The impact of gas components on screw compressors
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A certain analytical gas compressor is of the screw type; the gas composition is typically 50% hydrogen and 50% nitrogen. On occasion, it experienced high inlet pressure and low outlet pressure, resulting in the inability of the unit to produce the required volume of gas. After continuous problems, adding a nitrogen generator at the inlet restored normal operation. May I ask how gas composition affects screw compressors?
The problem of high inlet pressure and low outlet pressure has nothing to do with the gas composition; it is the fact that the unit is not operating at its optimal capacity that causes the high inlet pressure.
Screw compressors belong to the category of positive-displacement compressors, sharing the characteristics typical of such compressors; changes in the gas composition have little impact on the compressor as a whole； However, when compressing hydrogen with a low molecular weight using an oil-free screw compressor, gap leakage occurs, resulting in a decrease in the output volume and a drop in pressure; introducing nitrogen to increase the molecular weight resolves this issue of gap leakage.