Reciprocating compressor with a pressure-drop chamber and method
AssigneeNuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl
InventorsSimone Bassani, Francesco Chiesi, Niccolo′ Batini, Massimo Bargiacchi, Andrea Tenze, Francesco Cangioli
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Abstract
The reciprocating compressor comprises a compressor frame, a crankshaft and a connecting rod, connecting the crankshaft to a crosshead. A piston rod connects a piston to the crosshead. The piston reciprocates in a gas compression cylinder. At least one pressure-drop module is positioned between the gas compression cylinder and a crosspiece guide. The piston rod extends from the gas compression cylinder through a pressure-drop chamber of the pressure-drop module. Also disclosed herein is a method of operating a reciprocating compressor.
Claims12
A reciprocating compressor configured to pressurize process gas to a delivery pressure, the reciprocating compressor comprising:
- a compressor frame with a crankshaft supported for rotation therein;
- a connecting rod connected to the crankshaft;
- a crosshead connected to the connecting rod;
- a crosspiece guide arranged to receive the crosshead therein;
- a piston rod having a first end coupled to the crosshead;
- a piston coupled to a second end of the piston rod;
- a gas compression cylinder comprising a cylinder body with an inner volume to receive the piston therein;
- a suction line coupled to the gas compression cylinder;
- a pressure-drop module positioned between the gas compression cylinder and the crosspiece guide, the pressure-drop module comprising a pressure-drop chamber;
- and
- a distance piece positioned between the pressure-drop module and the crosspiece guide, the distance piece comprising a first inner volume,
- wherein the piston rod extends from the gas compression cylinder through the pressure-drop chamber and the first inner volume, and
- wherein, in use,
- the first inner volume receives process gas at a gas recovery pressure, and
- the pressure-drop chamber receives process gas at a pressure lower than the delivery pressure of the process gas and higher than the gas recovery pressure.
A method of operating a reciprocating compressor, the method comprising:
- on a reciprocating compressor comprising a crankshaft supported for rotation in a compressor frame, a crosshead, a crosshead guide for receiving the crosshead, a connecting rod connecting the crankshaft to the crosshead, a piston rod coupled to the crosshead on a first end, a piston coupled to a second end of the piston rod, a gas compression cylinder comprising a cylinder body with an inner volume to receive the piston, and a pressure-drop module positioned between the gas compression cylinder and the crosshead guide, the pressure-drop module comprising a pressure-drop chamber formed therein, and a distance piece disposed between the crosspiece guide and the pressure-drop module, the distance piece comprising a first inner volume
- rotating the crankshaft;
- converting the rotary motion of the crankshaft into a reciprocating motion of the piston in the gas compression cylinder;
- sequentially sucking process gas at a suction pressure in the gas compression cylinder and discharging process gas at a delivery pressure from the compression cylinder;
- allowing process gas in the first inner volume to flow to a flare stack;
- and purging the pressure-drop chamber with process gas at a pressure lower than the delivery pressure of the reciprocating compressor and higher than the pressure in the first inner volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.