In the field of natural gas recovery, the choice of which compressor is better mainly depends on factors such as the specific recovery scenario, natural gas pressure range, processing capacity, and economic cost. The following is an analysis of the application of several common compressors in natural gas recovery:
1. Screw compressor
advantage:
High work efficiency: Screw compressors have high volumetric efficiency and energy conversion efficiency.
Low failure rate: Screw compressors have a relatively simple structure, fewer components, and no vulnerable parts, so they operate reliably and have a low failure rate.
Low maintenance cost: Screw compressors have a simple structure, require less maintenance and upkeep, and have relatively low maintenance costs.
Strong adaptability: Screw compressors can adapt to harsh environments such as high temperature, high humidity, and high dust, and have relatively low requirements for gas cleanliness.
Applicable scenarios:
Screw compressors are suitable for natural gas recovery in the range of 1-3.5MPa, such as crude oil storage tank gas recovery, petrochemical refinery waste gas recovery, urban pipeline gas boosting, biogas boosting, natural gas decarbonization and other industries.
2. Reciprocating compressor
advantage:
Wide applicable pressure range: reciprocating compressors can achieve the required pressure regardless of flow rate.
High thermal efficiency: low unit power consumption.
Wide exhaust range: not affected by high or low pressure, able to adapt to a wide range of pressure and cooling capacity requirements.
Disadvantages:
Low RPM: The machine is large and heavy.
Complex structure: There are many vulnerable parts and a large amount of maintenance.
Discontinuous exhaust: causing airflow pulsation and significant vibration during operation.
Applicable scenarios:
Reciprocating compressors can be used in natural gas recovery where higher pressure or lower flow rates are required.
3. Centrifugal compressor
advantage:
High efficiency: It has high efficiency in high flow operation, especially under partial load conditions, and its efficiency is usually better than reciprocating compressors.
Simple structure: The design of the lever mounted mechanism is compact, with fewer moving parts, which helps reduce maintenance costs and failure rates.
Continuous operation: capable of providing continuous and uniform gas flow, suitable for industrial applications that require stable gas flow.
Wide applicability: It can handle various types of gases, including process gases such as air and natural gas.
Disadvantages:
Not suitable for situations where the gas volume is too small and the pressure ratio is too high: Surge is one of the inherent disadvantages of centrifugal compressors. To avoid the occurrence of surge, it is usually necessary to equip centrifugal compressors with anti surge systems.
Applicable scenarios:
Centrifugal compressors are suitable for natural gas recovery applications with high gas volume and low to medium pressure, such as long-distance gas transmission systems.
4. Comprehensive comparison and selection suggestions
When choosing a natural gas recovery compressor, the following factors need to be considered comprehensively:
Pressure range: Select the appropriate compressor type based on the pressure range required for natural gas recovery. If the pressure requirement is between 1-3.5MPa, a screw compressor is a better choice; If the pressure demand is high or low, reciprocating or centrifugal compressors should be considered.
Processing capacity: Select the appropriate compressor model and quantity based on the processing capacity of natural gas recovery. If the processing capacity is large, a centrifugal compressor can be selected; If the processing capacity is moderate or small, screw compressors or reciprocating compressors can be selected.
Economic cost: Consider the purchase cost, operating cost, and maintenance cost of the compressor. On the premise of meeting performance requirements, choose compressor types with high cost-effectiveness.
Application scenario: Select the appropriate compressor type based on the specific natural gas recovery application scenario. In situations such as urban pipeline gas boosting and biogas boosting, screw compressors may be more suitable; For large gas volume applications such as long-distance gas transmission systems, centrifugal compressors have more advantages.
In summary, the selection of compressors in natural gas recovery should be comprehensively considered based on specific needs. In practical applications, it is necessary to conduct comprehensive analysis based on specific working conditions, equipment performance, and economic costs to select the most suitable compressor type.
