Solar Turbines Inc.

Sean Garceau

Donghui Zhang

Rainer Kurz

Christopher Moffatt

Avneet Singh

A compressor system includes a gas compressor with dry gas seals about a driveshaft. The compressor system also includes a fugitive gas system having a gas conduit in fluid communication with a collection cavity in a collector coupled to the gas compressor to receive fugitive gas leaked through a pressurized gas leakage path. The fugitive gas system may be structured for flaring the gas, and includes a pressure control system with an accumulator tank, and a vent line for venting gas pressure and having a backpressure regulator therein. Fugitive combustible gas is conveyed through a flow restriction orifice downstream of the compressor.

Compressor system equipped for fugitive gas handling and fugitive gas system operating method

Systems and method for operating a gas compressor are disclosed herein. A compressor can have one or more dry gas seals surrounding the central axle of the compressor. The dry gas seals can each be pressurized with a barrier gas or other fluid supply providing a barrier within the dry gas seal. The method can include controlling delivery of a first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals during a startup or initiation of the compressor. The method can include controlling delivery of a second barrier gas different from the first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals based on the information received from sensors disposed within the compressor that can measure, inter alia, dry seal temperature and pressure within the system. The method can further include terminating the delivery of the first barrier gas based on the sensor information.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Sean Garceau