Compressor Design and Cost

A compressor is required to compress the inlet air stream from atmospheric pressure to 3.45 bar
before entering the reactor. There are a few types of compressors such as reciprocating
compressor, rotary compressor, axial compressor and centrifugal compressor. From the different
types of compressor available, centrifugal compressor is selected as the suitable compressor for
the process. Centrifugal compressors are used for higher pressure ratios and lower flow rates
compared to others compressor (Peters et al., 2003). The application of centrifugal compressor
can range from 100 hp (75 kW) to thousands of horsepower. With multiple staging, it can
achieve extremely high output pressures greater than 10 000 psi (69 MPa). Moreover, it is the
most suitable for single stage compression of air. In this project, there will be one standby
centrifugal compressor to accommodate for any failure and breakdown. The design equation for
the theoretical adiabatic horsepower for centrifugal gas compressor is as follows:

Eq. X-X
Where Pin = inlet pressure, lbf/ft2,
Pout = outlet pressure, lbf/ft2,
Qin = ft3/s
Table 1: Values of for respective type of gases
Type of gases

Values of

Monoatomic gases
Diatomic gases
More complex gases
Other gases

0.4
0.29
1.33
R/Cp

The compressor suction pressure will be at 1 bar, and the discharge pressure will be 3.45 bar. For
the inlet gas mixture is diatomic gases (N 2 and O2), = 0.29. The inlet gas is assumed to have
properties similar to that of air. Thus, the density is assumed to be 15.3178 kg/m 3. Hence, the
adiabatic horsepower is calculated as shown below.
Pin = 1.01325 bar = 2116.2166 lbf/ft2 = 1 atm
Pout = 3.45 bar = 7205.4748 lbf/ft2 = 3.404885 atm

 = 0.29 (Diatomic gases)

Volumetric flow rate,

=

m3
35.313 ft 3 1 hr
( 23.2137hr kmol x 16kmolkg )+( 1.2218hrkmol x 14kmolkg ) ] ( 1.225
)(
kg
m 3 )( 3600 s )

= 3.111102525 ft3/s
Horse power, hp
=

3.03 105
0.29

(2116.2166 lbf/ft ) (3.111102525 ft /s)

[(

7205.4748
2116.2166

0.29

= 0.2934708752 lbf.ft/s
= (0.2934708752 lbf.ft/s) (0.00135581794833)
= 0.0003978930799 kW
There is one compressor needed to compress the air from 1 bar to 3.45 bar in order to meet the
operating pressure of reformer reactor.

Qin

208.332mol
1kmol 16.04kg
1
m
3600 s

s
1000mol
kmol
0.9517 0.656kg
1hr

Qin

19268.99m 3 35.3145 ft 3

hr
1m 3

Qin

680474.7474 ft 3
1hr

hr
3600 s

ft 3
189.021
s
(
Horsepower, hp =

P
3.03 105
)( Pin )(Qin )[( out ) 1]

Pin

Inlet Pressure, Pin = 20 bar = 41770.94 lbf/ft2

Outlet Pressure, Pout = 25bar = 52213.68 lbf/ft2

Since natural gas is complex hp = 62.15 lbf.ft2/s = 0.0843 kW
Assume efficiency of compressor is 90% for the broken horse power equation:

gases, therefore

hp =

1.33

3.03 10 5
52213.68
41770.94 189.021 [

1.33
41770.94

Bhp

1.33

1]

hp 0.0843

0.094kW
0.9 1000

Marshall & Swift Cost Index 2008 = 1449.3

Marshall & Swift Cost Index 2011 = 1536.5
By using extrapolation to estimate Marshall& Swift Index for 2015:

1431.7 1536.5 1536.5 M & S 2015

2008 2011
2008 2015
Thus, Marshall & Swift Cost Index for 2015 = 1781.03

Compressor Installation Cost=

M & S 2015
517.5bhp 0.82 2.11 Fc
280

Given Fc = 1.0,

Compressor Installation Cost=

1781.03
517.5 0.0843 0.82 2.11 1
280

= $ 1346.9843
= RM 5926.7312
In order to take one more compressor as backup, therefore the total cost for
compressor is RM 11,853.4625.