Lube oil replenishment for compressors
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorTalal H. Rashidi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A first lube oil is stored by a lube oil reservoir. The first lube oil is flowed from the lube oil reservoir through a tubing network connected to a crankcase of a reciprocating compressor. A second lube oil is stored by a cylinder lubricator oil reservoir. The second lube oil is flowed from the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir to a cylinder lubricator that is connected to cylinders of the reciprocating compressor. A liquid level in the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir is measured. Based on the measured liquid level, at least a portion of the first lube oil from the tubing network is flowed to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir through an intermediate flowline connecting the tubing network to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- flowing a first lube oil into a crankcase of a reciprocating compressor, wherein flowing the first lube oil to the crankcase comprises:
- storing, by a lube oil reservoir, the first lube oil;
- and
- flowing the first lube oil from the lube oil reservoir through a tubing network connected to the crankcase;
- flowing a second lube oil to a plurality of cylinders of the reciprocating compressor, wherein flowing the second lube oil to the plurality of cylinders comprises:
- storing, by a cylinder lubricator oil reservoir, the second lube oil;
- and
- flowing the second lube oil from the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir to a cylinder lubricator that is connected to the plurality of cylinders;
- measuring a liquid level in the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir;
- and
- flowing, based on the measured liquid level, at least a portion of the first lube oil from the tubing network to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir through an intermediate flowline connecting the tubing network to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir, wherein flowing at least the portion of the first lube oil from the tubing network to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir through the intermediate flowline comprises flowing the portion of the first lube oil through at least one of a pressure regulator or a restriction orifice installed on the intermediate flowline, thereby reducing pressure of the portion of the first lube oil flowing from the tubing network through the intermediate flowline to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir.
A lube oil system comprising:
- a reciprocating compressor comprising a crankcase;
- a lube oil circulation system comprising:
- a lube oil reservoir configured to store a first lube oil;
- a tubing network connected to the lube oil reservoir and to the crankcase of the reciprocating compressor;
- and
- a lube oil pump configured to pump the first lube oil throughout the tubing network;
- a cylinder lubrication system comprising:
- a cylinder lubricator oil reservoir configured to store a second lube oil;
- and
- a cylinder lubricator connected to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir and to a plurality of cylinders of the reciprocating compressor, the cylinder lubricator configured to distribute the second lube oil to the plurality of cylinders;
- an intermediate flowline connecting the tubing network of the lube oil circulation system to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir of the cylinder lubrication system;
- a control system comprising a level sensor coupled to the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir, the level sensor configured to measure a liquid level in the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir, the control system configured to control flow of the first lube oil from the lube oil circulation system to the cylinder lubrication system through the intermediate flowline based on the liquid level in the cylinder lubricator oil reservoir measured by the level sensor wherein the control system comprises a flow element installed on the intermediate flowline, the flow element configured to reduce pressure of the first lube oil flowing through the intermediate flowline, the flow element comprising at least one of a pressure regulator or a restriction orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.