Compressor train arrangements

Abstract

An LNG refrigerant compressor train (1) is disclosed. The train comprises: a driver section (11), drivingly coupled to a compressor section (13) through a shaft line (1). The compressor section is comprised of at least one refrigerant fluid compressor, driven into rotation by the driver section (11).

1 . An LNG refrigerant compressor train comprising: a driver section, drivingly coupled to a compressor section through a shaft line, wherein the compressor section is comprised of at least one refrigerant fluid compressor, driven into rotation by said driver section. 
     
     
         2 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the driver section comprises at least one of the following: an internal combustion engine; a gas turbine engine; an electric motor, a steam turbine; a reciprocating gas engine. 
     
     
         3 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the driver section comprises a gas turbine engine selected from the group consisting of: a 1-spool gas turbine; a 1.5-spool gas turbine; a 2-spool gas turbine; a 3-spool gas turbine. 
     
     
         4 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the driver section comprises an electric motor having a constant speed, or an electric motor having a variable speed. 
     
     
         5 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor section comprises at least one refrigerant compressor and preferably less than five refrigerant compressors, drivingly coupled to the driver section. 
     
     
         6 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor section comprises at least one dynamic compressor or one positive-displacement compressor. 
     
     
         7 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor section comprises one or more of the following:
 a single stage beam type centrifugal compressor;   a single stage overhung type centrifugal compressor;   a multi-stage straight-through centrifugal compressor;   a multi-stage back-to-back centrifugal compressor;   a multi-stage double-flow centrifugal compressor;   a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with side streams and/or extractions;   an integrally-geared centrifugal compressor;   a straight-through axial compressor;   an axial compressor with side stream/s and/or extractions;   an axial/radial compressor.   
     
     
         8 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one auxiliary machine driven by the driver section and mechanically coupled to at least one compressor of the compressor section, wherein the auxiliary machine comprises one or more of the following:
 an electric generator;   an electric or steam helper;   an electric or steam starter;   an electric or steam starter-helper;   an electric or steam electric starter-helper-generator;   a further compressor.   
     
     
         9 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the driver section comprises at least one internal combustion engine, and wherein a waste heat recovery heat exchanger is arranged to recover heat from combustion gas discharged from said internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         10 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft line comprises one or more of the following: a rigid joint, a flexible joint, a clutch, a speed manipulation device, or a combination thereof, arranged between two or more pairs of sequentially arranged rotating machines along said shaft line. 
     
     
         11 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said compressors is selected from the group consisting of: a vertically split compressor, a horizontally split compressor; and wherein if more than one compressor is present in the train, each compressor can independently be a horizontally split compressor or a vertically split compressor. 
     
     
         12 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the driver section comprises a 1-spool gas turbine or a 2-spool gas turbine or a 3-spool gas turbine, and wherein at last one refrigerant fluid compressor of the compressor section is connected to the hot end or to the cold end of the driver section. 
     
     
         13 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the driver section comprises a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine comprising at least one of an inlet chiller, arranged at the inlet of the gas turbine engine, and an intercooler between two sequentially arranged air compressor sections of the gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         14 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein at least one rotary machine of the driver section and/or of the compressor section comprises at least one bearing selected from the group consisting of: hydrodynamic bearings, hydrostatic bearings, magnetic bearings, rolling bearings, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of a turbomachine of the driver section and a turbomachine of the compressor section comprises guide vanes. 
     
     
         16 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor section comprises at least two refrigerant fluid compressors arranged in a common casing. 
     
     
         17 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , comprising a combination of rotating machines arranged according to any configuration generated by the flow chart of  FIG. 32 . 
     
     
         18 . The LNG refrigerant compressor train of  claim 1 , comprising at least an HPRC compressor. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising at least one LNG compressor train according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one refrigerant compressor thereof is fluidly coupled to a heat exchange arrangement, in heat exchange relationship with at least one of a natural gas flow and a refrigerant fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , comprising at least two and preferably less than 7 compressor trains. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19  or  20 , configured as an on-shore or as an off-shore system. 
     
     
         22 . An LNG plant, comprising at least one system and preferably less than six systems according to  claim 19 .