Solution

OmegaLand Educator Compressor Simulator

Users can learn unit operations efficiently.
Aim of Compressor Simulator

The purpose of this simulator is to learn about chemical engineering principles and the basis of operation of the gas compression process based on a centrifugal compressor and the ancillary equipment used in an ethylene plant.
Using this simulator will enable learning about:

  • Methods of aerodynamic performance concepts and analysis of operating data of the centrifugal compressor
  • The surge mechanism of the centrifugal compressor and how to avoid this
  • Points of operation when changing operating conditions
Target Process

The vapor-liquid separation of ethylene cracked gas is performed in a flash drum and the vapor is fed to a compressor. The compressed gas is separated by vapor-liquid separation in a knock-down drum. Part of the compressed gas is returned to the feed line for minimum flow control. Heat exchange is performed between the compressed gas and propylene liquid, and the gas is sent to the next process. In the knock-down drum, the oil-water separation of the liquid phase is performed. The aqueous layer is discharged to the outside of the system, and the oil layer is returned to the line where the cracked gas is fed. It is also possible to feed nitrogen gas instead of cracked gas.

Exercise Contents
  • From the operating conditions, calculate the current air flow rate, the polytropic head, and the shaft power.
  • From the performance curve, find the surge point for the current rotational speed.
  • Change parameters such as suction pressure and temperature to examine how operating conditions such as shaft power and discharge temperature change.
  • Check the impact of operating conditions on the shaft power, and examine how to reduce the shaft power.
  • Perform startups with the cracked gas and with the nitrogen gas, and compare the changes in the operating conditions due to the different feed gases.
  • Generate surge, and perform the operations to recover from the surging conditions.

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