5 Key Applications of Sliding Valve Compressors in Natural Gas Compression
Natural gas compression systems often face widely varying pressures and flow rates. Sliding valve compressors are engineered to adapt with adjustable internal valves that modulate capacity in real time. This precise control allows them to maintain high efficiency even as operating conditions change
Below are five critical applications where these compressors offer significant performance and reliability advantages.
1. Gas Gathering: Managing Variable Pressures and Volumes Efficiently in Gas Fields
Gas gathering systems collect gas from multiple wells with different pressures and production rates. Sliding valve compressors efficiently handle the fluctuating pressures and volumes common in gas fields, dynamically adjusting capacity to ensure smooth flow of raw gas to processing facilities. This adaptability minimizes energy waste and prevents downtime as individual well outputs vary over time.
2. Pipeline Compression: Maintaining Required Pressure for Long-Distance Transport
Long-distance pipelines lose pressure to friction and elevation changes, so compressor stations periodically boost the gas. Sliding valve compressors at these stations maintain the required pipeline pressure by modulating output to match changing flow rates (peak vs. off-peak demand). This prevents over-compression during low demand, saving energy while ensuring consistent throughput and delivery.
3. Storage Operations: Reliable Performance Under Fluctuating Demand
Underground gas storage facilities use compressors for both injecting gas during low-demand periods and withdrawing gas during high demand. This service spans a wide pressure range as the reservoir fills or depletes. Sliding valve compressors provide reliable performance under such variable conditions, ramping up for high-pressure injection and throttling down for low-pressure withdrawal without losing efficiency. This flexibility is crucial to balance seasonal supply swings, allowing consistent output throughout changing storage cycles.
4. Gas Processing Plants: Removing Impurities and Conditioning Gas
Gas processing plants require compressors to maintain optimal pressures during separation, dehydration, and sweetening. Sliding valve compressors regulate gas flow through these treatment stages, keeping conditions steady for the effective removal of impurities and maximum throughput. Adjusting in real time to process fluctuations (for instance, reducing output when inlet flow drops to avoid pressure dips) ensures stable operation and high energy efficiency throughout the plant.
5. LNG Facilities: Supporting Liquefaction by Stabilizing Gas Flow and Pressure
LNG (liquefied natural gas) facilities depend on compression for both feed gas pressurization and boil-off gas (BOG) management. Sliding valve compressors stabilize feed gas flow into liquefaction trains even when upstream supply varies, and they keep LNG storage tank pressure within safe limits by recompressing evaporated gas.
Equipped with variable-speed drives and slide valves, these units continuously adapt to changing gas volumes and pressures, minimizing energy waste while ensuring safe operation. This way, the liquefaction process runs smoothly without gas loss, despite fluctuating conditions in an LNG facility.
Recap: Method of Operation
Sliding valve compressors are natural gas compressors designed for precise capacity control. Instead of traditional load/unload cycles, they feature an internal sliding valve that adjusts gas flow by varying the compression chamber size in real time. This design offers improved modulation of output, reducing energy waste and mechanical stress.
Get The Infrastructure Support You Need at 24/7 Compression
Sliding valve compressors have proven their value across the natural gas value chain, from the wellhead to the LNG terminal. Their efficient, reliable performance under variable conditions makes them an ideal choice for operators aiming to optimize results.
Contact our team of compression experts today to discuss how our compressor technology can enhance your natural gas operations.