced its own screw compressors and production of reciprocating units ended soon thereafter. CT2

of mechanical refrigeration. Frick also introduced longstroke horizontal compressors in 1911, which remained in use through the 1950s. As the open-type compressor was made in smaller and smaller sizes, the A frames that supported the cylinders were finally combined into one piece. From this arrangement, the enclosed compressor was later developed. First built in 1915, these machines were available in a range of sizes in time to serve the pressing demands of camps, food and powder plants, hospitals and ships in World War I. The enclosed design retained many of the desirable features of the slow-speed machines, but enclosed machines with automatic lubrication operated safely without constant atDECEMBER 2014

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C ornerstones Of Compression

‘Breaking The Ice’ For Mechanical pioneered ice making, Refrigeration > Frick compressors refrigeration and air conditioning By Norm Shade

G

pressure compound steam engine cylinders, measured 50 ft. (15.2 m) long. Its rated capacity was 350 tons (317.5 tonnes) at 60 rpm, with a maximum speed of 70 rpm. By the late 1890s, Frick anticipated a demand for smaller sizes, with lighter parts running at higher speeds, for moderate capacity refrigerating systems to serve hotels, restaurants, hospitals and various industrial plants. As steam power was not always available, other drive types were introduced. Frick’s first direct-connected electric dc motordriven compressor was built in the early 1900s. These adaptable machines paved the way for the wide acceptance continued on page 63

eorge Frick, an engineering genius born in 1826, undertook to ease the labor of men and animals with power machinery. His portable and traction engines were among the first in the U.S., and were followed by Corliss steam engines in sizes up to 5000 hp (3729 kW). Established in 1853 at Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War, Frick’s plant was subjected to numerous Confederate raids and was closed for a month when Waynesboro was occupied before the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, Frick prospered building steam engines, threshers and sawmills. During the 1870s, numerous European designs of refrigerating machinery began appearing in the U.S. In 1882, Frick entered the refrigerating machinery field by building an ammonia compressor cylinder mounted on the frame of an existing vertical steam engine. George retired in 1886, three years after the Frick Co. was incorporated and 43 years after building the industrial firm. The first complete Frick refrigerating machine, built in 1883, had two 12 x 16 in. (305 x 406 mm) [bore diameter x stroke] ammonia cylinders with a steam cylinder between them. It ran at 50 to 55 rpm and developed 25 tons (22.7 tonnes) of refrigeration. Success of its first ammonia compressors stimulated a demand, and Frick Co. in the mid-1880s developed an entire line of large refrigerating machines, driven by the new Frick Corliss steam engines. By 1886, four of the machines were running. Eight more were shipped in 1887, including a 20 x 36 in. (508 x 914 mm) compressor delivering 150 tons (136 tonnes) of refrigeration. These early Frick machines not only set the standard for the refrigeration industry for the next 30 years, but most of their design features remained in use until the 1950s. Breweries and packing houses vied with ice-making plants in adapting the pioneer machines to their needs and many early compressors operated for 40 to 60 years. An 1896 ammonia compressor at the Marshall, Missouri Ice Co. plant ran until 1949, when it was replaced by two 7 x 7 in. (178 x 178 mm) Frick enclosed machines. Three gigantic 36 in. (914 mm) stroke machines operated for nearly 50 years at the Armour meat packing plant in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1896, Frick built the largest refrigerating machine in the world for Armour. The 30 ft. (9.14 m) tall, 27 x 48 in. (696 x 1219 mm) giant, with tandem 26 x 48 in. (660 x 1219 mm) high-pressure and 50 x 48 in. (1270 x 1219 mm) lowDECEMBER 2014

CT486.indd 1

n This 13.5 in. (343 mm) bore x 28 in. (711 mm) stroke Frick refrigerating compressor, driven by a 20 in. (508 mm) Corliss steam engine, was installed for the Rock Island Ice Co. at Fort Worth, Texas, in 1891. It operated for 60 years. 64

Compressortech2

11/19/14 9:58 AM

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