Case Study:
Recip Pump on Unstable Condensate
Jason Jakubiak, GM
Peroni Pumps America
Luigi Mascherpa, Technical Mgr.
Peroni Pompe SpA
Presenter/Author Bios
Jason Jakubiak,
[email protected] • General Manager, Peroni Pumps America
• 12 years of rotating equipment experience with
pumps, compressors and turbines
• BS Mechanical Engineering from University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Luigi Mascherpa,
[email protected] • Technical Manager, Peroni Pompe SpA
• 15 years of experience with reciprocating pump units
• PhD Mechanical Engineering from University
Politecnico of Milan
Executive Summary
• Pump Design Conditions
• Sealing/Packing System Design Features
• Sealing/Packing System Failures
• Pump Improvements
• Conclusions and Lessons Learned
Two (2) API 674 Quintuplex Plunger Power Pumps
• Location: Algeria Compression & Reinjection Facility
• Working fluid: Hydrocarbon Condensate, 0.49 SG
• Contaminants: Suspended solids up to 25 microns
• Suction pressure: 280 psia
• Discharge pressure: 6,000 psia
• Process temperature: 157-193°F
• 274 RPM @ 263 Hp
• Plunger average linear speed: 3.2 ft/s
• 65 GPM capacity, continuous duty
Sealing/Packing System Design
• Triple packing arrangement
• Seal oil system using mineral oil at low pressure
• Sealing oil lubricated packings and prevented emissions
• Recovery back to process fluid
A: Inlet Sealing Fluid
B: Outlet Leakage Recovery
Sealing/Packing System Design
Seal oil recovery
back to main
pump suction
Packing System Failure
• Noticed smoke and condensate leakage from the packing area
within 4 hours
• Found braided rings with white and yellow color
• Carbographite coating completely burned away
• Hypothesized that condensate was unstable and created a
vapor condition in the sealing/lubrication fluid
A: Inlet Sealing Fluid
B: Outlet Leakage Recovery
Process Fluid Instability
Vapor Pressure vs. Temperature 800
• Vapor pressure within
800
750 VP [psi-a]
700
operating range 650 VP_butane [psi-a]
• Temperature rose to 201˚F 600
Vapor Pressure VP, [psi-a]
VP_propane [psi-a]
550 500
500
from packing friction 450 400
• Consequent vapor pressure 400
350 285
300
rise…led to cavitation 250
232
200
125
150 85
100 55
25
50
0
40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
Temperature, [°F]
Seal Oil System Problems
Low seal pressure allowed
Process fluid drops migration of process fluid
vaporized in this region into packing
A: Inlet Sealing Fluid
B: Outlet Leakage Recovery
Seal Oil System Modifications
– Changed seal pressure from 70 psig to 7 psid over suction
pressure: eg. 280 psig + 7 psid = 287 psig seal oil pressure
– Created independent system
Packing Material Upgrades
INITIAL NEW
Aramid PTFE yarn Aramid yarn
Graphite PTFE yarn PTFE yarn
PTFE PTFE resin
Silicone oil Parafinic lubricant
Plunger Material Upgrades
INITIAL COATING NEW COATING
HVOF Colmonoy HVOF Tungsten Carbide
750-900 HV 1100-1300 HV
Increase reliability…prevent future problems
Conclusions
• Cavitation = instability…vaporized fluid entered the packing
region of the pump
• Cavitation = instability…vaporized fluid removed lubricants
from packing yarns caused overheating
• Less packing lubrication = increased likelihood of scratches
and damages to the plunger
Lessons Learned – New Parameters
• Avoid cavitation at all costs
• Increase seal oil pressure to reduce risk of vaporization
• Provide packing with additional lubricant features
• Special plunger coating for hydrocarbon condensate services
