COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Compressed air is one of the Key utilities across various industrial sectors
including Oil and Gas.

 A typical instrument air skid package contains multiple compressors with dryers
and filtration systems that provide high-quality, dry air for a range of
applications from pneumatic controls and actuation of critical valves, to buffer
sealing gas.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
Introduction to Air Compressor:
 An air compressor is a mechanical device used to compress air from Low
pressure to high pressure.

 Compressed air is used in thousands of applications, like manufacturing/

assembly, pharmaceuticals, Power Generation units, Processing units , to
perform painting activities, pneumatic pressure testing etc.
 It can power rotary equipment.
 It drives reciprocating equipment.
 It can impact, and convey.
 It can atomize, spray, sand blast, agitate, and cool.
 It can operate controls.
 The applications are endless….

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
Classification of Air Compressor:

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
Differences:

Positive displacement compression Dynamic compression

Air is physically trapped between two relatively A rotating component imparts its kinetic energy to
moving components and forced to occupy lower the air which is eventually converted into pressure
volume, thereby increasing its pressure. energy.
Displacement compressors works with a constant Dynamic compressors work at a constant
flow. pressure.
Positive displacement compression is better suited Dynamic compression is best suited for base load
to variable load. requirements.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Centrifugal Compressor Application in Oil and Gas Industry
These compressors are mainly used,

 In Gas Turbines and auxiliary power units.

 In oil field re-injection of high pressure natural gas to

improve oil recovery.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Differences between Reciprocating and Rotary Air compressors

S.no Aspect Reciprocating Compressors Rotary Compressors

Discharge pressure of air is low. The
Discharge Pressure of air is high. The pressure
1 Pressure Ratio pressure ratio per stage will be in the order
ratio per stage will be in the order of 4 to 7.
of 3 to 5.
Quantity of air handled is low and is limited to Large measure of air can be handled and it
2 Handled Volume
50m3/s. is about 500 m3/s.

3 Speed of Compressor Low speed of compressor. High speed of compressor.

Due to reciprocating section, greater Rotary parts of machine, thus it has less
4 Vibrational Problem vibrational problem, the parts of machine are vibrational problems. The machine parts
poorly balanced. are fairly balanced.
Size of Compressor is bulky for given discharge Compressor size is small for given
5 Size of compressor
volume. discharge volume.
6 Air supply Air supply is intermittent. Air supply is steady and continuous.

Air delivered from the compressor is dirty,

Purity of compressed Air delivered from the compressor is clean
7 since it comes in contact with lubricating oil
air and free from dirt.
and cylinder surface.

For medium and high pressure ratio. For low and medium pressures.
8 Suitability
For low and medium gas volume. For large volumes.
By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Rotary Screw Air Compressor
This is the most widely used compressor type in the industry for Instrument air
where large volumes of high-pressure air are needed, unlike reciprocating
type.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Rotary Screw Air Compressor
 It consist of two screws - one with convex and the other with
concave contour mostly called male and female rotor respectively.
 These two screws gets rotating by means of gear there by sucking
the air through an inlet port in chamber and then compressing the
same.
 API 619 is the standard for Rotary Type Positive Displacement
Compressors for Petroleum, Chemical, and Gas Industry Services.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Rotary Screw Compressor Types
Rotary screw compressors are available in oil-free (Dry) and oil-flooded
(oil injected) construction.
1) Oil Flooded or Oil Injected Screw Compressors
In an oil-injected rotary-screw compressor, oil is injected into the
compression cavities to aid sealing and provide cooling sink for the
gas charge. The oil is separated from the discharge stream, then
cooled, filtered and recycled.
2) Oil Free or Dry Screw Compressors
Oil-free compressors are used in applications where entrained oil
carry-over is not acceptable, such as medical research and
semiconductor manufacturing.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Inter Cooler and After Coolers For Compressors
 Inter and Aftercoolers are heat exchangers for cooling the
discharge from air compressor and are an effective means of
removing moisture from compressed air.
 Aftercoolers can use either air-cooled or water-cooled
mechanisms.
 Intercoolers are coolers which are provided mainly for Dry type
compressors with multi stages. These are rarely applicable for
Oil injected compressor just in case of high pressure
requirement.
 Aftercoolers are common for both Dry type and Oil injected
type compressor.
 Coolers are provided to avoid excessive temperature rise
associated with higher compression ratios and for increased
volumetric efficiency.
By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Instrument Air:
 There are normally two compressed air systems on
offshore platform: the utility and instrument air systems.
 Normally air compressors compress air up to 10 bar
(1 bar=100 kPa)
 Air is sent to utility air users and instrument air dryers.
 The instrument air dryers removes the moisture from air
and then flow to instrument air receiver.
 Instrument air pressure may be reduced to 7 bar before
being sent to instrument air distribution depending on
pressure rating of the instrument air users.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Instrument Air:
 Instrument air users maybe a Pneumatic operated
Control valves or Shutdown valves or Pneumatic
Dampers etc.

Control Valve Shutdown Valve

Damper

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Instrument Air:
 Instrument air needs to be clean and dry, for pneumatic
instrumentation. This is important for say, a control valve
positioner where the feedback baffle/nozzle can be plugged off
by dirt.
 The Quality of air is important to ensure that instrumentation
will function properly and reliably.
 The most important parameters in specifying air quality are:
• Dew Point • Oil Content • Particulate matter
• Temperature • Moisture Content
 Instrument air quality is defined in standards such as ISO 8573-1
Air Quality Standards and ISA S7.3
 Pressure dew point refers to the dew point temperature of a
gas under pressure (higher than atmospheric pressure).
By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Instrument Air:
 Dew Point is a critical parameter for Instrument air and
requires continuous monitoring and control for the
proper functioning of instruments.
 The Dew Point in compressed air is maintained by an
Equipment at the downstream of compressor namely Air
Dryer.
 There are many types of Dryers based on the
requirement of Dew Point on industrial basis.
 The most prevalent type in Oil and Gas industry is the
“Heatless Dessicant Type Dryer”

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Air Dryer- Heatless Dessicant Type:
 Heatless compressed air dryer (drier) is the simplest form of dessicant
type gas or air dryer (drier) for achieving a dew point of -40°C.
 The compressed air is passed through a pressure vessel with two
"towers" filled with a media such as activated alumina, silica gel,
molecular sieve or other dessicant material.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Air Dryer- Heatless Dessicant Type:
 The duty of the desiccant is to bring the pressure dew point of the
compressed air to a level in which the water will no longer condense,
or to remove as much water from the compressed air as possible.
 This desiccant material attracts the water from the compressed air
via adsorbtion.
 As the water clings to the desiccant, the desiccant "bed" becomes
saturated. The dryer is timed to switch towers based on a standard
cycle, once this cycle completes some compressed air from the
system is used to "purge" the saturated desiccant bed by simply
blowing the water that has adhered to the desiccant off.

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Typical Arrangement for Compressed air System:

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
 Important Parameters in Compressor Selection:

1) Total Instrument Air requirement - Sm3/Hr. or Nm3/Hr.

2) Required Instrument Air Pressure - *bar (g)
(at Dryer outlet)
3) Required Pressure Dew Point - °C
4) Ambient Air temperature - °C
5) Area classification - Safe/ Zone 1/ Zone2
6) Type of compressor - Oil Flooded or Dry,
Air cooled or Water
cooled

*Generally the instrument air pressure is in the range of 7-10

bar(g)

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM

 Major Vendors for Air compressor:

1) Atlas Copco

2) Ingersoll Rand (IR)

3) Tamrotor Marine Compressors (TMC)

By Raj Prabhakar
 COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM

Thank you!

By Raj Prabhakar