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Centrifugal Compressor Seal Systems




The subject of compressors has been fascinating me since the last few years which I have also mentioned in one of my earlier blog entries 'Polytropic Efficiency as a function of Inlet Volume Flow'.

Recently a client came up with a problem of their centrifugal compressor seal failure and asked us to investigate it. Although the subject of compressor sealing systems is a domain of of rotating machinery specialists, my inherent curiosity led me to an in-depth study of the subject. This led me to writing an article on the subject from various resources available with me including the open web resources.

I have taken a lot of pains to use simplified language in the article since most of the material available had a lot of complicated machinery terms in it. The highlight of the article is a simplified P&ID (Piping & Instrumentation Diagram) related to a Dry Gas Seal system for a centrifugal compressor which I have developed from the various resources I encountered during my study. The illustrations in the article have been copied without any alterations from the original resources.

I would be ungrateful if I did not mention the resources which I utilized for this article. Following is the list:

Compressors: Selection & Sizing 3rd Edition, by Royce N. Brown

Compressors & Modern Process Applications by Heinz P. Bloch

Article: "The Pros and Cons of Dry Gas Seals Installation in an Existing Synthesis Gas Compressor" by
Alfredo Jose J Borba and Fabiano Oliveira Borges

The article is in excel format and provided as an attachment to this covering blog entry.

I would request any rotating machinery specialist or even any chemical engineer who has extensively worked on compressor seal systems to provide his or her comments. I reiterate that I have made a very sincere attempt to pass on the information compiled by me regarding centrifugal compressor seals.

Hoping to have comments from the members of "Cheresources".

Regards,
Ankur.

You can download the accompanying MS Excel spreadsheet here:

Centrifugal Compressor Seal Systems






Photo
miraclework
Nov 27 2012 06:28 AM
Hi Ankur

About wet seal oil system,
Do you know what could be consequences of passing seal oil on gas side.?
Do you think it may cause excessive erosion due to presence of oil/liquid in rotating machine.

Hello Sir !

 

We need to design Dry seal gas system for C45 compressor. Required to provide N2 during start up and shut down. Could you please help in providing startup and shutdown time of a gas compressor. It would help in determining /sizing N2 system

 

Best Regards.

Hello Sir !

 

We need to design Dry seal gas system for C45 compressor. Required to provide N2 during start up and shut down. Could you please help in providing startup and shutdown time of a gas compressor. It would help in determining /sizing N2 system

 

Best Regards.

Head,

 

Any information related to your compressor regarding start-up or shutdown has to be obtained from your compressor manufacturer. How do you think that I can provide this information?

 

Also you are not supposed to design any components for your dry gas seal system without taking concurrence from your compressor vendor and / or seal vendor. Consult your seal vendor (John Crane / Burgmann / Flowserve etc.) before trying to develop your N2 system for the dry gas seal.

 

Regards,

Ankur

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