In recent years, natural gas extraction in the United States has increased significantly due to technological advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. According to the Chicago Municipal Code, natural gas supply pressure must not be less than 1.5 WC and must have less than 100 percent fluctuation in pressure above the minimum inlet pressure. Gases stored in accumulators can reach 6,000 psi.
Most commercial and industrial applications require higher pressure. But service line supply has limitations such as regulators, clogged vents, old infrastructure or long distance to site, while cylinders have a pressure limit for safety reasons. Natural gas booster systems provide high pressure gas (up to 36,000 psi) to meet your specific industrial needs.
Types and functioning of boosters
High gas pressures are required in many industrial and commercial zones, including factories, restaurants, warehouses, stadiums, offices or healthcare and educational facilities.
There are several designs, mainly two types:
- Shaft seal
- Hermetically sealed
Some gas pressure amplifiers typically have a centrifugal fan that draws gas through the inlet and expels it at high pressures. Having two subtypes:
- Multi-stage centrifugal design, a heavy-duty design in which air is compressed twice.
- Single-stage centrifugal design, a low-duty design, in which the air is compressed once.
Others have a reciprocating pump driven by air-driven pistons.
The boosters are hidden in airtight stainless steel boxes. The outlet pressure increases as the ratio increases. A given ratio can be changed by changing piston ratios and so on, labeling the gas booster's working capacity. They come with adjustable expansion joints, inlet and outlet pressure gauges, low inlet pressure switch, heat exchangers, high quality pressure regulators and overall enhanced control features. This allows dominant control over the discharged pressure, as it is the sum of the booster accelerating pressure plus the inlet gas pressure.
Additional cutting-edge features are continually installed to increase their efficiency and safety while making them cost-effective and easy to use, such as:
- Sealless compressors where the magnetic field moves the piston, eliminating mechanical connections.
- Anaerobic digestion compressors in landfills include protective epoxy coatings.
- Modulated recirculation valve with in-circuit heat exchanger to reduce operational flow below nominal flow.
- Internal clearances are OSHA rated to increase long-term reliability and reduce noise during operation.
Ensure your industrial requirements are met.
Advantages of Using a Gas Pressure Booster System
As we know, gas pressure boosting systems offer pressures of up to 36,000 psi, they are a more reliable solution compared to cylinders. They are easy to maintain and compact. Most of them are robustly sealed with high-quality steel and are therefore explosion-proof and safe. They are also environmentally friendly and prevent their industry from being banned interstate, based in Chicago or by the UNFCCC.
They offer a number of operational benefits:
- Reduces workplace pressure as it is the most reliable system due to built-in PLCs
- It is an easy to install solution
- Low maintenance and suitable for accelerated schedules
- Portable, easy-to-use controls
- Sensors to monitor data
- Ability to modify or stop pressure to meet an appliance's requirements
- Free from hydrocarbons due to separation between air and gas content
- No limit or negative effect for constant switching applications
Gas Pressure Booster System Applications
Gas boosters are a common part of almost every industry. To supply high-pressure appliances, it would be more economical to use gas boosters, as increasing the pressure in the main regulator and installing individual regulators in each low-pressure appliance would cost more. Due to the wide variety of designs, it is best to select the booster optimized for your application. Double or single acting, single or multi-stage action or a combination of these allows you to achieve the best operating pressures and flow capabilities. We recommend hiring Chicago MEP engineers to guide you through the process.
Some of the industrial and commercial areas with possible applications are:
- Automotive Industry (Actuation of Hydraulic and Pneumatic Cylinders, Vehicle Suspension Charging Systems)
- Security and rescue industry (loading gun recoil mechanism, hydrogen fueling, filling airbag cylinder) Theaters, public halls (central vacuum system)
- Power and energy industries (charging infrared missile cooling system, valve pressure testing)
- Aerospace Industry (Cargo Aircraft Landing Gear, Missile Testing)
- Commercial machine tools (hydraulic jack operation, welding equipment)
- Oil and Gas Industry (Helium Recovery, Pressure Testing)
- Manufacturing industry (calibration, cutting and water jet blasting, metal cutting)
- Laboratory Research (Upstream Down Hole Pressure Equalization, Fuel Cell Research)
- Public transport (central vacuum systems with long hoses for cleaning buses and wagons)
How to Select the Right Gas Booster
Selecting a gas pressure booster that meets your needs is a more critical issue than selecting a liquid pump. Gas is a compressible medium and is generally unaffected by gravitational force. It is recommended to hover over the following list of parameter questions and make a checklist when determining the ideal gas booster for your company.
- What is the maximum outlet pressure required?
- What is the gas supply pressure or booster inlet pressure?
- Is the inlet pressure constant?
- If the pressure fluctuates, what is the fluctuation range?
- What are air pressure and air volume?
- What type of gas is being used?
- What are the environmental conditions?
- What is the required flow rate and at what pressure?
- Is there a time restriction to fill a certain container volume?
Make a pressure selection first and then make a required flow rate selection based on the gas supply pressure.
Conclusion
For accurate gas booster selection, it is recommended to hire Chicago MEP engineers. Allows you to obtain additional support and compliance with Gas Piping Installation section 414.3 of the International Fuel Gas Code. Engineers have specially developed computer programs to accurately calculate and judge the correct booster installation for the desired application.
A gas amplifier should not be turned on without gas being directed through it. Ensure contamination levels are lowest in the gas. Most importantly, devote adequate time and attention to maintenance.
