Economic and Mechanical Benefits of Utilizing Automatic Balancing and Online Monitoring on Integral Engines and Compressors
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Economic and Mechanical Benefits of Utilizing Automatic Balancing and Online Monitoring on Integral Engines and Compressors Gas Machinery Conference 2016 Written by: Kenneth L’Anglois – DCP Midstream Kent Petersen – Windrock, Inc. Technical Assistance: Ray Kimmel – DCP Midstream Dylan Abel – Windrock, Inc. August 31, 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 4 SYSTEM INSTALLATION ....................................................................................................... 4 CONTROL & MONITORING CAPABILITIES (POWER CYLINDERS) .............................. 7 CASE STUDY #1 ..................................................................................................................... 11 CASE STUDY #2 ..................................................................................................................... 12 CASE STUDY #3 ..................................................................................................................... 14 MONITORING CAPABILITIES (COMPRESSOR CYLINDERS) ....................................... 16 CASE STUDY #4 ..................................................................................................................... 17 INTEGRATION WITH STATION DCS ................................................................................. 20 ECONOMIC BENEFITS REALIZED ..................................................................................... 21 CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................................... 22 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................... 23 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This paper demonstrates the value of automation monitoring and control upgrades to slow-speed, integral engine/compressors. Manually balancing an integral engine is a time consuming process that is often performed at inadequate intervals to compensate for changes in compressor load, process parameters, ambient conditions or variations in BTU fuel content. The manual task also raises safety issues. Adding automatic balancing and online monitoring to legacy slow-speed machines has been shown to extend the life of equipment, reduce maintenance costs, reduce emissions, improve fuel economy, increase spark plug life and minimize safety issues. DCP Midstream’s site “Robert’s Ranch” in Odessa, Texas has historically used manual balance methods for its propane and residue compression. An overview of the system and its installation is given. The monitoring capabilities are also discussed in regards to both the power cylinders and the compressor cylinders. Four separate case studies are provided using data from the DCP site to demonstrate and quantify the advantages of using automation to optimize machinery. Conclusions are given to show DCP’s direct economic savings, among other benefits realized. Note: Platinum® and AutoBalance® are registered trademarks of Windrock, Inc. The Windrock AutoBalance® system is protected under US Patent #8522750. INTRODUCTION Between December, 2015 and January, 2016, DCP Midstream installed Windrock engine AutoBalance and Platinum online monitoring systems on three integral compressors. This paper discusses the economic, performance and maintenance benefits realized with these systems. The systems were installed on two Cooper-Bessemer GMVH-10 and one GMVH-8 integral compressors. These units were built and installed in 1967 at the Roberts Ranch Gas Processing Facility located 9 miles southeast of Odessa, TX. The compressors are “dual service” and are used to simultaneously compress propane refrigerant for a cryogenic liquefaction process and compression of the resultant low-BTU gas into high-pressure gas transportation systems. Please see the appendix for engine specifications and the staging of the compressors. Below is a brief history of the Roberts Ranch Plant and the units: • Plant was built in the mid-1950’s by Cities Service Oil Company • GMVH units were installed at Roberts Ranch in 1967 • Cities Services acquired by Occidental Petroleum in 1982 • Duke Energy Field Services (later DCP Midstream) acquired plant in 1998 from Dynegy • Plant was shut down in 2005 • Restarted in 2010 after complete overhauls including a “lean-burn” modification with jet cells and upgrade to turbocharger controls SYSTEM INSTALLATION DCP Midstream decided to install the system due to high maintenance costs and significant downtime. These were the results of chronic out-of-balance conditions resulting in repeated head and power cylinder failures on multiple units on multiple cylinders. Manual balancing was done on average once per month due to low availability of qualified personnel with the proper equipment. In addition, DCP Midstream wanted to lower emissions on these units from 3.0 g/bhp-hr to 2.0 g/bhp-hr and reduce the frequency of detonations. This was not achievable with the current balancing methodology. Prior to the installation, all three units would regularly detonate, especially when it was a hot day. The system installation was performed by a team of DCP Midstream station personnel, Windrock personnel and an electrical subcontractor. Power cylinder pressure sensors were installed on each of the power cylinders using dual-port indicator valves. Figure 1 shows an example of one of the online pressure sensors installed on an indicator valve. Note that the dual- port indicator valve continues to allow a portable analyzer pressure sensor to be connected for additional diagnostics. In addition, a reference sensor can be connected to the indicator connection to support online calibration of the online sensor. Figure 1 - Power cylinder pressure sensor The manual fuel balancing valves were replaced with stepper-motor controlled balance valves (Figure 2). Note that no modifications were necessary to the fuel system or the mechanical jet cells. Figure 2 - Original manual balance valve (left) and AutoBalance valve (right) On the compressor cylinders, pressure sensors were installed on the head-end and crank-end of each throw using dual-ported indicator valves again (Figure 3). Figure 3 - Compressor pressure sensor Accelerometers were installed on the crossheads for each compressor throw as well as on each end of the engine frame (Figure 4) Figure 4 - Accelerometer on crosshead Finally, magnetic pickups were installed at the flywheel to provide speed and phase information for the AutoBalance and monitoring system (Figure 5). Figure 5 - Magnetic pickup installed at flywheel Cabling for all of the sensors installed on the engines were routed through conduit (Figure 6) and run to the control panels installed on the compressor deck (Figure 7). Figure 6 - Conduit fittings for engine pressure and AutoBalance valve Figure 7 - Platinum cabinet control panel installed on compressor deck CONTROL & MONITORING CAPABILITIES (POWER CYLINDERS) The engine/compressor monitoring system monitors the power cylinders’ pressure curves continuously. From the pressure curves, peak firing pressures (PFPs) are identified and communicated to the AutoBalance module. The AutoBalance module uses the PFPs to make adjustments to the fuel valves and control the fuel flow to each power cylinder to continuously balance the engine. Some of the key power cylinder parameters that are trended for maintenance and protection purposes are listed in Table 1. Power Cylinder Parameters Item Description Units 1 AutoBalance valve positions % 2 Fuel flow (from station DCS via MODBUS) MMCFD 3 Fuel heating value BTU/ft 3 4 Mean Peak Firing Pressure (PFP) PSI 5 Compression pressure PSI 6 Mean Peak Firing Angle (PFA) Degrees 7 Standard deviation of PFP PSI 8 Standard deviation of PFA Degrees 9 Percent of poor combustions % 10 Percent of pre -combustion events % 11 Percent over -pressure events % Table 1 - Key power cylinder parameters Figure 8 shows the peak firing pressure trends for a startup for one of the units at Roberts Ranch. Figure 8 - Peak pressure trends for a startup of Unit 12 (GMVH-10) The AutoBalance process was enabled about 30 minutes into the plot in Figure 8. Figures 9, 10 and 11 show the power cylinder pressure curves at the numbered locations in Figure 8. Figure 9 – Power cylinder pressure curves for Time 1 in Figure 8 Figure 10 – Power cylinder pressure curves for Time 2 in Figure 8 Figure 11 – Power cylinder pressure curves for Time 3 in Figure 8 Figures 9, 10 and 11 show the power cylinder pressure curves as the AutoBalance system adjusts the fuel flow to each cylinder in order to balance the PFPs across the engine. The pressure curves shown above are the average of 30 cycles. The number of cycles to average is user configurable. With each of these cycle averages, the online system calculates a number of parameters and statistics that are trended and are valuable for determining the overall quality of the combustion process in each power cylinder. The station operators and mechanics monitor these parameters either through alarms or by reviewing trends over time. On numerous occasions since the system was installed, operators or mechanics have identified power cylinder issues and resolved them quickly and efficiently because of the additional information provided by the monitoring system. Following are a few examples of these events. CASE STUDY #1 The trend of compression pressures for all ten of the power cylinders on Unit 12 are shown (Figure