Effect of Compressor Outlet Pressure on Liquefaction and Refrigeration Capacity

Abstract

The main components of a helium liquefier which determines the performance of the HRL for a given compressor flow rate are Turbine, Heat exchanger and JT valve. Turbine and JT valve produces cooling effect of helium gas by isentropic and isenthalpic expansion process respectively. Different components can be made to have different thermodynamic cycle configuration. For each configuration main components can have different operating process parameters leading to different performance of HRL. This project involves the analysis and optimization of these process parameters for a given configuration. This analysis and optimization work will also involve different practical factors and in efficiencies of main components. Analytically developed procedure for 2 compressors has been validated using Aspen HYSYS. Optimization of process parameters like compressor outlet pressure is done using analytical method which comes out to be 14 bar. At different compressor outlet pressures liquid formation at JT outlet and refrigeration capacity is calculated. Graph of liquid formation at JT outlet and refrigeration capacity against compressor outlet pressure shows that both liquid formation and refrigeration capacity increases as compressor outlet pressure is increasing.