RELIABILITY

OF GAS COMPRESSORS

Identifying and eliminating Bad Actors

By: Thiago Heinen

MEA & EE Sales, Engineering and Revamps
Burckhardt Compression Overview
 We are all about Reciprocating Compressors
 Since 1844 – 175 years
 Winterthur, Switzerland
 Employees: 2’300 (worldwide)
 Over 450 recip compressors per year
– Hydrogen
– Ethylene
– Natural gas
– Oxygen
 Global services network
– More than 50 countries

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Burckhardt Compression Overview
 For the complete Oil and Gas life cycle
 Gas Lift & Gas Injection
 Boil off gas
 Refineries
 Petrochemical

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Example: LDPE production
 Worldwide trend to increase LDPE production
 5% > global GDP; 700 kTA in the next 10 years
 Strong presence in SABIC plants
 Severe process conditions
 Discharge pressure up to 3’500 bar
 Motor power: 27 MW

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Example: Reciprocating Compressor at Refineries
 Worldwide trend to produce low sulfur fuels
 New plants  new reciprocating compressors for H2+
 New solutions for aging equipments

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Example: Reciprocating Compressor at Refineries
 Modernization of Compressor Parts
 «New machine» technology
 Solution for chronical problems
 Any compressor component
– Crankshaft and Bearings
– Connecting Rods
– Crossheads
– Cylinders and Liners
– Pistons & Rings
– Piston Rods and Sealings
– Valves and Capacity Control
– Purge and Vent Gas System

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Burckhardt Compression & Reliability + Availability

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Identify the Bad Actors
 For reciprocating compressors:
 Compressor
 Auxiliaries

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Identifying the Bad Actors in your compressor
 Which data we use to identify the bad actors in your compressor
 Maintence and process records
 Compressor Survey
– Instrumented site inspection
– Vibration, Leakages, Temperatures

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Identifying the Bad Actors in your compressor
 Which data we use to identify the bad actors in your compressor
 PROGNOST® Swift
– Continuous monitoring
– Valuable records of the reciprocating compressor

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RCA: Root Cause Analysis
 Multidisciplinary team
 Plant: Maintenance, Process, Operations, Reliability, HSE
 BCAG: Technical Support, Design, Manufacturing, Quality

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Implementation & Change Management
 Reverse Engineering
 Process Conditions
– For capacity increase & debottlenecking
 Compressor Parts
– Improved design for better performance
 Auxiliary Systems
– Cooling Water Skid
– Lubrication Unit
 Instrumentation and Control
– Instruments
– Control Panel, PLC and Communication with your DCS and ESD

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Reverse Engineering for Process Conditions
 Reciprocating compressor
– Any brand
– New process conditions
 Modelling using RecipCalc®
– Rod reversal and rod load
– Free forces and moments
– Power consumption Pressure Characteristic: stage1, chamber1.1

– Cooling water demand

6

– Torsional Analysis 4

Pressure [bar_a]
100%

– Pulsation and Vibration

25%
3 ps
pd
CV
2

 Optimization 1

– Engineering Study 0
0 20 40 60
Volume [dm^3]
80 100 120

– Scope definition
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Reverse Engineering for Process Conditions
 The outcome is an Engineering Study with scope definition

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Case of Study: new Cylinders for H2+ Compressors
 Internal and external leakages all over the compressor
 HSE regulations: H2 and H2S related risks
 Loss of energy and gas due to internal leakages
 3 compressors from another OEM
 2 stages
 Suction pressure: 17.5 bar
 Discharge pressure: 62 bar
 Suction temperature: 38°C
 Shaft power: 450 kW
 Speed: 428 RPM

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 Measurements either at site or at Services Center

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 3D Scanning
 Accurate, easy and fast
 No more drafting/sketching

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 Design using CAD software
 Scope of this project:
 Cylinder
 Piston Rod
 Piston and Rings
– Superbolt®
 Packing
 Valves
 Capacity Control
 Also:
– Motor, Local Instrument Board and Field Services

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 Modernization of Compressor Parts
 «New machine» technology for aging compressors
 API 618 approach
– Included new pressure breaker and increased number of sealing rings
– Optimized Packing cooling system
– N2 injection to purge the gases to flare

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 Manufacturing

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 Quality Control

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Reverse Engineering for Compressor Parts
 Field Services
 Either Turnkey or only Supervision

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Other possible improvements
 Instrumentation and Control
 Definition of scope for Turnaround Maintenance

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Benefits from Reverse Engineering
 State of art Engineering Practices
 HSE recent regulations will be considered
 Reliability and availability increase
– No unexpected shutdowns
 Improved mantenability
– Special tools for critical activities
 Lower investment and shorter delivery time
 Revamps: OEM warranty as «zero hour» machine
– Reliable supplier for services (repair), spare parts and Field Service

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Conclusion
 Reciprocating compressors are essential for the O&G industry
 Bad Actors must be eliminated
 Condition Monitoring can be applied to RCA
 Reverse Engineering is a powerful tool

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