Controlling a wet gas compression system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10215184-B2
Application number	US-201615042528-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

The disclosure includes controlling a pressure ratio for a compressing system, comprising introducing a quantity of liquid into an input stream to create a multiphase input stream, compressing the multiphase input stream with a centrifugal compressor to create a discharge stream, measuring a parameter of the discharge stream, wherein the discharge parameter corresponds to a pressure ratio for the centrifugal compressor, when the parameter exceeds a first predetermined point, increasing a pressure ratio of the centrifugal compressor by increasing the quantity of liquid introduced, and when the parameter exceeds a second predetermined point, decreasing the pressure ratio by decreasing the quantity of liquid introduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a pressure ratio for a compressing system, comprising:
introducing a quantity of liquid into an input stream to create a multiphase input stream;
compressing the multiphase input stream with a centrifugal compressor to create a discharge stream;
measuring a parameter of the discharge stream, wherein the discharge parameter corresponds to a pressure ratio for the centrifugal compressor; and
altering the pressure ratio by changing the quantity of liquid introduced into the input stream based on the parameter, wherein
when the parameter exceeds a first predetermined point, increasing the pressure ratio of the centrifugal compressor by increasing the quantity of liquid introduced, and
when the parameter exceeds a second predetermined point, decreasing the pressure ratio by decreasing the quantity of liquid introduced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is introduced at an input of the centrifugal compressor.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing a single phase stream out of the compressing system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the parameter comprises measuring at least one of suction pressure, discharge pressure, suction flow, and discharge flow.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is atomized before being introduced into the compressor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises at least one of produced water, a liquid hydrocarbon, a corrosion inhibitor, a process liquid, a diluent, a liquid chemical, a drilling fluid, and a fracking fluid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is a quantity of liquid in the discharge stream.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the liquid based at least in part on the density of the liquid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is introduced at one or more interstage passages of the centrifugal compressor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid is also introduced at an inlet of the centrifugal compressor.

Assignees

• Matheidas Michael T
• Uptigrove Stanley O
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Matheidas Michael T
• Uptigrove Stanley O

Classifications

• F05D2270/311

  Air humidity · CPC title

• F05D2270/3061

  of the working fluid · CPC title

• F04D31/00

  Pumping liquids and elastic fluids at the same time · CPC title

• F05D2270/54

  by electronic means, e.g. electronic tubes, transistors or IC's within an electronic circuit · CPC title

• F04D25/02

  Units comprising pumps and their driving means · CPC title