Turbo-expanders

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Turbo-expanders, also referred to as expansion turbines, provide a way to capture the
energy lost in natural gas facilities and refineries. Turbo-expanders have a range of
applications, but this template focuses on the use of turbo-expanders for energy
recovery and power generation. Virtually any high-temperature or high-pressure gas is
a potential resource for energy recovery. Generator-loaded expanders can be custom
engineered to recover the maximum amount of useful energy available in the process.
The expander principle relies on converting kinetic energy to useful energy /
electricity by using turbines and electrical generators. As the gas flows from the high
pressure stream into the turbo-expander, the gas spins the turbine, which is coupled to
a generator that produces electricity. Thus, by replacing a conventional control valve
or regulator with a turbo-expander, the energy contained in the motive stream, that
would otherwise be lost, can be converted to electricity. It is noted that energy output
is proportional to pressure ratio, temperature and flow rate of the stream. The higher
the flow rate and pressure differential, the higher the potential energy output, as
shown in the following graph.

Figure 1: Turbo-expander performance

(Figure adopted from Reference 6; the original figure was Courtesy of Twisted Oak
Corporation)

Therefore, the location of this technology must be carefully studied in order to

optimize power generation potential and efficiency. Turbo-expander systems can be
found at the following types of oil and gas facilities:

Liquified petroleum gas (LPG)

Natural gas liquids (NGL)
Dew-point control (DPC)
Liquified natural gas (LNG)
Nitrogen rejection
Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)
Pressure let-down

By using a turbo-expander, the gas will be cooled via the Joule-Thomson effect.
Several processes, such as dewpointing, refrigeration and natural gas liquification, can
benefit from the additional cooling capability that a turbo-expander provides over the
simple Joule-Thomson valve. In certain situations, modern turbo-expander
installations utilize efficient methods for coping with this temperature loss. Turboexpanders can be coupled with a second power generator such as a fuel cell or
conventional fuel combusting generator. This secondary generator produces waste

heat that can be used to offset the cooling effect of the turbo-expander. This symbiosis
between the turbo-expander and secondary generator increases the net efficiency of
the entire system.

Figure 2: Illustration of a turbo-expander system

There are a wide variety of turbo-expander-generator designs, with two basic

configurations: one has the generator mounted directly on the turbine shaft; the other
involves a connection via speed-reducing gears. An integral gearing option provides
the additional benefit of multi-staging, allowing multiple expander stages to be
mounted on a single gearbox. In most cases, the turbo-expander-generator unit can be
completely skid-mounted to simplify transportation and reduce installation costs. The
different types of turbo-expanders are as follows:

Direct drive: The direct drive option, when feasible, eliminates the need for
speed reduction, gear boxes and associated equipment.
External gearbox: Expanders with an external gearbox feature GE patented
bearings, with a common oil supply system for the complete package. The
installed fleet ranges from 50 kW to 15 MW.
Integral gearbox: This arrangement mounts the expander wheel directly on
the high-speed pinion, eliminating the need for a high-speed coupling.
Standard designs are available up to 15 MW.
Multi-stage: High pressure ratios and/or high flow rates require the multistage arrangement. Standard expander-gear designs can accommodate up to
four expanders on a common integral gearbox.

Technology maturity

Commercially available?:
Yes
Offshore viability:
Yes
Brownfield retrofit?:
Yes
Project examples in the industry
This technology has been implemented globally by several turbo-machinery
manufacturers. One of the worlds largest single concentration FCC power recovery
installation (150,000 HP / 112MW) was installed in 2006 (Reference 4).
Additional notes
Range / applicability of technology (for the Key Metrics section, below):
Table 1: Example turbo-expander-generator product range
Pressure

Up to 3,000 psia (200 BarA)

Temperature

- 450F to 925F (-270C to 500C)

Power

Up to 20,000 hp (15,000 kW) per stage

Expansion
ratio

Up to 14

Power

Up to 20,000hp (15,000 kW) per stage

Process fluid

All pure or mixed fluids including natural

gas, petrochemical products, hydrogen, air,
steam, etc.

Key metrics
Range of application:
See Additional Notes section, above.
Efficiency:
Up to 90%
Guideline capital costs:
Turbo-expanders with large output capabilities cost substantially less on a perkilowatt basis than smaller turbo-expanders.
Guideline operational costs:
Long life and easy maintenance
Typical scope of work description:
The scope of work begins with collection of application data, which includes the flow
and physical properties of the high pressure stream (temperature, pressure) and the

allowable discharge conditions. In addition, for power generation applications, it will

be necessary to exercise due diligence with respect to the electrical infrastructure and
loading. Although the turbo-expander may have the capacity to generate a significant
portion of the electrical power needs, the power generation line-up may require some
spinning reserve for process reliability and to manage large loads that may come
online or offline.
Sizing the turbo-expander is typically done by vendors using proprietary software
packages that optimize the performance within the frame sizes available given the
process data above. After preliminary sizing and budgeting of the capital equipment, a
conceptual design can be prepared that includes preliminary process flow diagrams,
mass and energy balances, and a list of major equipment. A very rough order-ofmagnitude cost estimate can also be provided. Some companies refer to this type of
work as FEL-0 and FEL-1, where FEL refers to Front End Loading.

Decision drivers
Technical:
Inlet/outlet pressure
Inlet/outlet temperature
Volume of flow
Operational:
Improved energy efficiency
Optimized utility consumption
Reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Commercial:
Carbon market
Price of electricity
Environmental:
Reduced environmental footprint by saving energy. Expanders are considered as green
energy systems.
Alternative technologies
The following are technologies that provide similar benefits and may be considered
as alternatives to turbo-expanders:

Alternatives to power generation, from renewable energy to fuel fired

generation.

Operational issues/risks
The power recoverable from expansion is small compared to the power that
would be gained from a gas-fired power plant.
The flow rates may vary widely, which makes maintaining a steady power
output difficult.
The well head stream contains a mixture of gas, condensate and water.
Therefore, turbo-expanders may not work efficiently at the well head with unprocessed gas.
Pre-heating before expansion is almost always necessary to avoid hydrate
formation.

Opportunities/business case
While turbo-expanders may only capture a few megawatts at a time, the
widespread deployment of turbo-expanders could serve an important function
in the greater agenda of a more efficient and greener energy system.
By using turbo-expanders on natural gas distribution systems, even if the
power obtainable at individual locations is not large compared to the
conventional thermal power plants, the sum of all locations can be substantial.

Industry case studies

Case study 1: Turbo-expander evaluation of potential in

Iran (Reference 5)
For this study, natural gas monthly flow data was taken from a single city gate station
in Shahrekord, Iran and used in a computer simulation to determine the potential for
installing a turbo-expander in parallel with existing gas pressure reduction systems to
produce energy economically. Key considerations were natural gas flow rates, the
amount of natural gas needed for preheating, and power produced by the system.
Baseline scenario: Use of throttle valves to reduce natural gas pipeline pressure at a
city gate station.
Energy efficiency project activity: Installation of a turbo-expander and generator in
place of a throttle valve to reduce natural gas pipeline pressure to capture the
associated energy production from the natural gas expansion. The natural gas needed
for preheating before expansion, and the variability of natural gas flow rates, were
taken into account.
Performance specifications:

Turbo-expander maximum power produced = 1.8 MW , 6000 MW-hr/year

Turbo-expander efficiency = 85%

Estimated costs:

Estimated energy cost savings = $463,000/year (2009 cost basis)

Capital costs = $730,000

Case study 2: Enbridge Plant (Reference 6)

Energy efficiency project activity: A Direct Fuel Cell Energy Recovery Generation
(DFC-ERG) power plant was constructed at Enbridge. A Direct FuelCell provides
non-combustion thermal energy to preheat the high-pressure gas by internally
reforming 0.5% of the natural gas throughput to hydrogen. A back-up boiler is also
used to preheat the gas. A process flow diagram and picture of the facility are

provided below. The turbo-expander-generator and fuel cell provide ultra-clean, low
impact electricity to the grid.

Figure 3: DFC-ERG Enbridge Plant process flow diagram

(Figure adopted from Reference 6; the original figure was Courtesy of Enbridge)

Figure 4: Completed DFC-ERG Enbridge Plant

(Photo adopted from Reference 6; the original photo was Courtesy of Enbridge)

Performance specifications:

Design flow rate = 1.8 MMscfh and 43.2 MMscfd

Inlet pressure = 375 psig
Outlet pressure = 175 psig
Design power output = 1,000 kW
Speed = 26,700/3,600 rpm
Turbine building size = 25' x 40'

Estimated costs:

Capital costs = $3.63 million (2008 cost basis); includes Phase 2 provisions
for fuel cell
Avoided CO2 emissions = 5,100 tonnes CO2e/yr (based on incremental carbon
savings of 1.6 lb per kWh from fossil fuel generation)

References:
1. General Electric Company (2008). Turboexpanders-Generators: For natural gas
applications.
2. Rheuban, J. (2009). Turboexpanders: Harnessing the Hidden Potential of Our
Natural Gas Distribution System.
3. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Vol. ME 41, No. 2, December 2010.
Transaction of the Mech. Eng. Div., The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.
4. Dresser-Rand (2007). FCC Power Recovery Expanders.
5. Ardali, E.K. and Heybatian, E. (2009). Energy Regeneration in Natural Gas
Pressure Reduction Stations by Use of Gas Turbo Expander; Evaluation of Available
Potential in Iran.
6. Eber, S. and Cavanagh, C. (2008) Energy Recovery from Gas Distribution
Operations. AERTC Conference, 20 November 2008.