Investigation of Energy Performance Improvement in a Natural Gas Compressor Stations via Reduce Compressed Gas Temperature through Heat Pipes

Natural gas compressor stations in gas transmission industries cause to increase gas pressure and discharge to gas transmission pipeline. Air coolers in compressor station, have high electrical energy consumption and pressure drop. In this investigation, the application of heat pipe heat exchangers (HPHE) in a case study of the gas compressor station is evaluated to use instead of air coolers. The result of the investigation shows that applying 620 heat pipes with a 50% filling ratio, working fluid R134 and arranged triangularly, can reduce the compressed natural gas temperature. Energy performance analysis shows that using this method improves total, thermal, and electrical energy performance indicators (3%, 2.4 %, and 78%, respectively). Also simulating process demonstrate that using HPHE cause to save 1,115,000 SCM fuel in gas turbine and 3,800 MWh electrical saving in air coolers. In addition, results show with using HPHE 2,615,000 $ cost saving is available and project payback period value less than 1 year evaluated, and avoiding 1652 ton CO2 emission estimated annually.