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The use of natural gas in power plants has to meet the required specifications and quality standards. However, contaminants in the form of solids or liquids can have negative effects on your power generating equipment. Raw natural gas contains impurities that can reduce the quality of the gas, damage equipment and cause safety hazards. Therefore, it is necessary to install gas conditioning equipment, whose primary function is to remove these contaminants and to correct the properties of the gas to meet the required standards. 

What are the effects the contaminants can have on your power generating equipment?

We have listed the top effects the contaminants can have on your process:

Reduction in equipment life due to low quality of gas fuel

Derating of turbine capacity

Efficiency loss due to unscheduled downtime

Deposits and corrosion on the turbine that can damage the equipment

Expensive start-up

How can a fuel gas conditioning system help you run your power generating plant smoothly?

The fuel gas conditioning system pre-treats the natural gases before it is sent into the gas turbine generator. The fuel gas skid package is designed to remove even the tiniest of solid/liquid contaminants and to alter the temperature of the gas to the desired condition.

The following are the main functions of gas conditioning devices:

Separation: A fuel gas conditioning system can remove impurities and contaminants such as oil, water, sand and solids from the gas stream

Filtration: Helps in removing dust, debris and other fine particles from the gas stream

Dehydration: Helps in removing water vapor from gas stream. Water vapor is a cause of corrosion and deposit formation

Heating and Cooling: A gas conditioning system can adjust the gas temperature to the desired level by either heating or cooling

Pressure Regulation: Helps in controlling the pressure of the gas for specific requirement, helping in optimal combustion and stability in operation

The following are the advantage of having a fuel gas conditioning system in your process, which can impact the overall efficiency and performance:

Improvement in combustion efficiency: resulting in reduced energy consumption and improved process performance

Reduction in emission: Fuel gas that is free of impurities lead to reduction in harmful emissions making it an environmental-friendly process

No more unscheduled repairs: better protection of downstream equipment such as turbines and boilers reducing maintenance costs and better lifespan of your power-generating equipment

Superior Safety: clean fuel gas spells lesser chances of accidents and enhanced safety in the industrial process

What must be some key considerations when selecting a fuel gas conditioning system?

There are several key considerations when selecting a fuel gas conditioning system. Here are a few:

Flow Rate and Pressure: the pressure and flow rate of the gas decides the capacity and size of the gas conditioning system needed 

Composition of the Gas: the composition of the fuel gas establishes the kind of impurities that have to be removed

Efficiency Requirements: the efficiency requirement decides the level of conditioning necessary

Heat exchangers are widely used in a variety of industries and their main purpose is to transfer heat from one fluid to another. In the power generation plant, in order to generate electricity, the heat exchangers transfer heat from steam to water. In the petrochemical and refining industry, heat exchangers transfer heat from one process stream to another. This helps in controlling temperature and in recovering heat. 

What is a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger?

Shell & Tube Heat exchanger consists of a cylindrical shell with a series of parallel tubes that helps in transferring thermal energy from one fluid to another. When one fluid flows through tubes, the other flows around them in the shell. A metal tube sheet separates the fluids to prevent fluid mixing, while the baffles placed inside the shell enhances the heat transfer between the fluid streams. The tube walls enable the transfer of heat from one fluid to another. Used for both heating and cooling, shell and tube heat exchanger is largely dependent on the design and the application for which it is used. Sungov Engineering is among the leading industrial heat exchange manufacturers who manufacture shell and tube heat exchangers that meet ASME Section VIII Division 1 and TEMA standards.  

What is the Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger Types? 

The shell and tube heat exchanger types is usually based on the configuration and design of tubes, the flow arrangements and the number of passes. Shell and tube exchangers are also built depending on the temperature requirements and corrosiveness of the fluids and based on this, various materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, copper are selected. The following lists the common types of shell and tube heat exchangers:

Single-Pass Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger: The fluid in this type flows through tubes in a single pass.

Multi-Pass Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger: The fluid flows through tubes in multiple passes thus increasing heat transfer surface. This enables the overall efficiency of the exchanger.

U-tube Heat Exchanger: The tubes in this kind of heat exchangers are bent in a U-shape. One end is in the shell, while the other in the shell outlet. One fluid runs through the tubes, and the other fluid flows over the tubes (through the shell) to transfer heat between the two fluids. This kind of heat exchangers are used in situations when one of the fluids have corrosive nature and could cause damage to the heat exchanger. 

Floating-Head Heat Exchanger: This kind of shell and tube heat exchanger is built to keep one end of the tubes free in order to help them contract or expand with the change of temperature. The other end is fixed. This kind is generally used for applications that involve high-pressure. 

Fixed-Tube Sheet Heat Exchanger: The tubes in this kind of heat exchanger are fixed and cannot be removed for cleaning or maintenance. 

Spiral Heat Exchanger: In this type, the tubes are wound into a spiral shape, with one fluid flowing inside the tubes and the other fluid flowing outside the tubes. 

Plate And Shell Heat Exchanger: This kind of heat exchanger makes use of metal plates instead of tubes. One fluid flow in between the plates, while the other outside the plates.

What are the Benefits of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers?

The shell and tube heat exchanger benefits are as follows. 

Versatility: The shell and tube heat exchangers can accommodate many fluid types including those that are viscous and corrosive. This makes this heat exchanger perfect for a wide variety of applications

Durability: Shell and tube heat exchangers are usually composed of durable and strong materials that can tolerate various conditions

Competency: The high heat transfer rate makes this a great choice in a wide variety of applications

Reduced Downtime: The shell and tube heat exchangers enable better cleaning and maintenance thereby reducing work stoppage

Cost Effective: In comparison to other heat exchangers, the shell and tube heat exchanger is a low-cost option