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An
industrial Gas Turbine/Compressor package designed for rapid installation and
commissioning
The Need
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A reduction in both the time
and the cost of installation of medium-to-large industrial gas turbine mechanical drive
packages can be achieved. Gas turbine drivers, centrifugal compressors, and their
ancillary equipment frequently arrive at site mounted on numerous separate baseplates
which must be independently set, and which require extensive interconnecting piping and
wiring. This accounts for significant time and expense in a new construction project. |
The Technology
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Integration of the gas turbine driver, driven
equipment, and ancillaries on two easily-assembled skids is made possible by the
application of several technological developments, including aeroderivative gas turbine
engines, dry gas compressor seals, compact plate-type heat exchangers, variable-speed AC
motor drives, and microprocessor-based control systems which are certified for hazardous
environments. 
Gas Turbine/Compressor package
Aeroderivative industrial gas turbines are not new, having
been adapted from their flight variants in the late 1950's. Their high power density makes
them ideal for putting maximum power in a relatively small, transportable package. Thirty
years' evolution has given them efficiency and maintainability that equals or surpasses
their heavy frame-type industrial competition.
The use of dry gas seals has become the standard in the
last decade for centrifugal compressors in many applications. This seal system eliminates
the bulky and expensive arrangement of high-pressure pumps, filters, regulators, and
reservoir that was required by the oil-film type seals of the past. Dry gas seals also
improve compressor efficiency, while eliminating the potential fire hazard of the previous
seal oil systems.
Plate-type heat exchangers occupy a fraction of the space
required by traditional fin-type liquid-to-air heat exchangers, making them ideal for use
in tight space constraints. They have been proven in numerous oil & gas industry
applications in the last decade.
Variable-speed AC motor drives have also benefited from
recent reductions in costs and improvements in reliability. Where an AC-powered start
system would previously been an expensive and bulky electro-hydraulic combination, it is
now possible to do direct-electric starting with variable-speed AC drive technology.
Gas turbine engines and centrifugal compressors in the oil
& gas industry are invariably located in environments which are classified as
hazardous, usually Class 1, Group D, Division 1 or 2. The microprocessor-based control
systems used to control them often require installation in safe atmospheres, meaning they
are located in remote control rooms and require extensive (and expensive) interconnecting
cabling. Development of proprietary controllers which can be installed in hazardous
atmospheres enables location of the unit control panel on the equipment skid.
In addition to the components mentioned above, the fuel gas
system, lube oil system, fire & gas detection / protection systems, air inlet filter,
and exhaust system are all mounted at the factory on two skids which are easily
transportable and quickly assembled at site. An example is shown in the figure. |
The Benefits
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By minimizing the need for
interconnection of piping and wiring between multiple equipment and controls locations,
site installation and commissioning time is drastically reduced. This can result in the
savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars and several weeks time in an overall
construction project. In addition, wiring and piping connections verified during factory
testing remain in place during shipment and installation, instead of being disassembled
and reassembled at site. This improves overall quality control as well. Another advantage
accrues from the reduction in loose components shipped to site, meaning less risk of parts
shortages during installation. |
Status
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Package designs which integrate all components
are complete for all Allison industrial turbines in the Cooper Rolls product lineup. |
Barriers
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Integrated packages require a certain degree
of standardization of the manufacturer's package design. In the oil & gas industry,
many operators expect equipment manufacturers to comply with the purchaser's proprietary
technical specifications. A degree of compromise will be necessary between these two
approaches. |
Points of Contact
- Chris Kapp, Product Manager, Cooper-Bessemer Rotating
Products Cooper Energy Services.105 N. Sandusky St, Mt Vernon, OH 43050. Phone: (740) 393-8487. Fax:
(740) 393-8373.
- Douglas Wenzel, Program Manager, CES / Allison Products
Cooper Energy Services 105 N. Sandusky St, Mt Vernon, OH 43050. Phone: (740) 393-8607.
Fax: (740) 393-8896.
References
- D. Wenzel and J. Elmore, ASME 97-GT-509, 'Package Design
for a 5500 BHP Aeroderivative Industrial Gas Turbine', Presented at the International
Gas Turbine & Aeroengine Congress & Exhibition, Orlando, Florida, June 2-5, 1997.
Disclaimer Statement
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Neither the Construction
Industry Institute nor Purdue University in any way endorses this
technology or represents
that the information presented can be relied upon without further investigation. |
LHM06
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