TURBO-COMPRESSOR TRAIN WITH ROLLING BEARINGS AND RELATED ASSEMBLY METHOD

Abstract

A turbo-compressor train and a method for assembling a turbo-compressor train. The train includes a gas turbine engine configured to transform thermal energy into mechanical energy; a centrifugal compressor having a shaft connected to a shaft of the gas turbine engine; and a single lube pump configured to provide synthetic oil to the gas turbine engine and the centrifugal compressor. The gas turbine engine, the centrifugal compressor and the single lube pump each has only rolling bearings.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to methods and systems and, more particularly, to mechanisms and techniques for providing an entire turbo-compressor train with a single lube pump and/or with a single lubrication oil medium.

Gas turbines are used in many sectors of the industry, from military to power generation. They are used mainly to produce electrical energy. However, some gas turbines are used to propel various vehicles, airplanes, ships, etc. In the oil and gas field, the gas turbines are used to drive compressors, pumps and/or generators. As shown in FIG. 1, a gas turbine 12 may be connected to a compressor or generator 14 and to an auxiliary equipment 16. A gear box 18 or other equipment may be provided between the gas turbine 12 and the compressor or generator 14. All these elements form a turbo-compressor train 10.

The gas turbine 12 may include a compressor 20 that is configured to receive a gas (e.g., air) at an input 22 and to provide the gas compressed to a predetermined pressure at an outlet 24. The compressed gas is then input to a combustor 26 where it is mixed with a fuel provided from a line 28. The mixture of gas and fuel is ignited and the hot gases at high pressure are provided to an input 30 of an expander 32. The exhaust gases are then released at output 34 of the expander 32.

The expansion of the hot gases through the expander 32 determines a rotation of a rotoric part (not shown) which is coupled, through the gear box 18 to a shaft of the compressor 14. Thus, the compressor 14 is driven by the expander 32. One or more of the components of the turbo-compressor train 10 involves heavy rotoric parts (e.g., shaft, impeller, etc.) that rotate at a high speed. In order to promote the rotational motion of these components and to minimize the friction, various bearing units are provided in the train. A few arrangements are discussed next.

FIGS. 2A-C show the train 10 of FIG. 1 in which some elements have rolling bearings and the remaining elements have hydro-dynamic bearings. Those elements having the rolling bearings are identified with A and those having the hydro-dynamic bearings are identified with B. Further, it is noted that the rolling bearings need to use synthetic oil while the hydro-dynamic bearings need to use mineral oil. Thus, the arrangements shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B need two lube pumps, one for each type of bearings while the arrangement shown in FIG. 2C uses one lube pump and the mineral oil. These arrangements have a higher weight and maintenance cost due to the dual lube pump, they have a large footprint and require higher plant complexity. A disadvantage of the configuration shown in FIG. 2C is the higher lube oil consumption needed for hydrodynamic bearings.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that avoid the afore-described problems and drawbacks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one exemplary embodiment, there is a turbo-compressor train that includes a gas turbine configured to transform thermal energy into mechanical energy; a centrifugal compressor having a shaft connected to a shaft of the gas turbine; and a single lube pump configured to provide synthetic oil to the gas turbine, and the centrifugal compressor. The gas turbine, the centrifugal compressor and the single lube pump each has only rolling bearings.

According to another exemplary embodiment, there is a turbo-compressor train that includes a gas turbine configured to transform thermal energy into mechanical energy; a generator having a shaft connected to a shaft of the gas turbine; and a single lube pump configured to provide synthetic oil to the gas turbine, and the generator. The gas turbine, the generator and the single lube pump each has only rolling bearings.

According to still another exemplary embodiment, there is a method for assembling a turbo-compressor train. The method includes mechanically connecting a gas turbine to a centrifugal compressor; mechanically or electrically connecting a lube pump to the gas turbine; and providing each of the gas turbine, the centrifugal compressor and the lube pump only with rolling bearings and the lube pump is configured to pump synthetic oil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the description, explain these embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional turbo-compressor train;

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are schematic diagrams of conventional turbo-compressor trains having two lube pumps or being supplied only with mineral oil;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a rolling bearing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a hydro-dynamic bearing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a turbo-compressor train having a single lube pump according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a turbo-compressor train having a single lube pump electrically connected to the train according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a centrifugal compressor according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of another turbo-compressor train having a single lube pump according to an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for assembling a turbo-compressor train with a single lube pump according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The following description of the exemplary embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The following embodiments are discussed, for simplicity, with regard to the terminology and structure of a gas turbine system connected to a compressor or generator. However, the embodiments to be discussed next are not limited to these systems, but may be applied to other systems that have plural machines connected to each other and each machine has its own bearing system.

Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the components of an entire turbo-compressor train are provided with rolling bearings. Thus, no component has hydro-dynamic bearings, which is different from the traditional trains in which the compressors have hydro-dynamic bearings. In this regard, it is noted that traditional centrifugal compressors do not have rolling bearings because for this solution it is more complex to compensate the axial thrust. Moreover, the dynamic behavior of the compressor with rolling bearings is negatively influenced by the high stiffness, while the solution with hydrodynamic bearings is much more damped. In this exemplary embodiment, a single lube pump is used for all the components, which results in a lower weight of the train, lower machine cost, lower footprint, and higher reliability. By removing the mineral lube oil pump for the hydro-dynamic bearings, depending on the machine, up to 250 kW of energy may be saved. Therefore, according to this exemplary embodiment, all the components of the train use synthetic oil. The single lump pump may be part of the train or may be an auxiliary component of the train. The lump pump may be mechanically or electrically connected to the train.

Prior to discussing the arrangement of the novel train, a brief description of a rolling bearing, hydro-dynamic bearing, mineral oil and synthetic oil is believed to be in order. A generic rolling bearing 50 is shown in FIG. 3. The rolling bearing 50 includes two races, an exterior race 52 and an interior race 54. These two races guide rolling elements 56. The rolling elements 56 may be balls, as shown in the figure, or may have other shapes, e.g., cylinders, etc. They may be tapered or not. A cage 58 may be used for keeping the rolling elements at desired distances one from the other. Other types of rolling bearings exist and are known in the art.

The rolling bearing 50 shown in FIG. 3 is traditionally lubed with synthetic oil or grease, depending on the application. Synthetic oil is a lubricant that includes chemical compounds which are artificially made (synthesized). The synthetic lubricants can be manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than crude oil, but can also be synthesized from other raw materials. Synthetic oil is used as a substitute for lubricant refined from petroleum when operating in extreme temperature, because it generally provides superior mechanical and chemical properties than those found in traditional mineral oils.

A generic hydro-dynamic bearing 60 includes a ring 62 that is configured to hold plural pads 64, each having a working surface 64a. The pads 64 are retained by a blocking plate 66 to prevent them from sliding in a rotational direction A when a shaft (not shown) rotates at high speeds inside the ring 62, in direction A. Corresponding retention plates 68, for preventing axial dislocation, retain the pads 64 in the proximity of the ring 62. Ring 62, blocking plate 66 and retention plates 68 define a predetermined volume in which pad 64 may pivot about a retaining head (not shown). Mineral oil is provided on the working surface 64a so that an oil film forms between the rotating shaft (not shown) and the pads 64.

The mineral oil is a liquid by-product of the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline and other petroleum based products from crude oil. The mineral oil includes mainly alkanes (typically 15 to 40 carbons) and cyclic paraffins, related to petroleum jelly (also known as “white petrolatum”).

As discussed above, according to an exemplary embodiment, a turbo-compressor train is configured to have only rolling bearings and no hydro-dynamic bearings. Thus, when the compressor in the turbo-compressor train is a centrifugal compressor, no hydro-dynamic bearings are used. In this regard, it is noted that the conventional centrifugal compressors do not use rolling bearings but only hydro-dynamic bearings.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a turbo-compressor train 100 having all components provided with rolling bearings and no hydro-dynamic bearings. The turbo-compressor train 100 includes a compressor 102 fluidly connected to a combustion chamber 104 in which fuel and air are mixed together and ignited. The hot gases are provided to an expander 106 whose shaft is rotated by the expansion of the hot gases. The expander 106 may be an axial expander. A shaft 108 of the expander 106 may be connected to a shaft 110 of a centrifugal compressor 112 and also to the compressor 102. A shaft of the compressor 102 may be connected to an auxiliary gear box 114 that is configured to transmit rotational motion to a shaft of a pump 116. The pump 116 may be the lube pump for the synthetic oil necessary to the rolling bearings of the various components of the turbo-compressor train.

According to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, a train 200 includes all the components shown in FIG. 5 for the train 100 except that the pump 216 is not part of the train. Further, the pump 216 is not mechanically (rotational motion) connected to the train. In this exemplary embodiment, the pump is supplied with, for example, electrical power from a power source 218 (e.g., power grid or a power generator of the train). In this regard, it is noted that all the embodiments discussed in this application (e.g., FIGS. 5 and 8) may have the pump either mechanically or electrically connected to the train. Further, the pump may or may not be part of the train, depending on the application.

According with an exemplary embodiment, the pump 116, the auxiliary gearbox 114, the compressor 102, the expander 106, and the centrifugal compressor 112 each has rolling bearings. Thus, according to this exemplary embodiment, a single lube pump is used and the only oil used is the synthetic oil. In one application, the centrifugal compressor 112 may be replaced by a generator. In this case, the generator has rolling bearings and not hydro-dynamic bearings. Because the rolling bearings may not support enough axial trust in comparison to the hydro-dynamic bearings, a dedicated thrust balance system (developed by the assignee of this patent application) may be necessary.

A generic centrifugal compressor 140 modified as discussed above is shown in FIG. 7 and is defined by the fact that air intake reaches along an X direction, at position 142, an impeller 144 and exits along a Y direction at position 146 having increased the speed of the air due to the centrifugal motion through the impeller 144. The impeller 144 is shown connected to the shaft 110, which is supported by the rolling bearings 148 and 150.

Returning to FIG. 5, it is noted that piping 170 connects the lube pump 116 to each of the components of the turbo-compressor train for supplying the necessary synthetic oil. According to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, a gearbox 180 may be provided between the shaft 108 of the expander 106 and the shaft 110 of the centrifugal compressor or generator 112. In this case, the gearbox 180 is configured to use synthetic oil and, if necessary, rolling bearings.

According to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, a method for assembling a train as discussed above is described. The method includes a step 900 of mechanically connecting a gas turbine to a centrifugal compressor; a step 902 of mechanically or electrically connecting a lube pump to the gas turbine; and a step 904 of providing each of the gas turbine, the centrifugal compressor and the lube pump only with rolling bearings and the lube pump is configured to pump synthetic oil.

The disclosed exemplary embodiments provide a turbo-compressor and a method for providing rolling bearings to each component of the turbo-compressor. It should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which are included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Further, in the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the claimed invention. However, one skilled in the art would understand that various embodiments may be practiced without such specific details.

Although the features and elements of the present exemplary embodiments are described in the embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements disclosed herein.

This written description uses examples of the subject matter disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the same, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A turbo-compressor train, the train comprising: a gas turbine configured to transform thermal energy into mechanical energy;a centrifugal compressor comprising a shaft connected to a shaft of the gas turbine; anda single lube pump configured to provide synthetic oil to the gas turbine, and the centrifugal compressor,wherein the gas turbine, the centrifugal compressor and the single lube pump each has only rolling bearings.

2. The turbo-compressor train of claim 1, wherein the gas turbine comprises: a compressor configured to compress air;a combustion chamber configured to receive the compressed air from the compressor and to ignite the compressed air after mixing it with fuel; andan expander configured to receive hot gases from the combustion chamber and to transform the thermal energy of the hot gases into rotational motion.

3. The turbo-compressor train of claim 1, further comprising: an auxiliary gearbox connecting a shaft of the gas turbine to a shaft of the lube pump and the auxiliary gearbox is configured to work with synthetic oil, ora power source configured to provide energy to activate the lube pump.

4. The turbo-compressor train of claim 1, further comprising: piping connecting the lube pump to the gas turbine and the centrifugal compressor for distributing the synthetic oil.

5. The train turbo-compressor of claim 1, wherein no mineral oil is used in any component of the train.

6. The turbo-compressor train of claim 1, wherein the gas turbine comprises an axial expander.

7. The turbo-compressor train of claim 1, further comprising: a gearbox configured to mechanically connect a shaft of the gas turbine and a shaft of the centrifugal compressor.

8. The turbo-compressor train of claim 1, further comprising: an auxiliary gearbox connecting a shaft of the gas turbine to a shaft of the lube pump and the auxiliary gearbox is configured to work with synthetic oil;piping connecting the lube pump to the gas turbine and the centrifugal compressor for distributing the synthetic oil; anda gearbox configured to mechanically connect a shaft of the gas turbine and a shaft of the centrifugal compressor,wherein the gas turbine further comprises: a compressor configured to compress air;a combustion chamber configured to receive the compressed air from the compressor, to mix the compressed air with fuel, and to ignite the compressed air mixed with fuel; andan expander configured to receive hot gases from the combustion chamber and to transform the thermal energy of the hot gases into rotational motion.

9. A turbo-compressor train, the train comprising: a gas turbine configured to transform thermal energy into mechanical energy;a generator comprising a shaft connected to a shaft of the gas turbine; anda single lube pump configured to provide synthetic oil to the gas turbine, and the generator,wherein the gas turbine, the generator and the single lube pump each has only rolling bearings.

10. A method for assembling a turbo-compressor train, the method comprising: mechanically connecting a gas turbine to a centrifugal compressor;mechanically or electrically connecting a lube pump to the gas turbine, wherein the lube pump is configured to pump synthetic oil; andproviding each of the gas turbine, the centrifugal compressor, and the lube pump only with rolling bearings.

11. The turbo-compressor train of claim 9, wherein the gas turbine comprises: a compressor configured to compress air;a combustion chamber configured to receive the compressed air from the compressor and to ignite the compressed air after mixing it with fuel; andan expander configured to receive hot gases from the combustion chamber and to transform the thermal energy of the hot gases into rotational motion.

12. The turbo-compressor train of claim 9, further comprising: an auxiliary gearbox connecting a shaft of the gas turbine to a shaft of the lube pump and the auxiliary gearbox is configured to work with synthetic oil, ora power source configured to provide energy to activate the lube pump.

13. The turbo-compressor train of claim 9, further comprising: piping connecting the lube pump to the gas turbine and the generator for distributing the synthetic oil.

14. The train turbo-compressor of claim 9, wherein no mineral oil is used in any component of the train.

15. The turbo-compressor train of claim 9, wherein the gas turbine comprises an axial expander.

16. The turbo-compressor train of claim 9, further comprising: a gearbox configured to mechanically connect a shaft of the gas turbine and a shaft of the generator.

17. The turbo-compressor train of claim 9, further comprising: an auxiliary gearbox connecting a shaft of the gas turbine to a shaft of the lube pump and the auxiliary gearbox is configured to work with synthetic oil;piping connecting the lube pump to the gas turbine and the generator for distributing the synthetic oil; anda gearbox configured to mechanically connect a shaft of the gas turbine and a shaft of the generator,wherein the gas turbine further comprises: a compressor configured to compress air;a combustion chamber configured to receive the compressed air from the compressor, to mix the compressed air with fuel, and to ignite the compressed air mixed with fuel; andan expander configured to receive hot gases from the combustion chamber and to transform the thermal energy of the hot gases into rotational motion.