BIOGAS COMPRESSOR
5.0 INTRODUCTION
Compressors are important in various industries by moving fluids, specifically gases, through mechanical
compression. Given the various types of compressors available, choosing the right one is essential to meet
the unique needs of different industries. There are many parameters to be considered; volumetric flow
rate, sizing theory, formulations for the compressor design and the valid standards to be used.
The purpose of this compressor is to transfer the raw biogas from the anaerobic digester to the scrubber
while compressing the gas from atmospheric pressure (1 atm) to a pressure of 10 atm suitable for
scrubbing.
It is expected to operate year round (expect for the downtime stated in Chapter 3). It will receive raw
biogas at 7.606m3 per second
5.1 DETAILS OF GAS BEING HANDLED
Gas being handled: Raw Biogas
Suction Pressure PS: 1 atm, 1.01325 bar, 14.6959 psia, 101325 pascal
Discharge Pressure PD: 10 atm, 10.1325 bar, 146.959 psia, 1013250 pascal
Site Elevation: (Local Barometric Pressure)
Suction Temp: 25°C or 298K
Capacity: capacity is stated as volume it will occupy at suction; expressed in inlet cubic feet per minute
(ICFM) or inlet cubic meter per hour (IM3/hr)
Suction Volume = 7.606 m3/s
= 7.606 m3 /s* 3600 s / hr
= 27,381.6 m3 /hr or 27,381.6 IM3/ hr
The compressor will be designed for safety reasons to handle a volume 10 % higher than the expected
Therefore, the size of compressor = 30119.76 IM3/hr
Components of Molecular Moles Critical Critical “n”
Biogas Weight Pressure Temperature
CH4 16.04 186.91 45.79 -82.3 1.32
CO2 44.01 102.68 72.8 31.04 1.28
H2O 18.015 16.99 217.715 373.946 1.33
H2S 34.082 6.07 88.5 100.2 1.32
O2 31.999 6.81 49.8 -118.6 1.40
N2 28.02 3.25 33.5 -146.9 1.40
MW (C P )
“n” value = , Assuming the highest ratio n = 1.40
MW ( C P ) −1.99
5.2 COMPRESSOR TYPE
Compressors generally fall into two categories: reciprocating compressor and centrifugal compressor.
Based on calculations of this compressor, Discharge Pressure PD: 10.1325 bar, Flowrate = 3.012 × 104
Im3/hr and below graph; this compressor is a centrifugal compressor.
A centrifugal compressor, a type of dynamic compressor, compresses gas through inertial forces by
accelerating, decelerating, and turning the gas using rotating impellers. These compressors can consist of
one or multiple stages, with each stage comprising a rotating impeller and a stationary diffuser.
5.3 COMPRESSOR SIZING AND SELECTION
Compression Ratio (R)
Compression ratio (R) is the ratio of discharge pressure to suction pressure:
R = Pd/Ps ( Pd and Ps must be "absolute" values)
R = 10 atm/1 atm = 10
Determination of number of stage of compressor
The choice of the proper number of compression stages is largely based on the compression ratio.
For R value of 10-15, the ideal compressor is usually two stage, occasionally three-stage
Calculating the discharge temperature (Td)
The compressor's discharge temperature directly affects the life of the piston rings and valves.
Td = Ts (Pd/Ps) (n-1)/n = Ts R (n-1)/n
where Ts, Suction temperature (°K)
Ps, Suction pressure (atm)
Pd, Discharge pressure (atm)
R, Compression Ratio (Pd/Ps)
n, specific heat ratio of the gas.
Td = 298 × 100.2857 = 298(1.93)
Td = 575.35K = 302.35°C
Volume Efficiency, VE%
Volumetric efficiency is the ratio of the amount of gas compressed versus the physical size of the
compressor's cylinder volume.
For Two-stage compressors, VE% = 89 - R - 7.8(R1/2n - 1)
VE% = 89 – 10 – 7.8(101/2.8-1)
VE% = 69.05%
Piston Displacement (PD)
Piston displacement (PD) is a measure of the compressor's size and is dependent on the size, number and
type of cylinders, and compressor RPM.
Required piston displacement(PDR) is a calculated number that will determine how large a compressor
will be required to handle the specified capacity.
PDR = (Im3/hr) / VE
PDR = 30119.76/ 0.6905
PDR = 43620.22 m3/hr required
Compressor Size
The number of stage of the compressor and the calculation of required piston displacement have been
made, the compressor can be sized. For a single-stage compressor with a Piston Displacement of
43620.22m3/hr. From literature, it can be seen that a size 612 compressor will work.
Minimum RPM Required
Two stage compressor 91.2m3/hr = 11.1m3 per 100RPM (from literature)
Two stage compressor 43620.22m3/hr = X
By interpolation,
X = 5309.04 m3 per 100RPM
With the compressor model and required piston displacement known, the minimum RPM required can be
calculated.
RPMmin = 100 PDR / PD100
PDR, Required Piston Displacement
PD100, Piston Displacement per 100 RPM
3
43620.22m /hr
RPM = 100 × ( )
5309.04 m/100 RPM
RPM = 821.62RPMminimum
Actual RPM (RPM)
To determine the actual RPM, using the sheave and V-belt selection tables, the speed RPM slightly above
the minimum RPM required just calculated is selected, the next higher available speed is 850RPM
Compressor’s actual piston displacement(PD)
After determining the compressor's actual speed, the actual piston displacement can be calculated.
PD = RPM * (PD100) / 100
PD = 850RPM × (5309.04 m3) /100
PD = 45126.84 m3/ hr
Power Required
Two-Stage Models BHP = 0.00528 (2n/n-1) (Ps) (PD) (R(n-1)/2n-1)
2.8 1.4 −1
BHP = 0.00528 × ( ¿× (1) × (45126.84) × (10 2.8 −1¿
1.4−1
BHP = 0.00528 × 7 × 1 × 45126.84 × 0.3895
BHP = 649.64