Reciprocating Compressor: Do I Need A Bypass Valve?, Questions and concerns for a bypass valve.

bzakrajsek
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July 8, 2008; 12:08 PM IP: 66.160.67.6

First post ever. Here goes:

My question relates to the necessity of a bypass valve with a reciprocating compres

design. By "bypass valve", I am specifically referring to a valve on a piece of pipe
connecting the suction and discharge piping, inside of the block valves.

As an electrical engineer by trade, my old job had me automating large CAT driven
for natural gas compression on pipelines. These recips had a bypass valve as descri
above. Typically, we would open bypass, open suction block, start engine, open dis
then close bypass. This included large gas volumes, high flow rates (50 MMSCFD
large pressure separations from suction to discharge (500psig to 1,000psig during o

A system we are designing has been proposed with two recips (each with their own
discharge, purge valves) and there is a recycle valve that connects the common suct
discharge headers (read: after the unit block valves). The pressure spread is likely 2
to 400 psig (suction to discharge) and the flow rates are much lower (I'm not sure o
value at present). There are two buffer tanks per unit, one inside the suction and on
of the discharge.

Do I need a bypass valve for initial loading of the compressor? What consideration
there for this valve to be there? Will the buffer tanks suffice during startup? What
I do? How worried should I be about deadheading?
Thanks for everyone's time.
----Brian ----

pass valve.

08 PM IP: 66.160.67.67 Post #1

reciprocating compressor
alve on a piece of pipe
ck valves.

ating large CAT driven recips

bypass valve as described
, start engine, open discharge,
w rates (50 MMSCFD), and
to 1,000psig during operation).

s (each with their own suction,

nects the common suction and
ssure spread is likely 200 psig
h lower (I'm not sure of this
side the suction and one inside

r? What considerations are

during startup? What calcs can

1st Stage Intercooler

Suction Pulsation
Drum

Suction Pulsation
Drum

Discharge Pulsation
Drum

PC
The intercooler is used to cool the
compressed, hot gas and condense any water
or oil vapors in the gas. The condensed
liquids are separated by the 2nd stage suction
separator in order to protect the 2nd stage
compression cylinder. This intercooler can be
air-cooled instead of water-cooled

1st Stage
Suction
Separator

2nd Stage
Suction
Separator

LC

LC

2nd Stage of Compression

Cylinder diam =
Piston Stroke =
Compressor rpm =

1st Stage of Compression

Cylinder diam =
Piston Stroke =
Compressor rpm =
Open Drain

Open Drain
Saturated Natural Gas

1st Stage Intercooler

Suction Pulsation
Drum

Suction Pulsation
Drum

Discharge Pulsation
Drum

PC
The intercooler is used to cool the
compressed, hot gas and condense any water
or oil vapors in the gas. The condensed
liquids are separated by the 2nd stage suction
separator in order to protect the 2nd stage
compression cylinder. This intercooler can be
air-cooled instead of water-cooled

1st Stage
Suction
Separator

2nd Stage
Suction
Separator

LC

LC

2nd Stage of Compression

Cylinder diam =
Piston Stroke =
Compressor rpm =

1st Stage of Compression

Cylinder diam =
Piston Stroke =
Compressor rpm =
Open Drain

Open Drain

2nd Stage Intercooler

Compressed Product Gas

Discharge Pulsation
Drum

Final
Discharge
Separator

LC

2nd Stage of Compression

Cylinder diam =
Piston Stroke =
Compressor rpm =
Open Drain

2nd Stage Intercooler

Compressed Product Gas

Discharge Pulsation
Drum

Final
Discharge
Separator

LC

2nd Stage of Compression

Cylinder diam =
Piston Stroke =
Compressor rpm =
Open Drain