US20050142004A1 - Gas seal system for the shaft of an electric compressor motor - Google Patents

Gas seal system for the shaft of an electric compressor motor Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20050142004A1
US20050142004A1 US10/505,297 US50529704A US2005142004A1 US 20050142004 A1 US20050142004 A1 US 20050142004A1 US 50529704 A US50529704 A US 50529704A US 2005142004 A1 US2005142004 A1 US 2005142004A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
gas
housing portion
acted
assembly
housing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/505,297
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
David Appleford
Brian Lane
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alpha Thames Ltd
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Assigned to ALPHA THAMES LTD. reassignment ALPHA THAMES LTD. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: APPLEFORD, DAVID ERIC, LANE, BRIAN WILLIAM
Publication of US20050142004A1 publication Critical patent/US20050142004A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
    • H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
    • H02K5/04—Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof
    • H02K5/12—Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof specially adapted for operating in liquid or gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D25/00—Pumping installations or systems
    • F04D25/02—Units comprising pumps and their driving means
    • F04D25/06—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the pump being electrically driven
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D25/00—Pumping installations or systems
    • F04D25/02—Units comprising pumps and their driving means
    • F04D25/06—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the pump being electrically driven
    • F04D25/0686—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the pump being electrically driven specially adapted for submerged use
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
    • F04D29/08—Sealings
    • F04D29/10—Shaft sealings
    • F04D29/102—Shaft sealings especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the provision of a secure environment for an electric motor of the type in which a single housing accommodates both the motor and rotating machinery driven by the motor.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a typical prior art arrangement including a motor 2 linked to a compressor unit 4 by means of a shaft 6 mounted in bearings 8 and 10 . All of these components are mounted in a single housing 12 . Inlet pipe 14 and outlet pipe 16 lead gas respectively into and out of the compressor 12 .
  • the arrangement is only suitable for pumping dry gas because the motor will be damaged if exposed to moisture.
  • Such a restriction makes the arrangement unsuitable for use in the pumping of gas from a hydrocarbon reservoir which will generally have a high water vapour content and contain droplets of water.
  • an assembly comprising a housing, an electric motor accommodated within a first portion of the housing, rotating machinery accommodated within a second portion of the housing and driven by the electric motor, separation means in the housing between the first and second portions thereof for separating fluid acted upon by the rotating machinery from the electric motor, gas introduction means for introducing at least substantially dry motor protection gas into the first housing portion and restricted gas flow means for permitting a leakage of the motor protection gas from the first housing portion into the second housing portion.
  • the gas introduction means includes means for supplying the at least substantially dry gas.
  • This may comprise a gas drying and supply unit on a remote host facility linked to the first housing portion by an umbilical.
  • the invention is particularly applicable to the driving of machinery for raising the pressure of fluid such as compressors or centrifugal pumps.
  • the second housing portion includes a compressor inlet for receiving gas at a first pressure and a compressor outlet for delivering gas at a second pressure higher than the first pressure, and the gas flow means allows leakage of the motor protection gas into the second housing portion adjacent to the compressor inlet.
  • the assembly preferably also includes means for automatically maintaining the motor protection gas at a pressure above that of fluid in a part of the second housing portion adjacent to the gas flow means.
  • the apparatus When the fluid being acted upon by the rotating machinery is a gas, the apparatus preferably includes circulating apparatus for diverting a portion of the acted upon gas to the first housing portion, the circulating apparatus including drying means for reducing the moisture content of the acted upon gas diverted back to the first housing portion.
  • the apparatus will still further reduce the amount of motor protection gas which needs to be supplied and will still further reduce the cost of running the assembly.
  • the motor can tolerate wet gas for a short start up period without damage to its components, then the requirement for an external supply of motor protection gas can be obviated if such circulating apparatus is provided.
  • the drying means separates the extracted portion of the acted upon gas into an at least substantially moisture-free first outlet flow and the circulating apparatus includes first routing means for routing the first outlet flow from a first outlet of the drying means to the housing first portion.
  • the drying means incorporates moisture extracted from the first outlet flow into a second outlet flow.
  • the circulating apparatus preferably also includes second routing means for routing the second outlet flow containing the extracted moisture from a second outlet of the drying means and for incorporating it into the flow of gas acted upon by the compressor.
  • the second routing means incorporates the second outlet flow containing the extracted moisture into the acted upon gas at least substantially prior to it being acted upon by the compressor.
  • the second routing means incorporates the second outlet flow containing the extracted moisture into the acted upon gas at least substantially after it has been acted upon by the compressor.
  • the second routing means includes a pressure equalising device such as an ejector for incorporating the second outlet flow containing the extracted moisture into acted upon gas downstream of the compressor.
  • one or more gas outlet flows from the drying means pass through non-return valves configured to prevent such flow or flows returning directly to outlets of the drying means.
  • the invention also provides a method of operating an electric motor accommodated in a first portion of a housing and arranged to drive a rotating machine accommodated in a second portion of the housing in which fluid in the second housing portion which is acted upon by the rotating machine is separated from the first housing portion by separation means, the method including the steps of:
  • the method involves providing circulating apparatus and diverting a portion of the acted upon gas to the first housing portion via the circulating apparatus, incorporating drying means in the circulating apparatus and reducing the moisture content of the acted upon gas diverted back to the first housing portion by means of the drying means.
  • FIG. 1 shows in schematic form a prior art arrangement
  • FIG. 2 shows in schematic form a further prior art arrangement
  • FIG. 3 shows in schematic form a first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 4 shows in schematic form a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 The prior art arrangements shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have been described above.
  • an electric motor 30 is linked to a compressor 32 by a shaft 34 which is supported by a first bearing 36 and a second bearing 38 .
  • a housing 40 having first and second portions 42 and 44 respectively accommodating the motor 30 and the compressor 32 .
  • Separation means in the form of a wall 46 , separates the housing portions 42 and 44 from each other.
  • Gas introduction means in the form of an umbilical 48 leads to an inlet 50 of the first housing portion 42 for supplying at least substantially dry, and more preferably completely dry, motor protection gas 52 thereinto.
  • Gas flow means 54 comprising one or more passages between the first and second housing portions 42 and 44 , are provided to allow a leakage of the motor protection gas 52 from the first housing portion 42 into the second housing portion 44 . This leakage is indicated by arrows A.
  • the compressor 32 includes an inlet 56 connected to an inlet pipe 58 (at pressure p 1 ) and an outlet 60 connected to an outlet pipe 62 (at a higher pressure p 2 ).
  • the first housing portion 42 containing the motor is maintained at a pressure p 3 by the supply of motor protection gas 52 .
  • p 3 is maintained higher than p 1 in order that motor protection gas 52 steadily leaks through the gas flow means 54 in the direction of arrows A into the second housing portion.
  • This pressure differential prevents any of the gas supplied to the compressor via inlet pipe 58 , which may contain moisture, from entering the first housing portion 42 .
  • Control means are preferably provided to maintain p 3 only slightly above p 1 in order that only a low volumetric flow of motor protection gas through the gas flow means 54 occurs. This will reduce the amount of motor protection gas required and thereby minimise running costs.
  • FIG. 4 The second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 4 in which parts which correspond in form and function to those shown in FIG. 3 bare indicated with like numerals prefixed with 1 and will not be described again in detail.
  • the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes circulating apparatus shown generally as 170 .
  • An extraction pipe 172 is arranged to extract a portion, for example 10%, of the gas leaving the compressor via the outlet pipe 162 and route it to a gas drying unit 174 .
  • the gas drying unit 174 may suitably be of the type manufactured under the name TWISTER by Shell and its partner Stork Product Engineering. This drying unit uses a Laval nozzle to expand gas to supersonic velocities leading to low temperature and pressure resulting in nucleation and condensation of water. Droplets of water formed come into contact with a wing member and are centrifuged onto walls of the device.
  • a first flow 176 of at least substantially dry gas (at pressure P 3 ) leaves the gas drying unit via a first gas outlet 178 and is routed by dry gas conduit 182 via a non-return valve 180 to the umbilical 148 immediately upstream of the housing first portion 142 and downstream of a further non-return valve 184 in the umbilical 148 .
  • the pressure P 3 is arranged to be greater than the pressure P 5 of gas entering the compressor.
  • the umbilical 148 for supplying dry gas may not be necessary in which case the dry gas conduit 182 would lead directly into the housing first portion 142 .
  • a second flow 186 of wet gas (at pressure P 4 ) containing all, or substantially all, of the water contained in the gas extracted from the compressor outlet pipe leaves the gas drying unit 174 via a second outlet 188 and is routed by a wet gas conduit 190 to the inlet pipe 158 through a further non-return valve 192 .
  • the pressure P 4 is arranged to be greater than P 1 , the pressure of gas approaching the compressor through the inlet pipe 158 . This flow of wet gas 186 will assist the flow of new gas entering the compressor from the inlet pipe 158 .
  • the second outlet 188 of the gas drying unit 174 may be connected by a high pressure wet gas conduit 193 which routes the wet gas 186 through a non-return valve 194 to an ejector 196 which acts to entrain the wet gas 186 into the flow of pressurised gas leaving the compressor via the outlet 160 .
  • the ejector 196 is necessary because the pressure P 4 of the wet gas will be lower than the pressure P 2 of the gas at the compressor outlet 160 . Downstream of the ejector 196 the pressure P 6 of the combined gas streams will be less than P 2 but high enough to ensure satisfactory conveyance of the gas to the host facility.
  • the alternative route for the wet gas 186 avoids reintroducing the moisture extracted by the gas drying unit 174 back into the compressor.
  • the pressure of gas in the housing first portion 142 will be arranged to be slightly higher than the pressure P 5 of gas entering the compressor so as to ensure that a steady leakage (A) of at least substantially dry gas from the first housing portion to the second is maintained and flow in the reverse direction is prevented.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
  • Compressor (AREA)
US10/505,297 2002-02-21 2003-02-21 Gas seal system for the shaft of an electric compressor motor Abandoned US20050142004A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0204139.0A GB0204139D0 (en) 2002-02-21 2002-02-21 Electric motor protection system
GB0204139.0 2002-02-21
PCT/GB2003/000779 WO2003071139A1 (en) 2002-02-21 2003-02-21 Gas seal system for the shaft of an electric compressor motor

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050142004A1 true US20050142004A1 (en) 2005-06-30

Family

ID=9931528

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/505,297 Abandoned US20050142004A1 (en) 2002-02-21 2003-02-21 Gas seal system for the shaft of an electric compressor motor

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US20050142004A1 (no)
EP (1) EP1478856A1 (no)
AU (1) AU2003214370A1 (no)
BR (1) BR0307982A (no)
GB (1) GB0204139D0 (no)
NO (1) NO20043934L (no)
WO (1) WO2003071139A1 (no)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008037059A1 (en) * 2006-09-25 2008-04-03 Transcanada Pipelines Limited Tandem supersonic ejectors
US20090311108A1 (en) * 2006-03-24 2009-12-17 Gaston Mathijssen Method for Operation of a Compressor Unit, and Associated Compressor Unit
US20090317265A1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2009-12-24 Aker Kvaerner Subsea As Method and apparatus for protection of compressor modules against influx of contaminated gas
JP2013542370A (ja) * 2010-10-27 2013-11-21 ドレッサー ランド カンパニー 気密封止モータ・コンプレッサ・システムに対するモータ・ベアリング冷却ループの高速加圧のためのシステムおよび方法
US20180209428A1 (en) * 2015-07-28 2018-07-26 Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl Motorcompressor and method to improve the efficency of a motorcompressor
US20190063257A1 (en) * 2017-08-31 2019-02-28 Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl Turbomachine systems with magnetic bearing cooling and method

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080260539A1 (en) * 2005-10-07 2008-10-23 Aker Kvaerner Subsea As Apparatus and Method For Controlling Supply of Barrier Gas in a Compressor Module
NO327557B2 (no) 2007-10-09 2013-02-04 Aker Subsea As Beskyttelsessystem for pumper
NO328277B1 (no) 2008-04-21 2010-01-18 Statoil Asa Gasskompresjonssystem
NO333684B1 (no) * 2011-03-07 2013-08-12 Aker Subsea As Undervanns trykkøkningsmaskin
NO335469B1 (no) * 2011-09-29 2014-12-15 Aker Subsea As Pumpesystem for vanninjeksjon ved høyt trykk

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3532444A (en) * 1967-08-18 1970-10-06 Sulzer Ag Gas pumping apparatus
US4311004A (en) * 1979-10-26 1982-01-19 Rotoflow Corporation Gas compression system and method
US5382141A (en) * 1991-02-08 1995-01-17 Kvaener Rosenberg A.S. Kvaerner Subsea Contracting Compressor system and method of operation
US5478222A (en) * 1991-04-10 1995-12-26 Heidelberg; Goetz Fluid pump having a pressure sealed motor chamber
US6390789B1 (en) * 1999-07-16 2002-05-21 Sulzer Turbo Ag Cooling means for the motor of a turbocompressor
US20030053907A1 (en) * 2001-09-14 2003-03-20 Lippert Adam Kenneth Sealing system

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5569793A (en) * 1978-11-20 1980-05-26 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Sealing system for axis of blower for pressure transportation of poisonous gas

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3532444A (en) * 1967-08-18 1970-10-06 Sulzer Ag Gas pumping apparatus
US4311004A (en) * 1979-10-26 1982-01-19 Rotoflow Corporation Gas compression system and method
US5382141A (en) * 1991-02-08 1995-01-17 Kvaener Rosenberg A.S. Kvaerner Subsea Contracting Compressor system and method of operation
US5478222A (en) * 1991-04-10 1995-12-26 Heidelberg; Goetz Fluid pump having a pressure sealed motor chamber
US6390789B1 (en) * 1999-07-16 2002-05-21 Sulzer Turbo Ag Cooling means for the motor of a turbocompressor
US20030053907A1 (en) * 2001-09-14 2003-03-20 Lippert Adam Kenneth Sealing system

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090311108A1 (en) * 2006-03-24 2009-12-17 Gaston Mathijssen Method for Operation of a Compressor Unit, and Associated Compressor Unit
US8262365B2 (en) * 2006-03-24 2012-09-11 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for operation of a compressor unit, and associated compressor unit
US20090317265A1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2009-12-24 Aker Kvaerner Subsea As Method and apparatus for protection of compressor modules against influx of contaminated gas
US8221095B2 (en) 2006-06-30 2012-07-17 Aker Subsea As Method and apparatus for protection of compressor modules against influx of contaminated gas
WO2008037059A1 (en) * 2006-09-25 2008-04-03 Transcanada Pipelines Limited Tandem supersonic ejectors
US8100671B2 (en) 2006-09-25 2012-01-24 Transcanada Pipelines Limited Tandem supersonic ejectors for the repressurization of an off gas
US20080105315A1 (en) * 2006-09-25 2008-05-08 Transcanada Pipelines Limited Tandem supersonic ejectors
JP2013542370A (ja) * 2010-10-27 2013-11-21 ドレッサー ランド カンパニー 気密封止モータ・コンプレッサ・システムに対するモータ・ベアリング冷却ループの高速加圧のためのシステムおよび方法
US20140037422A1 (en) * 2010-10-27 2014-02-06 Dresser-Rand Company System and cooling for rapid pressurization of a motor-bearing cooling loop for a hermetically sealed motor/compressor system
US9726196B2 (en) * 2010-10-27 2017-08-08 Dresser-Rand Company System and cooling for rapid pressurization of a motor-bearing cooling loop for a hermetically sealed motor/compressor system
US20170298955A1 (en) * 2010-10-27 2017-10-19 Dresser-Rand Company System and method for rapid pressurization of a motor/bearing cooling loop for a hermetically sealed motor/compressor system
US20180209428A1 (en) * 2015-07-28 2018-07-26 Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl Motorcompressor and method to improve the efficency of a motorcompressor
US10895264B2 (en) * 2015-07-28 2021-01-19 Nuovo Pignone Srl Motorcompressor and method to improve the efficiency of a motorcompressor
US20190063257A1 (en) * 2017-08-31 2019-02-28 Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl Turbomachine systems with magnetic bearing cooling and method
US11686214B2 (en) * 2017-08-31 2023-06-27 Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl Turbomachine systems with magnetic bearing cooling and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1478856A1 (en) 2004-11-24
WO2003071139A1 (en) 2003-08-28
BR0307982A (pt) 2004-12-07
GB0204139D0 (en) 2002-04-10
AU2003214370A1 (en) 2003-09-09
NO20043934L (no) 2004-11-19

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CA2531031C (en) Subsea compressor module and a method for controlling the pressure in such a subsea compressor module
US20050142004A1 (en) Gas seal system for the shaft of an electric compressor motor
US9644633B2 (en) Centrifugal motor-compressor unit
JP4319409B2 (ja) 水噴射式スクリュー圧縮機
EP0228040B1 (en) Vacuum pump
US5980218A (en) Multi-stage compressor having first and second passages for cooling a motor during load and non-load operation
US9206819B2 (en) Subsea motor-compressor cooling system
US20170211595A1 (en) Extracting dry gas from a wet-gas compressor
CA2604455C (en) Self-contained electrostatic air/oil separator for aircraft engine
CN104220757A (zh) 压缩机设备以及此种压缩机设备的应用
CN1281100A (zh) 涡轮压缩机装置
US10280796B2 (en) Integrated turboexpander-generator with gas-lubricated bearings
CN109863670A (zh) 用于压缩机元件的致动器和配备该致动器的喷水式压缩机装置
US6663341B2 (en) Process fluid recycle system for a compressor assembly
CN100591917C (zh) 压缩机
CN107454927A (zh) 配备有空气压缩机或水泵的机器
EP0589362A1 (en) Vacuum pump apparatus
US12163525B2 (en) Subsea pump system with process lubricated bearings
JP2010031857A (ja) 真空ポンプ
WO2007055589A1 (en) Pressure and leakage control in rotating equipment for subsea compression
CN102282374A (zh) 用于流体输送的机器
RU2472043C1 (ru) Центробежный компрессорный агрегат
EP3298283B1 (en) Subsea compressor with device for cleaning the motor cooling fan and/or auxiliary bearings
JPH09117103A (ja) モータ一体型ポンプにおける電動モータの冷却及び潤滑装置
EP3298282B1 (en) Cooling system for cooling a motorcompressor unit

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ALPHA THAMES LTD., UNITED KINGDOM

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:APPLEFORD, DAVID ERIC;LANE, BRIAN WILLIAM;REEL/FRAME:015280/0467

Effective date: 20041015

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION