80 engineering guides for compressor design, equipment sizing, and process engineering
Compressor horsepower calculations: adiabatic, polytropic methods, efficiency factors, and staging per GPSA, API 617, and ASME PTC-10.
Compressor sizing fundamentals: polytropic head, power calculations, efficiency conversions, and selection per GPSA Section 13 and API 617/618/619.
Centrifugal vs reciprocating compressor selection guide. Compare pressure limits, flow capacity, turndown, reliability, and cost factors.
Learn compressor thermodynamics: polytropic vs isentropic processes, enthalpy, entropy, equations of state, and real gas effects in centrifugal compressors.
Learn about gas properties critical for compressor calculations: compressibility factor (Z), specific heat ratio (k), molecular weight, and equations of state.
Compressor flow unit conversions: ACFM, SCFM, MMSCFD, ICFM relationships, standard conditions, and actual vs standard flow calculations per GPSA and API 617.
Compressor fuel gas fundamentals: driver fuel consumption for gas engines and turbines, heat rate calculations, altitude derating, and RICE MACT compliance.
Reciprocating compressor capacity control methods: suction valve unloaders, clearance pockets, speed control, and bypass. Compare efficiency and power savings.
Screw compressor fundamentals: oil-flooded vs dry design, API 619 requirements, rotor profiles, discharge temperature, power calculations, and gas gathering applications.
Stabilizer overhead vapor compression: compressor selection, suction scrubber design, discharge cooling, vapor recovery economics, and condensate stabilizer integration.
Vibration analysis for rotating equipment: ISO 10816 severity zones, API 617/618 compliance, bearing defect frequencies, balance quality, and diagnostic techniques.
Compressor foundation design fundamentals: block sizing, anchor bolts, grouting, soil analysis, and vibration control per industry best practices and ACI 351.3R.
Centrifugal compressor discharge temperature prediction: polytropic vs isentropic methods, material and seal temperature limits, and intercooling design.
Centrifugal compressor efficiency: polytropic vs isentropic methods, Schultz correction, efficiency curves, and typical ranges by compressor type.
Centrifugal compressor performance map fundamentals: speed lines, surge line, stonewall, fan laws, and operating envelope analysis per API 617.
Learn to read and interpret centrifugal compressor performance maps including head-flow curves, speed lines, surge limits, and operating envelopes per API 617.
Polytropic head calculation fundamentals: Schultz method, gas property effects, multi-stage analysis, and ASME PTC-10 performance testing for centrifugal compressors.
Centrifugal compressor surge and choke phenomena, causes, consequences, detection methods, and anti-surge control system design per API 617.
Centrifugal compressor surge margin fundamentals: surge phenomena, anti-surge control systems, recycle valve sizing, and API 617 requirements for safe operation.
Centrifugal compressor tuyere nozzle design: inlet guide vanes, flow coefficients, nozzle loss modeling, and velocity triangle analysis per API 617.
Reciprocating compressor theory: compression cycle, piston motion, TDC/BDC events, suction and discharge processes, and thermodynamic principles.
Reciprocating compressor construction and components: frame, crankcase, crosshead, distance piece, cylinders, pistons, piston rods, valves, and packing systems.
Reciprocating compressor performance analysis: P-V diagrams, indicator cards, volumetric efficiency, rod load calculations, and troubleshooting techniques.
Reciprocating compressor sizing: industry-standard methodology for preliminary sizing, stage determination, power estimation, and cylinder selection.
Reciprocating compressor sizing methodology: cylinder selection, bore and stroke, clearance pockets, valve losses, capacity matching, and frame selection per API 618.
Compression ratio fundamentals: single-stage vs multi-stage design, equal ratio rule, temperature limits, interstage cooling, and staging optimization.
Reciprocating compressor discharge temperature: adiabatic process, k-value effects, intercooling requirements, and temperature limits per GPSA and API 618.
PV diagram fundamentals: theoretical vs actual indicator cards, valve losses, clearance re-expansion, and performance diagnostics per GPSA.
Rod load analysis: gas loads, inertia forces, combined rod load diagrams, API 618 limits, and crosshead pin reversal requirements.
Volumetric efficiency: clearance re-expansion, valve losses, ring leakage, capacity control effects, and field measurement per GPSA and API 618.
HP per MMSCFD estimation: rules of thumb, compression ratio effects, gas property impacts, and multi-stage power calculations per GPSA.
Reciprocating compressor capacity control: clearance pockets, suction valve unloaders, speed variation, bypass control, and load step optimization.
Reciprocating compressor engineering calculations: rod load formulas, pulsation analysis, HP estimation, temperature rise, and practical rules of thumb.
Pulsation analysis: pulsation bottles, dampeners, acoustic resonance, API 618 requirements, and vibration control for reciprocating compressors.
Pulsation dampener bottle sizing: acoustic filter design, API 618 approach levels, volume-choke-volume sizing, and acoustic resonance analysis.
Pulsation analysis: acoustic frequency calculation, API 618 approach levels 1-3, piping acoustic resonance, and digital simulation methods.
Anchor bolt design for compressor foundations: tension and shear load analysis, embedment depth, bolt patterns, and compliance with ACI 318 Appendix D.
Block foundation sizing for compressors per ACI 351.3R: mass ratio rules, center of gravity analysis, eccentricity limits, and reinforcement detailing.
Foundation depth determination: frost depth, bearing stratum identification, soil investigation requirements, and overturning stability analysis.
Foundation grout volume: epoxy vs cementitious grout selection, pour planning, temperature limits, and volume calculations for compressor foundations.
Foundation mass ratio: ACI 351.3R guidelines, dynamic amplification factors, and concrete-to-machine weight ratios for reciprocating and centrifugal compressors.
Foundation natural frequency: soil spring calculations, resonance avoidance, 6-DOF frequency analysis, and sub-critical vs super-critical design.
Soil bearing capacity: allowable bearing pressure, settlement analysis, Terzaghi bearing capacity, and geotechnical design for compressor foundations.
Foundation vibration amplitude analysis: dynamic response, ISO 10816 limits, API 684 criteria, transmissibility, and frequency ratio design.
Air-fuel ratio theory for engine-driven compressors: stoichiometric ratios, rich/lean combustion, emissions control, and field tuning.
Predicting compressor flow at varying conditions: performance curves, correction factors, and off-design operation.
Separator sizing and design: 2-phase and 3-phase separators, settling velocity, retention time, L/D ratios, and API 12J standards.
Three-phase separator: oil-water-gas separation, weir design, interface level control, retention time sizing, and coalescence principles per API 12J and GPSA.
Gas-liquid separator sizing using Souders-Brown equation, K-factors, retention time criteria per API 12J standards.
Separator internals design: mist eliminators, inlet devices, vane packs, mesh pads, vortex breakers, and coalescing plates for gas-liquid separation.
Separator internals design: inlet devices, vane packs, mist eliminators, coalescing elements, and internal configurations per API 12J and GPSA.
Horizontal vs vertical separator comparison: selection criteria, capacity differences, cost factors, installation considerations, and design guidelines.
Separator type selection: choose between two-phase, three-phase, scrubbers, filter separators, slug catchers, and cyclone separators based on process requirements.
Scrubber sizing: Souders-Brown K factor method, inlet scrubber design per API 12J, compressor suction scrubbers, vertical and horizontal configurations.
Filter separator design: coalescing mechanisms, two-stage separation, element sizing, efficiency calculations, and pressure drop for gas conditioning.
Cyclone separator design: centrifugal separation, Lapple model, cut diameter, efficiency curves, and multicyclone configurations for gas-liquid separation.
Cyclosep separator: cyclonic inline separation technology, centrifugal force principles, compact separator design for subsea and topside applications.
Fuel gas filter: coalescing filter design, particulate removal, moisture separation, filter element types, and gas engine and turbine fuel specifications.
Heat exchanger design: LMTD method, effectiveness-NTU, F correction factors, and shell-and-tube sizing per TEMA and API 660.
Heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation fundamentals, overall heat transfer coefficient, LMTD and effectiveness-NTU methods for heat exchanger design.
Fired heater design: radiant section sizing, convection design, tube wall temperature per API 530, thermal efficiency, and fuel consumption per API 560.
Reboiler sizing: kettle, thermosiphon, and forced circulation types, LMTD calculation, nucleate boiling, critical heat flux, and tube bundle design per TEMA.
Indirect and direct-fired heater design: fire-tube sizing, bath heaters, line heaters, heat medium systems, and thermal design per API 560 and GPSA.
Air cooler design: ACHE sizing methodology per API 661, LMTD for crossflow, fin-fan selection, bay geometry, and fan horsepower per GPSA Chapter 10.
Cooling tower design: Merkel equation, tower types (counterflow, crossflow), water treatment, thermal design, and KaV/L tower characteristic per CTI and ASHRAE.
Tank and liquid heating: calculate kW requirements for start-up heating, operating loads, and surface losses using industry-standard engineering methodology.
Refrigeration systems: vapor-compression cycles, propane and ethylene refrigerants, compressor-condenser-evaporator design, COP calculations, and cascade systems for LNG.
Gas expander calculations: work recovery, expansion ratio, temperature drop prediction, power generation, and compression integration per GPSA standards.
Control valve sizing: Cv calculations, ISA/IEC methods, choked flow, and valve selection for gas and liquid service.
Control valve noise: IEC 60534-8-3 aerodynamic noise prediction, pipe wall transmission loss, A-weighting, cavitation noise, and OSHA limits.
Pump sizing guide: TDH calculations, NPSH analysis, power requirements, and pump selection per API 610.
Electric motor sizing for pipeline and process applications: NEMA MG-1 standards, efficiency classes, derating factors, NEC 430 wire sizing, and motor selection.
Gas turbine fundamentals: Brayton cycle, aeroderivative vs industrial frame, altitude and temperature derating, heat rate, and emissions per ISO 2314 and API 616.
Ejector design: steam and gas ejector sizing, performance calculations, and vacuum system applications.
Distillation tray hydraulics: Fair's flooding correlation, pressure drop calculations, weeping limits, downcomer backup, and tray efficiency per GPSA and FRI.
Tank volume calculations: cylindrical, spherical, and rectangular tanks, API 2550 strapping tables, level measurement, and storage capacity design.
API 650 tank design: shell thickness methods, material selection, wind and seismic design, and construction practices for welded steel storage tanks.
Tank blanketing: nitrogen padding gas systems, conservation vents per API 2000, breathing losses, flash point protection, and purge gas requirements.
Tank settlement and foundation evaluation per API 653 and API 650: uniform, differential, and edge settlement, planar tilt, foundation types, and remediation.
Flange leakage: ASME PCC-1 bolt torque procedures, gasket seating stress, pressure-temperature ratings per ASME B16.5, and joint integrity for midstream piping.
NGL meter station design: meter selection, custody transfer measurement, back pressure requirements, and API MPMS standards for purity and mixed products.
PFD and P&ID drawing standards: ISA S5.1 symbols, equipment designation conventions, line numbering, and process documentation per ISA-5.1 and API 14C.
Centrifugal: high flow, low ratio. Recip: high ratio, variable flow.
Always size for worst-case turndown and slug conditions.
Design fouling factors per TEMA Tables RGP-T-2.4.