A system and a method for reducing settle-out pressure using an auxiliary compressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
The shutdown of a pressure boosting apparatus in thermodynamic systems, such as a compressor, leads to increased settle-out pressure due to thermodynamic equilibrium, which can prevent system restart, especially in hot environments, and requires venting or additional compressors, causing inefficiencies and potential pollution.
Innovation Solution
A chilling arrangement with an auxiliary compressor is used to remove working fluid from the processing section, condense it in a collection vessel, and reintroduce it, utilizing temperature and pressure gradients to reduce settle-out pressure, even with mixed refrigerants or multicomponent fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thermodynamic system is shut down for a relatively long time at high ambient temperature, then the working fluid vaporizes and pressurizes the closed circuit, but the settle-out pressure becomes well above the design point and prevents compressor startup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts a portion of the working fluid from the processing section through a fluid connection to a collection vessel. By removing some working fluid from the high-pressure circuit, the overall pressure in the processing section is reduced to enable compressor restart while maintaining the fluid in a collected, controlled state outside the main circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a collection vessel as an intermediary component between the processing section and the compressor. This vessel serves as a temporary storage location for extracted working fluid, allowing pressure reduction in the main circuit without complete fluid removal or system venting, thus mediating between the high-pressure state and the required low-pressure startup condition.
2Stress or pressure
If venting is used to reduce pressure, then the settle-out pressure is reduced, but valuable products are lost and environmental pollution occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of venting and discarding the working fluid to the environment, the patent extracts and collects the fluid in a dedicated collection vessel. This approach discards the fluid only from the pressurized circuit temporarily, but recovers and preserves it for later reuse, eliminating both product loss and environmental pollution while achieving pressure reduction.
3Stress or pressure
If a dedicated compressor is used to circulate fluid in the condenser, then the pressure is lowered, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collection vessel is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a working fluid storage reservoir, a pressure reduction mechanism through fluid extraction, and a potential pre-conditioning chamber before fluid return to the compressor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate dedicated pressure-reduction compressor, reducing overall system complexity while achieving the required pressure management.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Efficiently reduces settle-out pressure, enabling system restart without venting, preserving system integrity and avoiding environmental impact, suitable for various thermodynamic systems including LNG production and other gas liquefaction processes.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger functionally coupled to the collection vessel to remove heat from the working fluid and at least partly condense the working fluid by heat exchange with chilling fluid circulating therein
Implementation Method 2
at least partly condense the working fluid by heat exchange with chilling fluid circulating therein
Implementation Method 3
An auxiliary compressor, a compressor controller and a valve switching arrangement are further provided, wherein the valve switching arrangement is adapted to selectively fluidly connect a suction side of the auxiliary compressor with the processing section and a delivery side of the auxiliary compressor with the heat exchanger to promote working fluid flow from the processing section to the collection vessel
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The thermodynamic system (1) comprises a processing section (30), adapted to circulate a working fluid therein, and a chilling arrangement (51). The chilling arrangement includes a collection vessel (59) adapted to collect therein a liquid phase and a gaseous phase of the working fluid in thermodynamic equilibrium, and a heat exchanger (57) functionally coupled to the collection vessel (59). A connection fluidly couples the heat exchanger (57) and the processing section (30), to remove working fluid from the processing section (30) and circulate working fluid through the heat exchanger (57) towards the collection vessel (59). An auxiliary compressor (101) is provided to promote working fluid flow from the processing section (30) to the collection vessel (59). Also disclosed herein is a method for reducing a settle-out pressure in the thermodynamic system (1).