Minimization of Fuel Consumption of Natural Gas Compressor Stations with Similar and Dissimilar Turbo-Compressor Units
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper studies and compares the results of a simple and fast heuristic method, genetic algorithm (GA), and the exhaustive search method (ES) concerning the minimization of fuel consumption of a natural gas compressor station (CS). The results, obtained for an input data set [natural gas flow rate of 150 million standard cubic meters per day (MMSCMD), suction pressure of 5.45 MPa, and discharge pressure of 6.9 MPa], showed that for a CS with similar turbo-compressor (TC) units, all of the applied methods achieved the same solution (fuel consumption rate of ). By contrast, for a CS with dissimilar TC units, the GA and ES methods attained a lower fuel consumption rate () than that obtained by the heuristic method (). The effect of changing the CS flow rate, suction, and discharge pressures on optimal fuel consumption rate was also investigated. In the first case study, a 100 MMSCMD (or 100%) increase in the flow rate, 8.3 bar (or 13%) increase in discharge pressure, and 8.3 bar (or 14%) reduction in the suction pressure of the CS caused the optimal fuel consumption rate to increase by (or 99%), (or 33%), and (or 60%), respectively. In the second case study, for the same changes of flow rate, discharge, and suction pressures mentioned previously, the optimal fuel consumption rate increased by (or 112%), (or 32%), and (or 58%), respectively.
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Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 1 • March 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 16, 2012
Accepted: Mar 25, 2013
Published online: Apr 1, 2013
Published in print: Mar 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Apr 25, 2014
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