Hyper Compressor Gas Velocity Control for Pulsation Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-pressure polymerization processes are adversely affected by gas pulsations and vibrations caused by compressors, leading to reduced compressor lifetime and plant performance issues.
Innovation Solution
A process and apparatus are developed to control the gas velocity of the gaseous reaction mixture through multiple compressing stages and heat exchangers, maintaining specific velocity ranges to reduce pulsations and vibrations, ensuring steady flow and efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a secondary compressor is used to pressurize the reaction components, then the polymerization process can be carried out at high pressure, but gas pulsations and vibrations occur causing reduced compressor lifetime and plant performance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The compression system is divided into multiple stages with separate compressors. The first compressor handles suction and discharge, while the second compressor handles discharge and suction, segmenting the pulsation source and allowing each to operate more smoothly without transmitting vibrations to the other and to the piping system.
Solution Approach 2:
A common suction line and common discharge line act as intermediaries between the two compressors. These shared lines allow the compressors to operate independently while still maintaining pressure differential control, mediating the gas flow to reduce pulsations and vibrations in the overall system.
2Productivity
If gas velocity is increased to improve process efficiency, then polymerization rate increases, but gas pulsations and vibrations increase causing harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically balances gas velocity with pulsation control by using multiple compressors with different operating characteristics. The first and second compressors can operate at different speeds and pressure differentials, allowing the system to optimize gas flow velocity for productivity while the differential operation naturally dampens pulsations and vibrations.
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
The controlled gas velocity process and apparatus effectively dampen gas pulsations and vibrations, enhancing compressor longevity and maintaining process performance while achieving desired polymerization conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger arranged between the first compressing stage and the second compressing stage
Implementation Method 2
a hyper compressor having a first compressing stage including at least two cylinders being connected to a first stage discharge collection and distribution system via a first stage discharge pipe system; a second compressing stage including at least two cylinders being connected to (i) a second stage suction collection and distribution system via a second stage suction pipe system and (ii) a second stage discharge collection and distribution system via a second stage discharge pipe system
Data Source
AI summary
A process for polymerizing or copolymerizing one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers with a controlled gas velocity of the gaseous reaction. A process for polymerizing or copolymerizing one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers at temperatures from 100 to 350 ° C. and pressures in the range from 110 to 500 MPa, comprising the steps of: (a) compressing a gaseous reaction mixture in a hyper compressor, (b) providing the reaction mixture to each compressing stage through a suction pipe system, and (c) discharging the compressed reaction mixture from the compressing stage through a discharge pipe system.