Nitrogen purge of compressor dry seal

• US 10,563,663 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2018
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Garceau, Sean, Kurz, Rainer, Zhang, Donghui
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn, Igor
• Application Number:
  US15/946,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20190309765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/06 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/02 Surge control surge detection F04D27/001
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/058 magnetic; electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/124 with special means for adducting cooling or sealing fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/161 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3464 Mounting of the seal

Abstract

Systems and method for operating a gas compressor are disclosed herein. A compressor can have one or more dry gas seals surrounding the central axle of the compressor. The dry gas seals can each be pressurized with a barrier gas or other fluid supply providing a barrier within the dry gas seal. The method can include controlling delivery of a first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals during a startup or initiation of the compressor. The method can include controlling delivery of a second barrier gas different from the first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals based on the information received from sensors disposed within the compressor that can measure, inter alia, dry seal temperature and pressure within the system. The method can further include terminating the delivery of the first barrier gas based on the sensor information.

Claims

1. A method for operating a gas compressor having one or more dry seals, the method comprising:

controlling, by a controller, delivery of a first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals;

initiating, by the controller, operation of the compressor to produce a compressed process gas;

receiving, at the controller, sensor information from one or more sensors disposed within the compressor for a period of compressor operation, the sensor information including a temperature of the one or more dry seals;

controlling, by the controller, delivery of a second barrier gas different from the first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals, the delivery of the second barrier gas being based on the sensor information; and

terminating the delivery of the first barrier gas based on the sensor information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first barrier gas comprises nitrogen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second barrier gas is the compressed process gas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the delivery of the first barrier gas comprises controlling a first flow control valve, and controlling the delivery of the second barrier gas comprises controlling a second flow control valve.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor information further comprises a temperature of the compressed process gas.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting, by the controller, the delivery of the first barrier gas based on fluid flow information from one or more flow meters in fluid communication with one of the first barrier gas and the compressed process gas.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein terminating the delivery of the first barrier gas is completed when the period of compressor operation exceeds a predetermined time limit.

8. A system for delivering barrier gas to one or more dry seals of a compressor operable to output a compressed process gas, the system comprising:

a first barrier gas supply device configured to provide a first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals;

a second barrier gas supply device configured to provide a second barrier gas different from the first barrier gas, to the one or more dry seals;

one or more sensors configured to provide sensor information, the sensor information including a temperature of the one or more dry seals; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the first barrier gas supply device, the second barrier gas supply device, and the one or more sensors, the controller configured to,

control delivery of the first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals,

control initiation of the compressor to produce the process gas,

receive the sensor information from one or more sensors during operation of the compressor and the one or more dry seals;

control delivery of the second barrier gas in place of the first barrier gas based on the sensor information and a predetermined time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to command the termination of the delivery of the first barrier gas based on the sensor information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first barrier gas comprises nitrogen.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second barrier gas is the compressed process gas.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to:

control the delivery of the first barrier gas via one or more commands to a first flow control valve in fluid communication with the first barrier gas supply device; and

control the delivery of the second barrier gas via one or more commands a second flow control valve in fluid communication with the second barrier gas supply device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor information further comprises a temperature of the compressed process gas.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the delivery of the first barrier gas based on fluid flow information from one or more flow meters in fluid communication with one of the first barrier gas and the compressed process gas.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein terminating the delivery of the first barrier gas is completed when the period of compressor operation exceeds a predetermined time limit.

16. A method for operating a gas compressor having one or more dry seals, the method comprising:

pressurizing the one or more dry seals by supplying a startup gas to the one or more dry seals;

initiating operation of the compressor to produce a compressed process gas;

monitoring a temperature of the produced compressed gas and the one or more dry seals;

supplying a primary seal gas to the one or more dry seals, the delivery of the second barrier gas being based, at least in part, on the monitored temperature; and

terminating the supplying of the startup gas to the one or more dry seals, based on supplying the primary gas seal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the startup gas comprises nitrogen.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the primary gas is the compressed process gas.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplying comprises controlling the delivery of the startup gas via a first flow control valve, and controlling the delivery of the primary gas via a second flow control valve.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the terminating the supplying of the startup gas to the one or more dry seals is further based a temperature of the compressed process gas.