CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE
This manual is one of a series for your
use in learning more about equipment that
you work with in the petroleum industry. Its
purpose is to assist in developing your knowl-
edge and skills to the point that you can per-
form your work in a more professional man-
ner.
The manual was prepared so that you can
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discussion. Educators refer to learning by self-
study as Programmed Learning. It is a
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means of training employees to do their job
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You can demonstrate your desire to be a
professional by taking a positive attitude to-
ward learning the contents of this manual and
others that are applicable to your job.
The author of this manual has years of
experience in operating petroleum equipment.
He also has the technical knowledge of how
and why petroleum equipment functions. The
text was written for use by personnel with little
or no previous experience with petroleum
equipment. Consequently, some of the mate-
rial may be familiar to you if you have experi-
ence with oilfield equipment. From such ex-
perience, you have observed the effect of
making operating changes. The manual will
help explain why the changes occurred that
you observed. It will also teach you how and
why equipment functions.
© 2003 Petroleum Learning Programs Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form. Its use as a
reference in training courses is specifically reserved for Petroleum Learning Programs Ltd. All translation rights are
likewise reserved.
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
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Achieving your final goal may take more
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Your sacrifice will have been worth-while from
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manner, instead of a trial-and-error approach.
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS MANUAL
This your manual. You should write your
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Problems are included throughout the text.
The solutions to the problems are given at the
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The manual is used in training programs
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The SI unit always appears first, and the
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the temperature is 25°C [77°F]. The English
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and examples. A distance of 10 m may be
shown as 33 ft whereas the exact equivalent
is 32.81 ft.
If you are working in English units, you
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Some of the Figures have units of meas-
urement. In such cases, two figures are in-
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The following procedure is recommended
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2. Work the first problem or answer the
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glish Units of measurement, answer
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3. Compare your answer with that shown
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If your answer is correct, continue read-
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The above approach will require thought,
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A validation or test covering the entire
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Answers will be sent to your supervisor or
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CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
 ABBREVIATIONS USED UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
IN THIS MANUAL
SI UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
SI UNIT ABBREVIATIONS
Most of the SI units of measurement used in the
oilfield are traditional metric units. The exceptions we
s, min second, minute, time
are concerned with are pressure and heat units. The
h, d hours, day time
SI pressure unit is kilopascal; the heat units are joule
mm millimeter length and watt. A watt equals 1 joule per second. Coversions
cm centimeter length from traditional metric units to SI units are as follows:
m meter length
m2 square meter area METRIC SI
CONVERSION
m3 cubic meter volume UNIT UNIT
m3/d cubic meters per day volume rate Pressure bar kilopascal, kPa kPa = bar x 100
l liter volume joule, J or J = cal x 4.2
Heat calorie
g, kg gram, kilogram weight watt, W W = J ÷ time, sec.
Pa, kPa pascal, kilopascal pressure
kPa(a) kilopascal absolute pressure
MPa megapascal pressure
bar bar (1 bar = 100 kPa) pressure
STANDARD CONDITIONS
J, kJ joule, kilojoule heat, work FOR GAS
MJ megajoule (J x 106) heat, work
W,kW watt, kilowatt power Measurement units for gas volume are cubic meters
per day (m3) or thousands of cubic feet per day (Mcf/
ENGLISH UNIT ABBREVIATIONS d). The letters st or s are sometimes used with the
units to designate volume at standard temperature
s, min second, minute time and pressure: m3d (st) or Mscf/d. In this manual,
h, d hour, day time standard volumes are corrected to a temperature of
in, ft inch, foot length 15°C and a pressure of 101.325 kPa(a), or 60°F and
sq in square inch area 14.7 psia.
sq ft square foot area
cu ft cubic foot volume To simplify the text, the letters st and s are omitted.
gal gallon volume However, all gas volumes shown are at standard
bbl barrel (42 US gal) volume conditions unless specifically stated otherwise.
BPD barrels per day volume rate
lb pound weight
psi lbs per square inch pressure
psia lbs per sq in absolute pressure HEAT CAPACITY AND
Btu British thermal unit heat RELATIVE DENSITY
MBtu thousand Btu heat
MMBtu million Btu heat
Specific heat and specific gravity are traditional
W, kW watt, kilowatt electric power terms that have been used in both Metric and English
hp horsepower mechanical power units for many years. These names are being re-
cf/d cubic feet per day gas flow rate placed with the terms: heat capacity and relative
Mcf/d thousand cf/d gas flow rate density. The new names are used in this manual.
MMcf/d million cf/d gas flow rate When you see the term heat capacity (Ht Cap), it will
M thousand have the same meaning as specific heat, and relative
MM million density (Rel Dens) means specific gravity.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 CRYOGENIC GASOLINE PLANTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1
I. FLOW DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................... 2
II. EQUIPMENT IN CRYOGENIC PLANT .................................................................. 5
A. Dehydration Equipment .................................................................................... 5
B. Expander-Compressor ..................................................................................... 5
C. Heat Exchangers .............................................................................................. 6
D. Demethanizer ................................................................................................... 7
E. Refrigeration System ........................................................................................ 8
F. Piping and Vessels ........................................................................................... 9
III. PRINCIPLES OF CRYOGENIC PROCESSING .................................................. 10
A. Functional Sections of Cryogenic Plant.......................................................... 10
B. Effect of Temperature and Pressure on Hydrocarbon Recovery .................... 11
C. Latent Heat of Vaporization ............................................................................ 14
D. Theory of Gas Expansion ............................................................................... 16
E. Material Balance............................................................................................. 20
F. Demethanizer ................................................................................................. 21
1. Bottom Temperature Control ...................................................................... 22
IV. EXPANDER-COMPRESSOR .............................................................................. 25
A. Expander Control ........................................................................................... 26
B. Compressor Control ....................................................................................... 27
1. Compressor Surge Control ........................................................................ 29
C. Seals .............................................................................................................. 29
D. Thrust Control ................................................................................................ 32
E. Lubrication System ......................................................................................... 33
F. Expander-Compressor Safety Devices .......................................................... 36
V. CONTROL OF CRYOGENIC PLANT .................................................................. 37
A. Demethanizer Control .................................................................................... 38
B. Control of Feed Streams ................................................................................ 41
VI. OPERATION ........................................................................................................ 42
A. Start-Up .......................................................................................................... 42
1. Dryout ........................................................................................................ 42
2. Cool-Down ................................................................................................. 45
3. Starting the Expander ................................................................................ 48
a. Establish Seal Gas Flow ....................................................................... 49
b. Lube Oil Start-Up .................................................................................. 49
c. Expander-Compressor Start-Up ........................................................... 50
d. Cold Expander Start-UP ....................................................................... 51
e. Manual Operation ................................................................................. 52
4. Expander Shutdown .................................................................................. 52
B. Routine Operating Checks ............................................................................. 53
C. Operation with Expander Shutdown ............................................................... 54
VII. TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................................................................... 56
A. Snowballing Temperatures ............................................................................. 56
B. Locked Demethanizer Reboilers .................................................................... 57
C. Freeze-Ups ..................................................................................................... 59
D. Failure of Demethanizer Bottom Temperature Control System ...................... 60
E. Expander ........................................................................................................ 62
VALIDATION - SI UNITS ............................................................................................... 65
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - SI UNITS .................................................................... 66
VALIDATION - ENGLISH UNITS ................................................................................... 67
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - ENGLISH UNITS ........................................................ 68

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 DRAWINGS, GRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Process Flow in Cryogenic Plant .....................................................................................2

Process Flow in Cryogenic Plant with Refrigeration ........................................................3
Ortloff Design Cryogenic Plant .........................................................................................4
Gas Dehydration System .................................................................................................5
Expander-Compressor .....................................................................................................5
Heat Exchangers ..............................................................................................................6
Demethanizer Internals ....................................................................................................7
Demethanizer ...................................................................................................................8
Refrigeration System ........................................................................................................8
Functional Parts of Cryogenic Plant ...............................................................................10
Methane and Ethane that Condense at Various Temperatures and Pressures .............. 12
Example of Heat Removed in Gas Cooling ....................................................................14
Internal Gas Energy at Various Temperatures and Pressures - SI Units........................ 16
Internal Gas Energy at Various Temperatures and Pressures - English Units ............... 17
Material Balance in Cryogenic Plant ..............................................................................20
Drawing of Demethanizer ...............................................................................................21
Cross Section of Expander-Compressor ........................................................................25
Expander Control ...........................................................................................................26
Guide Vanes ...................................................................................................................27
Procedure to Load Compressor .....................................................................................28
Compressor Surge Control ............................................................................................29
Labyrinth Seal ................................................................................................................30
Operating Pressures and Labyrinth Seal Locations .......................................................31
Thrust Control ................................................................................................................32
Lubrication System.........................................................................................................34
Expander-Compressor Shut Down Devices ...................................................................36
Demethanizer Temperature Control ...............................................................................38
Demethanizer Bottom Temperature Change with Tower Pressure Change ...................40
Procedure to Dryout Gas-Gas Exchangers....................................................................42
Procedure to Dryout Demethanizer Exchangers ............................................................43
Procedure to Dryout Lower Part of Demethanizer .........................................................44
Cool-Down Procedure ....................................................................................................46
Procedure to Purge Expander and Establish Seal Gas Flow .........................................48
Lube Oil System Start-Up ..............................................................................................49
Expander-Compressor Start-Up ....................................................................................50
Manual Operation of Expander ......................................................................................53
Flow with Expander Shut Down .....................................................................................55
Snowballing Temperatures .............................................................................................57
Locked Demethanizer Reboiler ......................................................................................58
Freeze-Up in Exchanger ................................................................................................59

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 INTRODUCTION 1

Cryogenic comes from the Greek word
Cryo which means very cold. Cryogenic
gasoline plants are those which operate
at temperatures below -75°C [-100°F].
When gas is chilled to this temperature,
most of the ethane and practically all of
the propane and heavier hydrocarbons will
liquefy. The liquids formed can then be
separated by a series of fractionating tow-
ers into ethane, propane, butanes, and
natural gasoline.
Prior to 1965, refrigerated absorption
plants were used to recover ethane and
heavier components from gas. The most
efficient absorption plants recovered about
40% of the ethane, 95% of the propane,
and all heavier hydrocarbons from the gas.
A comparison of hydrocarbon recovery
from gas in absorption and cryogenic
plants is shown in the table below.
You can see from the table that the main
difference in the two types of plants is in
the ethane recovery. The cryogenic plant
recovery of ethane is 2 - 3 times that of an
absorption type plant.
Ethane can be used as a feedstock to
petrochemical plants to make glycols and
plastic; or it can be sold as fuel gas with
methane. In the latter case, the ethane
upgrades the gas value because ethane
releases 75% more heat when it burns than
methane. Ethane is usually worth more as
a petrochemical feedstock than as fuel gas,
so it is economically desirable to remove it
from methane.
Cryogenic plants have less process
equipment — no absorber or still, but they
have more mechanical equipment — Gas
Expander and Compressors — than a lean
oil absorption plant.
The cryogenic process is the most eco-
nomical means for recovering a high per-
centage of ethane and heavier hydrocar-
bons from the inlet gas stream. Refriger-
ated absorption plants may be more eco-
nomical for recovery of propane and
heavier hydrocarbons from the gas stream
when no ethane recovery is desired.

COMPARISON OF HYDROCARBON RECOVERY FROM GAS

IN ABSORPTION AND CRYOGENIC GASOLINE PLANTS
COMPONENT % RECOVERY IN % RECOVERY IN
IN GAS ABSORPTION PLANT CRYOGENIC PLANT
Ethane, C2 20 - 40% 60 - 90%
Propane, C3 70 - 90% 90 - 98%
Butane, C4 100% 100%
Natural Gasoline 100% 100%

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

2 I. FLOW DESCRIPTION
Flow through a simplified cryogenic pander Separator, where the condensed
plant as shown below is as follows: liquids fall to the bottom and flow to the
Inlet gas flows through a dehydrator Demethanizer. Temperature at this point is
where almost 100% of the moisture is re- about -45 to -50°C [-50 to -60°F].
moved from the gas to prevent freeze-ups The gas from the Separator passes
as the gas is chilled. Gas flows out of the through the Expander, where its tem-
dehydrator and divides into two streams. perature is lowered to approximately -
About a third of the inlet gas flows to the 90°C [-130°F]. Additional hydrocarbon
Product Heater, Bottom Reboiler, and Side condensation occurs when the gas tem-
Reboiler on the Demethanizer (DeC1). The perature is lowered in the Expander. The
remainder of the inlet gas passes through combined gas-liquid stream from the Ex-
the Gas-to-Gas Exchanger, where it is pander enters the top section of the
cooled with overhead gas from the Demethanizer, which is actually a separa-
Demethanizer. In cooling the inlet gas, tor. The liquid portion drops to the bottom
some of the hydrocarbons condense. The and flows down the Demethanizer, where
inlet gas from the Demethanizer Reboilers, the methane is boiled from the liquid. Cold
joins gas from the Gas-to-Gas Exchanger, gas flows out the top of the Demethanizer
and the combined stream enters the Ex- and passes through the Gas-to-Gas Ex-
-87°C
SALES [-125°F]
GAS
RESIDUE GAS -90°C
COMPRESSOR [-130°F]
1700 kPa
COMPR EXP [245 psi]
FC 62-103 kPa
[9-15 psi]
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT
20-62 kPa VALVE
[3-9 psi]
PC

-51°C
5500 kPa [-60°F]
[785 psi]
60°C SIDE
[075°F] REBOILER DEMETHANIZER
INLET
GAS LC

GAS/
GAS
HEX -32°C 7°C
[-25°F] BOTTOM [45°F]
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa
[800 psi] TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
38°C PRODUCT
[100°F]
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

1/3 of Inlet Gas TRIM

HEATER
HOT FLUID

PROCESS FLOW IN CRYOGENIC PLANT

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 FLOW DESCRIPTION 3

changer, where it cools the inlet gas
stream. The gas then flows through the
Compressor which is driven by the Ex-
pander. Gas leaving the Expander-Com-
pressor enters the Residue Gas Compres-
sor, where its pressure is boosted to pipe-
line pressure and it flows to gas sales.
The bottom product from the
Demethanizer is a mixture of ethane, pro-
pane, butane, and natural gasoline. It is
pumped through a heater to a sales pipe-
line, or to a fractionation system for sepa-
rating each of the components.
The process flow previously described
would apply to a plant in which the recov-
ery of ethane and heavier hydrocarbons is
less than 10% of the total inlet gas. When
the recovery of ethane and heavier hydro-
carbons is greater than 10%, the addition
of refrigeration is necessary to chill the gas
to the desired temperature in order to re-
cover 70 - 90% of the ethane and heavier
hydrocarbons from the gas.
The flow is similar to that previously dis-
cussed; the main difference is that the in-
let gas is chilled prior to entering the Ex-
pander in two Gas-to-Gas Exchangers and
a gas Chiller which uses propane as a re-
frigerant.
Control valves shown on the flow sheets
have the letters FO or FC beside them.
They are abbreviations for fail open or fail
closed which are the positions the valves
take on loss of air pressure.
Another process flow was developed by
the Ortloff Corporation, Midland, Texas. The

SALES
GAS
RESIDUE GAS
COMPRESSOR
COMPR EXP
FC JT
VALVE
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR

3-9 psi
PC

PROPANE SIDE
REBOILER
INLET
GAS LC
DEMETHANIZER
WARM COLD
GAS/ CHILLER GAS/
GAS GAS
HEX HEX BOTTOM
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR
TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
PRODUCT

PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

TRIM
HEATER
HOT FLUID

CRYOGENIC PLANT WITH REFRIGERATION

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

4 ORTLOFF DESIGN

principal difference in its design is that in-
stead of all of the gas from the Expander
Separator flowing to the Expander, about
25% flows through a Reflux Condenser,
and the balance enters the Expander. The
portion that enters the Reflux condenser
is cooled to about -90°C [-130°F] with cold
gas from the top of the Demethanizer. The
pressure of gas in the Reflux Condenser
is approximately inlet gas pressure. At this
pressure, the entire gas stream condenses.
When the pressure of this liquid stream is
lowered to Demethanizer pressure at the
Flow Control Valve, some of the liquid va-
porizes, which results in the liquid portion
cooling to about -105°C [-160°F]. This cold
liquid serves as reflux to the Demethanizer.
It enters the top of the tower.
The net effect of the Ortloff design is to
increase ethane recovery by 10 - 25% at a
relatively low increase in plant cost. The dis-
advantage is that additional recompression
power (and fuel) is required to make up for
the loss of compressor power that occurred
when 1/4th of the Expander Inlet Separa-
tor gas by-passed the Expander.
The Ortloff design can also be used in
plants having refrigeration systems. Flow
at the chiller is similar to that in the previ-
ous flow diagram.

-90°C -105°C
[-130°F] [-160°F]

-100°C
[-150°F]
SALES
GAS REFLUX
RESIDUE GAS CONSENSER
COMPRESSOR FC
COMPR EXP
FC JT
VALVE
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR

PC

SIDE
REBOILER
INLET DEMETHANIZER
GAS LC

GAS/
GAS
HEX
BOTTOM
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
FO
DEHYDRATOR
TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
PRODUCT

PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

TRIM
HEATER
HOT FLUID

ORTLOFF DESIGN CRYOGENIC PLANT

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 II. EQUIPMENT IN CRYOGENIC PROCESSING PLANT 5

A. Gas Dehydration Equipment

Gas entering a cryogenic plant con-

tains water vapor just as air has humid-
ity. Almost all of the water vapor must
be removed from the gas prior to its tem-
perature reduction in the cryogenic plant.
Moisture is removed in a dry desiccant
adsorption system. The system has
two or more towers similar to those
shown below. The towers contain a ma-
terial which removes water vapor from
the gas. The material may be molecular
sieves, or a combination of alumina and
molecular sieves. In either case, gas flows B. Expander-Compressor
through a tower until it will no longer re-
The Expander-Compressor is a de-
move water vapor from the gas, at which
vice for chilling the inlet gas and
time the gas switches to a regenerated dry
recompressing the outlet gas. The Ex-
tower, and the tower which had been re-
pander is simply a gas turbine. Its construc-
moving water vapor is put in regeneration
tion is opposite to that of a centrifugal Com-
service to dry it. Operation of the dry desic-
pressor. High pressure gas enters what
cant adsorption system is described in the
would normally be the discharge end of the
PLP Manual entitled MOLECULAR SIEVE
Compressor, and flows backwards in the
DEHYDRATION PROCESS.
Expander and exits out what would nor-
mally be the suction line to the Compres-
sor. The outlet gas temperature and pres-
sure are much lower than those at the inlet
to the Expander. Temperatures in the Ex-
pander may get as low as -115°C [-175°F]
so it must be made of metals that will with-
stand very low temperatures.
The compressor is a conventional cen-
trifugal type that is on the same shaft as
the Expander. The energy required to drive
the Compressor is the same as the energy
given up by the gas passing through the
Expander.
3-TOWER GAS DEHYDRATION SYSTEM

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

6 EQUIPMENT IN CRYOGENIC PLANT

C. Heat Exchangers

In the cryogenic plant,

the inlet gas is chilled to a
temperature as low as =115°C
[-175°F]. Heat Exchangers
are used to recover most of
the refrigeration in the low
temperature residue gas
stream and transfer it to the
inlet gas stream. About 85 to
90% of the total chilling of the
inlet gas stream occurs in
Heat Exchangers. They must
operate at a high efficiency in
order to chill the gas to the SHELL AND TUBE EXCHANGERS
lowest possible temperature for maximum
liquid recovery. -50°C [-60°F]. Their disadvantage is that
Some of the Heat Exchangers operate they act as filters to remove solid particles
at extremely low temperatures, which re- from the streams flowing through them
quire construction using special metals because the passages through them are
such as aluminum or stainless steel. Ex- so small.
changers can be conventional shell and Before new exchangers are put in ser-
tube type, or aluminum plate-fin type, or vice, piping and equipment must be thor-
a mixture of the two. The plate-fin type have oughly cleaned of all solid particles, and
a higher efficiency than the shell and tube filters must be installed in the inlet stream
type. The plate fin exchangers are the least entering the plant to remove adsorbent
expensive in temperature services below fines and other solid material from the gas.

ALUMINUM PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 EQUIPMENT IN CRYOGENIC PLANT 7

D. Demethanizer
The Demethanizer is a type of fraction-
ating tower used to remove methane from
the liquid hydrocarbons which condense
as the inlet gas stream is chilled. The top
portion of the tower is usually a larger di-
ameter than the lower part. It is a separa-
tor that separates the incoming gas/liquid
stream from the Expander. The liquid falls
to the bottom and flows into the fractionat-
ing portion of the vessel and the gas flows
out the top.
The fractionation portion of the tower
usually contains about 30 trays with bubble
caps or valves. Liquid flows across each
tray and spills over to the tray beneath it.
Gas vapors from the bottom of the tower
flow upward and bubble through the liquid
on each tray. The warm gas vapors boil the
methane from the liquid on each tray. The
products from the tower are methane gas
DEMETHANIZER
at the top, and a demethanized liquid prod-
uct out the bottom.
A reboiler and side stream heater pro-
vide the heat required to boil methane
from the liquid flowing across each tray
in the tower.

VALVE TRAY BUBBLE CAP TRAY

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

8 EQUIPMENT IN CRYOGENIC PLANT

Some Demethanizers have several sec-

tions of packing instead of trays. The pack-
ing serves the same function as the trays
— to mix upflowing gas with downflowing
liquid and boil-out or strip the methane from
the liquid.
Aluminum pall rings may also be used
for packing. A liquid distributor must be
used at the top of each section of packing
to uniformly distribute the liquid through-
out the packing.
E. Refrigeration System TOWER PACKING

The Refrigeration System is used in

plants having a high concentration of
ethane and heavier hydrocarbons in the
inlet gas stream. Propane is generally used
as a refrigerant in the system. The system
includes a Chiller, Compressor, Condenser,
and Economizer to minimize the power re-
quired to drive the Compressor.
Refrigeration systems are described in
more detail in PLP Manual entitled ME-
CHANICAL REFRIGERATION.
A flow diagram of a refrigeration sys-
tem is shown below.

2-STAGE
COMPRESSOR

CONDENSER

Warm
SURGE
Inlet Gas
TANK

ECONOMIZER

GAS
CHILLER

Cold
Outlet Gas
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 EQUIPMENT IN CRYOGENIC PLANT 9

F. Piping and Vessels lower temperatures. Aluminum can also be

Equipment used in low temperature
service must be made of special metals
which will withstand the low temperature
to which the metal is exposed. If regular
carbon steel was used for low temperature
service, it would become brittle and break
like glass.
Regular carbon steel retains its strength
at temperatures down to -29°C [-20°F], and
can be specially heat treated to withstand
temperature to -46°C [-50°F]. At lower tem-
peratures, nickel must be added to the steel
in order to prevent it from becoming brittle.
Nickel is the main ingredient of stainless
steel. A higher nickel content is required at
used at low temperature.
Vessels and piping must be made of the
proper metal to withstand the temperature
to which they are exposed. This is of par-
ticular concern when modifications are
made to an existing facility. When new pip-
ing is installed, it must be of the proper
metal to withstand the temperature to which
it is exposed, and must also be compatible
with metals to which it is attached, par-
ticularly if the new piping is welded to
existing piping.
The following table indicates acceptable
metals for low temperature service.

OPERATING TEMPERATURE ACCEPTABLE METAL

°C °F
-29 -20 Carbon Steel
-46 -50 Low Carbon Steel, Charpy Tested
-59 -75 2.5% Nickel Steel or Aluminum
-101 -150 304 or 316 Stainless Steel or Aluminum
below -101 below -150 3.5% Nickel Steel or Aluminum

Problem 1
Match each item in the right column with the proper item in the left column.
____ 1. Gas Dehydration a. Remove C1 that liquefies when gas is chilled.
____ 2. Heat Exchangers b. Remove moisture from gas.
____ 3. Expander-Compressor c. Use nickel steel below -50°.
____ 4. Demethanizer d. Chill and compress gas.
____ 5. Refrigeration System e. Transfer refrigeration from outlet gas to inlet gas.
____ 6. Piping f. Chill inlet gas with high C2 + content.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

10 III. PRINCIPLES OF CRYOGENIC PROCESSING
A. Functional Sections of Cryogenic
Plant
A cryogenic plant has four functional
sections:
1. Dehydration to remove water vapor.
2. Chilling and expansion to liquefy part
of the gas.
3. Demethanizing to remove the methane
which liquefies.
4. Compression to boost gas pressure to
sales gas pipeline pressure.
If the inlet gas contains hydrogen sul-
fide or more than 2% carbon dioxide, a fifth
section is required to treat the gas or the
liquid product to remove the impurities.
The dehydration unit removes water
vapor from the inlet gas so that it will not
freeze when the gas is chilled.
Compressors which are used to boost
the outlet gas pressure up to sales gas
pressure are conventional centrifugal or
piston type reciprocating Compressors. The
compressors are driven by gas turbines or
gas engines. Operation of this equipment
Sales
Gas
COMPRESSION
Inlet
Gas
DEHYDRATION
FUNCTIONAL PARTS OF CRYOGENIC PLANT
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
is covered in PLP manuals entitled CEN-
TRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS and PISTON
TYPE COMPRESSORS.
The chilling section is the heart of the
cryogenic plant. Gas can be chilled four
ways:
1. By heat exchange with cold gas.
2. By refrigeration.
3. By pressure reduction.
4. By removing energy from the gas in an
Expander.
Refrigeration systems using propane for
refrigerant can be used to chill gas to -40°C
[-40°F]. At temperatures below this, ethane
or ethylene is used for refrigerant, and the
system is very expensive.
Another means of lowering gas tem-
perature is simply to reduce its pressure
across a pressure reducing valve. The tem-
perature will drop approximately 1°C for
each 125 kPa drop in pressure, [1°F for
each 10 psi drop in pressure]. Pressure
reduction requires recompression, so its
cost is high.
CHILLING
Liquid
Product
DEMETHANIZING
 METHANE AND ETHANE CONDENSATION
B. Effect of Temperature and Pressure
on Hydrocarbon Recovery
Natural gas produced from gas or oil
wells is a mixture of many hydrocarbons.
Most of the hydrocarbons have a greater
value as pure components than their value
as fuel gas. The table below shows a typi-
cal gas composition and commercial use
that results in the greatest income.
You can see from the table that all hy-
drocarbons except methane can be up-
graded in value if they can be removed form
the gas. Ethane and heavier hydrocarbons
will change from a gas to a liquid if the gas tem-
perature is lowered. The entire gas stream will
liquefy at a pressure of 2410 kPa [350 psi] and
a temperature of -100°C [-150°F].
When gas is chilled to liquefy some of
the hydrocarbons in it, some of the meth-
ane also liquefies. This is undesirable be-
cause the only value methane has is as a
fuel in the vapor state. Consequently, any
methane which condenses must be re-
moved from the other hydrocarbons. It fol-
lows that the cost for removing the meth-
ane will be less if the quantity of methane
to remove is lower. Thus, one criteria in
design and operation of a cryogenic plant
NATURAL GAS COMPOSITION AND COMMERCIAL USE
COMPONENT VOL %
Nitrogen and CO2 1.2
Methane, C1 89.0
Ethane, C2 7.0
Propane, C3 2.0
Butanes, C4 0.6
Gasoline, C5+ 0.2
Total 100.00
11
is that of liquefying as much ethane and
heavier hydrocarbons as possible, and
minimizing the quantity of methane which
also liquefies.
The quantity of methane which con-
denses along with other hydrocarbons as
the gas is chilled will depend upon the
pressure and temperature at which the
system operates. The graphs on the follow-
ing page indicate the quantity of methane and
ethane which will condense at various tem-
peratures and pressures from gas having the
composition shown below. Use of the graphs
is shown with examples on page 13.
We said that we want to operate the
plant to recover the maximum quantity of
ethane and minimum quantity of methane.
Look at example 1 on page 13. It shows
the operating pressures and temperatures
which result in 80% ethane condensation
from the gas. You note that less methane
will condense at a lower pressure than at a
higher pressure. The disadvantage of op-
erating at a lower pressure is that gas must
be recompressed back to sales gas pres-
sure, which is usually around 5500 kPa
[800 psi].
COMMERCIAL USE
Residential and
Industrial Fuel
Petrochemicals
Rural Home Fuel
Automobile
Fuel
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
 12 METHANE AND ETHANE CONDENSATION

SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS

-40 -20
Example: At -90°C and 2760
kPa, 32% of the methane Example: At -120°F and 400
psi, 16% of the Methane and
and 84% of the ethane will 70% of the Ethane will
condense. condense.
-50° -40

-60 5520 kPa C2 a -60

t 55
20 kPa

GAS TEMPERATURE, °F
GAS TEMPERATURE, °C

C1 at 5
520 kP 800 PSI
a C2 a
-70° -80 t 80
0 P
SI
Et C1 at
ha 800 P
ne SI
Th
at
-80 2760 kPa Co -100 Et
nd ha
en ne
se Th
sa at
Co
t2 400 psi nd
76 en
0 se
kP -120 sa
-90° a t4
00
C1 at ps
2760 i
kPa
C1 a
C

t 400
2
at

psi
13

-140
80

-100 1380 kPa C

kP

2
at
a

200 psi 20
0
ps
i
-110 -160

C1 at 1380 C1 at 200 ps
kPa i
-180
-120 0 20 40 60 80 100
0 20 40 60 80 100

% METHANE AND ETHANE THAT CONDENSE FROM GAS

AT VARIOUS PRESSURES AND TEMPERATURES

Look at example 3 on the next page. 1380 kPa [800 to 200 psi]. As we said, op-
Suppose the capacity of the Demethanizer erating at a lower pressure requires more
is 20% of the methane in the inlet gas. In compression to boost the gas pressure to
order to increase the ethane recovery, and that of the sales pipeline. At some point,
not condense more than 20% of the meth- the value of incremental ethane which con-
ane, it will be necessary to operate the denses at a lower pressure is equal to the
chilling section at a lower pressure and incremental cost of compressing the gas
lower temperature. Ethane recovery can to pipeline pressure. This is the ideal oper-
vary from 42% to 92% by varying the pres- ating condition of temperature and pressure
sure in the chilling section from 5520 to in the chilling section.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 METHANE AND ETHANE CONDENSATION 13

Examples:
SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS
1. When gas is chilled to a tempera- -100°C -88°C -66.5°C -148°F -126°F -88°F
ture of
At a pressure of 1380 kPa 2760 kPa 5520 kPa 200 psi 400 psi 800 psi
% C1 that condenses 12% 24% 50% 12% 24% 50%
% C2 that condenses 80% 80% 80% 80% 80% 80%
Volume of C1 that condenses from 10.6 21.1 44 10.6 21.1 44
100 volumes of gas
Volumes of C2 that condenses from 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6
100 volumes of gas
2. When gas is chilled to a tempera- -90°C 99°C -107°C -130°F -146°F -161°F
ture of
At a pressure of 1380 kPa 1380 kPa 1380 kPa 200 psi 200 psi 200 psi
% C1 that condenses 5% 10% 20% 5% 10% 20%
% C2 that condenses 53% 78% 92% 54% 78% 92%
Volume of C1 that condenses from 4.5 8.9 17.8 4.5 8.9 17.8
100 volumes of gas
Volume of C2 that condenses from 3.7 5.5 6.4 3.8 5.5 6.4
100 volumes of gas
3. When gas is chilled to a tempera- -107°C -86°C -60°C -160°F -124°F -75°F
ture of
At a pressure of 1380 kPa 2760 kPa 5520 kPa 200 psi 400 psi 800 psi
% C1 that condenses 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 20%
% C2 that condenses 92% 75% 42% 92% 75% 42%
Volume of C1 that condenses from 17.8 17.8 17.8 17.8 17.8 17.8
100 volumes of gas
Volume of C2 that condenses from 6.4 5.3 2.9 6.4 5.3 2.9
100 volumes of gas

The condensation curves on page 12
do not indicate the quantity of propane and
heavier hydrocarbons which condense
from the gas as it is chilled. In a cryogenic
plant, 90 - 98% of the propane liquefied,
and 100% of the butane and gasoline liq-
uefy when at least 60% of the ethane con-
denses. The point of this is that changing
operating pressures and temperatures to
recover more or less ethane will have very
little effect on the volume of propane and
heavier hydrocarbons that condense be-
cause almost 100% of them will condense
regardless of C2 recovery.
Methane which condenses with the
other hydrocarbons is removed from the
mixture in the Demethanizer. The quantity
of methane which can be removed in the
Demethanizer will depend upon the diam-
eter of the tower and the number of trays

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

14 LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION
that it has. In any case, your Demethanizer
has a maximum quantity of methane which
it will remove from the feed stream. Since
the quantity of methane which can be re-
moved is fixed by the size of the
Problem 2
Operating pressure in the Demethanizer of a cryogenic plant is 1380 kPa [200 psi]. If
C2 condensation in the Expander is 90%, C1 condensation will be ______%; Expander
outlet temperature will be ______°.
C. Latent Heat of Vaporization
Up to this point, we have indicated that
all that is necessary to liquefy hydrocar-
bons is to simply lower the temperature.
This is only partly true; in order for any gas
to change to a liquid, its latent heat of va-
porization or simply latent heat, must be
removed from the gas. The latent heat of
hydrocarbons at cryogenic temperatures is
about 465 kJ/kg [200 Btu/lb]. This heat must
be removed from each kg [lb] of gas be-
35°C -101°C
[95°F] [-150°F]
1 Wt Unit
Inlet
Gas
CHILLERS AND
EXPANDERS
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
Demethanizer, the only way of increasing
the ethane recovery without recovering
more methane is to operate the chilling
section at a lower pressure and lower tem-
perature.
fore it will change into a liquid.
In order to cool gas 1°, we must remove
about 2.72 kJ/kg [0.65 Btu/lb] of heat. The
heat removed from cooling gas is called
superheat. Once the gas is cooled to the
temperature at which it will condense, the
latent heat must then be removed in order
to change the gas to a liquid. The magni-
tude of latent heat is illustrated with the fol-
lowing example.
0.85 Wt Units
Gas
Liquid Product
to Demethanizer
0.15 Wt Units
 LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION 15

SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS

Heat to remove to cool gas 1° 2.72 kJ/kg 0.65 Btu/lb
(Heat Capacity)
Inlet gas temperature 35°C 95°F
Chilled gas temperature -101°C -150°F
Total temperature change 35 + 101 = 136°C 95 + 150 = 245·°F
Weight of gas 1 kg 1 lb
Heat to remove to chill gas (1) x (2.72) x (136) (1) x (0.65) x (245)
(Superheat) =370 kJ = 159 Btu
Latent heat of vaporization 465 kJ/kg 200 Btu/lb
Weight of liquid (15% of gas) 0.15 kg 0.15 lb
Latent heat to remove 0.15 x 465 0.15 x 200
= 70 kJ = 30 Btu
Total heat to remove 70 + 370 30 + 159
= 440 kJ = 189 Btu
70 ’ 30 ’
% of total that is latent heat 440 x 100 = 16% 189 x 100 = 16%

From the above, you can see that the
percentage of latent heat (16%) is almost
the same as the percentage of gas that
condenses (15%). In cryogenic plants, the
inlet gas is cooled to its condensation tem-
perature. The quantity of liquid that forms
depends upon the amount of latent heat
that is removed. If the total heat removal in
the above example is 99% of that shown,
the liquid that condenses would be 1% less
or 14% instead of 15%, which is a 7% re-
duction in liquid production.
Heat is removed from the inlet gas in
heat exchangers, the Expander, and refrig-
eration chiller if it is installed. In order to
make maximum liquid product, the heat
removal facilities must be operated to re-
move all of the heat they are capable of
taking out. One of the shortcomings of the
cryogenic plant is that there is no excess
heat removal capability designed into the
plant. In other words, if one heat exchanger
fails to perform as it should, other exchang-
ers or Expanders are unable to make-up
the shortage in the inefficient exchanger.
The net result is a reduction of liquid prod-
uct. No spare heat removal capacity is built
into the plant because it would require
refrigeration facilities capable of chilling
the gas to a temperature of about -100°C
[-150°F]. The cost of such facilities would
make the entire cryogenic plant uneco-
nomical.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

16 THEORY OF GAS EXPANSION

In the previous section, we said the net One of the basic laws of science is that
effect of chilling in the plant was to remove energy contained in a fluid cannot be de-
latent heat to condense liquid product. The stroyed or created. Thus, if energy is added
Expander is capable of removing enough to or removed from a fluid such as gas,
latent heat to recover about 10% of the gas there must be a change in the heat content
stream. If the inlet gas contains more than (temperature) or pressure or velocity. The
10% ethane and heavier hydrocarbons, curve below and that on the next page in-
refrigeration systems are installed to re- dicate the internal energy in typical natural
cover hydrocarbons in excess of 10%. gas at various temperatures and pressures.
D. Theory of Gas Expansion The velocity energy is not shown on the
curves because the gas velocity entering
Gas at a temperature above absolute and leaving a compressor or Expander is
zero and a pressure about absolute zero about the same. Use of the curves is dem-
contains internal energy. We can’t see the onstrated with an example.
energy, but we know it exists because it Gas in a cryogenic plant has been
will produce work. Energy is contained in cooled to a temperature of -40°C [-40°F] in
gas in the forms of heat, pressure, or Gas-to Gas Exchangers. Its pressure is
velocity. 5500 kPa [800 psi]. These pressure and

SI UNITS
7000

-50 -40
G
AS -30
TE
6000 M
PE
-60
RA
TU
A
RE
PRESSURE, kPa GAUGE

, °C
5000
-70
NE
LI
ON
N SI
PA

4000 -80
EX

-40
OR
ON

-50
SI

-90
ES
PR

3000
M
CO

-100 -60

-110 -70
2000 -80
-90
-120 B -100 C
1000
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
3
INTERNAL GAS ENERGY, KW PER MILLION M /D

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 THEORY OF GAS EXPANSION 17

ENGLISH UNITS
1000

-20
-40
-6
0
-8
0

900

0°
A
800
GA
S
TE
MP

700
ER
-1
GAS PRESSURE, PSI GAUGE

00

AT
U
RE
,°
F

600

-20
-1
20

500
E

-40
LIN
-1
40

ON
SI
N

400
PA
EX

-60
OR
-1

N
6

IO
0

-80
S
ES
PR

300
M
CO

-10
0
-12

200
0

B C
-1

-14
80

-1

0
60

100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

INTERNAL GAS ENERGY, H.P. PER MMCF/D

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

18 THEORY OF GAS EXPANSION

temperature conditions are Point A on the
curves. If the pressure of the gas is low-
ered with a choke or pressure reducing
valve to a pressure of 1400 kPa [200 psi],
the gas temperature will drop to -72°C [-
100°F]. This is represented by Point C on
the curves.
You notice that the internal energy of
the gas does not change when its pres-
sure is lowered. The reason for this is that
no heat is entering or leaving the pressure
reduction valve, and no work is being done
to turn a turbine or other device, so the in-
ternal energy of the gas has to remain the
same. The temperature drop which occurs
when the pressure is reduced is called the
Joule-Thompson (J-T) effect.
Suppose that the gas at Point A flows
through an Expander, which is connected
to a Compressor so that energy can be
removed from gas flowing through the
Expander and used to drive a Compres-
sor that the Expander turns. In this case,
the energy given up by the gas is indicated
by the dashed line A B. This line is a com-
pression or expansion line. It represents
the maximum amount of energy that can
be removed from the gas when its pres-
sure is reduced from Point A to Point
B. The same amount of energy is re-
quired to compress the gas from Point
B to Point A. The gas temperature at
Point B is -108°C [-163°F] which is
36°C [63°F] lower than that at Point C.
We said that the energy required to
compress gas from Point B to Point A was
the same as the energy which could be
removed from the gas in a Expander when
its pressure was reduced from Point A to
Point B. This is theoretically correct. In prac-
tice, Expanders and Compressors are each
about 80% efficient, so that when gas pres-
sure is dropped from Point A to Point B in
an Expander , the Compressor attached to

SUMMARY OF GAS COOLING BY PRESSURE REDUCTION

SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS
Original gas temperature (Point A) -40°C -40°F
Original gas pressure (Point A) 5500 kPa 800 psia
Final gas pressure 1400 kPa 200 psia
Final temp from J-T effect (Point C) -72°C -100°F
Cooling from J-T effect -40 - (-72) = 32°C -40 - (-100) = 60°F
Final gas temp out of Expander (Point B) -18°C -163°F
Cooling from Expander -40 - (-108) = 68°C -40 - (-163) = 123°F
Incremental cooling by Expander 68 - 32 = 36°C 163 - 100 = 63°F
3
Energy in gas at Point A 1200 kW/million m /d 45.5 hp/MMcf/d
3
Energy in gas out of Expander (Pt B) 400 kW/million m /d 16 hp/MMcf/d
3
Theoretical energy removed from gas 800 kW/million m /d 29.5 hp/MMcf/d

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 THEORY OF GAS EXPANSION
that Expander will provide only a portion
of the power required to boost the gas pres-
sure from Point B to Point A.
The table on page 18 summarizes the
effects on gas temperature of pressure re-
duction and energy removal by an Expander.
Look at the internal energy contained
in the gas at Points B and C. It is 800 kW
per million m3/d [29.5 hp per MMcf/d] less
at Point B than at Point C. When this
amount of energy is removed from the gas
at the pressure and temperature at Point
C, the gas will cool to the temperature at
Point B. The gas will cool from its tempera-
ture at Point A to the temperature at Point
C by simply lowering its pressure. It will cool
to the temperature at Point B by lowering
the pressure and removing energy. The dif-
ference in the temperature between Points
B and C is the net cooling effect of remov-
ing energy from the gas in the Expander.
If gas flowed to an Expander that was
not connected to anything, its temperature
would be that at Point C. However, if the
Expander is connected to a Compressor,
and maximum energy is removed from the
gas to drive the Compressor, the tempera-
Example
10% of the gas condenses when its pressure is lowered from Point A to Point B on the
graphs on pages 16 and 17. Determine the temperature of gas leaving the Expander.
Temp of gas out of Expander (Point B)
Percent of gas that condenses
Temp rise due to condensation
Actual temp of gas & liquid out of Expander
19
ture of gas leaving the Expander will be
that shown at Point B. If the Compressor
attached to the Expander is not fully loaded,
the temperature of gas leaving the Ex-
pander will fall between Points B and C.
Thus, in order to get the lowest tempera-
ture of gas leaving the Expander, the Com-
pressor must be fully loaded.
The graphs on the previous pages indi-
cate the theoretical temperature of gas
leaving an Expander at a known pressure,
when the temperature and pressure of gas
entering the Expander are also known. In
practice, the temperature of gas leaving the
Expander will not be as cold as that shown
on the graphs because the stream leaving
the Expander is a mixture of gas and liq-
uid, and the heat of vaporization given up
by the portion of gas which condenses in
the Expander will result in raising the tem-
perature of the total stream. If no conden-
sation occurs, the temperature leaving the
Expander should be fairly close to that
shown on the graphs. However, each per-
cent of gas that liquefies in the Ex-
pander will raise the temperature of the
remaining gas about 1.7°C [3°F].
SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS
-108°C -163°F
10% 10%
1.7 x 10 = 17°C 3 x 10 = 30°F
-108 + 17 -163 + 30
= -91°C = -133°F
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
20 MATERIAL BALANCE AT CRYOGENIC PLANT

Problem 3
a. In order to condense hydrocarbons from a gas stream by chilling, two forms of heat
must be removed. They are __________________ and __________________.
b. Gas enters an Expander at -50°C and 6300 kPa [-60°F and 900 psi]. Outlet pressure is
2000 kPa [315 psi]. If the Compressor attached to the Expander is 100% loaded, the
theoretical temperature of gas leaving the Expander is _______°. If 8% of the gas
condenses, the temperature of gas leaving the Expander is _______°.
c. If no gas is flowing through the Compressor, the temperature of gas leaving the Ex-
pander is _________°.
e. The expander power is ________.

E. Material Balance heat which is removed to condense the

The stream entering a cryogenic plant
is gas. The outlet streams are gas and liq-
uid. The net effect of the plant is to con-
dense some of the gas. As we learned ear-
lier, the heat of vaporization must be re-
moved from gas in order to condense it.
The point at which heat is removed from
the system is at the Expander. The heat
energy removed from the gas as its pres-
sure is lowered and energy is removed to
drive the compressor is the same as the
liquid product. In fact, the amount of
condensation is limited by the amount
of cooling which the Expander is ca-
pable of producing.
In most plants, the Expander is capable
of removing enough heat to condense
about 10% of the inlet gas. If the gas has
more than 10% ethane and heavier hydro-
carbons, refrigeration must be provided in
order to condense additional product.
OUTLET
GAS
90%

INLET
GAS
100%
Expander provides
enough cooling to
E C
condense 10% of
inlet gas.

LIQUID
PRODUCT
10%
MATERIAL BALANCE AT CRYOGENIC PLANT

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 DEMETHANIZER 21

F. Demethanizer liquid hydrocarbons are the bottom prod-

The liquid which condenses when the
inlet gas is chilled is a mixture of methane,
ethane, propane, butane, and gasoline. The
volume of methane in the liquid is greater
than all of the other hydrocarbons com-
bined. The methane must be removed from
the other hydrocarbons in order for them
to be of commercial value.
The Demethanizer (DeC1) is a fraction-
ating tower in which methane is boiled from
a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons. Methane
gas is the overhead product, and the other
uct. It differs from most fractionating tow-
ers in that it has two or more feed streams
instead of a single feed stream that is typical
of most fractionating towers. In addition, heat
required to boil methane from the feed is
supplied in reboilers at the bottom and also
in a side stream reboiler, whereas a typical
fractionator has only a Bottom Reboiler.
A typical Demethanizer (DeC1) is shown
below. Only 10 trays are shown in the draw-
ing, although a tower usually has about 35
trays or packing. Flow is as follows:

-87°C
SALES [-125°F]
GAS
RESIDUE GAS 90°C
COMPRESSOR [-130°F]
1700 kPa
COMPR EXP [245 psi]
FC 62-103 kPa
[9-15 psi]
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT
20-62 kPa VALVE
[3-9 psi]
PC

-51°C
5500 kPa [-60°F]
[785 psi]
60°C SIDE
[-75°F] REBOILER
INLET DEMETHANIZER
GAS LC

GAS/
GAS
HEX -32°C 7°C
[-25°F] BOTTOM [45°F]
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa
[800 psi] TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
38°C PRODUCT
[100°F]
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

1/3 of Inlet Gas TRIM

HEATER
HOT FLUID

DEMETHANIZER

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

22 DEMETHANIZER
The main feed stream comes from the
Expander Separator. A level control sys-
tem on the Separator regulates the flow of
liquid. It enters the tower near the middle.
The liquid portion of the stream enters the
tower and flows across the trays or pack-
ing in the lower section of the tower.
Upflowing gas on each tray boils the meth-
ane out of the liquid, so that by the time
the liquid reaches the bottom of the tower,
most of the methane has been boiled out.
Heat to boil methane out of the
downflowing liquid comes from the Bottom
Reboiler and Side Reboiler. Liquid enter-
ing the Side Reboiler is withdrawn about
1/3rd the way up the tower. It flows through
the Reboiler, where it picks up heat from
the inlet gas flowing through the tube side
of the Reboiler. Some of the liquid vapor-
izes when it is heated. The stream out of
the Reboiler returns to the tower below the
tray from which it was withdrawn.
Liquid from the bottom tray flows to the
Bottom Reboiler, where it is heated by in-
let gas, which results in some vaporization.
The gas which forms flows up the tower,
and liquid that remains is the bottom prod-
uct which is cold. It is pumped through a
Heater to recover the refrigeration in the
stream. From the heater it flows to a pipe-
line or to fractionation towers to separate it
into ethane, propane, butane and gasoline.
Product flow is regulated with a level con-
trol system.
The vapor portion of the stream from
the Expander Separator that enters the
DeC1 flows upward. It bubbles through the
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
packing or liquid on each tray. Most of the
C2 and heavier hydrocarbons in the gas are
condensed by the liquid on the trays, so
that gas leaving the top tray is mostly meth-
ane. It flows into the separator section on
the top of the tower. The stream out of the
Expander also enters this separator. It is a
mixture of gas and liquid. The gas combines
with gas from the top tray and exits the
tower at the top and flows through the Gas-
Gas Exchanger, and Compressors and
leaves the plant. Liquid in the stream from
the Expander falls to the bottom of the
Separator and flows to the top tray of the
tower. It serves as reflux to the tower.
1. Demethanizer Bottom Temperature
Control System
Methane is boiled out of the liquid en-
tering the DeC1 by adding heat to the tower
in the Side and Bottom Reboilers. The
amount of heat transferred in the Reboilers
is controlled by regulating the flow of heat-
ing fluid (inlet gas) going through the
Reboilers. Different plant designers use
various methods for controlling the flow of
heating gas.
The drawing on page 21 shows a tem-
perature controller in the bottom of the
Demethanizer that regulates flow of gas
which passes through the Demethanizer
Reboilers. If the temperature in the
Demethanizer drops, the temperature con-
troller will signal the control valve to open
so that more gas flows to the Reboilers,
and vice versa. The temperature controller
is set by the plant operator at the point that
results in the bottom product having slightly
 DEMETHANIZER BOTTOM TEMPERATURE CONTROL
less than the maximum methane in the
ethane portion of the product.
It is important to recognize that gas is not
a particularly good heating medium, and
several minutes will be required to notice any
change in temperature after the gas rate flow-
ing through the Reboilers changes.
The Demethanizer bottom temperature
control system diverts a portion of the in-
let gas through the Demethanizer Bottom
Heater and Reboilers. The remainder of the
inlet gas flows through the Gas-to-Gas
Exchanger. The pressure drop across a
heat exchanger is usually 35 - 70 kPa [5 -
10 psi]. In other words, the outlet pressure
is lower than the inlet pressure. The por-
tion of inlet gas which flows to the
Demethanizer Exchangers passes through
several exchangers, whereas the remain-
der of the inlet gas may pass through only
one Gas-to-Gas Exchanger. The net result
is that the pressure drop of gas flowing
through the Demethanizer Exchangers is
considerably more than that flowing
through the Gas-to-Gas Exchanger. Con-
sequently, there must be some restriction
in the gas line to the Gas-to-Gas Exchang-
ers in order to force gas to flow to the
Demethanizer Exchangers.
This restriction is often a butterfly valve
in the gas line to the Gas-to-Gas Exchang-
ers which is closed enough to force gas to
flow through the Demethanizer exchang-
ers. If the butterfly valve moves to a more
open position, inlet gas will preferentially
flow to the Gas-to-Gas Exchangers, and
there may not be enough volume flowing
23
to the Demethanizer to provide heat for the
tower. When this occurs, the Demethanizer
bottom temperature will fall. The tempera-
ture control valve will be wide open.
The pressure drop across the butterfly
valve is usually 70 - 140 kPa [10 - 20 psi].
This is the pressure required to force some
of the inlet gas to flow to the Demethanizer
Exchangers. The pressure drop must be
made up with the residue gas Compres-
sors, which requires additional fuel to the
Compressor driver. In order to keep the
recompression cost to a minimum, the but-
terfly should be closed only enough to force
gas to flow through the Demethanizer
Reboilers. If it is closed too much, a high
pressure drop will result, which will increase
the power (and fuel) required by
Recompressors to make-up the pressure
loss across the butterfly valve.
The procedure to position the butterfly
valve in the main gas line is to fully open the
valve and then slowly close it until the DeC1
temperature control valve is 50% open at
normal flow rates through the plant. It may
be necessary to change the position of the
butterfly valve at high or low gas rates.
In some plants the Demethanizer bot-
tom temperature controller regulates two
control valves as shown in the drawing on
page 4. If the bottom temperature drops,
the controller opens the control valve in the
gas line to the Reboilers, and closes the
control valve in the gas line to the Gas-Gas
Exchanger. Reboilers and the Product
Heater may have by-pass lines in the heat-
ing gas lines to manually by-pass some of
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
24 CRYOGENIC PRINCIPLES
the gas and thereby reduce the amount of
heat transferred in the Exchangers. These
valves allow you to shift the heat added to
the tower from the Bottom Reboiler to the
Side, Reboiler or vice versa. In general, the
Bottom Reboiler is the preferred point of
adding heat and the Side Reboiler is the
trim point. In other words, keep the maxi-
mum flow of gas through the Bottom
Reboiler and adjust the heat input in the
Side Reboiler by by-passing some of the
gas around it.
As previously mentioned, a portion of
inlet gas is used as a heating medium for
the Demethanizer. During cold weather, the
gas temperature may not be high enough
to provide the heat necessary to boil all of
the methane from the bottom product. In
these occasions, heat is added to the inlet
gas stream in the Trim Heater. In this ex-
changer, the gas is heated with steam, hot
oil, or hot gas. A temperature control sys-
tem regulates flow of heating fluid to heat
the inlet gas enough to provide sufficient
heat in the Demethanizer.
The reason for using inlet gas as the
heat source for the Demethanizer is to re-
cover the refrigeration in the cold streams
at the Demethanizer. Consequently, the
heat transfer in the trim Heater should be
held to a minimum. An excess heat trans-
fer of 465 kJ will result in a loss of 1 kg of
liquid product. [An excess heat transfer of
200 Btu will result in a loss of 1 lb of liquid
product.]
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
SUMMARY OF CRYOGENIC
PROCESS PRINCIPLES
1. In order to condense part of a gas
stream, it must be cooled to its conden-
sation temperature, and then its latent
heat must be removed.
2. An Expander cools gas by lowering its
pressure and removing energy from the
gas. The energy removed is used to
drive a Compressor attached to the
Expander. Maximum gas cooling in Ex-
pander will occur at maximum gas pres-
sure reduction (minimum outlet gas
pressure) and when the Compressor
attached to the Expander is fully loaded.
3. The heat energy removed from gas in
an Expander and/or a refrigeration sys-
tem is approximately equal to the latent
heat energy removed from the liquid
product out the Demethanizer. In order
to make more liquid product, more heat
energy must be removed in the Ex-
pander and/or a refrigeration system.
4. About 85% of the gas chilling occurs in
Gas-to-Gas Heat Exchangers and the
Demethanizer Reboilers. The remainder
occurs in the Expander and/or refrigera-
tion chiller.
5. More than half of the total liquid that
condenses when gas is chilled is meth-
ane, which is removed from other hy-
drocarbons in a Demethanizer.
 EXPANDER - COMPRESSOR 25

Problem 4
1. In what piece of equipment is methane removed from other hydrocarbons which con-
dense as gas is chilled? ______________________________________________.
b. The amount of chilling in an Expander depends upon: ________________________
__________________________________________________________________.
c. Most of the gas chilling occurs in what equipment? __________________________.
d. What fluid is used for process heat in the Demethanizer?______________________
__________________________________________________________________.

IV. EXPANDER - cover up to 85% of the energy given up by

COMPRESSOR
The gas Expander is a modified form
of steam turbine, which has been used to
drive pumps, generators, and other rotat-
ing equipment for many years. However, it
was not until the 1960’s that a high effi-
ciency expander was developed. The first
commercial cryogenic gas plant was in-
stalled in 1965 with a prototype expander
that turned out to be successful. Since
then, almost all new gas processing plants
have been of the cryogenic design.
The Expanders available today can re-
gas as its pressure is lowered. This energy
is transmitted to the rotating shaft attached
to the Expander impeller. The shaft can be
attached to any rotating device such as a
pump, compressor, generator, etc. In typical
cryogenic plants, a compressor is attached
to the Expander shaft. The Compressor also
has a single impeller or wheel. It rotates at
the same speed as the Expander.
High pressure gas enters the Expander
and is directed at the outer tip of the Ex-
pander impeller blades, causing it to rotate.
The gas flows to the center of the impeller

INLET DISCHARGE
GAS GAS

OUTLET SUCTION
GAS Shaft
GAS

Impeller
or Impeller
Wheel or
Wheel
EXPANDER COMPRESSOR

CROSS SECTION OF EXPANDER-COMPRESSOR

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

26 EXPANDER CONTROL
and exits the Expander at a lower pressure.
The rotating speed of the Expander can
be in excess of 50 000 rpm, depending
upon the volume of gas entering the unit,
and the pressure drop the gas takes in flow-
ing through the unit (inlet pressure minus dis-
charge pressure). A high flow rate and high
pressure drop result in a high Expander
speed and obviously a high power output.
The power developed at the rotating
shaft of the Expander is used to drive a
single impeller Compressor attached to the
other end of the shaft. Low pressure gas
enters the center of the impeller and dis-
charge gas is withdrawn from the tip of the
impeller blades at a pressure about 1.3
times that of suction pressure.
A. Expander Control
The Expander is controlled to maintain
a constant pressure at some point in the
system by regulating the flow of gas to the
Expander. Gas flow is increased by open-
ing guide vanes located at the gas inlet side
of the Expander impeller. In the drawing on
the next page, the pressure controller in
the outlet line signals the adjustable vanes
to open or close in order to maintain con-
stant outlet pressure. If the outlet pressure
drops, the pressure controller opens the
vanes and allows more gas to flow through
the Expander. Conversely, if downstream
pressure rises, the pressure controller closes
the vanes and restricts the flow of gas enter-
ing the Expander. In the event the flow of gas
to the Expander is not enough to maintain
pressure, a bypass valve will open and allow
the excess gas to pass through it.
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
The opposite flow diagram indicates a
typical Expander control system. The by-
pass valve is normally referred to as the JT
(Joule-Thompson) valve. Output pressure
from the pressure controller enters the vane
actuator, which operates at a pressure of
20 - 60 kPa [3 - 9 psi]. In other words, the
vanes move from full close to full open over
this pressure control range. The JT valve
operates over a pressure control range of
60 - 100 kPa [9 - 15 psi]. It does not start to
open until the adjustable vanes are fully
opened. At this point, the Expander is fully
loaded. If the gas flow with the Expander
fully loaded is not enough to maintain pres-
sure, pressure in the outlet line will drop,
and the output pressure from the pressure
controller will increase. When the output
pressure from the pressure controller ex-
ceeds 60 kPa [9 psi] the JT valve will start
to open and gas will flow in the bypass line.
The pressure controller that regulates
the capacity of the Expander is often lo-
cated at the Demethanizer, which is essen-
tially the same as that at the Expander out-
let line. Other plants control Expander ca-
pacity to hold a constant pressure at the
plant inlet, or at the suction to the
Recompressor.
Regardless of the location of the con-
troller, the system is a “split range” control
in which half of the controller output pres-
sure operates the Expander vanes, and the
other half operates the by-pass valve.
As gas flows through the Expander, its
temperature is lowered and about 10% of
the stream condenses. The liquid which
 EXPANDER COMPRESSOR CONTROL 27

forms has no detrimental effect on the Ex-

pander. If the gas stream entering the Ex-
pander contains solid particles of dirt or
debris, or contains moisture which will
freeze at the low temperatures in the unit,
and serious damage to the machine may
result. At the high operating speed of the
machine, the presence of solid materials
— debris or ice — will quickly sandblast
the wheel and casing.
A screen is normally installed on the
inlet gas line to the Expander to remove
solid particles from the gas stream. Mois-
ture is removed from the gas in the dehy-
drators at the front end of the plant.
B. Expander Compressor Control
As we have said previously, we want
the Compressor fully loaded in order to
remove the maximum amount of energy
from the gas flowing through the Expander
INLET GAS
FROM SEPARATOR
GUIDE VANES
AND EXPANDER IMPELLER
Vanes are in the open position.
and thereby lower its temperature as much
as possible.
The power required by a centrifugal
compressor is primarily dependent upon
the gas flow to the machine. More power
is obviously required at a higher flow rate.
Thus, the Compressor on the Expander shaft
should operate with maximum gas flow.
The compressor impeller is designed
so that the machine will be fully loaded at
design process conditions of gas
flow, pressure and temperature at
the plant inlet. If process condi-
tions are not at design, the com-
DISCHARGE

SCREEN
GAS pressor may not be fully
20 - 60 kPa
[3 - 9 psi] loaded. In this situation, gas
60 - 100 kPa
[9 - 15 psi] flow to the compressor is in-
creased by recycling some
20 - 100 kPa Guide
[3 - 15 psi] J-T Vane Contr compressor discharge
By-Pass Line

gas back to the suction

PRESSURE end. The surge control
CONTROLLER
system is used to
regulate the rate of
OUTLET GAS SUCTION
GAS
recycle as shown
on the next page.
EXPANDER COMPRESSOR

EXPANDER CONTROL SYSTEM

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

28 EXPANDER COMPRESSOR CONTROL
Expander speed should not change
when gas to the compressor is raised as
long as the compressor is not loaded. Flow
of recycle is increased in steps until there
is no change in Expander outlet tempera-
ture, or the speed drops off. At this point,
flow of recycle is lowered until the speed
returns to normal. The compressor should
be fully loaded and maximum gas cooling
(and C2 recovery) should occur.
It may appear to you that the Expander
speed should drop off when the gas flow
to the Compressor is increased. This is not
necessarily the case as long as the energy
required to drive the Compressor is less
INLET GAS
FROM SEPARATOR
60 - 100 kPa
[9 - 15 psi]
J-T
By-Pass Line
PRESSURE
CONTROLLER
OUTLET GAS
TO DEC1 RPM
EXPANDER
2 Observe Expander outlet temp & speed. Temp
should drop a few degrees, at each flow
increase step. Speed should not change if
Compressor is not loaded.
PROCEDURE TO LOAD COMPRESSOR
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
than the energy the Expander is capable
of removing from the gas.
The expansion curves on pages 16 and
17 indicate the maximum energy that can
be removed from gas as its pressure is re-
duced. As energy is removed from gas, the
gas temperature is lowered. Thus, as the
Compressor is loaded by increasing flow
of recycle gas, the temperature of gas out
of the Expander will drop. The Expander
outlet temperature will be at its minimum
when the compressor is fully loaded. At this
point, increasing flow of recycle gas to the
Compressor will overload the Expander,
and the speed will drop off.
DISCHARGE
Raise set point in flow controller
GAS 1 until control valve opens.
20 - 60 kPa Then increase flow in small steps.
[3 - 9 psi]
SURGE
CONTROL
VALVE
Guide
Vane Contr
SURGE
FLOW
CONTR
SUCTION
GAS
COMPRESSOR
Repeat steps 1 & 2 until Expander outlet temp does not
3 drop, or speed decreases. When speed decreases,
reduce by-pass flow until speed returns to normal.
 COMPRESSOR SURGE CONTROL
To summarize Compressor control: re-
cycle gas flow is increased in steps until
the energy required to drive the Compres-
sor equals the maximum energy which can
be removed from the gas in the Expander.
At this point, the temperature of gas leaving
the Expander will be at a minimum. Addi-
tional flow of recycle gas to the Compressor
will reduce the speed of the machine.
1. Compressor Surge Control
At low gas flow rates to a Centrifugal
Compressor, surge will occur. Surge is gas
back flowing through the Compressor,
which can seriously damage the unit.
Surge is prevented by maintaining flow to
the Compressor above the surge point. The
surge control system includes a recycle line
and control valve which is positioned by a
flow controller. The set point in the flow
controller is manually positioned by the
operator above the surge flow rate, which
is normally about 65% of the design flow
to the Compressor.
The total flow to the Compressor is
DISCHARGE
GAS
Recycle Line
SURGE
CONTROL
VALVE
SURGE
FLOW
CONTR
SUCTION
GAS
COMPRESSOR SURGE CONTROL
29
sensed by the flow controller, and if it is
below the set point, the controller will send
an air signal to the surge control valve to
open and allow gas to recycle from the dis-
charge to the suction.
If the inlet gas flow rate is 50% of de-
sign, and the surge flow controller is set at
65%, the controller output pressure will
open the surge control valve so that 15%
of the design flow passes through the re-
cycle line. Total gas flow to the Compres-
sor is 65% of which 15% is recycle.
The surge control system is also used
to load the compressor as described in the
previous section.
C. Seals
Gas pressures in a typical Expander-
Compressor are shown in the drawing on
page 31. The highest gas pressure is that
at the inlet to the Expander. The Expander
and Compressor sections are connected
with a common housing so that if leakage
should occur, high pressure inlet gas to the
Expander could leak into the Compressor.
The Compressor gas is residue gas from
the Demethanizer, so any leakage which
occurs will result in some gas simply by-
passing the Expander and Demethanizer.
Thus, one function of the seal system is to
prevent high pressure Expander inlet gas
from leaking into the Compressor.
A seal is a device for preventing gas or
liquid under high pressure from leaking to
a point of lower pressure. A common ex-
ample is a mechanical seal used on cen-
trifugal pumps that prevents liquid under
pressure inside the pump from leaking out
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
30 EXPANDER SEALS

side. Mechanical seals are not used on the final tooth, it is at its lowest pressure and
Expander because oil to lubricate the seal largest volume. The clearance between the
could enter the Expander and solidify at teeth and shaft will allow only a small vol-
the low temperature and seriously damage ume of gas to flow. Thus, there is a con-
the machine. tinuous flow of gas through a labyrinth seal,
Labyrinth type seals are used on the but it is a small quantity. A slight amount of
Expander and Compressor to reduce the wear in the labyrinth teeth will obviously in-
flow of gas at high pressure that leaks to a crease the quantity of gas that leaks across
lower pressure point. A labyrinth seal is a the seal. Labyrinth seals are shown in the
series of teeth which are machined in the following drawing and tabulated below.
impeller and seal rings to a clearance be-
tween the end of each tooth and the shaft
of approximately 50 - 100 microns [0.002 -
0.004 in]. The labyrinth acts as a pressure
reducing device. Gas is at a higher pres-
sure on one side of the labyrinth than on
the other side. A small amount of the high
pressure gas leaks across each tooth in
the seal. As it passes from one tooth to
another, its pressure reduces, and its vol-
ume increases. By the time it reaches the LABYRINTH SEAL

LABYRINTH SEALS IN EXPANDER-COMPRESSOR

Refer to Drawing on the next page
PRESSURE ON EACH
SEAL SIDE OF SEAL DISPOSITION OF
LOCATION OF NO. HIGH PRES LOW PRES GAS THAT LEAKS
SEAL DRAWING SIDE SIDE THROUGH SEAL
Expander impeller 1 Expander Expander outlet Expander
inlet gas gas + 175 kPa outlet gas
[25 psi]
Expander shaft 2 Seal gas Expander outlet Expander
gas + 175 kPa outlet gas
[25 psi]
Expander shaft 3 Seal gas Housing Compressor
suction gas
Compressor shaft 4 Between suction Housing Compressor
& discharge suction gas
pressure
Compressor 5 Compressor Between suction Compressor
impeller discharge and discharge suction gas
pressure

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 EXPANDER SEALS 31

As you can see in the drawing below,
the lowest gas pressure is that in the hous-
ing between the Expander and Compres-
sor. Gas which leaks across the labyrinth
seals on the Expander and Compressor
flows into the housing. This gas enters the
lube oil reservoir, which is vented to the
suction side of the Compressor. Thus, the
pressure in the housing will be the same
as that at the suction to the Compressor.
If cold expander gas leaks into the
housing, it can chill the lube oil to the point
that it would lose its lubricating properties.
To prevent this from occurring, a seal gas
system is used which serves as a barrier
between the Expander gas and the lube oil.
Seal gas is clean dry gas at a pressure
about 350 kPa [50 psi] above that of Ex-
pander outlet pressure. It is injected be-
PRESSURE
REGULATOR
2100 kPa
[300 psi]
tween two labyrinth seals on the Expander
shaft. Since this pressure is higher than that
on the back side of the Expander impeller,
some seal gas will leak through the laby-
rinth seal (number 2) and end up in the
Expander outlet gas. This is a small quan-
tity of gas which has very little detrimental
effect on temperatures in the Expander.
Some seal gas also leaks across the
labyrinth seal (number 3) into the housing
between the Expander and Compressor.
This gas flows to the suction side of the
Compressor.
Seal gas must come from a source at
least 350 kPa [50 psi] above that of the
Expander outlet gas. The seal gas must be
clean and dry and at approximately ambi-
ent temperature. A filter is usually included
in the line to remove solid particles from it.

5500 kPa Flow 2100 kPa

[800 psi] INLET Indicator DISCHARGE [300 psi]
GAS GAS
1650 kPa
1
[235 psi]
1750 kPa 1650 kPa
2 3 4 5
[250 psi] [235 psi]

OUTLET SUCTION
GAS GAS

HOUSING Thrust
Contr Valve
EXPANDER
Lube Oil
Reservoir COMPRESSOR

TYPICAL OPERATING PRESSURES AND LOCATIONS

OF LABYRINTH SEALS IN EXPANDER COMPRESSOR

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

32 THRUST CONTROL

Outlet gas from the plant is often used
as a source of seal gas. Seal gas is intro-
duced to the Expander before start-up, and
maintained during operation. A pressure
regulator is included in the seal gas line for
adjusting the pressure.
D. Thrust Control
In any type of centrifugal device, thrust
forces develop which tend to move the shaft
toward one end or the other. If it were to
move laterally along its axis, the impellers
would touch the casing and quickly wear out.
In an Expander-Compressor, thrust bearings
on each end of the shaft prevent lateral move-
ment. However, the thrust forces against the
bearings must be controlled at a moderate
level to prevent bearing failure and serious
damage to the machine.
The thrust force is due to the difference
in suction and discharge pressure acting
on the front and rear face of an impeller.
Look at the Expander impeller in the fol-
lowing drawing. High pressure inlet gas
enters at the tip of the impeller, and leaks
around the labyrinth impeller seal to the rear
face and exerts a force to the left. Low pres-
sure outlet gas pressure is imposed on the
front or left side of the impeller. In order to
neutralize the thrust in the Expander impel-
ler, gas which leaks around the labyrinth seal
on the rear face of the impeller flows to the
outlet gas line, so that the pressure on the
rear face is slightly above outlet pressure. One

1 Expander Inlet gas leaks through impeller seal

to rear face of impeller and exerts thrust force to
the left. Thrust is partially neutralized with holes in the
impeller that release most of the pressure behind the
impeller to the front face which is at outlet gas pres-
sure. A moderate thrust force is exerted to the left.
2 Compressor discharge gas leaks around
impeller seal to rear face of impeller and
exerts thrust force to the right.

INLET GAS DISCHARGE GAS

IMPELLER
LABYRINTH
SEALS

OUTLET SUCTION
GAS GAS

THRUST
BEARINGS
EXPANDER COMPRESSOR
THRUST
CONTROL
VALVE

3 Oil pressure in each of the 2 thrust bearings is imposed on either side

of a piston actuator on the thrust control valve. It regulates pressure
behind the compressor impeller by allowing move or less gas from behind the
wheel to flow to the compressor inlet line.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 THRUST CONTROL
manufacturer has holes in the impeller
which allow gas under pressure behind the
impeller to flow through the holes to the
outlet gas line. The holes in the impeller
are located such that the pressure behind
the wheel is about 175 kPa [25 psi] above
Expander outlet pressure. Other manufac-
turers pipe the gas behind the wheel to the
outlet gas line. In any event, the thrust force
of the Expander impeller is partially neu-
tralized. The gas pressure behind the im-
peller is slightly more than that on the front
face, so that a moderate thrust force is
exerted toward the Expander.
The thrust force on the Compressor
impeller is in the opposite direction. Suc-
tion pressure is imposed on the front or
right face of the impeller and discharge
pressure acts against the rear or left face.
The thrust force is to the right.
The thrust control system regulates the
thrust force on the Compressor end so that
it is about the same as that on the Ex-
pander end. The Compressor thrust force
is often regulated with a piston actuated
control valve in which pressure on each
side of the piston is that of thrust bearing
pressure on each end of the shaft. If the
shaft moves lightly in one direction, thrust
bearing pressure will rise on one bearing
and fall on the other, which will cause the
piston to move so that more or less gas
behind the impeller flows through the con-
trol valve and thereby equalizes the thrust
bearing pressures. The previous drawing
shows such a system.
For example, if the thrust force at the
33
Compressor (to the right) is more than that
at the Expander, the shaft will move to the
right. Clearance at the right thrust bearing
will decrease, and oil pressure at the bear-
ing will increase. At the same time, clear-
ance at the left thrust bearing will increase,
and oil pressure will decrease. The net ef-
fect is that the piston actuator will open the
thrust control valve, which will release some
of the pressure behind the Compressor
impeller, and lower its thrust force.
If the thrust control system should fail,
and the control valve closes, a high thrust
force toward the Compressor end will re-
sult, which could cause the Compressor
thrust bearing to fail. Any type of bearing
failure in a machine rotating at 25 000 rpm
or more can result in serious damage. Thus,
the thrust balancing system should be care-
fully watched and properly maintained.
If the thrust neutralizing arrangement
on the Expander end should fail due to
plugging of holes in the Expander impel-
ler, the thrust force developed will be far
greater than the thrust control system can
handle. A high thrust force toward the Ex-
pander will result, which can quickly dam-
age the Expander thrust bearing. A shut-
down from high thrust occurs in this situa-
tion to prevent damage to the machine.
E. Lubrication System
The Expander-Compressor has a bear-
ing on each end of the shaft. These bear-
ings must be continuously lubricated with
clean lubricating oil of the approved type
at the proper temperature. Lubrication fail-
ure for a short period of time may result in
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
34 LUBRICATION SYSTEM

a bearing failure which may seriously dam- stant temperature. The oil then flows
age the machine. through one of two filters to remove solid
The lube oil system is shown in the particles and enters the bearings on each
drawing below. Pressures shown are typi- end of the shaft. The oil flows out of the
cal for a plant in which the Demethanizer bearings and drops to the bottom of the
operates at a pressure of 1750 kPa [250 housing and flows by gravity into the reser-
psi]. Flow is as follows: voir, and the cycle is repeated.
Oil from the reservoir enters one of the The control valve in the spillover line is
pumps which is able to raise its pressure positioned by a differential pressure con-
several thousand kPa [several hundred psi]. troller (∆P Contr) which is set to hold the
A control valve in the pump discharge line pressure of oil entering the bearings about
releases excess pressure through a 1050 kPa [150 psi] higher than the pres-
spillover line that returns to the reservoir. sure of oil flowing out of the bearings. This
Oil from the pump enters a temperature difference in pressure will assure adequate
control valve, which is positioned by a tem- flow of lube oil through the bearings. In-
perature controller that allows some of the creasing the differential pressure will raise
oil to by-pass the cooler to maintain a con- the flow of lube oil to the bearings, and vice
versa. A stand-by pump is
2700 kPa
provided which turns on
[385 psi]
Heat automatically in the event
Shield BEARINGS
pressure in the system
drops due to failure of the
primary pump.
SHAFT
The lube oil pumps are
COMPRESSOR
normally driven by electric
OIL
PRES-
motors. If a power failure
1650 kPa SURE occurs, the motors will ob-
EXPANDER [235 psi] TANK
viously stop, and the Ex-
∆P
Contr pander-Compressor will
HEATER ∆P
Contr FILTERS shut down from low oil
RESERVOIR Valve
pressure. In order to pro-
38°C
TEMP
[100°F] vide lubrication to the
CONTR
STAND-BY bearings during the run-
PUMP
down period, a pressure
tank filled with oil is pro-
PUMP COOLER
vided which will let oil flow
LUBRICATION SYSTEM from the tank to the bear-

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 LUBRICATION SYSTEM
ings when the oil pumps stop.
The pressure tank has a bladder which
is inflated to a pressure slightly above that
of the oil reservoir. While the oil pump is
operating, the oil tank will fill with oil at sys-
tem pressure. The pressure will compress
the bladder. If both lube oil pumps shut
down, oil pressure will fall and oil will flow
out of the tank to the bearings.
The oil reservoir operates at the suc-
tion pressure of the Compressor. A vent
line connects the reservoir to the Compres-
sor suction line. Seal gas or Compressor
discharge gas which leaks through laby-
rinth seals into the housing around the
bearings, flows into the oil reservoir and
exits in the vent line to the suction of the
Compressor.
A heating coil is installed in the oil res-
ervoir for use in cold weather, or in the
unlikely possibility of cold Expander gas
leaking into the reservoir.
The heat shield shown in the previous
drawing is a plastic plate behind the Ex-
pander-Impeller which insulates the metal
housing from the low temperature gas
passing through the Expander. Without the
insulating shield, the temperature in the
Expander bearing could cool to the point
that lubricating oil would solidify and the
bearing would quickly fail.
The temperature of lube oil entering the
bearings should be about 38°C [100°F].
The oil not only lubricates the bearings, but
also removes the heat of friction released
when the bearing faces rub against each
other. Thus, the temperature of oil draining
35
into the reservoir should be higher than the
temperature of oil entering the bearings.
If the temperature of oil draining into the
reservoir is lower than the temperature of
oil entering the bearings, leakage of cold
expander gas into the housing is indicated.
This can result from:
1. Seal gas flow has stopped.
2. Excessive wear in the Expander impel-
ler labyrinth seal, which results in more
gas leaking across the seal than the
holes in the impeller can handle. Pres-
sure behind the impeller will rise above
seal gas pressure, and it will flow through
labyrinth seals on the Expander shaft into
the housing and cool the lube oil.
If a low oil temperature is caused from
stoppage of seal gas flow, the situation can
be corrected by returning the seal gas flow
to its normal rate. The oil temperature
should rise to its normal point if this is the
problem.
Maintaining proper lubrication in the
bearings in the Expander-Compressor is
essential for prolonged life of the machine.
The Manufacturer’s recommendations
should be followed in selecting the type of
oil to use, and the oil temperature should
be carefully controlled by adjusting the
amount of cooling in the cooler, or using
the heater in the reservoir. Oil filters should
be closely watched and elements changed
when the pressure drop across a filter in-
dicates it is plugged with dirt.
The oil should be tested monthly for its
lubricating qualities, and replaced when a
10% deterioration is reached. In the ab-
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
36 SAFETY DEVICES

sence of monthly tests, it should be re- provided on most Expander-Compressor

placed at three to six month intervals.
F. Expander-Compressor Safety
Devices
Because the Expander operates at a
very high speed with close tolerances be-
tween moving parts, the slightest irregu-
larity can cause serious damage to the
machine. The following safety devices are
units which will shut the unit down. The unit
is shut down by closing a valve in the inlet
gas line to the Expander.
In most installations, an annunicator
panel is provided which sounds an alarm
horn and indicates the cause of shutdown.
The cause must obviously be corrected
before restart of the machine.

SEAL
GAS

OVERSPEED
HIGH
SCREEN
∆P

SHAFT

COMPRESSOR

EXPANDER HIGH THRUST

THRUST CONTR
∆P VALVE

VIBRATION
∆P
LOW Contr
OIL
TEMP

FILTERS
LOW
OIL
∆P
LOW
OIL ∆P TEMP
LEVEL CONTR CONTR
RESERVOIR VALVE
HIGH
OIL
TEMP

OIL PUMP

TYPICAL EXPANDER SHUT DOWNS

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 CONTROL OF CRYOGENIC PLANT
Problem 5
Match each item in the right column with the proper item in the left column.
_____ 1. Expander capacity control
_____ 2. Compressor load control
_____ 3. J-T valve open
_____ 4. Seal gas
_____ 5. Thrust control
_____ 6. Lube oil reservoir pressure
_____ 7. Low oil pressure
V. CONTROL OF CRYOGENIC PLANT
The Cryogenic Plant is controlled to
produce the maximum volume of liquid
product of acceptable quality at the mini-
mum operating expense.
The volume of liquid product will de-
pend upon the temperature to which the
gas is chilled in Exchangers and the Ex-
pander. More product will result at lower
temperatures. The lowest temperature is
achieved by removing the maximum
amount of heat energy from the gas in the
Expander. Maximum energy is removed in
the Expander by:
1. Fully loading the Compressor attached
to the Expander by increasing flow of
gas to the compressor via the by-pass
line.
2. Dropping the pressure of gas flowing
through the Expander as much as pos-
sible. Maintain the highest pressure of gas
entering the Expander and the lowest
pressure of gas leaving the Expander.
The Expander outlet pressure is the
37
a. Clean, dry gas at pressure of 350 kPa
[50 psi] above expander outlet gas
pressure.
b. Shut down machine.
c. Compressor suction pressure.
d. Compressor recycle gas.
e. Gas flow is more than Expander can
handle.
f. Regulate pressure behind compressor
impeller.
g. Guide vanes.
same as the Demethanizer pressure. Thus,
operating the Demethanizer at its minimum
pressure will result in the lowest tempera-
ture of gas leaving the Expander, which
results in maximum product recovery.
Lowering the Demethanizer pressure
will not only lower the Expander outlet tem-
perature, but will also lower temperatures
throughout the plant. Lower temperatures
will occur at the Expander Inlet Separator,
Demethanizer Reboilers, and Demethanizer
top.
The main operating expense of a cryo-
genic plant is that of fuel gas to the Resi-
due Gas Compressor. Lowering the pres-
sure in the Demethanizer will result in a
higher power and fuel requirement of the
Residue Gas Compressor to boost the gas
pressure to that of the sales line. Conse-
quently, the value of additional product re-
covered by lowering the Demethanizer
pressure must be weighed against the ad-
ditional fuel required by the Residue Gas
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
38 DEMETHANIZER CONTROL

Compressors to make up the pressure re- 35 - 70 kPa [5 - 10 psi] and measure

duction in the Demethanizer. the quantity of liquid product and Resi-
Most of the incremental product recov- due Gas compressor fuel gas. Calcu-
ery which results from lowering the late the incremental production and fuel
Demethanizer pressure is that of ethane. gas, and determine whether the incre-
The value of ethane must be known in order mental production is worth more than
to optimize operation of the Cryogenic Plant. the incremental fuel gas.
The value of fuel gas must also be known. 3. Continue the pressure reduction until
The procedure for determining the op- the point is reached that the incremen-
erating pressure of the Demethanizer that tal compressor fuel cost is more than
results in the maximum economic gain is the incremental ethane recovery value,
as follows: or until the residue compressors are
1. Determine the product flow rate and loaded.
Residue Gas Compressor fuel at nor- A. Demethanizer Control
mal operating pressure of the
The quality of liquid product is deter-
Demethanizer.
mined by its methane content. As we have
2. Lower the Demethanizer pressure by

-87°C
SALES [-125°F]
GAS
RESIDUE GAS 90°C
COMPRESSOR [-130°F]
1700 kPa
COMPR EXP [245 psi]
FC 62-103 kPa
[9-15 psi]
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT
20-62 kPa VALVE
[3-9 psi]
PC

-51°C
5500 kPa [-60°F]
[785 psi]
60°C SIDE
[-75°F] REBOILER
INLET DEMETHANIZER
GAS LC

GAS/
GAS
HEX -32°C 7°C
[-25°F] BOTTOM [45°F]
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa
[800 psi] TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
38°C PRODUCT
[100°F]
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

1/3 of Inlet Gas TRIM

HEATER Bottom temp controlled at lowest point that results in liquid
product having max C1 content which is usually 1 - 2% of C2.
HOT FLUID

DEMETHANIZER TEMPERATURE CONTROL

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 DEMETHANIZER CONTROL
said previously, the allowable methane con-
tent of the DeC1 bottom product is usually
1 - 2% of the ethane content.
It may help in operating the
Demethanizer to think of it as having two
products — methane out the top, and
ethane out the bottom. We would like to
have 0% ethane leaving in the methane
product at the top, and 0% methane leav-
ing in the ethane product out the bottom.
However, we cannot economically operate
with 0% ethane in the top product. We can
minimize the quantity of ethane in the top
product by holding the maximum quantity
of methane in the bottom product. Thus,
the important point in operating the
Demethanizer is to have the maximum
quantity of methane in the bottom prod-
uct, which is usually 1 - 2% of the ethane
content of the bottom product.
The methane content of the bottom
product is controlled by changing the set
point in a temperature controller at the bot-
tom of the tower which regulates the
amount of heat added to the tower in the
Reboilers. Raising the set point in the tem-
perature controller will lower the methane
content of the bottom product. It will also
raise the volume of ethane flowing out the
top of the tower. Thus, raising the bottom
temperature lowers the methane content
of the bottom product, and also lowers the
total volume of bottom product. Conversely,
lowering the bottom temperature increases
the methane content and increases the
total volume of bottom product.
The proper temperature at the bottom
39
of the Demethanizer is the lowest point that
results in a liquid product having the maxi-
mum concentration of methane.
In order to determine the methane and
ethane contents of the bottom product,
some means for analyzing the bottom prod-
uct is necessary. A process chromatograph
is often installed which indicates the rela-
tive quantities of methane and ethane in
the bottom product. The methane concen-
tration should be held near its maximum
by adjusting the bottom temperature of the
Demethanizer. If the bottom product has
too much methane, the temperature should
be raised.
When the bottom product analyzer is
not working, the relative density or spe-
cific gravity of the gas leaving the top of
the Demethanizer is often used as an indi-
cation of the quality of the liquid product at
the bottom of the tower. An increase in the
specific gravity of the overhead gas indi-
cates an increase in the ethane content
which results from a high bottom tempera-
ture. Conversely, a decrease in the relative
density indicates less ethane, which indi-
cates a low bottom temperature.
The effect of the ethane content on the
relative density of the overhead gas from
the Demethanizer is: a change of 1%
ethane in the gas will effect its relative den-
sity 0.005. If the relative density of the over-
head gas increases from 0.610 to 0.615,
the ethane content of the gas has increased
1%. This may seem like a small amount,
but it actually amounts to 10 - 20% of the
total ethane recovered. For example, if the
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
40 DEMETHANIZER CONTROL

inlet gas contains 8% ethane, an increase calorimeter. A 1% increase in ethane con-

of 1% ethane in the residue gas represents tent of gas will raise its heating value by
1/8th (12.5%) of the total ethane entering 280 kJ/m3 [7.6 Btu/cu ft].
the plant. As previously mentioned, maximum
Another method for estimating the product occurs when the Demethanizer
change in ethane content in the overhead operates at the lowest pressure. When the
gas from the Demethanizer is that mea- pressure is lowered, the suction pressure
suring the heating value of the gas with a at the residue gas compressor is also re-
275 duced, which raises the power re-
ENGLISH UNITS
quired for the residue compressor. The
FINAL DEMETHANIZER PRESSURE, psig

0°

minimum Demethanizer pressure is

+4

250
that at which the residue compressor
0°
+3

is fully loaded.
0°
+2

225
0°
+1

F 0° DEMETHANIZER BOTTOM
,°
200 ge TEMPERATURE CHANGE WITH
an -10
°
TOWER PRESSURE CHANGE
Ch ° ENGLISH UNITS
u re -20
at
er
175
p ° ° Example: When pressure is lowered
m -30 -40
Te from 255 psi to 225 psi, bottom
150 temperature change is -10°F.
150 175 200 225 250 275
2000
STARTING DEMETHANIZER
FINAL DEMETHANIZER PRESSURE, kPa

SI UNITS
PRESSURE, PSIG
5°

0°
+2

5°
+2

+1

1800
0°
+1

°
+5

0°

C
1600
e,°
DEMETHANIZER BOTTOM g
a n -5°
TEMPERATURE CHANGE WITH Ch -1
0°
TOWER PRESSURE CHANGE 1400
ure
at °
SI UNITS
per -15
m °
-20
Example: When pressure is raised from 1200 Te
°
1200 kPa to 1700 kPa, bottom tempera- -25
ture change is +15°C.
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

STARTING DEMETHANIZER PRESSURE, KPA

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 DEMETHANIZER CONTROL
When the Demethanizer pressure is
changed, the bottom temperature must
also be changed. The graphs on the oppo-
site page indicate the degrees of bottom
temperature change when the pressure is
changed.
B. Control of Feed Streams
There are two control systems that af-
fect the Demethanizer:
1. Expander Separator level control,
which provides the main liquid feed to
the Demethanizer.
2. The pressure controller that regulates
the capacity of the Expander.
A level control system includes a con-
troller that sends a signal to a control valve
to open or close when the level rises or
falls. The proportional band setting in the
level controller will determine the amount
the control valve moves when there is a
change in level. A low proportional band
setting — say 10% — will result in a full
movement of the control valve (full open
or closed) with a small change in level.
Conversely, a high proportional band set-
ting — say 75% — will result in a small
movement of the control valve for a small
change in level.
The Expander Separator also serves
as a surge tank for the Demethanizer. In
order to stabilize operation of the
Demethanizer, it is necessary to have a
constant feed rate. Thus, in order to hold a
constant feed rate, the level controller on
the Separator should be set with a high pro-
portional band — 60 to 75% — so that the
41
flow to the Demethanizer is fairly constant.
The same principles apply to the pres-
sure control system that controls the posi-
tion of the vanes on the Expander. A low
proportional band will fully open or close
the vanes with a slight change at the pres-
sure control point. This will result in a high
or low flow through the Expander to the
Demethanizer. A constant flow to the
Demethanizer is desirable in order to sta-
bilize its operation. Thus, a high propor-
tional band should be set in the pressure
controller. This will result in a more con-
stant gas flow from the Expander to the
Demethanizer.
SUMMARY OF CRYOGENIC
PLANT CONTROL
1. The inlet gas will be chilled to the low-
est temperature, and maximum hydro-
carbon condensation will occur when
the Expander outlet pressure is at a
minimum and the compressor attached
to the Expander is fully loaded.
2. The Expander outlet pressure is the
same as Demethanizer pressure. Maxi-
mum liquid product results from oper-
ating the demethanizer at its minimum
pressure.
3. Lowering the Demethanizer Pressure
increases the load (and fuel) on the resi-
due gas compressors.
4. The demethanizer should be operated
so that the methane content of the bot-
tom product is near its maximum, which
is usually 1 - 2% of the ethane content.
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
42 VI. OPERATION

Problem 6
Lowering the DeC1 pressure will result in (circle correct answer):
a. Volume of liquid product will increase / decrease / stay the same.
b. Residue Gas Compressor fuel will increase / decrease / stay the same.
c. Temperature in the Expander-Separator will increase / decrease / stay the same.
d. DeC1 bottom temperature should be increased / decreased / no change.

A. START-UP should be drained and air purged from the

1. Dryout plant, preferably with nitrogen.
Dryout is normally accomplished by cir-
If the plant is shutdown and some of
culating dry gas as shown in the drawing
the equipment is open for inspection or re-
below. The Residue Gas Compressor is
pair, it must be purged and thoroughly dried
operated to maintain gas circulation. The
before restart to prevent the possibility of
inlet gas Dehydrator is also operated to
freeze ups. Prior to dryout, equipment
remove moisture from the gas. Pressure in
Circulate until moisture
content is same as that of
7 gas leaving dehydrator.
1 Close Valve.
INLET OUTLET
GAS GAS
MOIST
IND Open JT
2 Valve.
DRYOUT LINE
5 Start compressor & JT
Dehydrator & circulate VALVE
gas through the system.
GAS EXPANDER
DEHYDRATOR
Open
3 gas
valve.

GAS-GAS
EXCHANGER
Close DeC1
4 Temp
Contr
Valve.

EXPANDER
SEPARATOR
Open level control valve and 6
partially close JT valve so gas LIQUID
flows through liquid line.
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
PUMP
PROCEDURE TO DRYOUT GAS-GAS EXCHANGERS

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 DRYOUT 43

the entire system during dryout is
Demethanizer operating pressure, which
is usually 1500 - 2000 kPa [200 - 300 psi].
If normal inlet gas pressure was used dur-
ing dryout, it would be necessary to drop
the pressure of gas entering the
Demethanizer to avoid popping the relief
valve on the vessel. Lowering the gas pres-
sure will result in cooling the gas, and if
moisture is present, hydrate may form and
block the flow of drying gas.
Another reason for using low pressure
gas during dryout is that low pressure gas
will hold more moisture than high pressure
gas. Thus, less time will be required to dry
the plant at low pressure than would be
required at high pressure. If there is no
dryout line from the Residue Gas Compres-
sor to the Dehydrator, inlet gas is used for
dryout. It flows through the plant in its nor-
mal path. However, the gas pressure is re-
duced to the Demethanizer pressure be-
fore it enters the dehydrator.
The Expander-Compressor unit is
blocked in and by-passed on both the Ex-
pander and Compressor ends during
dryout. The unit is purged and dried with
seal gas prior to start-up. The procedure is

Circulate until moisture

3 content is same as that of
gas leaving dehydrator.
INLET
GAS OUTLET
GAS

2 Open
Valve.
JT

JT
GAS VALVE
DEHYDRATOR
EXPANDER

Close
2 main
gas
valve.

GAS-GAS
EXCHANGER
Open DeC1
1 Temp
Contr
Valve.

EXPANDER
SEPARATOR
Open level control valve and 6
partially close JT valve so gas LIQUID
flows through liquid line.
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
PUMP
PROCEDURE TO DRYOUT DEMETHANIZER EXCHANGERS

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

44 DRYOUT

described on page 48.
There are three general phases of
dryout:
1. Dry the main gas flow system through
the Gas-to-Gas Exchanger.
2. Dry the gas flow system through the
Demethanizer Reboilers.
3. Dr y the lower por tion of the
Demethanizer.
The sequence for dryout is as follows:
1. Dry the main gas flow system through
the Gas-to-Gas Exchanger.
a. Close valve at the inlet and out-
let of the Expander and Ex-
pander-Compressor.
b. Fully open the JT valve.
c. Open the valve in the gas line to the
Gas-to-Gas Exchanger.
d. Close the temperature control valve
in the gas line to the Demethanizer
Reboilers.
e. Start the Residue Gas Compressor
and Dehydrator and circulate dry
gas through the system. All of the
gas will flow through the Gas-to-Gas
Exchanger.
f. After gas flow is established, open
the level control valve on the Ex-
pander-Separator so that gas flows
through the liquid line from the sepa-
rator to the Demethanizer. It may be
necessary to slightly close the JT

INLET
GAS OUTLET
GAS

JT
VALVE
GAS
DEHYDRATOR
EXPANDER

VENT

Open
drain
valves.
GAS-GAS
EXCHANGER 3
Open
1 Valves.

EXPANDER
SEPARATOR
Open
2 vent
LIQUID valve.
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
PUMP
PROCEDURE TO DRYOUT DEMETHANIZER

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 COOL-DOWN
valve in order to force gas to flow
through the liquid line from the Ex-
pander Separator to the
Demethanizer.
g. Maintain gas flow through this por-
tion of the system until it is dry.
2. Dry the gas flow system through the
Demethanizer Exchangers.
a. Open the temperature control valve
in the gas line to the Demethanizer
Reboilers.
b. Close the valve in the inlet gas line
to the Gas-to-Exchangers. All of the
gas will flow through the
Demethanizer Reboilers.
c. Maintain flow until the system is dry.
3. Dr y the lower por tion of the
Demethanizer.
Some plants have a drying line pro-
vided at the bottom of the demethanizer
which can be used to circulate gas through
the tower and dry it out. If such a line is not
provided, the Demethanizer should be
dried by venting gas from the bottom of the
Demethanizer, each of the side Reboilers
should be vented to remove any moisture
on the shell side of the exchangers.
Gas flow rate through the
Demethanizer during dryout should be only
a fraction of the total gas flow circulating. If
the entire gas flow stream were circulated
through the Demethanizer, it could dam-
age the packing or trays in the tower.
The moisture analyzer on the gas de-
hydration unit is used fro determining when
each dryout phase is completed. The ana-
lyzer is connected to the residue gas leav-
45
ing the compressors so that it indicates the
moisture content of gas that has flowed
through the plant during dryout. Dryout is
completed when the moisture content sta-
bilizes at about that of the moisture con-
tent of gas leaving the Dehydrator.
2. Cool Down
When dryout is completed, tempera-
tures can be lowered and start-up can com-
mence. The temperature is lowered in two
steps:
1. Partially cool with the Expander shut-
down and use the cooling effect from
the JT valve in the Expander by-pass
line.
2. Start the Expander and bring tempera-
tures down to normal.
On pages 16 & 17, we discussed the
temperature drop which will occur when
gas pressure is lowered. During the initial
phase of plant cool-down, the pressure
reduction which normally occurs across the
Expander takes place across the JT valve.
This will result in a significant drop in gas
temperature. In fact, the temperature drop
is enough to condense about 30% of the
normal liquid production of that with the
Expander operating.
Cool-down commences immediately
after dryout is completed. The pressure
controller the Demethanizer is put in ser-
vice to regulate the position of the JT valve.
Inlet gas continues to flow, and outlet gas
from the residue gas compressor is di-
verted into the sales gas line. At this point,
the inlet gas should flow through the Gas-
to-Gas Exchanger at the start of cool-down.
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
46 COOL-DOWN

The temperature control valve in the gas
line flowing to the Demethanizer Reboilers
is closed. Temperature in the cold system
will slowly start to decrease, and liquid will
start to form in the Expander Separator.
When the level in the Separator rises
to its normal point, the level control system
is put in service to allow liquid to flow into
the Demethanizer. In a short time, a liquid
level will appear in the bottom of the
Demethanizer. At this point, the tempera-
ture controller on the bottom of the
Demethanizer is put in service and some
of the inlet gas is diverted through the tem-
perature control valve to the Demethanizer
Reboilers to provide heat to the tower to
boil out methane contained in the liquid
product entering the tower. The Product
Pump is also started.
The temperature in the Expander Sepa-
rator is the guide for determining when to
start the Expander. The Expander is not put
in service as long as the temperature is
falling. However, when the temperature in
the Separator levels out at its low point,
maximum cooling using the JT valve has
been achieved. At this point, the Expander
is put in service. Refer to the following
pages for the detailed procedure for start-
ing the Expander.
The Expander and Expander-Compres-
sor are slowly put in service until tempera

Open inlet and outlet valves.

3 Close dryout valve.
en
Op
Clo

Open
se

Put Pres contr

in service to
regulate JT
valve.
1
GAS
DEHYDRATOR
EXPANDER
When temperature in
Expander Separator 6
stabilizes, slowly bring
Expander in service.
When liquid
appears in
DeC1, put
Temp Contr
and Level
Clo
GAS-GAS contr in
EXCHANGER
Open

se service. Start
Product
Pump.
5
2
Open main valve and
close temp contr. valve.
EXPANDER
SEPARATOR
Put level controller in 4
service when liquid
appears in Separator. LIQUID
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
PUMP

COOL-DOWN PROCEDURE

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 COOL-DOWN 47

tures in the cold section reach their nor-
mal operating point. At this time, all of the
gas should be flowing through the Ex-
pander and none through the JT valve. The
plant is in its normal operating mode, and
instruments and controls should be
checked for final tuning.
The time required to start-up the plant
may vary from a few minutes to several
hours, depending upon whether or not the
plant is cold, the degree of automation,
whether dryout is necessary, etc. A longer
start-up time is required for cool-down if
equipment in the plant has been shut down
long enough for it to warm up to ambient
temperature. If the cool-down is performed
too quickly, some damage may occur to
piping or insulation from sudden metal con-
traction due to rapid cooling. On the other
hand, if start-up commences a few minutes
after a shutdown, and all equipment is cold,
no cool-down is necessary and the Ex-
pander can be placed in service as soon
as the lube oil and seal gas flows are es-
tablished.

Problem 7
A 30 second power outage occurred which shut down the plant. Restart begins as
soon as power is restored.
a. Is it necessary to dryout the plant? ___________
b. Is it necessary to cool-down the plant? __________

CUTAWAY OF MAFI-TRENCH EXPANDER-COMPRESSOR

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

48 EXPANDER START-UP
3. Starting the Expander closed. Gas is flowing through the JT
After temperatures and levels have sta- valve in the Expander bypass line, and
bilized with all gas flowing through the JT through the by-pass line on the Com-
valve, the Expander is put in service. The pressor.
Expander start-up includes three phases. 2. Verify all gauges, controls, and safety
1. Drain and purge compressor and ex- devices on the Expander-Compressor
pander cases. unit are operational. Check annuncia-
2. Establish seal gas flow. tor lights to see that shutdown devices
3. Establish lube oil circulation. are in their start-up status.
4. Start gas flow through the Expander. 3. Verify that suitable seal gas is available.
4. Verify that the oil reservoir contains the
Prior to starting the machine, the fol-
proper quantity of oil, and that the lube
lowing should be checked:
oil cooler is in service. If the cooler is
1. Expander inlet and outlet valves are an aerial type, the fan should be oper-
closed. Compressor suction and dis- ating. If it is water cooled, water should
charge valves may or may not be be flowing through the unit.

Open seal gas and Set seal gas

5 at normal flow.
let gas vent at
Cases and Oil Tank.
2

COMPR SURGE JT
DISCH VALVE
VALVE CONTROL
4 VALVE
Open suction
and discharge
valves.
SURGE
FLOW
CONTR
COMPR EXPANDER
COMPR
SUCTION
VALVE Close Open
n
pe
O
Open case drain
se
lo

valves and oil 1 After cases are

C

3
O
pe

tank vent valve. purged, close case

n

Close drains and then

close oil tank vent.

DeC1
PRES
COOLER
CONTR

DEMETHANIZER
PROCEDURE TO PURGE EXPANDER/COMPRESSOR
AND ESTABLISH SEAL GAS FLOW

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 EXAPNDER START-UP 49

SEAL
GAS

COMPR SURGE JT
DISCH VALVE
VALVE CONTROL
VALVE

SURGE
FLOW
CONTR
COMPR EXPANDER
COMPR
SUCTION
VALVE

Open drain valves and 3

check for liquid.
2
HEATER Hold oil circulation until
temperatures and pressures
are normal. Turn on heater if DeC1
temp is low. PRES
Start 1
pump. CONTR
OIL COOLER
PUMP
DEMETHANIZER
LUBE OIL SYSTEM START-UP
a. Establish Seal Gas Flow b. Lube Oil System Start-up

1. Crack open the case drain valves on
both the Expander and Compressor
and drain liquid from each casing. Open
a vent valve on the lube oil reservoir.
2. Slowly open a valve in the seal gas line
and allow seal gas to flow out the drain
valves on the Expander and Compres-
sor cases and the vent on the oil reser-
voir.
3. After the casings and reservoir are thor-
oughly purged, close the drain valves
on the Expander and Compressor cas-
ings, and then close the vent valve on
the lube oil tank.
4. Open the Compressor suction and dis-
charge valves.
5. Set the seal gas flow at its normal rate.
1. The lube oil system has two oil pumps,
each with a HAND/OFF/AUTO switch.
During normal operation, one pump is
operating, with its switch in the HAND
position, and the other pump is stand-
by with its switch in the AUTO position.
The stand-by pump will automatically
start if the lube oil pressure drops dur-
ing operation. It is a good operating pro-
cedure to set each pump in the HAND
position and observe the pump dis-
charge pressure after it turns on to be
sure that both pumps are operating
satisfactorily.
2. After lube oil circulation is established,
check pressures and temperatures in
the lube oil system for normal opera-

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

50 EXPANDER START-UP

tion. The temperature of lube oil flow-
ing from the housing to the reservoir
should be about 38°C [100°F]. If the
Expander is cold at the time of start-
up, lube oil may be cooled below its
normal operating temperature. In this
case, check to see that the heater in
the oil reservoir is on, and the lube oil
temperature controller is by-passing oil
around the cooler. Maintain circulation
long enough to warm up the lube oil to
its normal operating temperature.
3. Crack open drain valves on the Com-
pressors and Expander cases to see
that no lube oil is leaking into either end
of the unit.
c. Expander-Compressor Start-up
The suction and discharge valves on
the compressor should be open.
EXPANDER
INLET GAS
1. At the Expander Loading Station back
off on the air pressure regulator so that
its output pressure is zero. The vane
control pressure gauge, PG-1, on the
drawing, should read 0. The DeC1 pres-
sure Controller output pressure
gauge, PG-2, should read between
60 - 100 kPa [9 - 15 psi].
2. Move the 3-way valve to MANUAL po-
sition. At this point the position of the
vanes on the Expander is regulated by
adjusting the air pressure at the pres-
sure regulator.
3. Open the Expander outlet valve.
4. Open the Expander inlet valve. At this
point, a small amount of gas will flow
through the Expander because the vane
controller does not positively stop all gas
flow into the unit.
Open inlet valve.
4 Some gas will flow
through Expander.

SEAL
GAS

COMPR SURGE JT Slowly increase air pres.

DISCH VALVE
VALVE CONTROL 5 out of regulator. More gas
VALVE EXPANDER will flow to Expander and
INLET VALVE it will speed up.

VANE
Reduce
SURGE CONTR Instr 1
FLOW Air air pres
CONTR AIR to zero.
COMPR EXPANDER PRES
REG DeC1
COMPR EXPAND PRES
SUCTION OUTLET VANE CONTR
VALVE CONTR OUTPUT
VALVE PRES PRES
Open
3 outlet PG-1
valve. PG-2

MAN AUTO
EXPANDER LOADING STATION
2 DeC1
MOVE VALVE TO 6 PRES
COOLER manual. CONTR
When PG-1 & PG-2 read the
same pressure, move 3-way DEMETHANIZER
valve to AUTO.

EXPANDER-COMPRESSOR START-UP

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 EXPANDER START-UP 51

closed.
7. As soon as the Compressor impeller
begins rotating discharge pressure will
rise and close the check valve in the
by-pass line, and the Compressor will
be in service.
The time required to bring the Expander
Front View Side View up to normal operating speed will depend
upon whether or not the plant is cold at the
EXPANDER LOADING STATION
time of start-up. If the plant is warm, the
5. Slowly increase the Expander speed by time to bring the Expander up to full speed
raising the air pressure to the vane con- should be several hours to allow for gradual
troller. This is done by raising the pres- cool down.
sure of air out of the air pressure regu-
d. Cold Expander Start-up Procedure
lator in the Loading Station.
A cold Expander start-up could occur
6. As the pressure to the vane controller
on re-start after a short power outage,
increases, more gas will flow through
which will stop the lube oil pumps and trip
the Expander and its speed will in-
the low oil pressure shutdown device on
crease. At the same time, flow of gas
the Expander. Special precautions must be
to the JT valve will decrease, and the
observed when starting a cold Expander
output pressure from the Demethanizer
to prevent serious damage to the machine.
pressure controller will decrease. The
If a power outage occurs, and lube oil
two pressure gauges indicating pres-
pumps stop, lubrication during rundown of
sure on the vane controller and output
the Expander comes from the pressure pot
pressure from the Demethanizer pres-
in the system. This will provide lubrication
sure controller are located in the Ex-
during rundown, but will not provide a con-
pander Loading Station. As the air pres-
tinuous flow of lube oil while the unit is shut-
sure to the vane controller increases,
down. With no oil flowing through the bear-
the output pressure from the pressure
ings, the cold Expander housing and im-
controller will decrease. When the two
peller will slowly cool the shaft and bear-
pressures are equal, the 3-way valve
ing on the Expander end of the shaft. In a
is moved to the AUTO position, and the
matter of a few minutes, the lube oil in the
Demethanizer pressure controller is
bearing may freeze so that no lubrication
regulating the position of the vane con-
oil will flow to the bearing when the lube oil
troller on the Expander. At this point,
pump starts. In this situation, it is neces-
all gas should be flowing through the
sary to warm the bearing with steam or hot
Expander, and the JT valve should be

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

52 MANUAL EXPANDER OPERATION
water until the bearing temperature is high
enough for lube oil to circulate through it.
Following is a procedure for cold start-
up when the bearing temperature is 15°C
[60°F] or below:
1. Start the seal gas flow. Be sure the com-
pressor discharge valve is open so that
there is an outlet for seal gas.
2. Check to see that the heater in the lube
oil tank has turned on if the oil, tem-
perature is below 35°C [95°F].
3. Start the lube oil pump, and circulate oil until
its temperature is at least 25°C [80°F].
4. When the expander bearing tempera-
ture rises above 20°C [70°F], start the
Expander using the procedure de-
scribed in the prior section.
e. Manual Operation of Expander
If the situation should arise that you
want to operate the plant with some gas
flowing through the Expander and balance
through the JT valve, it will be necessary
to operate the Expander on manual con-
trol. The procedure to switch from automatic
to manual control is as follows:
1. At the Expander loading station, adjust
the pressure from the air pressure regu-
lator so that it is the same as the output
pressure from the Demethanizer pres-
sure controller (PG-1 equals PG-2).
2. Move the 3-way valve to the Manual
Problem 8
List the 3 phases of starting the Expander-Compressor Unit in proper sequence.
1. ___________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
position. The capacity of the Expander
is now controlled with the pressure regu-
lator. As you lower the output pressure
from the pressure regulator, the vanes on
the Expander will slowly close, and less
gas will flow through the unit. At the same
time, the pressure in the Demethanizer
will start to drop, which will increase the
output pressure from the pressure con-
troller and open the JT valve.
There is a time delay before the
Demethanizer pressure controller reacts to
a change in flow through the Expander. In
other words, when the flow through the
Expander is reduced by dropping the pres-
sure to the vane controller, it may take sev-
eral minutes for pressure in the
Demethanizer to drop so that the pressure
controller will signal the JT valve to open.
Thus, adjusting the pressure on the vane
controller should be done slowly to avoid
pressure fluctuations in the Demethanizer.
4. Expander Shut Down
The Expander can be shut down by 2
methods:
1. Depress the STOP button on the con-
trol panel, which closes the inlet valve
to the Expander. The machine will run
down in a short time when gas flow is
stopped. Pressure in the Demethanizer
 EXPANDER SHUT DOWN 53

will start to drop, and the pressure con-
troller will signal the JT valve to open.
Gas flow to the Compressor will pass
through the by-pass line when the com-
pressor impeller stops rotating.
2. Put the Expander on MANUAL control
using the procedure previously de-
scribed and reduce the pressure to the
vane controller to zero. At this point, the
vanes are closed, but some gas will
leak past the vanes and the Expander
will continue to turn at a low RPM. The
inlet valve to the Expander is then
closed to stop rotation.
After the expander has stopped rotat-
ing, the lube oil pump is stopped and then
seal gas flow is stopped. If the unit must
be opened for inspection or repair, valves
in the Expander outlet line and compres-
sor suction discharge line should be
closed.
EXPANDER
If restart after a shut down is expected
within a short period of time, it is good prac-
tice to leave the lube oil pump running and
seal gas flowing. As long as seal gas is
flowing to the unit, the compressor dis-
charge valve must be opened, or some
other means must be provided for dispos-
ing of the seal gas that enters the unit. Oth-
erwise, pressure in the Expander housing
may rise to that of the source of seal gas.
B. ROUTINE OPERATING CHECKS
Routine operating checks of any pro-
cess facility include observation of various
instruments and controls to see if a change
has occurred from a prior reading. If a
change is noted, the cause should be de-
termined and corrected before the condi-
tion deteriorates into one that may result
in shutdown. The position of control valves,
that is the percent the valves are open, is
another item which should be checked rou-

SEAL

COMPR SURGE JT VALVE

DISCH Set air Pres Reg so
CONTROL EXPANDER 1
that PG-1 reads the
same as PG-2.

VANE
SURGE Instr
FLOW
AIR
COMPR EXPANDER PRES
DeC1
COMPR EXPAND PRES
SUCTION OUTLET VANE CONTR
CONTR OUTPUT
VALVE

PG-1 PG-2

MAN
EXPANDER LOADING
2 DeC1
Move 3-way valve to MANUAL PRES
and reduce expander speed
by lowering air output pressure. DEMETHANIZER
MANUAL OPERATION OF EXPANDER

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

54 OPERATION WITH EXPANDER SHUTDOWN
tinely. Quite often, a change in the noise or
sound that equipment makes is a better
indication of a problem than temperature
or pressure gauge readings on the equip-
ment. Following are some of the more im-
portant routine observations to make in
cryogenic plants:
1. Inlet gas temperature, pressure, and
flow rate.
2. Gas temperatures in and out of the Gas-
to-Gas Exchanger.
3. Temperature in the Expander Sepa-
rator.
4. Level in the Expander Separator.
5. Temperatures on the shell and tube
sides of the Demethanizer Reboilers.
6. Temperature at the bottom of the
Demethanizer.
7. Level in the bottom of the
Demethanizer.
8. Methane/ethane ratio in the liquid
product.
9. Demethanizer pressure.
10. Demethanizer top temperature.
11. Expander lube oil pressure and tem-
perature.
12. Expander seal gas pressure and flow.
13. Expander thrust bearing pressures.
14. Expander-Compressor suction and dis-
charge pressures.
15. Pressure drop across Expander lube oil
filter.
16. Pressure drop across Expander inlet
screen.
C. Operation with Expander
Shutdown
When the Expander is shutdown, the
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
plant can continue to operate and produce
about one-third of the normal liquid produc-
tion. The pressure drop which normally
occurs across the Expander will take place
across the JT valve, and some gas cooling
will occur. This situation is often referred to
as JT valve operation.
Gas flow during Expander shutdown is
shown in the opposite drawing. The main
difference between this flow and normal
flow is that all of the gas flows through the
JT valve in the by-pass line around the
Expander, and gas which normally flows
to the compressor flows through the by-
pass line around the compressor directly
to the residue gas compressor. The tem-
peratures throughout the plant will be at a
higher point.
The volume of liquid production will be
about one-third of that with the Expander
operating. This may require resetting level
controllers on the Expander Separator and
Demethanizer bottom.
The Demethanizer bottom temperature
will have to be raised because the liquid
product will contain lower quantities of
ethane and propane. If an analyzer on the
bottom product automatically resets the
temperature controller at the base of the
Demethanizer, the control system will au-
tomatically change the bottom temperature
to the point required to make the desired
quality of bottom product.
After an Expander shutdown, it may re-
quire several hours for temperatures and
levels to stabilize in the plant. One reason
it takes some period of time for tempera-
 EXPANDER SHUT-DOWN 55

tures to stabilize, particularly in the pacity will be slightly lower because the resi-
Demethanizer is that heating gas flow in the due gas compressor power normally pro-
Reboilers is not a very good heat transfer vided by the Expander-Compressor must be
material, and considerable time is required made up by Residue Gas Compressors,
to stabilize temperatures after an upset oc- which will reduce their capacity. It may be
curs. necessary to raise the Demethanizer pres-
The plant can operate indefinitely with the sure to make up the pressure rise provided
Expander out of service. However, the ca- by the Compressor on the Expander.
Problem 9
Your plant is operating with the Expander-Compressor shutdown. Indicate how follow-
ing process conditions will change from their point with the Expander in service.
a. Expander Separator temperature. Warmer / Cooler / No Change
______________________________
b. Demethanizer bottom temperature. Warmer / Cooler / No Change
______________________________
c. Demethanizer top temperature. Warmer / Cooler / No Change
______________________________
d. Residue gas compressor fuel. More / Less / No Change
______________________________
e. Volume of liquid product. More / Less / No Change
______________________________

SALES
GAS
RESIDUE GAS
COMPRESSOR
COMPR EXP
FC 60-100 kPa
[9-15 psi]
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT
VALVE
PC

SIDE
REBOILER
INLET
GAS LC
DeC1
GAS/
GAS
HEX
BOTTOM
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa
[800 psi] TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
38°C PRODUCT
[100°F]
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

TRIM
HEATER
HOT FLUID

FLOW WITH EXPANDER SHUT DOWN

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

56 VII. TROUBLESHOOTING
Most operating problems in a cryogenic
plant result in either a freeze-up,or reduc-
tion in the volume of liquid product, or the
quality of liquid product does not meet
specifications — contains too much meth-
ane. The first step in troubleshooting a prob-
lem is to check instruments that indicate a
problem exists to be sure the instruments
are not faulty. The troubleshooting proce-
dure is to check each possible cause until
the culprit is found.
Severe operating problems can be
avoided if they can be identified as soon
as a process irregularity occurs, and
prompt corrective action is taken. One of
the best indicators of proper or improper
operation of the plant is that of the tem-
perature in the Expander Separator. This
temperature should remain fairly constant
as long as the inlet gas flow rate and com-
position are fairly constant. A change in the
Separator temperature usually indicates a
problem is developing.
A rise in the Expander Separator tem-
perature is usually due to one of the fol-
lowing:
1. A freeze-up in a heat Exchanger.
2. Locked Demethanizer reboiler.
3. The JT valve is open and gas is by-
passing the Expander.
4. A problem in the Expander.
5. Rise in inlet gas temperature.
The most common cause for a colder
temperature in the Expander-Separator are:
1. Snowballing temperatures.
2. The Demethanizer bottom temperature
control system is not allowing enough
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
gas to flow to the Demethanizer Ex-
changer.
The symptoms and troubleshooting pro-
cedures for each of the problems listed
above are discussed in detail in the follow-
ing pages.
A. Snowballing Temperatures
Snowballing is a name given for a situ-
ation in which temperatures begin getting
colder and colder in the Expander Separa-
tor, Expander outlet, and Demethanizer top.
Temperatures are normal or high in the
bottom of the Demethanizer, and flow of
bottom product is less. Liquid is apparently
carrying out the top of the Demethanizer
instead of flowing down the tower.
Snowballing is caused by a freeze up
in the Demethanizer below the point that
liquid enters the vessel from the Expander
Separator. The freezing material is carbon
dioxide, CO2. It has a unique property un-
like that of most other compounds: it
changes from ice to liquid when it is chilled.
At atmospheric pressure, the gas freezes
when it is chilled to -57°C [-70°F]. In order
to liquefy the frozen CO2, it must be chilled
to a temperature of -78°C [-109°F].
When CO2 flows through an Expander,
its temperature is lowered well below its
melting point, so it exits as a liquid. It en-
ters the top of the Demethanizer, and flows
down the tower. As it flows down, it is
heated, and at some point, it changes from
a liquid to a solid, and will eventually build
up to the point that it will restrict liquid flow
down the tower.
 SNOWBALLING TEMPERATURES 57

The melting and freezing temperatures B. Locked Demethanizer Reboilers

listed above are those for pure CO2 at at-
mospheric pressure. They may be some-
thing different at Demethanizer pressure
and at different CO2 concentrations. CO2
freeze-up is usually not a problem as long
as its concentration in the plant inlet gas is
below 2%.
Snowballing is corrected by warming
the system above the CO2 freezing point,
which is about -57°C [-70°F]. This can usu-
ally be done by shutting down the Ex-
pander.
Liquid flows by gravity from the
Demethanizer tower through the Side or
Bottom Reboiler. Downflowing liquid col-
lects in a chimney tray. This liquid flows
through the Reboiler, where its tempera-
ture is raised enough to vaporize some of
the stream, and the combined vapor liquid
stream flows back to the tower below the
chimney tray. The level of liquid in the chim-
ney provides the head pressure required
to overcome the pressure drop in piping
and the Reboiler. If the pressure drop in

3 DeC1 Overhead Stream contains Liquid -87°C

SALES [-125°F]
GAS CO2 in Expander outlet
RESIDUE GAS 90°C 1
[-130°F] gas is liquid
COMPRESSOR
1700 kPa
COMPR EXP [245 psi]
FC 62-103 kPa
[9-15 psi]
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT
20-62 kPa VALVE
[3-9 psi]
PC 2
Liquid temp rises
as it flows down
-51°C
the tower. When
5500 kPa [-60°F]
60°C it reaches about
[-75°F] [785 psi] -55°C [-70°F] the
Temp gets SIDE C02 freezes and
5 REBOILER restricts flow of
colder
INLET 6 Move liquid down the
GAS liquid LC tower. Liquid flows
4 More Cooling forms out the top of the
GAS/ occurs in Hex.
GAS tower.
HEX -32°C
[-25°F] BOTTOM
FC REBOILER 7°C
EXPANDER [45°F]
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa
[800 psi] TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
38°C PRODUCT
[100°F]
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

1/3 of Inlet Gas TRIM

HEATER
HOT FLUID

SNOWBALLING TEMPERATURES

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

58 LOCKED DEMETHANIZER REBOILERS

the piping and Reboiler is more than the
height of liquid in the chimney tray, the liq-
uid level will rise around the chimney and
overflow into the lower portion of the tower.
The net effect of liquid overflowing in the
chimney is to by-pass the Reboiler. This will
result in less heat input to the
Demethanizer, the methane content of the
bottom product will rise.
Another effect of a locked Reboiler is
that the inlet gas which provides process
heat in the Reboiler is not cooled as much
as normal because some of the cold liquid
which normally passes through the ex-
changer is overflowing in the chimney tray.
This results in less chilling of the inlet gas
stream, which will raise temperatures in the
inlet gas side and lower the quantity of liq-
uid condensed and fed to the
Demethanizer.
One way of eliminating this problem is
to inject a stream of gas into the liquid line
out of the Reboiler. The gas lift action should
restore normal liquid flow to the Reboiler
and stop overflow down the chimney. After
temperatures return to normal, which indi-
cates the gas lift action is working, the in-
jection gas rate should be slowly reduced
until no gas flows.
Injection gas should be warm gas which
does not contain heavy hydrocarbons.
Sales gas from the recompressor is often
the source of injection gas to a locked
Reboiler.

When Reboiler is locked, liquid over-

flows in the chimney instead of flowing
to the Reboiler.

CHIMNEY
Gas temp will rise
when Reboiler locks.

HEATING
GAS
OUTLET
REBOILER

INJECTION
GAS

HEATING DEMETHANIZER
GAS INLET
FLOW OF INJECTION GAS TO UNLOCK REBOILER

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 FREEZE-UPS
C. Freeze-ups
If the dehydration unit at the plant inlet
is not removing enough moisture from the
gas, icing will occur as the gas is chilled in
exchangers. When icing occurs in an Ex-
changer, the inlet gas is not cooled as much
as normal, so the gas temperature out of
the Exchanger will rise. In addition, the
pressure drop across the Exchanger will
rise because some tubes become plugged
with ice and restrict the flow of gas.
Ice can be removed by injecting metha-
nol into the Exchanger. Methanol is an
antifreeze which lowers the freezing point
of water. It will melt ice which has formed,
and also prevent ice from forming as mois-
ture condenses when gas is cooled in Ex-
changers. In order to melt ice, methanol
must be carried to the ice by flow of gas. If
WARM COLD
GAS GAS
IN OUT
METHANOL
Outlet temperature increases.
FREEZE-UP IN GAS-GAS EXCHANGER
59
tubes or passageways of plate fin exchang-
ers are totally blocked with ice, methanol
injection will be of no benefit because it can
not get to the ice. It will be necessary to
warm up the exchanger to melt the ice.
Using methanol injection to prevent
freeze-ups is a symptom-treating measure.
The permanent solution is to improve the
efficiency of the dehydration unit on the gas
stream entering the plant.
Some of the methanol which is injected
in Exchangers will lay in the bottom tubes
of the Exchangers and should be drained
at the next plant shutdown. This is of par-
ticular concern in the Demethanizer
Reboilers, because very little heat transfer
will occur in tubes filled with methanol, so
the Reboilers may not transfer enough heat
for the Demethanizer to function properly.
Pressure drop increases.
∆P
COLD WARM
GAS GAS
IN OUT
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
60 TROUBLESHOOTING
D. Troubleshooting Failure in Demethanizer Bottom Temperature Control System

CAUSE OF PROBLEM SYMPTOMS PROCEDURE TO CORRECT

1. Temp control valve is a. Increase in DeC1 1. Stroke temp control valve
stuck open. Too much bottom temp. until it is free or repair it.
gas is flowing through b. Decrease in C1
DeC1 Reboilers. content of liquid
product.
c. Increase in relative
density of residue
gas.
2. Temp control valve a. Decrease in DeC1 1. Stroke temp control valve
stuck closed. Not bottom temp. until it is free or repair it.
enough gas is flowing b. Increase in C1 con-
through DeC1 Re- tent of liquid product.
boilers. c. Decrease in rela-
tive density of
residue gas.
3. Butterfly valve has a. Decrease in DeC1 1. Partially close butterfly
opened in main gas bottom temp. valve in main gas line
line to Gas-Gas Ex- b. Temp control valve to force gas to flow to
changer. Not enough is wide open. DeC1 Reboilers.
gas is flowing to DeC1
Exchangers.
4. Failure of temp a. DeC1 bottom temp. 1. Repair controller.
controller. may be high, low,
or erratic.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 TROUBLESHOOTING 61

-87°C
SALES [-125°F]
GAS
RESIDUE GAS 90°C
COMPRESSOR [-130°F]
1700 kPa
COMPR EXP [245 psi]
FC 62-103 kPa
[9-15 psi]
EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT
20-62 kPa VALVE
[3-9 psi]
PC

-51°C
5500 kPa [-60°F]
[785 psi]
DeC1
60°C SIDE
[-75°F] REBOILER
INLET
GAS LC

GAS/
GAS
HEX -32°C 7°C
[-25°F] BOTTOM [45°F]
FC REBOILER
EXPANDER
INLET
SEPARATOR
DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa
[800 psi] TC

PRODUCT ANAL

RAW HEATER
38°C PRODUCT
[100°F]
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC

1/3 of Inlet Gas TRIM

HEATER
HOT FLUID

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

62 EXPANDER TROUBLESHOOTING
E. Expander Troubleshooting
PROBLEM CAUSES CORRECTIVE ACTION
A. High lube oil 1. Oil by-passes a. Check temperature control
temperature. cooler. system for failure, or drift
of set point in temperature
controller.
2. Heater is operating. a. Lower thermostat set point.
3. Cooler is not work- a. If cooler is aerial type, check
ing properly. for loose or broken fan belts,
and check fins for obstruction.
b. If cooler is water type, check
for low water flow or plugged
tubes.
4. High thrust force. a. See below.
B. High unbalanced 1. Expander impeller a. Replace impeller.
thrust toward labyrinth seal failure.
Expander. 2. Relief holes in Ex- a. Check seal gas flow rate. Flow
Pressure behind pander wheel have stoppage may result in oil
Expander plugged from ice or entering the Expander.
impeller has frozen lube oil. b. Add methanol at inlet screen
risen. to melt ice.
3. High pressure or a. Reduce pressure and/or flow.
flow of seal gas.
C. Unbalanced 1. Compressor impeller a. Replace impeller.
thrust toward seal failure.
Compressor. 2. Failure of Thrust a. Determine cause and correct.
control system.
D. Frozen seal gas 1. Seal gas pressure a. Raise seal gas pressure so
line. too low. that it is 350 - 500 kPa
[50 - 75 psi] above Expander
outlet gas pressure.
2. Low seal gas a. Heat seal gas.
temperature.
E. Surge on Com- 1. Low gas flow rate. a. Set surge control to recycle
pressor. more gas.
F. High Com- 1. Too much gas a. Set surge control to recycle
pressor recycle. less gas.
discharge temp.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 EXPANDER TROUBLESHOOTING 63

PROBLEM CAUSES CORRECTIVE ACTION

G. Low temperature 1. Low seal gas flow. Cold a. Raise seal gas flow. Oil temp-
of oil draining Expander gas is leaking erature should rise.
from housing to into housing.
reservoir. 2. Labyrinth seals on a. Shutdown and replace
Expander end have defective parts.
worn or heat barrier
has cracked so that
seal gas will not
prevent flow of cold
Expander gas into
the housing.
SEAL
GAS

SHAFT

COMPRESSOR

EXPANDER THRUST
CONTR
VALVE

∆P
Contr

FILTERS

∆P TEMP
CONTR
RESERVOIR

COOLER
PUMP

EXPANDER-COMPRESSOR

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

64 EXPANDER TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem 10
Match each item in the left column with the appropriate item in the right column.
_____ 1. Snowballing Temperatures a. Inlet gas dehydrator is not drying gas.
_____ 2. Locked Reboiler. b. Lower temperature in Expander
_____ Separator.
_____ 3. Freeze-up in Exchanger c. Low seal gas flow.
_____ 4. Surge in Expander- d. Drop in Demethanizer bottom
_____ Compressor temperature.
_____ 5. Low temperature of e. Worn Labyrinth teeth on Expander
_____ Expander lube oil. impeller.
_____ 6. High thrust. f. Low gas flow rate.

CRYOGENIC PLANT

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 VALIDATION - SI UNITS 65
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
2nd Edition Name ___________________________

The plant shown is operating for

maximum ethane recovery.
SALES
1. Theoretical temp out of Expander GAS
RESIDUE GAS
COMPRESSOR

is ________ °C. COMPR EXP

FC 1500 kPa

EXPANDER- FC
2. Actual temp out of Expander is COMPRESSOR JT
VALVE
PC
-105°C. How much condensation
-57°C

is apparently occurring in the 5500 kPa

SIDE
Expander? ________%. INLET
GAS LC
REBOILER

DeC1

3. The Expander is down, and the GAS/

GAS
HEX
BOTTOM
FC
plant is operating on the JT valve EXPANDER
INLET
REBOILER

SEPARATOR

Temperature in the Expander DEHYDRATOR 5600 kPa

TC

PRODUCT ANAL

Separator is -40°C. Theoretical 38°C

RAW
PRODUCT
HEATER

temperature out of the JT valve TC FC

PRODUCT PUMP

is _______°C. TRIM
HEATER
HOT FLUID

4. The temperature in the Expander-

Separator suddenly drops. What is indicated and what do you do? ______________
___________________________________________________________________
5. The C1 content of the liquid product rises. DeC1 bottom temp has fallen 6°C. Other
operating conditions are normal. What has apparently happened and what do you do?
___________________________________________________________________
6. Lowering the Demethanizer pressure will have the following effects.
Circle each correct answer.
(a) Volume of liquid product will increase / decrease / stay the same.
(b) Temperature in Expander-Separator will get warmer / cooler / stay the same.
(c) Temperature of gas out of the Expander will get warmer / cooler / stay the same.
(d) Residue Gas Compressor fuel will increase / decrease / stay the same.
(e) Demethanizer bottom temperature will get warmer / cooler / stay the same.
7. The methane content of bottom product is below the max allowable. You want to make
the maximum volume of ethane. What should you do? ________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. A 10 minute power failure occurred that shut down the plant. You start-up as soon as
power is restored.
(a) Is dryout necessary? _______
(b) Is cool-down necessary? _______
(c) When can gas be introduced to the Expander? ___________________________
9. What is the function of seal gas in the Expander? ____________________________
10. The compressor driven by the Expander is not fully loaded. Temperatures in the cold
section of the plant will be higher / lower. Product recovery will be higher / lower. Ex-
pander is loaded by __________________________________________________ .

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

66 SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - SI UNITS

1. b 1. 2. 18% C1 3. a. Superheat and Latent Heat

e 2. -106°C b. -110°C
d 3. c. -110 + (8 x 1.7) = -96.4°C
a 4. d. -88°C
f 5. e. 620 - 180 = 440 kw/million m3/d
c 6. 4. a. Demethanizer
b. Gas pressure drop through Expander and the load on
the compressor attached to the Expander.
c. Heat Exchangers
d. Inlet gas

5. g 1. 6. a. Increase 7. a. No
d 2. b. Increase b. No
e 3. c. Decrease
a 4. d. Decreased
f 5.
c 6.
b 7.

8. 1. Start seal gas 9. a. Warmer

2. Start lube oil b. Warmer
3. Load Expander c. Warmer
d. More
e. Less

10. b 1.
d 2.
a 3.
f 4.
c 5.
e 6.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 VALIDATION - ENGLISH UNITS 67
CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS
2nd Edition Name ___________________________

The plant shown is operating for

maximum ethane recovery. SALES
GAS
RESIDUE GAS
1. Theoretical temp out of Expander COMPRESSOR
COMPR EXP

is ________ °F.
FC 260 psi

EXPANDER- FC
COMPRESSOR JT

2. Actual temp out of Expander is VALVE

PC

-130°F. How much condensation -55°F

800 psi

is apparently occurring in the SIDE

REBOILER
INLET DeC1
Expander? ________%. GAS
GAS/
LC

GAS

3. The Expander is down, and the HEX

EXPANDER
FC
BOTTOM
REBOILER
INLET
plant is operating on the JT valveDEHYDRATOR
SEPARATOR

815 psi
TC
Temperature in the Expander RAW
PRODUCT
HEATER
ANAL

PRODUCT
Separator is -40°F. Theoretical 100°F
PRODUCT PUMP
TC FC
temperature out of the JT valve 1/3 of Inlet Gas TRIM
HEATER

is _______°F. HOT FLUID

4. The temperature in the Expander-

Separator suddenly drops. What is indicated and what do you do? ______________
___________________________________________________________________
5. The C1 content of the liquid product rises. DeC1 bottom temp has fallen 10°F. Other
operating conditions are normal. What has apparently happened and what do you do?
___________________________________________________________________
6. Lowering the Demethanizer pressure will have the following effects.
Circle each correct answer.
(a) Volume of liquid product will increase / decrease / stay the same.
(b) Temperature in Expander-Separator will get warmer / cooler / stay the same.
(c) Temperature of gas out of the Expander will get warmer / cooler / stay the same.
(d) Residue Gas Compressor fuel will increase / decrease / stay the same.
(e) Demethanizer bottom temperature will get warmer / cooler / stay the same.
7. The methane content of bottom product is below the max allowable. You want to make
the maximum volume of ethane. What should you do? ________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. A 10 minute power failure occurred that shut down the plant. You start-up as soon as
power is restored.
(a) Is dryout necessary? _______
(b) Is cool-down necessary? _______
(c) When can gas be introduced to the Expander? ___________________________
9. What is the function of seal gas in the Expander? ____________________________
10. The compressor driven by the Expander is not fully loaded. Temperatures in the cold
section of the plant will be higher / lower. Product recovery will be higher / lower. Ex-
pander is loaded by __________________________________________________ .

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

68 SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - ENGLISH UNITS

1. b 1. 2. 16% C1 3. a. Superheat and Latent Heat

e 2. -156°F b. -160°F
d 3. c. -160 + (8 x 3) = -136°F
a 4. d. -125 to -127°F
f 5. e. 27 - 7.5 = 19.5 H.P./MMcf/d
c 6. 4. a. Demethanizer
b. Gas pressure drop through Expander and the load on
the compressor attached to the Expander.
c. Heat Exchangers
d. Inlet gas

5. g 1. 6. a. Increase 7. a. No
d 2. b. Increase b. No
e 3. c. Decrease
a 4. d. Decreased
f 5.
c 6.
b 7.

8. 1. Start seal gas 9. a. Warmer

2. Start lube oil b. Warmer
3. Load Expander c. Warmer
d. More
e. Less

10. b 1.
d 2.
a 3.
f 4.
c 5.
e 6.

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS

 PLP TRAINING MANUALS
NUMBER TITLE

F-1 Basic Units of Measurement

F-2 Measurement of Energy
F-3 Hydrocarbons
F-4 Fluid Flow

E-1A Centrifugal Compressors Part 1

E-1B Centrifugal Compressors Part 2
E-2 Piston Type Compressors
E-3 Centrifugal Pumps
E-4 Reciprocating Pumps
E-5 Gas Engines
E-6 Fractionators
E-7 Heat Exchangers
E-8 Indirect Fired Heaters
E-9 Pneumatic Process Instruments
E-10 LACT Units
E-11 Lean Oil Absorbers
E-12 Separators

P-1 Cryogenic Gas Plants

P-2 Glycol Dehydration Process
P-3 Contactor in Dehydration Plant
P-4 Stripper in Dehydration Plant
P-5 Molecular Sieve Dehydration Process
P-6 Adsorber in Dehydration
P-7 Crude Oil Emulsion Treating
P-8 Hydrate Inhibition
P-9 Mechanical Refrigeration
P-10 Amine Sweetening Process
P-11 Contactor in Sweetening Process
P-12 Stripper in Sweetening Process
P-13 Stabiblizing Crude Oil & Condensate

M-1 Flow Measurement

M-2 The Gas/Oil Well
M-3 Oilfield Safety

305 WELLS FARGO DR., SUITE 4 • HOUSTON, TEXAS 77090 • (281) 444-7632 • FAX: (281) 586-9876
E-MAIL: PetroLearning@aol.com

CRYOGENIC GAS PLANTS