Pipeline bottoming cycle study. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5078119· OSTI ID:5078119

The technical and economic feasibility of applying bottoming cycles to the prime movers that drive the compressors of natural gas pipelines was studied. These bottoming cycles convert some of the waste heat from the exhaust gas of the prime movers into shaft power and conserve gas. Three typical compressor station sites were selected, each on a different pipeline. Although the prime movers were different, they were similar enough in exhaust gas flow rate and temperature that a single bottoming cycle system could be designed, with some modifications, for all three sites. Preliminary design included selection of the bottoming cycle working fluid, optimization of the cycle, and design of the components, such as turbine, vapor generator and condensers. Installation drawings were made and hardware and installation costs were estimated. The results of the economic assessment of retrofitting bottoming cycle systems on the three selected sites indicated that profitability was strongly dependent upon the site-specific installation costs, how the energy was used and the yearly utilization of the apparatus. The study indicated that the bottoming cycles are a competitive investment alternative for certain applications for the pipeline industry. Bottoming cycles are technically feasible. It was concluded that proper design and operating practices would reduce the environmental and safety hazards to acceptable levels. The amount of gas that could be saved through the year 2000 by the adoption of bottoming cycles for two different supply projections was estimated as from 0.296 trillion ft/sup 3/ for a low supply projection to 0.734 trillion ft/sup 3/ for a high supply projection. The potential market for bottoming cycle equipment for the two supply projections varied from 170 to 500 units of varying size. Finally, a demonstration program plan was developed.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-77CS51381
• OSTI ID: 5078119
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS/51381-01
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
03 NATURAL GAS
BOTTOMING CYCLES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
COMPRESSORS
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
NATURAL GAS
PIPELINES
PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT
PUMPING
SAFETY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
TRANSPORT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
320205* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Transportation- Pipeline
320304 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
032000 - Natural Gas- Transport
Handling
& Storage