Page 154 - Subyek Teknik Mesin - Forsthoffers Best Practice Handbook for Rotating Machinery by William E Forsthoffer

Be st Practice 3 .6 Compressor Best Practices

Fig 3.5.1 Pulsation dampeners
(Courtesy of Dresser Rand)

structive levels. The use of pulsation dampeners, as shown
B.P. 3.5. Supporting Material
in Figure 3.5.1, can reduce pulsations to 2% or lower.
There are methods available to evaluate and simulate the
Pulsation dampeners effect of pulsation dampeners prior to field operation. However,
the variation between predicted and actual results can be large
Since the action of the piston is non-continuous, pressure and field modifications (installation of orifices or pipe modifi-
pulsations will be generated. Depending upon the piping cations) may be necessary.
arrangement, these pulsations can be magnified to de-

Best
Best Practice 3.6Practice 3.6
Do not use medium or high speed reciprocating com- One plant’s maintenance cost for high speed reciprocating com-
pressors (greater than 400 rpm) for plant duty pressors (1200 rpm), in sour gas service, was five times the cost of low
Justify low speed reciprocating compressor use based on site, speed compressors in the same plant with the same percentage of
company and industry experience during the early phases (pre-FEED) sour gas as the high speed compressors.
of the project.
Benchmarks
Lessons Learned I have used this best practice since 2000, in all projects which use
The use of medium or high speed compressors in plant lubricated reciprocating compressors in plants. This action has
resulted in reliabilities for lubricated reciprocating compressors in
service has resulted in $MM in lost revenue and mainte-
excess of 96%.
nance costs.

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