Introduction

Reciprocating Compressor
Condition Monitoring

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Objectives
• Introduce reciprocating compressors
• Overview compressor types and
applications
• Introduce recip compressor
applications
• Overview results of recip condition
monitoring

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Methods of Compression
Compressor Overview
Positive displacement Dynamic machine
•Pressure increase - reduce •Pressure increase - transfer
volume in compression kinetic energy to gas and
chamber convert to pressure

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Compressor Types
Compressor Overview

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Application Coverage
Compressor Overview

Reciprocating
compressors…
• High compression
ratios
• Relatively low flow
…Versus centrifugal
compressors
• Wet service
• Low compression
ratios
• Relatively high flow Redrawn from “Pipeline Design & Construction: A Practical Approach” By M. Mohitpur,
et. al.

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Key Characteristics
Compressor Overview

Reciprocating Centrifugal Screw

Flow/Capacity Limited by Geometry Limited by Surge Point Limited by Geometry

(function of geometry, speed,
gas conditions
Flow Range Throughput from 0-100% Limited by Surge (typically 70- 0-100% possible for oil-
100%) flooded designs; typically 50-
100%
Reliability Many moving parts; gas One moving part; availability Two moving parts, but not
contamination up to 95% easily repaired.
Maintenance Intervals 1 year on valves and wearing Up to 10 years 3-5 years
parts
Gas Molecular Weight Unlimited Difficult to achieve high Unlimited
(MW) Range compression ratios on low
MW
Multi-service Common Not typical Not typical
Capability
Installation Costs Low High Low

Operating Costs High Low Low

Power Up to 30 MW Up to 100 MW Up to 1 MW

Lead Time 10-40 Weeks 30-70 weeks 2-10 Weeks

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 Application Map
Recips in Industry
Re-injection
Oil/Gas field plant
Offshore
production
platform

Gas / Oil
Oil/gas boosting
Treatment stations
plant

Gas
storage
LNG
plant
production
plant

LNG
Refinery Petrochemical receiving
plant terminal

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Examples
Recips in Industry

API 618 process compressors (300-

600 rpm)
• Heavy-duty processing
applications
ISO 13631 High speed recips (700-
1800 rpm)
• Continuous operation in oil & gas,
offshore applications. Motor or
engine driven
“Hyper” compressors
• Designed for ethylene
compression in Low Density LDPE Hyper with primary booster
Polyethylene (LDPE) production
plants. Delivery pressures up to
3500 bar

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Why Monitor?
Recip CM Segment

Safety reason: adequate system to prevent

damage to people and assets
-> Involves all machines
Economic reason: any unscheduled shutdown
causes loss of production and profit $$$
->Involves critical machines

Different monitoring needs

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System 1® CM Examples
Introduction

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11
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12
 Very distinct in this plot
@ TDC
Not in this plot

Cylinder pressure, unfiltered & filtered

Xhd acceleration in crank angle
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Company. All rights reserved
 P=0 (0 ms)

P=240 (145 ms) 143 ms P=120 (72

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ms)
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© 2010 General Electric Company. All rights reserved
© 2010 General Electric Company. All rights reserved
© 2010 General Electric Company. All rights reserved
Maintenance Costs and failure
modes
Recip CM Segment

Maintenance personnel must decide between

taking a leaking compressor offline or running to
a scheduled period.
This means deciding between the cost of lost
production and the impact to component life and
potential catastrophic failures.
Only with advanced compressor monitoring
system is it possible to make economic
evaluation and maintain safe operation

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Target Applications
Recip CM Segment

Process / industrial applications (downstream)

• Refineries – Hydro-treating and Hydro-cracking (H2 make-
up, H2 recycle), Catalytic Reforming (recycle, net gas) flare
and vent gas compressors
• Ethylene – LDPE (booster, hyper), HDPE (flash gas,
refrigerant, recycle), LLDPE (flash gas) and Polypropylene
(recycle)
• Fertilizers – Ammonia, Urea
Natural gas applications (upstream-midstream)
Gas gathering, gas re-injection, gas lift, pipeline gas
transmission, storage, fuel boosting

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 Product Development Timeline 3500/72 Rod
Introduction Position/Plunger
Position Monitor
System 1
V6.5
Released Released
Patent #4,987,774 issued for Rod Crank Angle
Position Measurement Correlated To First Hyper Overlay Plot
First Crank Angle Compressor Strain
Proximity First Commercial Piezo- Measurement
Probe resistive Pressure
Applications Transducers 3500/70 and
3300 Monitoring
at Pressure System 1 Knock
System
Packing Case and Segmental
Launched
Analysis Release
’65-’75 ’70-’75 ‘88 ‘90 ‘91 ‘94 ‘95 ‘99 ‘01 ‘02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '08
First Hyper First First Field Test
Reciprocating of Bently 3500/70
Compressor
Compressor Proximity- Impulse/Impact
Plunger Diagnostic
Best Practices Based and Monitor Released
Case History
Published (L8129) Piezo-Resistive System 1
Pressure Cylinder Trim V6.0
First Hyper Plunger 3300/75 32 RulePak Released Released
Transducer
Protection Systems Channel
Temperature 3500/77 Cylinder Recip
Installed
Monitor 3500 Monitoring Pressure Monitor Waterfall Plot
Released System Released Stepless
Launched
System 1 Recip Unloaders
3300 Series Piezo-Electric Diagnostic Tools Support
Velomitor Released Patent
Release #7,418,355
Pressure issued for
Transducer Piston Rod
Release Monitoring
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Summary
• Primary differences between
reciprocating and centrifugal
compressors
• Value of condition monitoring

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