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US 11,592,014 B2Granted
Method and system for gas compressor control
AssigneeAi Alpine US Bidco Inc
InventorsRyan Thomas Smith, Eshang Saini, James Zurlo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of controlling a gas compression system includes comparing an engine load of an engine of the gas compression system during operation to a load threshold and controlling a suction valve coupled to an intake of a reciprocating compressor. The suction valve is controlled based at least in part on the comparison of the engine load to the load threshold. Controlling the suction valve includes incrementing the suction valve toward a closed position to reduce flow of a gas into the intake when the engine load is greater than or equal to the load threshold.
Claims22
A method of controlling a gas compression system, comprising:
- adjusting, during an installation or service period while not operating the gas compression system, a variable volume clearance pocket (VVCP) of a reciprocating compressor to a setpoint to adjust an expected average load on an internal combustion engine drivingly coupled to the reciprocating compressor of the gas compression system during a subsequent operation, wherein the VVCP comprises a head extending into a chamber;
- comparing, during the subsequent operation of the gas compression system while the VVCP is disposed at the setpoint, an engine load of the internal combustion engine drivingly coupled to the reciprocating compressor of the gas compression system to a load threshold;
- and
- adjusting, during the subsequent operation of the gas compression system while the VVCP is disposed at the setpoint, the engine load by controlling a suction valve coupled to an intake of the reciprocating compressor based at least in part on the comparison of the engine load to the load threshold, wherein adjusting the engine load comprises:
- reducing the engine load by moving the suction valve toward a closed position to reduce flow of a gas into the intake when the engine load is greater than or equal to the load threshold to protect the internal combustion engine against undesirable wear, fatigue or damage associated with sustained operation above the load threshold.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- a controller programmed with a load control at least partially based on an adjustment of, during an installation or service period while not operating a gas compression system having a reciprocating compressor drivingly coupled to an internal combustion engine, a variable volume clearance pocket (VVCP) of the reciprocating compressor to a setpoint to adjust an expected average load on the internal combustion engine during a subsequent operation;
- wherein the load control of the controller is programmed to, during the subsequent operation of the gas compression system while the VVCP is disposed at the setpoint, adjust an engine load on the internal combustion engine based at least in part on one or more engine parameters indicating an overload on the internal combustion engine by controlling a suction valve coupled to an intake of the reciprocating compressor, wherein the load control of the controller is programmed to reduce the engine load by moving the suction valve toward a closed position to reduce a gas flow into the intake to protect the internal combustion engine against undesirable wear, fatigue or damage associated with sustained operation at the overload, wherein the VVCP comprises a head extending into a chamber.
A system comprising:
- a reciprocating compressor comprising a variable volume clearance pocket (VVCP), wherein the VVCP comprises a head extending into a chamber;
- an internal combustion engine drivingly coupled to the reciprocating compressor, wherein, during an installation or service period while not operating the reciprocating compressor, the VVCP is adjustable to a setpoint to control an expected average load on the internal combustion engine during a subsequent operation;
- and
- a suction valve coupled to an intake of the reciprocating compressor, wherein the suction valve is controlled via a load control, during the subsequent operation of the reciprocating compressor while the VVCP is disposed at the setpoint, to adjust an engine load on the internal combustion engine based at least in part on a comparison of the engine load to a load threshold, wherein the suction valve is controlled via the load control to reduce the engine load by moving toward a closed position to reduce flow of a gas into the intake when the engine load is greater than or equal to the load threshold to protect the internal combustion engine against undesirable wear, fatigue or damage associated with sustained operation above the load threshold.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.