On the influence of gas composition on compressor unit design
Thread Content
Colleagues said they had a previous project that used dual-fuel engines powered by diesel and natural gas to operate the equipment. The engine model is older; it uses compressed natural gas that is injected into the cylinders, with an exit pressure of around 2.0 MPa and an inlet pressure of around 0.3 MPa. In this project, the supplier of the natural gas compressors (a company in Europe) kept delaying delivery, claiming that it was impossible to design the (reciprocating) compressors without knowing the composition of the natural gas provided by Party A, and eventually terminated the supply contract. So, just how much of an impact do the gas components have on compressor units? Could any experts provide an opinion on this?
The gas composition of the compressor determines the density of the medium, which in turn is used to calculate the compression ratio and select the appropriate model. Gas composition must be taken into account for factors such as intake temperature, exhaust temperature, piston rod material, and packing material
If the gas composition cannot be determined, the compression ratio cannot be determined; and if the compression ratio cannot be determined, it is impossible to design the unit
The gas components determine the adiabatic index and the compressibility coefficient; these two parameters are very important as they affect exhaust temperature, compression ratio, and the selection and calculation of indicated power. In turn, they influence cylinder diameter, flow rate, and volumetric efficiency, which in turn affect the choice of engine model. Without knowing the engine model, it’s impossible to determine the costs, so it’s better to give up