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GE imagination at work
Abstract
Todays ethylene plants incorporate turboexpander systems to optimize cryogenic recovery and reduce energy demand. The molecular weight and flow rate of the residue gas depends directly on the selected upstream feedstock gas composition, conversion, and feed rates. Recently, a variety of ethylene units have generated residue gas volumetric flow ranges around 100-200%. Hence, the turboexpander system is designed and manufactured accordingly. As we know, the typical naphtha cracker produces a methane-rich residue gas (bulk hydrogen is recovered, treated, and delivered as a high pressure co-product). Conversely, the typical ethane or E/P cracker produces a very high hydrogen content residue gas. Current designs and revamps require a wider range of feedstocks and, therefore, a correspondingly wide range of residue gas composition and quantity. In order to meet these demands, the turboexpander solution must be flexible. As an overview, we will discuss the typical performance of one- and two-stage turboexpander solutions for the expansion and re-compression of the residue gas. Key mechanical design recommendations (e.g., magnetic bearings, variable nozzles, multistage control, high head wheels) will be outlined. Based on demand from the different feedstocks and the industry requirements for feedstock flexibility, we will then discuss the technology and mechanical solutions. This presentation will also include related design improvements that have been successfully utilized in other turboexpander applications.
Foreword
The importance of turboexpanders has increased significantly over the past few decades since the first application of a turboexpander in the oil and gas industry by the founder of rotoflow, Dr. Judson swearingen. Typically, turboexpanders were used to replace a Joule-Thompson (JT) valve in order to increase the overall efficiency of air separation plants. Driven by increased competition in the oil and gas market, it is increasingly common to find a turboexpander as a key component for overall production in a hydrocarbon gas separation plant. This is especially important for designing a more efficient and competitive ethylene plant. While the turboexpander alone can easily reach isentropic efficiencies of up to 90%, when it is directly coupled to a compressor the interaction of the two machines must be taken into account. The turboexpander efficiency is limited by the compressor (and vice versa) and, therefore, cannot be optimized beyond the mechanical limitations of each machine. This paper, after a brief discussion of current technologies and the characteristics of GE Oil & Gas turboexpanders, will focus on some typical turboexpander compressor selections showing the interaction between the selection of the turboexpander and re-compressor.
This paper was prepared for presentation at the alChE 2010 spring national Meeting, held in san antonio, Usa, March 21-25, 2010
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nozzles oil A
inlet volute
discharge
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Turboexpanders continued to develop in the natural gas industry. in the 1960s, turboexpanders were used in ethylene projects and then naturally progressed into several other markets such as liquefied natural gas, geothermal, and gas-to-liquids.
Turboexpander-compressor Mechanical power drives a compressor impeller either coupled to the same shaft as the turboexpander or driven via a gearbox (Photo 3). Turboexpander-dyno Mechanical power is dissipated through an oil brake if it is not economical to convert the excess power into another form of energy (Photo 4).
Turboexpander applications
Turboexpanders are predominantly used in refrigeration/liquefaction processes and power generation applications.
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Turboexpander-dyno
Often it is not clear which turboexpander configuration is suitable for an ethylene plant since the same service can be covered through either a turboexpander-generator or a turboexpander-compressor. Table 1 lists the pros and cons of both solutions.
Pros
Cons
Turboexpander-generator
Very high efficiencies can be achieved. The wheel can be optimized The machine has a tendency to speed up in case of electric load to achieve the best aerodynamics by freely changing the rpm rejection. This limits the maximum tip speed of the wheel and without other machinery constraints tripping devices need to be redundant for safety reasons Re-compressor is designed independently from the turboexpander, The machine is typically more complex than a turboexpandercompressor due to the presence of a gearbox, generator, and other merging more stages into a single machine with higher efficiency auxiliaries Simpler plant layout: reduced number of piping interconnections Cost per unit is higher and oil free solutions are not yet economically feasible Simpler machine control can easily be set-up for a fully automatic control system A fixed speed machine can typically perform better in off-design condition when the enthalpy drop is maintained constant with process controls Very robust and simple machine Perfect for oil free applications with the use of active magnetic bearings (aMB) The stiff shaft design improves the operating range and the capability to withstand very high imbalances Labyrinth, or similar, seals and the pressurized auxiliaries system makes it very difficult for gas to escape from the machine in case of failure For a well-balanced machine, the turboexpander flow and re-compressor flow are linked. This reduces the size of required anti-surge systems to manage imbalances in flow between the turboexpander and compressor Efficiencies are sometimes lower than turboexpander-generator due to the balancing of the turboexpander and compressor performance and limitations If the plant throughput (flow) is decreased while the pressure ratio is kept constant, the machine speed will reduce with a significant loss in efficiency Units may be arranged in series, increasing the complexity and tuning of the control system
Turboexpander-compressor
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While there are no size limitations for turboexpander-generators and turboexpander-compressors with traditional oil bearings, the active magnetic bearing (aMB) units need to be checked versus the standard bearing size from aMB suppliers. GE Oil & Gas has additional experience with special canned type magnetic bearings that are suitable for aggressive and sour gases typically not tolerated by standard electrical devices. This design encapsulates traditional electrical components of the aMB within a metal can made of inconel material that prevents any contact with process gas. This design, used mainly in natural gas applications, allows the aMB to operate without being contaminated or harmed by the aggressive gas. Photo 5 shows a machine currently installed with this technology.
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GE Oil & Gas frame size vs. flange ratings and flow
Table-2 is applicable to turboexpandercompressors (EC), turboexpander-multistage compressors (ECC), and turboexpandergenerators (EG) single stage or multistage integrally geared types. Typical design limitations are as follows: Power up to 35 MW Wheel diameter up to 1,800mm Design temperature from 270C to +315C Mechanical design in accordance with API 617 Chapter 4 Lube oil system in accordance with API 614 Chapters 1, 2, and 4 Turbine operability in accordance with iEC45 or aPi 612 Chapter 12 as with most turbomachinery designs, there are standard comments and exceptions to all of the industry specifications listed above. The design temperatures typically set the materials of construction for the components. For cryogenic applications the turboexpander casing is typically stainless steel, but if warm enough, low temperature carbon steel can be used. The compressor casing and bearing housing are typically carbon steel due to the warmer temperatures. Other components are also affected mechanically. For example, by using a fixed nozzle instead of a variable nozzle, the design temperature limitations can exceed the values given above.
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The GE Oil & Gas product line offers a fabricated casing design, as shown in Figure 1, in addition to the traditional rotoflow cast casing design. This recently applied technology is able to ensure the highest quality pressurecontaining components while also minimizing any potential defects during the manufacturing of the unit. Moreover, the use of a fabricated casing ensures the flexibility to design for a wide range of applications, ratings, and nozzle loads. The internal parts made by castings can now be aerodynamically shaped for the best efficiency. in particular, the re-compressor
ZC XC
YC
discharge volute can be manufactured with a variable section scroll and a tangential nozzle to provide the best efficiency and range. The control of the turboexpander is primarily accomplished by means of adjustable guide vanes (nozzles). GE Oil & Gas can provide patented solutions with a traditional rotoflow slot and pin mechanism, shown in Figure 2, which is highly effective on turboexpandercompressors. also available is a newly patented multilink mechanism, shown in Figure 3, which adjusts the guide vanes using a progressive opening law for precision flow control and minimal actuating forces. Precise flow regulation is useful in turboexpander-generators in order to minimize the speed fluctuations at low load and synchronize the generator to the grid without using an external control valve.
in general, the most common material in ethylene plants is 7050 Aluminum. This material has a very good weight to strength ratio, which is required to reach very high tip speeds. Titanium with superior properties is not typically used when there is hydrogen in the tail gas, but is commonly used in many other turboexpander applications.
FIGURE 3 Multilink inlet guide vane (nozzle) assembly
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in ethylene plants, where the compressor head requirements are very severe (Figure 5), the maximum head is determined by a compromise between the mechanical aspects (tip speed) and aero design (blade loading). GE Oil & Gas uses hirth serration (Figure 6) and a splined fit to attach the wheel to the shaft. This solution minimizes the centrifugal stresses on the wheel and, as a result, improves the maximum tip speed and head capability.
The specific speed is related to the maximum enthalpy drop that one stage can handle. Typical numbers for the maximum enthalpy drop are: Low specific speed (500 < Ns < 1,000): 350 kJ/kg (148.2 BTU/lbm) High specific speed (2,000 < Ns < 2,500): 180 kJ/kg (76.2 BTU/lbm) a second important parameter to consider is the u1/Co factor. This is a non-dimensional parameter where u1 is the tip speed of the wheel and Co is the spouting velocity. The spouting velocity is the fluid speed that would
HIRT
Turboexpander performance
Turboexpander selection The turboexpander performance is computed as a function of a non-dimensional factor called specific speed (ns) defined as:
ns =
n Q2 his
KEYS TIE ROD
spouting velocity:
H
Co = hts,is
W
nozzle closing
nozzle opening
nozzle closing
nozzle opening
u1/c0
Q/N
The u1/Co factor determines the degree of reaction of the turboexpander stage and is selected during the design phase (Figure-9). The optimum u1/Co is around 0.7, corresponding to approximately a 50% degree of reaction. in this configuration, the inlet of the turboexpander wheel is radial, improving the ability to withstand liquid at the inlet.
u1/C0 = 0.63 Low degree of reaction (~0.35) u1/C0 = 0.68 Average degree of reaction (~0.55)
The overall plant control and machine selection should take into account the turboexpander behavior during off-design conditions. Here is a typical range for u1/Co and Q2/n turboexpander off-design conditions: % Q2/n: 30 to 140% of design case % u1/Co: from 30 to 135% of design case Compressor selection The compressor is used as a brake for the turboexpander. The absorbed power determines the operating speed of the turboexpandercompressor. The compressor selection is very important in ethylene applications, where very often the compressor is required to produce very high head. recent developments in ethylene plant design also impose more importance on the re-compressor performance. The compressor is no longer seen as a by product, but rather an important plant component that is required to operate with good polytropic efficiency, turndown and head rise. The compressor load influences the turboexpander efficiency. Compressors with controllable power absorption characteristics can be supplied to provide more flexibility to the turboexpander.
The u1/Co factor becomes important during the testing of a turboexpander. Current API 617 practices call for it to be one of the measured values in the machines final testing. in an ethylene plant, the gas conditions are never constant. it is therefore important to predict the behavior of the turboexpander in off-design conditions. The turboexpander efficiency is affected by the change in two
4Q1 D22u2
u Mu = 2 a0t = h u 22
Flow coefficient:
where Q1 is the volumetric flow at the inlet, D2 is the impeller diameter and u2 is the wheel peripheral speed. The capability for a given wheel to produce power depends on both and u2 squared and the mass flow rate that is handled by the compressor wheel. The work coefficient is limited by the aerodynamic design of the wheel and the peripheral speed affects the static stress on the impeller. in ethylene applications, the Mach number is normally not an issue because of the low molecular weight gas. Typical numbers for the maximum enthalpy change on the compressor wheel are as follows: Low flow coefficient (0.025 < < 0.100): 150 kJ/kg (63.5 BTU/lbm) High flow coefficient (0.180 < < 0.280): 120 kJ/kg (50.8 BTU/lbm) a well-balanced turboexpander and compressor wheel depends on the process design. The turboexpander wheel power (including mechanical losses) should be the same as the compressor absorbed power.
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FIGURE 11 Minimum rotational speed of the turboexpander (Assuming similar mass flow rate between turboexpander and compressor)
Conversely, the rotational speed affects the compressor flow coefficient. The rotational speed must be limited below a given value in order to limit the compressor flow coefficient and also to increase the capability to produce head and power. This behavior is exactly the opposite of the turboexpander. The following graph (Figure 12) represents the change of compressor flow coefficient as a function of the rotational speed for two density ratios. This ratio is between the density at the expander outlet and the density at the compressor inlet. The warmer gas at lower
Gexphisis = Gcomphis
it should be noted that the capability for the compressor to act as a load for the turboexpander does not depend on the polytropic efficiency. For this reason, an
Higher hydrogen recovery: increased rate of hydrogen recovery with decreased flow. With the margins available in cold boxes, this increased rate of hydrogen does not affect the ethylene recovery or the refrigeration The machine selection for this service does not have any issues related to specific speed at the higher range of efficiencies. The turboexpander-compressor is at the lower end of GE Oil & Gas production capabilities, corresponding to a frame 20 (EC201). This service can be satisfied either with oil bearings or active magnetic bearings. The selection based on compressor efficiency can be further optimized to improve the efficiency. However, based on all parameters, the initial selection fits into a very standard unit, and both the mechanical and aerodynamic characteristics are well within proven experience. The same case study was analyzed by increasing the flow rate by 25%. since the gas conditions remain unchanged, the machine selection resulted in a similar unit design, scaled up to the frame 25 (EC251). Table 3 provides a summary of the machinery sizing for the liquid cracker case to highlight the important turboexpander factors, such as specific speed (ns). Gas cracker Gas crackers produce a very large residue gas stream with high concentrations of hydrogen. The gas does not vary with hydrogen product demand. in fact, the demand of hydrogen product is very low. Variation occurs due to co-cracking of propane or other feedstock. This reference is based on 100% ethane cracking (the base case) with the option of 50/50 ethane/propane cracking. From a machinery design point-of-view, this service is considered to be more difficult due to the high enthalpy change involved. a first selection was made with a 2-stage expander
in summary, the turboexpander and the compressor selection have to be balanced. in order to do so, the turboexpander efficiency may be negatively affected. This could occur for several reasons, but the major issue that affects this balance is the density ratio imbalance between the turboexpander discharge and the compressor suction.
Case studies
To provide examples of the trends in todays ethylene plants, two case studies where analyzed: a naphtha cracker producing a methane-rich residue gas and a typical ethane or ethane/propane (EP) cracker producing a light hydrogen-rich residue gas. The focus was on the turboexpander-compressor configuration since this is more complex than a turboexpander-generator in conjunction with a stand-alone re-compressor. liquid cracker The liquid cracker evaluation was made considering the following scenarios: Base case: high percentage of hydrogen recovery Lower hydrogen recovery: reduced rate of hydrogen recovery and, therefore, a larger percentage of ethylene recovery. This case reduces the C2 and C3 refrigeration to a certain extent
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Case Description UNIT Condition rPM ns Diameter (mm) Efficiency (%) Wheel power (hp) Weight liquid (%) Frame size
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compressor, a standard configuration for the 100% and 111% flows. Both units are sized into a frame 40 (EC401) with good efficiencies and with well-referenced mechanical and aerodynamic parameters. Table 4 shows an overview of the machine performance. if the flow is increased by 11%, the design remains basically the same. However, the selected wheels are larger in terms of flow capability (larger flow coefficient). The flow capacity of a turboexpander can be increased by either using a wheel design with a higher
flow coefficient/specific speed, or by increasing the diameter and reducing the rotational speed to keep the same peripheral speed. The second option is required to handle the different enthalpy change. With the intent of simplifying the plant layout and reducing cost, GE Oil & Gas has selected for this service a single frame 40 (ECC401) machine, with two-stage compressors directly coupled to a single expander wheel. This type of unit is referenced with oil bearings and can also be developed with aMB.
Case Description UNIT Condition rPM 890 Diameter (mm) Efficiency (%) Wheel power (hp) Weight liquid (%) Frame size 23,000 1,000 350 78-82% 2396 0.6 Exp
100% Ethane bASE Comp_lP Design 23,000 3,900 350 74-78% 1466 23,000 3,700 350 74-78% 1466 77-81% 27244 4.9 ECC401 18,890 Comp_HP Exp
71-75% 1386
71-75% 1386
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ge.com/oilandgas
The information contained herein is general in nature and is not intended for specific construction, installation or application purposes. GE reserves the right to make changes in specifications or add improvements at any time without notice or obligation. 2011 General Electric Company all rights reserved
BRG
Expander
Compressor
Conclusions
This paper presents an overview of current turboexpander technology to provide information for the selection of the best machine configuration and thermodynamic design for ethylene plant applications. GE Oil & Gas has analyzed potential selections for turboexpandercompressors for large ethylene plants. The results show that there are no issues with increasing the machine capacity, due to the scalability of the unit frame sizes. However, large enthalpy drops per stage and optimization trade-offs between the expander and compressor wheels need to be carefully evaluated to find the best compromise between cost and performance.
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