Challenge
Gas compressor cooling involves a delicate balance. Lower cooling temperatures allow higher gas throughput but also reduce the temperature of the hot cooling media (HCM), which is reused to pre-heat incoming gas.
Overcooling can therefore increase throughput in the short term, but at the cost of lower pre-heating efficiency and, in some cases, gas oven restarts. Operators need to balance these trade-offs continuously, under varying loads and operating conditions, using many interdependent process variables.
Solution
Intelecy’s advanced analytics tool Data Explorer was used to perform multivariable analysis on operational process data from the compressor cooling system. The analysis examined how cooling parameters, HCM (hot cooling media) temperature, gas throughput, and energy consumption interacted under different operating conditions.
By exploring correlations, trends, and operating envelopes across multiple variables, stable and efficient operating ranges were identified. The results were cross-checked against the site’s existing process simulator to validate that the insights were consistent with known process behavior.
Value Dleivered
- Reduced energy consumption without compromising throughput
- Clear understanding of operating envelopes and trade-offs
- Decision support for operators to run closer to optimal conditions
