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International Compressor Engineering Conference School of Mechanical Engineering
1992
Te Development and Application of a Water
Injected Twin Screw Compressor
K. Chen
China National General Machinery Engineering Corporation
Z. Tang
Jiangxi Gas Compressor Factory
H. Cao
Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Company Ltd.; P. R. China
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Chen, K.; Tang, Z.; and Cao, H., "Te Development and Application of a Water Injected Twin Screw Compressor" (1992).
International Compressor Engineering Conference. Paper 816.
htp://docs.lib.purdue.edu/icec/816
THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF
A WATER-INJECTED TWIN SCREW COMPRESSOR
Chen Kangping, Senior Engineer
Vice Manager of Gas Engineering Division
China National General Machinery Engineering Cor.
Tang Zhenwu. Senior Engineer
Jiangxi Gas Compressor Factory
Cao Hengyi, Engineer
Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Company Ltd.
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the test, study and application of a
screw compressor injected with large amount of water or liquid.
This kind of compressor is different from the high speed one
inJected with small amount of water for lowering the air
temperature. It runs in low speed and utilizes a large amount of
water inJected for Yeilding discharge Pressure of 0.7 MPa in
single-stage. and thus a higher adiabatic efficiency can be
obtained. The injected water can be circularly used and almost
has no consumption. The compressor features in simple structure.
running at low temperature and low speed, and being absolutely
oil-free. This kind of compressor has been developed. to meet the
requirement in oil field. coal mine and other industrial areas.
Applications show that the machine has been running economicallY,
with high safety, reliability and long life, because of its low
speed, low temperature, and almost no oil or water consumption.
INTRODUCTION
In 1975, we had a chance to develop a kind of screw compre-
ssor which compresses a gas carrying large amount of 1 iquid in
order to meet the demand of petroleum department for Perfecting
and simplifYing the technological process of transPOrting crude
oi 1 and petroleum sas. This kind of compressor was developed to
compress petroleum gas carrying large amount of crude oil and
water and to convey the mixture in closed PiPing.
269
The screw compressor ref ered was an exper i menta 1 coi!Q)ressor
with discharge pressure of 1.6 MPa. After the completion of
design. manufacture and assembling,a test of comPressing gas with
large amount of liquid was carried out with considerably
satisfactory results[l]. In 1978,this comPressor was industrially
tested for 500 hours and successful in conveying the petroleum
gas with large amount of crude oil and water.
In 1981, we designed another kind of screw compressor
injected with large amount of water bY utilizing the above-
mentioned results and applied it in extracting petroleum gas from
crude oil in the oil field. Soon the comPressor was widely used
and brought fairly good economic benefits to the costomers. Now
this kind of screw compressor has been produced in series and
generallY adopted in oil field.
In 1984. we began to develop a screw compressor injected
with large amount of water. This machine was mainly applied in
underground coal mine to provide compressed air for the working
areas. Considering the factors of the economy and safty, the
machine was required to run at low temPerature and discharge
oi 1-free air.
It is well known that gas
small amount of water or liquid
lower discharge temPerature.
carrying liquid or injecting a
to the compressing chamber will
Unlike the above-mentioned, the
compressor presented in this paper is to compress a gas carrying
large amount of liquid. or a large amount of water or liquid is
injected to the chamber during its compressing phase. The large
amount of water or liquid in the compressing chamber can
effectively seal and cool down the gas. so the machine can run at
low speed, low temPerature and higher pressure ratio with higher
adiabatic efficiency.
This kind of comPressor. having synchromesh gears and seal,
is simPle in structure and its running speed approches to that of
the compressor injected with oi 1. The prominent Problems of this
compressor are how to seal the machine effectively and how to
Prevent the material. which contacts water, fro rust.
The compressor is extremelY welcomed b:y the oil field and
the working areas of underground coal mine because it can run
economically at low temperature and low speed with almost no
consumption of lubricating oil. is simPle and convenient to
OPerate and can provide oil-free compressed air.
270
DESIGN AND lEST OF lHE COMPRESSOR
1. The Mixture Compressor[!]
The compressor was designed to compress petroleum gas which
carries large amount of crude oil and water.
1.1 Main Design Data
Discharge capacity(crude oil and water included):
4.5/9 W'/min
Liquid carry-over (crude oil and water):
5--60 1/W'
Suction pressure/Discharge pressure'
0.05--0.2/1.6 MPa
Medium temperature'
Crude oil viscosity:
60-70t::
30-500 CP
Two compressor units with discharge capacity of 4.5/9 W'/min
were comPOsed by the following parameters:
Rotor diameter:
Length/diameter:
Male rotor speed:
Single-stage compressing
Motor pawer:
1.2 Structure Features
200 mm
1.0
1480/2960 rpm
100/160 kw
(1) Synchromesh gears are adopted to keep the two rotors from
contact with each other.
(2) Mechanical seal is used to separate the medium from the
lubricating oil.
( ~ A by-pass ball valve is built in the discharge cover to
eliminate difficult start due to surfeit of liquid and to reduce
the pressure difference between inside and outside during
abnorma 1 perf' ormance.
(4) A balance piston is used to equiPOnderate the axial force.
(5) The machine is skid mounted with lubrication system and
temPerature/pressure protection switches.
1.3 Test System
Detailed intermediate tests had been done at various working
conditions before the two units came out of the factory. The test
medium is air carrying lubricating oil. Diagram of test sYstem is
shown in Fig.l.
To obtain the condition of suction pressure of 0.05--0.2MPa.
271
one air screw compressor is used to provide the air source. The
compressed air can be measured in the measuring system.
For the sake of keeping consistance to site working condi-
tions in the future, the discharge capacity measured in the test
includes the amount of gas and liquid.
1.4 Test Results
The curves of the volumetric efficiency and adabatic
efficienCY versus their affact factors are respectively shown on
Fig.2, Fis.3. Fig.4, and Fis.5.
Fig.2 shows the relation between the volumetric efficiency
~ - and the liquid carry-over q for different of discharge
pressure. Curve 1. Curve 2 and Curve 3 on the figure are for the
rotational speed of 2960rpm, and Curve 4 for 1480rpm. The suction
pressure/discharge pressure for each curve is respectively:
1---0.15/1.0,
3---0.18/1.6.
2---0.17/1.3.
4---0.2/1.3 (MPa)
Fig.3 and Fis.4 show the relation of the volumetric effici-
ency versus discharge pressure and circumferential velocity. The
suction Pressure for curve 1 on Fis.3 is 0.05 MPa. for curve 2 is
0.15 MPa, and for each curve on Fig.4 is close to atmospheric
pressure and all of the discharge pressure are 1.6 MPa.
Fig.5 shows the adiabatic e f f i c i e n c y ~ ~ and the liquid
carry-over q for different discharge Pressure and rotational
speed. The suction Pressure/discharge Pressure and rotational
speed for each curve are respectively: l---0.18/1.6MPa, 2960rpm;
2---0.3/1.6Mpa, 1480rpm; 3---0.05/l.SMPa. 1480 rpm.
It is worthy of note that although the single-stage pressure
ratio was high, the temperature rise throughout the test was
below 32't.
1.5 Industrial Test on Site[2]
Fig.6 is the schematic diagram for the compressor indus-
trially tested on the oil field site. Before the compressor unit
is installed the petroleum gas passes through the separator 3 for
removing the crude oil and water and then is delivered out. While
the mixture of crude oil and water drawn from the bottom of the
separtor 3 is delivered to the next oil station after heated to
40t through the heating stove 7 to lower its viscositY.
After the compressor unit is used, separator 4 and buffer 5
are added to the system. During the operation of compressor. the
liquid and petroleum gas mix at the inlet part and enter the
272
compressor, the mixture pressure raises from 0.1--0.2 MPa to
1.6MPa and is delivered to the next oil station after passing the
heating stove 7. Therefore the purpose of the mixture delivering
of gas and liquid is reached.
The compressor unit had been successfullY running for 502
hours in the oi 1 field. Measurement showed that the total amount
of crude oi I and water delivered
daily was 251.8 tons,and that of
the petroleum gas was 6000 M'". The viscosity of crude oil was
450cp and the water content was 34.8%. The total adiabatic
efficiencY of the compressor reached 64%.
The high speed unit had also been running for 48 hours in
the oil field. Due to its high viscosity, the flowing loss of
crude oil was slightly great.
2. Negative Pressure Compressor for Petroleum Gas
This water inJected compressor is used for the extraction of
petroleum gas from crude oil in oil field, by which the loss of
petroleum gas and the environment POllution can be abated. The
design of compressor features in making full use of saturated
water vapour contained in petroleum gas. The vapeur is compressed
and condensed. and is circularly injected into the chamber for
cooling and sealing.
The compressor runs at lower speed and lower discharge
temperature and has relatively high adiabatic efficiency and long
life. The compressed medium consists of petroleum gas C,-c,3.
and N2. The suction Pressure/discharge pressure is 0.06/0.45
MPa respectively, corresponding to the suction temPerature/dis-
charge temperature of 60-70/85t respectively.
3. Air Compressor InJected with Large Amount of Water
This compressor, used as power source for pneumatic tools, is
planned to be used in working areas of underground coal mine.
Because of the fact that the piping is shorter, the loss
is lower and the working pressure is lower. this compressor can
effectively save power. Fig.7 shows the performance curves
measured in the working condition that the discharge capacitY is
10 M'"/min and the pressure is 0.7MPa[3], which indicates the
relation between the adiabatic efficiency and the amount of water
inJected at different circumferential velocity.
CRITICAL TECHNICAL PROBLEMS AND SOLVING MEASURES
273
Just as other compressors, this kind of compressor also has
its SPeCific technical problems. That is how to prevent the
material. which contacts water. from rust and how to separate the
water from the lubricating oil.
To the rust erosion of the material,adopting stainless steel
and cast iron with high Ni content can solve the Problem, but it
is too eXPensive to be competitive. Many rust-proof methods have
been taken to the rotors. One of them is the chemical
method with simple process---noncrystalline nickel-phosphorus
alloy coating.This way will bring satisfactory rust-proof effect.
It depends on the noncrystalline organization---coating which is
formed by macerating the alloy to the surface of the rotor
through chemical reactions. The adhesion between the and
rotors is verY strong and the hardness of the coating is high to
HRCSO. Practical use shows that erosion will not spread to
the other area while Parts of the coating is mechanicallY
destroyed.
At Present,more effective seal is a combination of labyrinth
and mechanical seal.By inJecting sealing gas and sealing oil into
seal during running, the water can be separated effectively from
the lubricating oil. Moreover,in order to avoid the difficulty of
next starting,it is necessarY to Prevent large amount of water or
liquid from getting into the compressing chamber while stop the
machine. In frigid areas,' the freezing-proof measures must be
taken.
CONCLUSIONS
It is Just the very beginning of the development and
aPPlication of twin screw compressor injected with large amount
of water or liquid. Our research work is still suPerficial. Even
so, this compressor has been gradually recognized and POPUlarized
for application due to its outstanding advantages.In some special
occasions.using this compressor is the best choice. The technical
problems above-mentioned in the paper needs to be studied and
solved still better from now on.
REFERENCES
(1 J "The Simulation Test Reports on the Mixture Screw Compressor
LCi20--4. 5/16, LG20--9/16 for Air and Oil", Chemical and
General MachinerY No.5 (1977)
(2) "The Application of a Screw Compr-essor in the Concentrated
274
Delivering Process for Oil/Gas of Oi I Field".
General Machinery No.3 <1974)
Chemical and
(3) "The Test Report of a Screw Compressor ln.iected with IJater",
Jiangxi Air Compressor Factory (1991)
275
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