The objective of the proposed research was to demonstrate the viability and utility of a constant flow tracer dilution technique for inferring the flowrate through a high-pressure natural gas centrifugal compressor. Testing was performed by injecting a known flowrate of tracer gas, sulfur hexafluoride(SF6), into a natural gas stream immediately upstream of an operating centrifugal compressor. Measurements of the diluted tracer gas concentration downstream of the compressor were made by means of electron capture gas chromatography. Knowledge of the injection concentration and injection flowrate...
The objective of the proposed research was to demonstrate the viability and utility of a constant flow tracer dilution technique for inferring the flowrate through a high-pressure natural gas centrifugal compressor. Testing was performed by injecting a known flowrate of tracer gas, sulfur hexafluoride(SF6), into a natural gas stream immediately upstream of an operating centrifugal compressor. Measurements of the diluted tracer gas concentration downstream of the compressor were made by means of electron capture gas chromatography. Knowledge of the injection concentration and injection flowrate coupled with the downstream diluted concentration and compressor operating characteristics allowed the inference of the actual flow through the compressor. Tracer inferred flowrates were then compared to flowrates measured by a custody transfer station downstream of the compressor station.