JP2013507562A - Submersible compressor device and submersible process fluid transport device equipped with the submersible compressor device - Google Patents

Abstract

  An underwater compressor device (10, 10A) and an underwater process fluid transport device including the underwater compressor device (10, 10A), the underwater compressor device having a housing (100) and a compressor rotor (210). A turbo compressor (200) and a rotary drive unit (300) having a drive rotor (310) are provided, and the turbo compressor (200) and the rotary drive unit (300) are provided in the housing (100). The compressor rotor (210) is rotationally connected to the drive rotor (310), and the housing (100) operates the turbo compressor (200) and the rotary drive unit (300). Except for the connecting portion for watertight sealing, and the compressor Sarota (210) is rotatably supported by the housing (100) by a rolling bearing (410).

Description

  The present invention relates to an underwater compressor device and an underwater process fluid transport device equipped with such an underwater compressor device.

  Non-Patent Document 1 includes a submersible compressor in the form of HOFIM (registered trademark) Sealed (High Speed Oil Free Integrated Motor Compressor) provided by MAN Turbo AG. A device or a subsea compressor device is described.

  FIG. 1 shows such a submersible compressor device 1 ′, which is connected to an electric high-frequency motor 10 ′ as a rotational drive unit and a common rotor shaft 20 ′. Each of the high-frequency motor 10 ′, the rotor shaft 20 ′, and the two turbo-compressors 30 ′ is directly connected to the high-frequency motor 10 ′ in rotational drive. For example, the process fluid inlet 31 ′ and the process fluid outlet 32 ′) and the operation connection for the high-frequency motor 10 ′ (for example, the power supply path 11 ′) are collected in a watertight sealed housing 40 ′. Or it is arranged. The common rotor shaft 20 'is supported in the housing 40' via a plurality of electrically operated magnetic bearings 21 '.

  The submersible compressor apparatus 1 ′ illustrated in FIG. 1 can be used to take in and out a process fluid such as natural gas to and from a process fluid storage such as a temporary storage facility. As temporary storage facilities, for example, so-called cavities can be used, for example cavities of natural gas fields that have been harvested, or tanks placed in the sea or on the sea. The submersible compressor device 1 'can thereby be used suitably for natural gas transport in the open ocean, for example using platforms or ships.

  In the developed natural gas field, the pressure in the borehole always decreases and normal transportation is impossible, so it is almost impossible to fully utilize the gas reserves of such a natural gas field. By using the submersible compressor apparatus 1 'that can increase the pressure after the borehole to a desired value, it is possible to fully utilize the natural gas field that is 300 meters or less below the sea level. Due to the housing 40 ′ of the submersible compressor device 1 ′, which is completely sealed to the outside, the submersible compressor device 1 ′ is intended for direct transport in a submarine borehole, ie for so-called Subsea applications. Become. The submersible compressor device 1 'is submerged for this purpose and is connected to the subsea pipeline and the transport robot.

  As described above, the rotor shaft 20 ′ of the submersible compressor device 1 ′ is rotatably supported in the housing 40 ′ by the electrically driven magnetic bearing 21 ′. At this time, the magnetic bearing 21 ′ has one or a plurality of electronic controls. It is necessary to control by an apparatus (not shown in FIG. 1), and this is described in, for example, Patent Document 1 with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6 or Patent Document 2 with reference to FIG.

  Further details regarding magnetic bearing technology and the use of submersible compressor devices are described in [2].

  MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of 5 years is required for submersible compressors installed on the seabed to compress natural gas. However, magnetic bearings with electronic controls have digital failure behavior. In other words, the entire submersible compressor device is stopped or stopped due to a failure of the magnetic bearing without notice. This means that in the submersible compressor device, it is unexpectedly necessary to lift the submersible compressor device from the seabed with a ship crane, which may take a lot of time for the ship crane. Furthermore, additional costs and damages can occur due to a sudden outage of the submersible compressor device.

International Publication No. 9713986 Specification European Patent Publication No. 1069313

Magazine "MANforum" 01/2007, 24-25 pages, published by MAN Gruppe Zurich University of Technology, R. Schob Lecture 2009 2009 "Theorie und Praxis der Magnetlagertechnik-eine kurze Einfuehrung" von R. Schob von der Eidgenoessischen Technischen Hochschule Zuerich

  The subject of this invention is providing the submersible compressor apparatus which can avoid the sudden function stop of a bearing substantially. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an underwater process fluid transport device equipped with such an underwater compressor device.

  Said subject is solved by the submersible compressor apparatus of Claim 1, or the submersible process fluid transport apparatus of Claim 11. Each development of the invention is defined in the dependent claims.

  A submersible compressor apparatus for compressing a process fluid according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a housing, a turbo compressor having a compressor rotor, and a rotary drive unit having a drive rotor. The rotary drive unit is disposed in the housing, and the compressor rotor is rotationally connected to the drive rotor, and the housing is watertightly sealed except for the operating connection for the turbo compressor and rotary drive unit. The compressor rotor is rotatably supported by a housing by a rolling bearing.

  The rotary drive unit is preferably composed of an electric motor, but can also be composed of a fluid motor or the like, for example.

  In general, a rolling bearing malfunction is slowly announced based on the increase in vibration in each bearing section, so that the digital rotor behaves easily and firmly with the rolling bearing of the compressor rotor of the present invention, and preferably the driving rotor. Is avoided. Therefore, the operator of the submersible compressor device can plan the maintenance window based on the vibration tendency, and can update the submersible compressor device as planned and at an appropriate time before stopping the function.

  Preferably, the rolling bearing comprises at least one, in particular a plurality of ball bearings, roller bearings and / or needle bearings. Such bearings are available as standard parts for a wide load area and can therefore be prepared quickly and inexpensively.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotational drive unit is set so as not to exceed the maximum rotational speed determined for the fatigue strength of the rolling bearing when the compressor rotor is rotationally driven.

  The rotational speed at which the turbo compressor is operated is usually too high for a normal rolling bearing, leading to an early outage of the rolling bearing. In particular, for this reason, the prior art turbocompressors use, for example, magnetic or hydrodynamic bearings that work without contact. However, if the rotational speed of the rotary drive unit is limited to the maximum rotational speed appropriate for the fatigue strength, the fatigue strength can be guaranteed even for the rolling bearing. The speed limit can be achieved, for example, by mechanical and / or electrical precautions, as is known to those skilled in the art.

  In a further embodiment of the present invention, the compressor rotor and the rotary drive unit have a common rotor shaft, through which the compressor rotor and the rotary drive unit are directly rotationally connected to each other. Yes.

  In this way, the number of clutches and gears that can be further function stop sources can be suitably reduced, thereby reducing costs.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the submersible compressor device further comprises a maintenance device, the maintenance device being configured to ensure lubrication and / or cooling of the rolling bearing, Fluids and / or gases are considered as materials for cooling (lubricants and / or coolants).

  Preferably, a rolling stock bearing lubrication and / or cooling material is a methanol / ethanol / glycol mixture, which is injected to prevent hydration from forming in the borehole at the bottom of the water, such as the seabed. Therefore, it exists in large quantities at the bottom of the water.

  For this purpose, the maintenance device is designed so that the rolling bearing lubrication and / or cooling material is supplied to the rolling bearing via the process fluid to be compressed.

  Thereby, the lubrication and / or cooling of the rolling bearing can be ensured in a simple and cost-saving manner, whereby the service life can be further extended.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the turbocompressor is configured to use natural gas as the process fluid to be compressed.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the submersible compressor device further comprises a vibration monitoring unit, which is configured to monitor the amplitude and / or frequency of vibrations in the rolling bearing.

  The vibration monitoring unit can then have one or more vibration sensors, for example in one or all bearing parts. Preferably, the vibration monitoring unit is further configured to transmit monitoring data representative of vibration amplitude and / or frequency to a location on the water remote from the submersible compressor device. This can be achieved for example via cable connection or ultrasound.

  Such a water position remote from the submersible compressor device can be, for example, a corresponding receiver provided on the ship, on the transport platform, or on the shore of the body of water.

  That is, according to the present invention, an underwater compressor device or a subsea compressor unit having a rolling bearing is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a turbo compressor of an underwater compressor device having a rolling bearing is operated. In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotor of the turbo compressor is held by a rolling bearing. In embodiments of the present invention, the rolling bearing is comprised of a ball of suitable material, a roller (cylindrical or spherical), a needle or other rolling element. In one embodiment of the invention, the rolling element is lubricated / cooled with fluid and / or gas. In one embodiment of the invention, bearing monitoring is performed.

  In a second aspect of the present invention, an underwater process fluid transport device is provided, the underwater process fluid transport device being a submersible compressor device according to a possible combination of one, a plurality, or all of the preceding embodiments of the present invention, And a process fluid source fluidly connected to a process fluid inlet of the turbo compressor of the submersible compressor device via a supply pipe so that the process fluid can be supplied from the process fluid source to the turbo compressor, and A process fluid reservoir, which is fluidly connected to the process fluid outlet of the turbo compressor of the submersible compressor device via a discharge pipe so that the process fluid compressed from the turbo compressor can be supplied to the process fluid reservoir. At least a process fluid reservoir Body source and underwater compressor unit is disposed below the water surface of the water body.

  The water mass referred to in the present invention may be, for example, the sea or ocean, lake, river or canal. When the water mass is the sea or ocean, the water surface is the sea surface.

  Desirably, the submersible compressor device is disposed on the bottom of the sea such as the sea bottom.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the process fluid reservoir has a storage space for containing the compressed process fluid.

  In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the process fluid reservoir is located below the surface of the water mass.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the process fluid reservoir is constituted by a cavity.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the process fluid reservoir is located above the surface of the water mass.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the process fluid reservoir is formed by a ship or a transport platform.

  In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the process fluid source is comprised of a bottom borehole, such as the seabed. Of course, the process fluid source could consist of any other suitable storage vessel, for example a tank located at the bottom of the water.

  In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the process fluid is comprised of natural gas.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the material for lubrication and / or cooling of the rolling bearings of the turbo compressor of the submersible compressor device consists of a methanol / ethanol / glycol mixture injected into the process fluid at the process fluid source. Is done.

It is a perspective view of the submerged compressor device by a prior art, and one part is developed. It is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section of an underwater compressor device in one embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section of an underwater compressor device in still another embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed typically the underwater process fluid transport apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a submersible compressor apparatus 10 for compressing a process fluid, eg, natural gas, in one embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the submersible compressor device 10 is configured in the form of a housing 100, two centrifugal turbocompressors 200 each having one compressor rotor 210, and an electric motor, And a rotary drive unit 300 having a drive stator 320.

  Both turbo compressors 200, 200 and the rotary drive unit 300 are arranged in the housing 100. Both compressor rotors 210 and 210 and the drive rotor 310 are directly connected to each other via a common rotor shaft 400 so as to be able to be driven to rotate.

  Depending on the desired enrichment or compression or scheduled compression task, the user can connect both turbo compressors 200, 200 of the submersible compressor device 10 in tandem with the process technology, i.e. in sequence, or in the process. It can be operated technically in parallel or individually.

  The housing 100 is an operation connection for the turbo compressors 200 and 200 and the rotary drive unit 300 (not shown in FIG. 2, but the process fluid inlet 31 ′, the process fluid outlet 32 ′ and the power supply path 11 of FIG. (See ') and is sealed watertight.

  Desirably, the integrally formed common rotor shaft 400 is supported in the housing 100 so as to be rotatable via a rolling bearing, so that the compressor rotors 210 and 210 disposed on the rotor shaft 400 and the rotor shaft are supported. A drive rotor 310 disposed on 400 is also supported in the housing 100 in a rotatable state via a rolling bearing.

  In this embodiment of the present invention, the rolling bearing device has four cylindrical roller bearings 410. The rotor shaft 400 obtains necessary support in the radial direction and the axial direction in the housing 100 by the four cylindrical roller bearings 410. Needless to say, in a plurality of embodiments of the present invention (not shown), one or a plurality of radial rolling bearings (such as radial deep groove ball bearings) are provided, and additionally one or a plurality of axial rolling bearings (axial deep groove balls). In some cases, a bearing is provided.

  Further, the submersible compressor apparatus 10 includes a rotation speed control device 330 for the rotation drive unit 300, and the rotation speed control device 330 rotates the compressor rotors 210 and 210 while rotating the compressor rotors 210 and 210. The maximum rotational speed determined for fatigue strength is not exceeded.

  Since the rotation control device is composed of various shapes, for example, a frequency converter, a corresponding winding configuration (eg number of poles) or a mechanical rotation speed limiter, FIG. Only shown.

  The submersible compressor device 10 further has a maintenance device, and the maintenance device is set so as to reliably lubricate and cool the rolling bearing. At that time, as a material for lubrication and cooling of the rolling bearing, methanol, ethanol, A glycol mixture is considered, which is fed to the rolling bearing via a process fluid to be compressed, here for example natural gas. In other words, in this embodiment of the present invention, the maintenance unit is realized by not providing a sealing system in the submersible compressor device 10 so that the process fluid containing the material flows around the rolling bearing, thereby enabling lubrication and cooling. The

  The submersible compressor device 10 further includes a vibration monitoring unit 500, which is set to monitor the amplitude and frequency of vibration in the rolling bearing. More specifically, the vibration monitoring unit 500 has one vibration sensor 510 for each cylindrical roller bearing 410, and each vibration sensor 510 is signal-connected to the evaluation / transmission unit 520.

  The evaluation / transmission unit 520 is set so as to transmit monitoring data representing the amplitude and frequency of vibration to the water position (see, for example, FIG. 4) away from the submersible compressor device 10 via the ultrasonic transmitter 521. Has been.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows a longitudinal section of a submersible compressor apparatus 10A for compressing a process fluid, here for example natural gas, in a further embodiment of the invention.

  The embodiment of the submersible compressor apparatus 10A shown in FIG. 3 is the same as the embodiment of the submersible compressor apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 except for some differences described below. Therefore, only the differences will be described below, and the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components.

  Unlike FIG. 2, the submersible compressor apparatus 10 </ b> A of FIG. 3 has only one turbo compressor 200. Further, the rolling bearing has only three cylindrical roller bearings 410. As a result, the submersible compressor apparatus 10A in FIG. 3 is somewhat shorter than the submersible compressor apparatus 10 in FIG.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows an underwater process fluid transport apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  The underwater process fluid transport device 1 includes the underwater compressor devices 10 and 10A and the process fluid source 20 shown in FIG. 2 or 3, and the process fluid can be supplied from the process fluid source 20 to the turbo compressor 200. The fluid source 20 is fluidly connected via a supply pipe 30 to the process fluid inlet 220 of the first turbo compressor 200 in the submersible compressor device 10, 10 </ b> A or process.

  The underwater process fluid transport apparatus 1 further includes a process fluid storage 50, which discharges the process fluid compressed from the turbo compressor 200 so that the process fluid can be supplied to the process fluid storage 50. Via the pipe 40, it is fluidly connected to the process fluid outlet 230 of the last turbo compressor 200 in the submersible compressor device 10, 10A or process.

  As shown in FIG. 4, at least the process fluid source 20 and the submersible compressor devices 10, 10 </ b> A are disposed below the water surface 71 of the water mass 70.

  The process fluid reservoir 50 has storage spaces 52, 54, 56 for containing compressed process fluid.

  In the first variation illustrated in FIG. 4, the process fluid storage 50 is disposed below the water surface 71 of the water mass 70, and the process fluid storage 50 includes the cavity 51 formed in the water bottom 72, or the water bottom. The storage tank 53 is provided.

  In the second variation illustrated in FIG. 4, the process fluid reservoir 50 is disposed above the water surface 71 of the water mass 70, and the process fluid reservoir 50 is provided by a vessel 55 (or a transport platform not shown). Is formed.

  When the process fluid storage unit 50 is constituted by a ship 55, the ship 55 can have an ultrasonic receiver 57 as illustrated in FIG. 4, and the ultrasonic receiver 57 is connected to the submersible compressor device 10. The monitoring data transmitted from the 10A ultrasonic transmitter 521 can be received and transmitted to the ship evaluation device (not shown). Of course, even when the process fluid reservoir 50 is not constituted by the ship 55, for example, a corresponding ultrasonic receiver 57 can be provided in a separate monitoring ship.

  The process fluid source 20 is constituted by a borehole in the water bottom 72, and natural gas is transported from the borehole as a process fluid.

  A methanol / ethanol / glycol mixture used as a material for lubrication and cooling of the rolling bearings of the submersible compressor device 10, 10 </ b> A disposed at the bottom 72 is injected into the process fluid at the process fluid source 20 during transport operation. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 'Submersible compressor apparatus 10' High frequency motor 11 'Power supply path 20' Rotor shaft 21 'Magnetic bearing 30' Turbo compressor 31 'Process fluid inlet 32' Process fluid outlet 40 'Housing 1 Underwater process fluid transport apparatus 10 Underwater compressor apparatus 10A Submersible compressor device 20 Process fluid source 30 Supply pipe 40 Discharge pipe 50 Process fluid storage section 51 Cavity 52 Storage space 53 Storage tank 54 Storage space 55 Ship 56 Storage space 57 Ultrasonic receiver 70 Water mass 71 Water surface 72 Water bottom 100 Housing 200 Turbo Compressor 210 Compressor rotor 220 Process fluid inlet 230 Process fluid outlet 300 Rotation drive unit 310 Drive rotor 320 Drive stator 330 Rotational speed control device 400 Rotor shaft 410 yen Cylindrical roller bearing 500 Vibration monitoring unit 510 Vibration sensor 520 Evaluation / transmission unit 521 Ultrasonic transmitter

Claims (19)

A submersible compressor device (10, 10A) for compressing a process fluid comprising:
In a submersible compressor device (10, 10A) having a housing (100), a turbo compressor (200) having a compressor rotor (210), and a rotary drive unit (300) having a drive rotor (310) ,
The turbo compressor (200) and the rotary drive unit (300) are disposed in the housing (100), and the compressor rotor (210) is rotationally connected to the drive rotor (310);
The housing (100) is watertightly sealed; and
The submersible compressor apparatus, wherein the compressor rotor (210) is rotatably supported in the housing (100) by a rolling bearing.   The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rolling bearing comprises at least one, in particular a plurality of ball bearings, roller bearings (410) and / or needle bearings. ).   The rotational drive unit (300) is set so as not to exceed a maximum rotational speed determined for fatigue strength of the rolling bearing in rotational drive of the compressor rotor (210). Item 3. The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to item 1 or 2.   The compressor rotor (210) and the rotary drive unit (300) have a common rotor shaft (400), and the compressor rotor (210) and the drive rotor ( The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that 310) are directly rotationally connected to each other.   5. The submersible compressor device (10, 10 </ b> A) according to claim 1, further comprising a maintenance device configured to reliably lubricate and / or cool the rolling bearing. In the submersible compressor apparatus (10, 10A), a fluid and / or gas is considered as a material for lubricating and / or cooling the rolling bearing.   The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to claim 5, characterized in that a mixture of methanol, ethanol and glycol is considered as a material for lubrication and / or cooling of the rolling bearing.   The maintenance device is set so that the material for lubrication and / or cooling of the rolling bearing is supplied to the rolling bearing via the process fluid to be compressed. The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to 5 or 6.   The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the turbo compressor (200) is set to use natural gas as a process fluid to be compressed. ).   9. The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a vibration monitoring unit configured to monitor the amplitude and / or frequency of vibration in the rolling bearing. (500) It has a submersible compressor apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.   The vibration monitoring unit (500) is further configured to transmit monitoring data representing the amplitude and / or frequency of the vibration to a water position remote from the submersible compressor device (10, 10A). The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to claim 9. An underwater process fluid transport device (1) comprising:
The submersible compressor device (10, 10A) according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A process fluid source (20), wherein the process fluid source (20) is fluidly connected to a process fluid inlet (220) of the turbo compressor (200) of the submersible compressor unit (10, 10A), A process fluid source (20) capable of supplying process fluid from the process fluid source (20) to the turbo compressor (200); and
A process fluid reservoir (50), the process fluid reservoir (50) via a discharge pipe (40), the process fluid outlet (230) of the turbo compressor (200) of the submersible compressor device (10, 10A) A process fluid reservoir (50) capable of supplying compressed process fluid from the turbocompressor (200) to the process fluid reservoir (50).
In an underwater process fluid transport device (1) having
At least the process fluid source (20) and the submersible compressor device (10, 10A) are disposed below the water surface (71) of the water mass (70), and an underwater process fluid transport device.   12. The underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the process fluid reservoir (50) has a storage space (52, 54, 56) for containing a compressed process fluid. ).   The underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the process fluid reservoir (50) is arranged below the water surface (71) of the water mass (70). ).   14. The underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the process fluid reservoir (50) is constituted by a cavity (51).   13. An underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the process fluid reservoir (50) is arranged above the water surface (71) of the water mass (70). .   16. An underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the process fluid reservoir (50) comprises a ship (55) or a transport platform.   17. An underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the process fluid source (20) consists of a borehole in the water bottom (72).   The underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the process fluid is composed of natural gas.   A material for lubricating and / or cooling a rolling bearing of the turbo compressor (200) of the submersible compressor device (10, 10A) is injected into the process fluid in the process fluid source (20). The underwater process fluid transport device (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 18, characterized in that it is formed of a glycol mixture.

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