Performance Study on a Single-Screw Expander for a Small-Scale Pressure Recovery System

Guoqiang Li, Yuting Wu, Yeqiang Zhang, Ruiping Zhi, Jingfu Wang and Chongfang Ma
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Guoqiang Li: Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing Municipality, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Yuting Wu: Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing Municipality, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Yeqiang Zhang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, No. 5 Dongfeng Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Ruiping Zhi: Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing Municipality, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Jingfu Wang: Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing Municipality, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Chongfang Ma: Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion, Beijing Municipality, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

Energies, 2016, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: A single-screw expander with 195 mm diameter is developed to recover pressure energy in letdown stations. An experiment system is established using compressed air as a working fluid instead of natural gas. Experiments are conducted via measurements for important parameters, such as inlet and outlet temperature and pressure, volume flow rate and power output. The influence of inlet pressure and rotational speed on the performance are also analyzed. Results indicate that the single-screw expander achieved good output characteristics, in which 2800 rpm is considered the best working speed. The maximum volumetric efficiency, isentropic efficiency, overall efficiency, and the lowest air-consumption are 51.1 kW, 83.5%, 66.4%, 62.2%, and 44.1 kg/(kW·h), respectively. If a single-screw expander is adopted in a pressure energy recovery system applied in a certain domestic natural gas letdown station, the isentropic efficiency of the single-screw expander and overall efficiency of the system are found to be 66.4% and 62.2%, respectively. Then the system performances are predicted, in which the lowest methane consumption is 27.3 kg/(kW·h). The installed capacity is estimated as 204.7 kW, and the annual power generation is 43.3 MWh. In the next stage, a pressure energy recovery demonstration project that recycles natural gas will be established within China, with the single-screw expander serving as the power machine.

Keywords: natural gas; pressure energy recovery; single-screw expander (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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