COMPANY NEWS

SUNDYNE

Enhancements make
company’s compressors
better suited for fuel gas
boosting. By DJ Slater

Sundyne
gives
centrifugal
compressors a boost
F
uel gas boosting isn’t a novelty for packages relies on the original LMC/BMC and integrally geared design suited for mole sieve
Sundyne’s centrifugal compressors, LF-2000 compressor units,” said Grégory dehydration, demethanizer regeneration,
which have been a part of this specialty Junot, Sundyne’s global compressor product waste gas, hydrogen recycling and specialty
since 1976. Given the recent push for line manager. “These compressors are chemicals.
renewable energy in the power generation designed for heavy duty services, compliant The base-mounted compressor (BMC)
sector, Sundyne plans to keep its name and with the most stringent API and oil and gas adheres to API 617 standards and uses a
its compressors in this space for generations standards.” horizontal, single-stage integrally geared
to come. design for midstream, hydrocarbon,
The company has made enhancements to The heart of the matter processing and chemical manufacturing
its “fit-for-purpose” centrifugal compressors The three compressors used as the applications. The BMC works best with skid
used as fuel gas boosters for turbines backbone for fuel gas boosting all have packaging and can run continuously for five
generating electricity at refineries, chemical distinct features that make them applicable years, according to Sundyne.
plants and other industrial facilities. for a variety of purposes. The line-mounted The LMC and BMC each feature a
“The heart of Sundyne fuel gas boosting compressors (LMC) feature a single-stage maximum motor size of 550 hp (410
kW), flows up to 3550 acfm (6000 m3/h),
maximum pressure of 1450 psi (100 bar),
a maximum speed of 34,200 rpm and a
temperature range between -200° to 500°F
(-130° to 260°C).
The LF 2000 multi-stage compressor
features up to six stages of centrifugal
compression on a single gearbox. Commonly
used in midstream, hydrocarbon processing
and chemical manufacturing applications,
the LF 2000 provides vibration-free operation
and zero emissions with the ability to run
Sundyne compressors boost gas from pipeline pressures to the levels required by turbines. continuously for five to seven years without
maintenance or an overhaul.

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 COMPANY NEWS
SUNDYNE

A 75% smaller footprint than volumetric

Inlet guide
vanes (IGVs) gas emissions system, eliminating the need
increase efficiency for oil-based operation and the potential
by pre-swirling gas for fuel contamination. This is important
flow entering the for fuel gas boosting applications because
impeller, which reduces oil content needs to be less than 1 ppm
the amount of work to ensure optimal gas combustion in the
needed from the main driver. turbine, Sundyne said. The compressors are
75% smaller than volumetric compressor
technology.
The LF 2000 has a maximum motor size Sundyne fully-integrated compressor
of 10,000 hp (7500 kW), flows up to 10,000 trains also include auxiliary systems such
acfm (17,000 m3/h), maximum pressure of centrifugal compressors, these plants can as air/water-cooled gas heat exchangers,
5000 psi (350 bar), a maximum speed of boost incoming gas pressures to levels nitrogen generators, valve skids and all the
42,000 rpm and a temperature range that required by turbines. The fuel gas booster associated monitors and controllers.
mirrors the LMC and BMC compressors. serves as an essential piece of equipment for
co-generation plants, Sundyne said, adding Additional improvements
Boosting enhancements that if the fuel gas compressor fails, the Sundyne made additional improvements to
Fuel gas boosting become a natural role for entire power plant stops. its equipment in the name of efficiency and
Sundyne’s centrifugal compressors early in Enhancements to these Sundyne aiding the fuel gas boosting segment. The
its history. After building the first integrally compressors include a high-speed digital company increased the power range of its
geared vertical compressor for Union Carbide control system, which integrates all the multi-stage integrally geared compressors
in 1965, Sundyne’s compact design become compressor control functionality into a single up to 7.5 MW to provide the proper capacity
popular for applications that required system (surge protection, load-sharing for larger turbine sizes, Junot said.
compressors with a smaller footprint, among capabilities, compressor switching and Another improvement comes from
other features, the company said. discharge pressure control). The control Sundyne’s compressor impellers, which can
Fuel gas boosting entered the frame in system can be configured to control now produce the same flow as previous
1976 for Sundyne, who installed an LMC- compressors in multiple configurations, iterations using less power. The new
311P to boost fuel gas to an onboard ship including variable inlet guide vanes, impellers can be retrofitted onto existing
turbine, Junot said. From that time on, more suction throttling, variable speed and gas BMC, LMC and LF compressors already in the
companies looked to Sundyne compressors recirculation. field (some for decades) to improve their
for this purpose. “The Sundyne control system manages operating efficiency up to 20%, Junot said.
Co-generation power plants require to steadily supply the fuel gas at pressures “The upgrade can be done in a matter
gas pressures in the range of 250 to 750 needed for optimal gas turbine operation of days during a standard turnaround,”
psig (17.2 to 51.7 bar) to operate turbines under all load conditions within 1% precision,” he said. “It does not require teams of
optimally. Interstate gas pipelines transport Junot said. workers, welding or concrete work – and the
gas at different pressures, ranging from Sundyne’s dry gas seal configuration upgrade does not require modifying piping
30 to 125 psig (2 to 8.6). With Sundyne’s provides operators with a fully controlled configurations.” CT2

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