Posted on 05/31/2013 6:08:32 AM PDT by thackney
Another technology for the ChiComs to steal.....
This is using old engines. Not exactly a breakthrough of technology. It is just some hardworking folks applying existing technology to a different application.
/johnny
From the article:
But if companies had used field gas
A great BIG IF, not a claim it could.
I don't think old turbine blades are going to last any length of time with water saturated gas, not to mention a some H2S and CO in the stream. No talk of the permitting required for the exhaust of a contaminated fuel source.
Really, really big if, in my opinion.
Very cool — thx for posting it
I’m sure the gas goes through a mesh to remove water and other liquids.
These engines run virtually maintenance free on gas, plus they are surplus.
Water is what is keeping fracking out of the mountain west, and these pumps may be part of a future solution.
I love stories about entrepreneurs, booming markets, all the business opportunities created, novel combinations and uses of technology, people getting wealthy, and new companies starting up to meet unmet needs.
Now what I want to know is why didn’t the government do this? I thought they knew everything and all that is good springs from their insights and “investments.”
It takes a heck of a lot more than some mesh to bring raw gas to pipeline quality de-watering requirements. I've been on the design team for several dehy units. It typically involves running the gas through a large vertical contactor with trays of Ethylene Glycol splashing down many levels with the gas bubbling up. The glycol has to be pumped through a regenerative heater to remove the water from the glycol.
The pressure changes through the turbine blades would otherwise cause droplets of liquid to form that would chew up the blades.
Water is what is keeping fracking out of the mountain west, and these pumps may be part of a future solution.
This doesn't change the water requirements pumped down into the well. It only changes the fuel and engine used to drive the pumps.
Of what material are the turbine buckets? Hastelloy C?
I don’t know the material, but understand the engines they are using were considered at end of life for use in helicopters before this company took them.
My question is “how many hours between overhaul?”
I don’t know what the standard is on turbines, but piston aircraft engines overhaul every few thousand hours.
I have used a lot of New turbine engines for Natural Gas compressor stations. We go to a significant effort to clean up the already “clean” pipeline quality gas used to feed our fuel gas systems.
Turbine Specifc Fuel Consumption ( TSFC ) is way worse than Gas or Diesel Engines, but we also have to compare it to what "work" they are doing.
IMHO they may be way more reliable than Diesels.
Inlet noise filters might be nice, that wine gets old....
Whine?
"Manned Hrs" determined by FAA / DOD, if the Turbines weren't over-soaked with heat on start up and ruined or close to it, Starting it up and running as a ground pounder might be a low risk venture if they can keep the turbine temps in line, if they just keep it running, think steady state.
I am not sure of the materials of the blades, and if you think of it, for a casting house this is a HUGE business opportunity.
The casting houses that make these blades could upgrade to "Single Crystal" or like technology for longevity and not have to got through FAA - DOD approval / flight test. Amazing what you can do when certain entities get the heck out of the way...
This is not a high volume business. I see their success based upon taking relatively low dollar used engines to drive pumps.
Also remember that they are dragged around from job site to job site every few days. The engines will get a lot of “abuse” without even operating.
“The pressure changes through the turbine blades would otherwise cause droplets of liquid to form that would chew up the blades.”
Rain?
Besides, the hot section turbine downstream of the combustion chamber (i.e., where this fuel is introduced) is running around 700 degrees Celsius. Not a lot of water droplets there.
There is a compressor section in the air inlet prior to the ignition chamber.
I’ve worked the installation of a quite a few turbine engines for Natural Gas compressors. The fuel gas specifications is VERY clear of how clean and dry it has to be to meet the warranty.
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