Tunable Side Branch Absorber for Compressor Pulsation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pulsation control methods in natural gas compressors, such as filter bottles, often fail to fully attenuate residual pulsations in piping, leading to vibration issues that can damage equipment.
Innovation Solution
A tunable side-branch-absorber (SBA) system is introduced, comprising a choke tube and surge volume, which can be adjusted to absorb pulsations across various compressor speeds with minimal pressure loss, using sensors and a controller to dynamically adjust its acoustic dimensions to match changing operating conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If filter bottles are used for pulsation control, then pulsation attenuation is achieved, but residual pulsations remain in piping causing vibration damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the side branch absorber tunable through adjustment of the choke tube opening area. This allows the absorber to adapt to varying operating conditions and compressor speeds, enabling effective pulsation control across different regimes. The dynamic adjustment capability ensures continuous optimal performance rather than fixed design limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of the choke tube opening area to optimize pulsation attenuation. By adjusting this geometric parameter, the absorber can be tuned to target specific pulsation frequencies. This parameter adjustment enables the system to maintain effectiveness across varying operating conditions and prevents residual pulsations that cause vibration damage.
2Manufacturing precision
If fixed pulsation control devices are used, then design-point performance is optimized, but performance degrades at varying compressor speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The side branch absorber incorporates dynamic adjustability through the choke tube opening area modification. This allows the device to transition from a fixed design-point optimization to a versatile solution that maintains effectiveness across varying compressor speeds. The adjustable geometry enables retuning of the absorber characteristics to match different operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the pulsation control function into adjustable components, specifically the choke tube with modifiable opening area. This segmentation allows independent optimization of different aspects of pulsation control for different operating conditions, rather than relying on a single fixed design that compromises performance across the full speed range.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If larger filter bottles are used to improve pulsation attenuation, then pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side branch absorber applies local quality by placing a targeted pulsation control device at a specific location in the piping system rather than relying on large filter bottles throughout. The choke tube geometry is locally optimized to provide effective pulsation attenuation at the absorption frequency while minimizing impact on overall system pressure loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the pulsation attenuation function from the main flow path by using a side branch configuration. This separates the pulsation control function from the primary gas flow, allowing effective attenuation without creating significant pressure losses in the main line. The side branch absorbs pulsations while the main flow continues with minimal disturbance.
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 SBA effectively reduces residual low-frequency pulsations, providing optimized pulsation control suitable for both fixed and variable speed compressor systems, minimizing equipment damage and maintaining system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A proper pulsation control design reduces system pulsations to acceptable levels... The SBA effectively reduces residual low-frequency pulsations... using sensors and a controller to dynamically adjust its acoustic dimensions to match changing operating conditions
Implementation Method 2
These filters operate with surge volumes and are implemented as volume-choke-volume devices. They function as low-pass acoustic filters, and attenuate pulsations on the basis of a predetermined Helmholtz response
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for reducing pulsation in lateral piping associated with a gas compressor system. A tunable side branch absorber (TSBA) is installed on the lateral piping. A pulsation sensor is placed in the lateral piping, to measure pulsation within the piping. The sensor output signals are delivered to a controller, which controls actuators that change the acoustic dimensions of the SBA.