Abstract: A seal assembly for a dual-flow compressor is provided. The seal assembly may include an annular body disposed about a rotary shaft between a first compression assembly and a second compression assembly of the dual-flow compressor. An inner radial surface of the annular body and an outer radial surface of the rotary shaft may at least partially define a radial clearance therebetween. The annular body may have a first seal section and a second seal section at a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion thereof, respectively. The first and second seal sections may at least partially define a cavity therebetween. The seal assembly may also include a reference line communicably coupling the cavity with an inlet of the first compression assembly and configured to at least partially generate a pressure differential between the cavity and an outlet of the first compression assembly.

Abstract: A fluid compression system is disclosed having a hermetically-sealed housing with at least a motor and a compressor arranged therein. The motor may drive both the compressor and a blower device coupled to the housing or otherwise arranged within the housing and configured to circulate a cooling gas throughout the housing and thereby cool the motor and accompanying radial bearings. The blower device circulates the cooling gas through a closed-loop circuit which may include a heat exchanger and gas conditioning skid. Buffer seals may be used to seal the shaft on both sides of the compressor so as to prevent the migration of liquid and solid contaminants into the closed-loop cooling circuit.

Abstract: A fluid takeoff assembly for a motor-compressor is provided and includes an outer pipe having an inlet and an outlet, and an inner pipe defining a fluid passage extending from an open axial end toward a closed axial end thereof and a radial opening fluidly coupled with the fluid passage. The inner pipe may be disposed in the outer pipe such that the open axial end and the closed axial end are oriented toward the outlet and the inlet, respectively, and the inner and outer pipes define an annular space therebetween. A cross-flow member may be coupled with the inner pipe and may define a flowpath fluidly coupled with the fluid passage via the radial opening. A vane and the cross-flow member may be disposed in the annular space and configured to at least partially induce a swirling flow in a process fluid flowing through the annular space.

Abstract: A system and method for rapid pressurization of a motor compartment and cooling system during a shutdown, a surge, and/or other situations in which the suction pressure significantly varies. A motor/compressor arrangement includes a seal gas system fluidly communicating with the motor compartment via a motor pressurization line, with the outlet of the compressor, and with a shaft seal. A motor pressurization valve is coupled to the motor pressurization line and a controller is configured to open the motor pressurization valve at start-up of the motor-compressor to supply seal gas to the motor compartment and to pressurize the motor compartment when a difference between the seal gas supply pressure and the suction pressure is indicative of the seal gas supply pressure being insufficient.

Abstract: A method for boosting a multiphase fluid is provided. The method may include separating the multiphase fluid into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase in a separator, compressing the gaseous phase in a compressor, and discharging the compressed gaseous phase from the compressor to the discharge line. The method may also include draining the liquid phase from the separator to a liquid reservoir, passively actuating an inlet control valve to flow the liquid phase from the liquid reservoir to a liquid tank, and actively actuating an inlet actuation valve to flow a motive gas from the compressor to the liquid tank to thereby pressurize the liquid phase contained therein. The method may further include passively actuating an outlet control valve to discharge the pressurized liquid phase from the liquid tank to the discharge line, and combining the compressed gaseous phase with the pressurized liquid phase in the discharge line.

Abstract: A system and method for rapid pressurization of a motor compartment and cooling system during a shutdown, a surge, and/or other situations in which the suction pressure significantly varies. A motor/compressor arrangement includes a seal gas system fluidly communicating with the motor compartment via a motor pressurization line, with the outlet of the compressor, and with a shaft seal. A motor pressurization valve is coupled to the motor pressurization line and a controller is configured to open the motor pressurization valve at start-up of the motor-compressor to supply seal gas to the motor compartment and to pressurize the motor compartment when a difference between the seal gas supply pressure and the suction pressure is indicative of the seal gas supply pressure being insufficient.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a dual-flow compressor is provided. The seal assembly may include an annular body disposed about a rotary shaft between a first compression assembly and a second compression assembly of the dual-flow compressor. An inner radial surface of the annular body and an outer radial surface of the rotary shaft may at least partially define a radial clearance therebetween. The annular body may have a first seal section and a second seal section at a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion thereof, respectively. The first and second seal sections may at least partially define a cavity therebetween. The seal assembly may also include a reference line communicably coupling the cavity with an inlet of the first compression assembly and configured to at least partially generate a pressure differential between the cavity and an outlet of the first compression assembly.

Abstract: A compression system may include a compressor having first and second sides separated by a division wall, first and second shafts, and first and second radial bearings. The first and second shafts may be axially connected to each other at respective first ends via a rotor portion of an intermediate radial bearing. The rotor portion may include a plurality of laminations stacked between first and second plates fastened to each other. The first radial bearing may be disposed on a first side of the intermediate radial bearing and may be proximate a second end of the first shaft. The first radial bearing may be configured to support the first shaft. The second radial bearing may be disposed on a second side of the intermediate radial bearing and may be proximate a second end of the second shaft. The second radial bearing may be configured to support the second shaft.

Abstract: An interface for transmitting electrical power to a motor of a motor-compressor is provided. The interface may include a receptacle having a first end portion coupled with a stator of the motor and a second end portion defining a hole at least partially extending therethrough. The interface may also include a plug configured to be detachably coupled with the receptacle. The plug may include a rigid, conductive rod having a first end portion configured to be coupled with a penetrator of the motor-compressor, and a second end portion configured to be at least partially disposed in the hole of the receptacle and detachably coupled therewith. The rigid, conductive rod may be configured to electrically couple the penetrator with the receptacle, and the receptacle may be configured to transmit the electrical power to the stator.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for supporting a compression system are provided. The apparatus includes a compressor support coupled to a compressor, and a motor support coupled to a motor, the motor and the compressor being stand-alone units and having a shaft extending therebetween. The apparatus also includes a subframe connector coupled to the compressor support and the motor support and configured to prevent radial and axial misalignment of the shaft.

Abstract: A system and method of counterbalancing an aerodynamic thrust force generated by the impellers of a centrifugal compressor is disclosed. A rotor assembly includes a rotatable shaft disposed within a housing, and having a plurality of impellers axially-spaced from each other and coupled to the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith. Adjacent impellers along the rotatable shaft are each separated from each other with a stationary wall having one or more magnets coupled thereto. The magnets are disposed axially-adjacent a hub-side of each impeller such that the one or more magnets magnetically-attract each impeller toward the adjacent stationary wall, thereby reducing a net impeller thrust of the rotor assembly.

Abstract: A turbomachine system and method, with the system including a slug detector coupled to a main line to detect a slug flow in a multiphase fluid in the main line. The system also includes a compressor fluidly coupled to the main line and disposed downstream of the slug detector, and a bypass line fluidly coupled to the main line upstream of the compressor and downstream of the compressor. The system further includes at least an upstream control valve fluidly coupled to the main line upstream of the compressor and communicably coupled to the slug detector. The upstream control valve is configured to actuate between a normal position, in which the upstream control valve directs fluid to the compressor, and a bypass position, in which the upstream control valve directs fluid to the bypass line, according to when the slug detector detects a slug flow.

Abstract: A variable speed compression system that is driven by a variable frequency high speed motor that receives power from a high frequency generation unit that is driven by a high speed gas turbine is provided. The speed of the turbine may be varied to control the output frequency of the high frequency generation unit, thus controlling the output of the compression system by controlling the speed of the turbine driving the generation unit.

Abstract: A fluid compression system is disclosed having a hermetically-sealed housing with at least a motor and a compressor arranged therein. The motor may drive both the compressor and a blower device coupled to the housing or otherwise arranged within the housing and configured to circulate a cooling gas throughout the housing and thereby cool the motor and accompanying radial bearings. The blower device circulates the cooling gas through a closed-loop circuit which may include a heat exchanger and gas conditioning skid. Buffer seals may be used to seal the shaft on both sides of the compressor so as to prevent the migration of liquid and solid contaminants into the closed-loop cooling circuit.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for a terminal assembly of a subsea motor-compressor. The terminal assembly may include a plurality of terminal ports extending through a hollow spherical body to a cavity defined therein. The terminal assembly may also include a penetrator detachably coupled with the spherical body about each of the plurality of terminal ports. The terminal assembly may further include a mounting port extending through the spherical body to the cavity defined therein. The mounting port may be configured to couple the terminal assembly with a housing of the motor-compressor.

Abstract: A fluid compression system is disclosed having a hermetically-sealed housing with at least a motor and a compressor arranged therein. The motor may drive both the compressor and a blower device coupled to the housing or otherwise arranged within the housing and configured to circulate a cooling gas throughout the housing and thereby cool the motor and accompanying radial bearings. The blower device circulates the cooling gas through a closed-loop circuit which may include a heat exchanger and gas conditioning skid. Carbon ring seals may be used to seal the shaft on both sides of the compressor so as to prevent the migration of liquid and solid contaminants into the closed-loop cooling circuit.

Abstract: A fluid takeoff assembly for a motor-compressor is provided and includes an outer pipe having an inlet and an outlet, and an inner pipe defining a fluid passage extending from an open axial end toward a closed axial end thereof and a radial opening fluidly coupled with the fluid passage. The inner pipe may be disposed in the outer pipe such that the open axial end and the closed axial end are oriented toward the outlet and the inlet, respectively, and the inner and outer pipes define an annular space therebetween. A cross-flow member may be coupled with the inner pipe and may define a flowpath fluidly coupled with the fluid passage via the radial opening. A vane and the cross-flow member may be disposed in the annular space and configured to at least partially induce a swirling flow in a process fluid flowing through the annular space.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing is disclosed that includes a sensing wire wrapped around one or more of the bearing coils and configured to measure the resistance to ground of each bearing coil. With the presence of contaminants such as liquids, a protective coating disposed about the bearing coils degrades over time, thereby reducing the resistance to ground of the bearing coils. The sensing wire transmits the detected resistance to ground of the bearing coils to an adjacent sensing device, which can provide an output that informs a user whether corrective action is required to prevent damage or failure of the magnetic bearing.

Abstract: A resistance to ground monitoring system for a magnetic bearing is disclosed. The system includes a dummy bearing arranged in a cooling loop and having a dummy bearing coil made up of an electrical winding that is configured to detect the resistance to ground for the dummy bearing coil. The electrical winding is communicably coupled to a sensing device that monitors the resistance to ground for the dummy bearing coil. Since the magnetic bearing is arranged within the same cooling loop, the resistance to ground for the dummy bearing coil is indicative of a resistance to ground for the radial bearing coils of the magnetic bearing.

Abstract: An interface for transmitting electrical power to a motor of a motor-compressor is provided. The interface may include a receptacle having a first end portion coupled with a stator of the motor and a second end portion defining a hole at least partially extending therethrough. The interface may also include a plug configured to be detachably coupled with the receptacle. The plug may include a rigid, conductive rod having a first end portion configured to be coupled with a penetrator of the motor-compressor, and a second end portion configured to be at least partially disposed in the hole of the receptacle and detachably coupled therewith. The rigid, conductive rod may be configured to electrically couple the penetrator with the receptacle, and the receptacle may be configured to transmit the electrical power to the stator.