6.

9 VALVES AND UNLOADERS

6.9.1 Valves

6.9.1.1 Average valve gas velocity shall be calculated as shown in Equation 1:

In SI units
W = F x Cm/f (1)

Where:

W is the average gas velocity in m/s;

F is the effective piston area of the cylinder end or ends concerned. For a double
acting cylinder, this is the area of the crank-end of the cylinder less the piston rod plus
the area of the outer end of the piston in cm2;
ƒ is the product of the actual lift, the valve-opening periphery, and the number of
inlet or discharge valves in cm2;
Cm is the average piston speed in m/s.

In USC units

V = 288x D/A
Where:

V is the average gas velocity in ft/min;

D is the piston displacement per cylinder in ft3/min;
A is the product of the actual lift, the valve-opening periphery, and the number
of inlet or discharge valves per cylinder in in.2.

The valve lift used in Equation 1 shall be shown on the data sheets.

If the lift area is not the smallest area in the flow path of the valve, that condition shall
be noted on the data sheet and the velocity shall be computed on the basis of the
smallest area. Velocities calculated from Equation 1 should be treated only as a
general indication of valve performance and should not be confused with effective
velocities based on crank angle, degree of valve lift, unsteady flow, and other factors.
The velocity computed from Equation 1 is not necessarily a representative index for
valve power loss or disk/plate impact.
6.9.1.2 Valve and unloader designs shall be suitable for operation with all gases
specified. Each individual unloading device shall be provided with a visual indication
of its position and its load condition (loaded or unloaded).

6.9.1.3 The valve design, including that for double-decked valves, shall be such that
valve assemblies cannot be inadvertently interchanged or reversed. For example, it
shall not be possible to fit a suction valve assembly into a discharge port, nor a
discharge valve assembly into a suction port; nor shall it be possible to insert a valve
assembly upside down.

6.9.1.4 Valve assemblies (seat and guard) shall be removable for maintenance. Valve-
seat-to-cylinder gaskets shall be solid metal or metal jacketed. Valve-cover-to-
cylinder gaskets shall be either solid metal, the flexible graphite type, metal
jacketed, or the o-ring type. Other gasket types may be used with mutual agreement
between the purchaser and the vendor.

Note: Flexible graphite-type gaskets with a suitable reinforcement have been

successfully used to seal valve cover to cylinder gaskets where low mole weight gases
are compressed.

6.9.1.5 The valve and cylinder designs shall be such that neither the valve guard nor
the assembly bolting can fall into the cylinder even if the valve assembly bolting
breaks or unfastens.

6.9.1.6 When discharge valve assemblies, including any cage or chair, have a mass of
15 kg (35 lb) or more, the vendor shall provide a device to facilitate removal and
installation of valve assemblies for maintenance. On all under-slung valves, an
arrangement shall be provided to hold the complete valve assembly in position while
the cover is installed.

6.9.1.7 The ends of coil-type valve springs shall be squared and ground to protect the
plate against damage from the spring ends.

6.9.1.8 Valve hold-downs shall bear at not less than three points on the valve
assembly. The bearing points shall be arranged as symmetrically as possible.

• 6.9.1.9 The vendor shall conduct a computer study of the valve dynamics to
optimize the valve sealing element motion during the opening and closing phase. The
mathematical models being used for the valve motion calculation shall, as a
minimum, take into account: valve sealing element masses, spring forces,
aerodynamic drag coefficients, fluid damping, and any other factors
deemed necessary by the vendor to assess valve element motion, impact, and
efficiency. The study shall also include a valve dynamic response analysis of the valve
component’s reactions to the piping and compressor cylinder gas passage induced
pulsations. The study shall include a review of all operating gas densities and load
conditions.

If specified, the vendor shall submit a written valve dynamics report to the purchaser.

6.9.1.10 Metal valve disks or plates, when furnished, shall be suitable for installation
with either side sealing and shall be finished on both sides to an Ra of 0.4 µm (16
µin.) or better. Edges shall be suitably finished to remove stress risers. Valve seats
and sealing surfaces shall also be finished to an Ra of 0.4 µm (16 µin.) or better.
When non-metallic valve plates or disks are furnished, flatness and surface finish
shall be controlled so that adequate sealing occurs in operation. The vendor shall
provide the properties of non-metallic valve plate materials. These properties shall
include filler type and content, specific gravity, melting temperature, glass transition
temperature (where applicable), izod impact strength (notched and un-notched), water
absorption and coefficient of thermal expansion. Reinforcement of non-metallic
materials shall be with fibers, not with spherical beads or other shapes. Fibers shall be
oriented to optimize component life (e.g., the fibers shall follow the stress path).

6.9.2 Unloaders

• 6.9.2.1 If cylinder valve unloading is specified, the type of unloader provided (valve
depressor or plug-type) shall be mutually agreed upon. Valve assembly lifters shall
not be used. When valve depressors are used for capacity control, all inlet valves of
the cylinder end involved shall be so equipped where possible. Use of less than a full
complement of suction valve depressors requires the purchaser’s approval.

Note: Special precautions may be necessary when using valve plate depressors in
combination with non-metallic valve plates or discs. Special precautions are also
necessary when using non-metallic valve plate depressors, with respect to unloaded or
alternate conditions, which may cause higher operating temperatures.

6.9.2.2 Where plug-type unloaders are used for capacity control, the number of
unloaders is determined by the area per plug opening, the total of which must be equal
to or greater than half of the total free lift area (or least flow area) of all suction valves
on that end. The unloader assembly shall positively guide the plug to the seat.

6.9.2.3 When valve depressors are used only for start-up and never for capacity
control, consideration shall be given to using a reduced number of unloaders. For
start-up with plug unloaders, only one per cylinder end is needed.

• 6.9.2.4 Unloaders shall be pneumatically or hydraulically actuated. Individual hand-

operated unloaders or manual overrides on actuated unloaders are not permitted.
Remotely controlled unloaders shall be designed by the vendor in such a manner that
the correct sequence of operation between stages and cylinder ends is achieved. The
vendor shall provide the user with information regarding the proper sequencing for
unloader operation.

Note: Malfunctioning and/or incorrect sequencing of unloaders can result in overload

or unbalance of the compressor.

6.9.2.5 For turbine driven, geared applications, cylinder unloaders shall be provided
on each cylinder end for emergency shutdown.

6.9.2.6 Unloaders shall be designed so that the operating fluid used for unloading
cannot mix with the gases being compressed, even in the event of failure of the
diaphragm or another sealing component. A threaded gas vent connection shall be
provided at the stem packing.

Unloader sliding push rods exposed to atmospheric conditions shall be of corrosion-

resistant material.

6.9.2.7 If specified, a stainless-steel protective sheet metal rain shield shall be

furnished to protect exposed topside unloader parts from the elements. The rain shield
shall be fabricated with a handle for easy removal and replacement.

Note: Moisture can gather around the seals on the top of exposed unloaders and mix
with airborne elements to form a corrosive mixture. The mixture can etch unloader
shafts and lead to premature unloader failure, which can be erroneously contributed
to moisture-laden control gas.
2.9 VALVES

Virtually all process gas and moderate size-to-large air compressors use spring-loaded
gas-actuated valves. Two of the many basic valve configurations are depicted in Figs.
2.35 through 2.39. Although certain claims and counterclaims are made by the various
manufacturers, they share a desire to provide durable configurations compatible with
gas composition and pressure. Also, valves are almost always symmetrically placed
around the outer circumference of the cylinder and can normally be removed and
serviced from the outside.
Good specifications mandate configurations and arrangements that will preclude
installation errors. Reversing a suction valve could make it function as a discharge
valve, and vice versa. Similarly, a bad valve design might risk deteriorating
components falling into the compression space of a cylinder. Quite obviously,
catastrophic damage and safety incidents could be the end result.
To ensure against structural failure of the guard or seat, API-compliant valve designs
feature the use of a center bolt. The bolt is designed so that even in the event of its
failure, it cannot drop into the compression chamber. The center bolt provides a very
important part in valve fixed-clearance and physical strength. Without the bolt, all of
the differential pressure would be sustained by the valve seat alone. The center bolt
allows the designer to use the physical strength available in the guard since the center
bolt ties the guard and seat together. The result is smaller clearance volumes, which
result directly from thinner seats and guards than would be possible with designs not
using a center bolt. Poorly designed valves can also cause noticeable decreases in
compression efficiency; valve lift and valve area affect gas velocity and must be
dimensioned properly. Figure 2.35 depicts a plate valve. Enhanced versions of plate
valves will sometimes apply the principle of pneumatic cushioning by allowing a
small amount of gas to be trapped, as shown in Fig. 2.36. Deck-and-a-half and
double-deck valves (Figs. 2.37 and 2.38) are designed to incorporate larger flow areas
and thus improved efficiency.

Although the description of valves has emphasized the plate-type design, circular
channel ring-type valves as well as poppet designs are available. Straight channel,
circular channel ring, and poppet designs were created primarily for high- and
medium-pressure low-ratio applications, respectively. Many valves incorporate
components made of high-performance polymers. PEEK (polyether ether ketone) is a
typical material.

In most high-pressure applications the damped valve has replaced the channel design.
The lower plate mass, the greater damping, and a plate with fewer stress
concentrations have led to the success of the damped valve over the channel design.
The poppet valve has been applied primarily to low-ratio slow-to-medium-speed gas
transmission service.
Because of the alignment problems of valve seat to valve guard, maintenance has
occasionally been a problem. Nevertheless, well-designed poppet valves (Fig. 2.39)
are widely used in the application range illustrated in Fig. 2.40. It should be noted that
valve designs continue to improve. As an example, the Cook Manley Company
manufactures elastomer enhanced Moppet compressor valves, which have produced
outstanding results in the field.
Reciprocating Compressor Capacity Rating and Tolerance:
The content of this informative annex refers to 3.18, 3.30, 3.48, 6.13, and 6.1.18.

This annex discusses capacity sizing of reciprocating compressors and the intent of
the term “no negative tolerance (NNT)” as used in this standard to apply to the
“normal capacity” of reciprocating process compressors.

The “normal operating point” is defined by the purchaser and is normally the
minimum capacity at the specified pressures and temperatures required to meet the
process conditions with no negative tolerance permitted (this is typically the process
flow sheet material balance capacity). The purchaser must complete the data sheets
with a capacity, and identify the operating conditions as “normal” or “alternate.” The
purchaser must also provide information on the data sheets about any proposed
alternate operating conditions. The sizing of the compressor must take into account all
specified operating conditions, and the manufacturer’s standard tolerances so that the
resulting full-load capacity will never be less than the capacity at the certified
operating point.

The compressor “manufacturer’s rated capacity” is that capacity to which the

compressor is sized by the manufacturer. The acceptable standard reciprocating
compressor industry tolerance of ±3% is applicable to both the capacity and power at
the compressor shaft. Because of this tolerance on capacity, the manufacturer
typically will increase the normal capacity by 3% prior to sizing the compressor.
Frequently, the normal capacity divided by 0.97 equals the manufacturer’s rated
capacity. However, due to the alternate operating conditions, in some cases the
manufacturer’s rated capacity may be higher. Since this standard establishes
tolerances on normal capacity, and not the manufacturer’s rated capacity, the
purchaser and the manufacturer should ensure that they have a mutually understood
tolerance on the manufacturer’s rated capacity.

“Total power at the compressor shaft,” as used in the data sheets under the
manufacturer’s rated capacity, is intended to mean the power required at the
compressor input shaft.

“Total power including power transmission losses” is the total power at the
compressor shaft plus all losses in the drive system and is used for selecting the
driver.

The tolerance on the manufacturer’s certified shaft power is ±3% and is calculated on
the basis of manufacturer’s rated capacity.
Using the manufacturer’s rated capacity and corresponding power, the proper
relationship of power to unit capacity exists and will agree with calculations. (For
example, kilowatts per hundred cubic meters per hour or brake horsepower per
hundred cubic feet per minute).

Capacity control for constant-speed units will normally be achieved by suction valve
unloading, clearance pockets, or bypass (internal-plug type or external) or a
combination of these methods. Step-less, reverse-flow capacity control acting on
suction valves shall be subject to purchaser’s approval. Control operation shall be
either automatic or manual as specified on the data sheet. Unless otherwise specified,
five-step unloading shall provide nominal capacities of 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% and
0%; three-step unloading shall provide nominal capacities of 100%, 50% and 0%, and
two-step unloading shall provide capacities of 100% and 0%

For variable speed control the speed of the compressor shall vary linearly with the
control signal and an increase in signal shall increase speed. Unless otherwise
specified, the full range of the purchaser’s signal shall correspond to the required
operating range of the compressor for all specified operating conditions.

Unless otherwise specified, speed shall be adjustable by means of a hand speed

changer.

Actuation of the control signal or failure of the signal or actuator shall neither prevent
the governor from limiting the speed to the maximum permissible nor prevent manual
regulation with the hand speed changer.

Clearance pockets shall normally be of the fixed type (pocket either open or closed).
The use of variable volume clearance pockets requires purchaser’s approval. Each
added clearance volume shall be included in the data sheets to indicate the clearance it
adds to the cylinder.

When a machine-mounted capacity control system is specified, the vendor shall

provide a panel complete with

a. a positive-detent-type master selector device (one for each service on multi-service

compressors) to provide the specified load steps and,
b. indicators to show at which step the machine is operating.

References:

➢ API 618
➢ Compressor Handbook by Veteran Lt. Heinz P. Bloch