Multi-segment compressor casing assembly

A casing assembly for a compressor, the compressor having a centerline and including an internal compression assembly with a shaft rotatable about a central axis coaxially aligned with the centerline and at least one compressor stage with an impeller disposed on the shaft, the casing assembly comprising:

• a first end body segment;
• a second end body segment spaced along the centerline from the first end segment;
• and
• a plurality of intermediate body segments disposed between and connected with the first and second end segments to form a compressor casing, each intermediate body segment having an inner circumferential surface with an inside diameter, the inside diameter of each intermediate segment inner circumferential surface being substantially equal to the inside diameter of each other intermediate segment inner surface and the inner surfaces being generally coaxially aligned such that the inner surfaces collectively define at least a portion of a generally continuous compressor support surface configured to support at least a portion of the internal compression assembly.

A casing assembly for a compressor, the compressor including an internal compression assembly having a shaft rotatable about a central axis and at least one compressor stage with an impeller disposed on the shaft, the casing assembly comprising:

• an inlet body segment having a fluid inlet;
• an outlet body segment having a fluid outlet;
• at least one first intermediate body segment connected with the inlet body segment and having an inner circumferential surface with a first inside diameter;
• and
• at least one second intermediate body segment connected with the outlet body segment and with the at least one first intermediate body segment to form a compressor casing, the at least one second intermediate body segment having an inner circumferential surface with a second inside diameter, the first inside diameter being substantially larger than the second inside diameter.

A method of forming a casing assembly for a compressor including an internal compression assembly having a shaft rotatable about a central axis and at least one compressor stage with an impeller disposed on the shaft, the at least one compressor stage having an axial length, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an inlet body segment having a fluid inlet and an outlet body segment having a fluid outlet;
• providing a plurality of intermediate body segments, each intermediate body segment having an inner surface defining an interior chamber section and an axial length;
• selecting a number of intermediate body segments from the plurality of intermediate body segments such that the selected number of intermediate body segments collectively define a compressor chamber section with a predetermined length, the predetermined length being at least a portion of the compressor stage length such that the compressor chamber section is sized to receive at least a portion of the compression assembly;
• and
• connecting the selected number of intermediate body segments at least one of with each other and with the inlet and outlet body segments to form a casing assembly.

A method of forming a casing assembly for a compressor including an internal compression assembly having a shaft rotatable about a central axis and at least one compressor stage with an impeller disposed on the shaft, the at least one compressor stage having an axial length, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an inlet body segment having a fluid inlet and an outlet body segment having a fluid outlet;
• providing a plurality of intermediate body segments, at least one of the intermediate body segments being an intermediate inlet segment having a fluid inlet;
• selecting a number of the intermediate body segments, the number of intermediate body segments one of including the at least one intermediate inlet body segment and excluding the at least one intermediate inlet segment;
• and
• connecting the selected number of intermediate body segments at least one of with each other and with the inlet and outlet body segments to form a casing assembly.