Analysis of a high-pressure screw compressor performances

Abstract

Oil flooded screw compressors with discharge pressures of up to 26 bar have been available, commercially for some years. However, demands for higher pressure operation led to the design, construction and testing of a compressor operating with discharge pressures of up to 45 bar. To maximize the compressor efficiency, extensive performance simulations were carried out. Since 1980 oil flooded screw compressors have been used in many process gas compression applications and in the last year the higher pressure and larger capacity was realized. From 2010 to 2015 INCDT COMOTI manufactured screw compressors under GHH-Rand license (CU type, with max. delivery pressure 26 bar). Experience gain in this process gives us the power to develop the new type of screw compressors - based on license - with high delivery pressure - max. 45 bar. This paper will present details about the tests with a new high pressure screw compressor test in a closed loop test configuration. The machine was then tested in a closed loop test rig and, as is shown, the measured performance agrees well with that predicted by the numerical model. The parameters will be analysed starting from CFD modelling of the process and finally comparative analysis with actual parameters. The demonstrated advantages of this type of compressor, like high reliability, simple foundations, low operational cost, low initial cost, suitability for process fluctuation - gas pressure, gas composition - led to a significant demand for such compressors.