DRY GAS SEAL SYSTEM DESIGN STANDARDS

FOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR APPLICATIONS

by
John S. Stahley
Manager, Commissioning Engineering
Dresser-Rand Company
Olean, New York

John S. Stahley is presently the Manager

of Commissioning Engineering at Dresser-
Rand Operations, in Olean, New York. He
has been employed by Dresser-Rand for 12
years, holding various positions in manufac-
turing, marketing, and project engineering.
In his present position, he is responsible for
the support of Dresser-Rand turboma-
PROCESS BEARING
chinery during installation, commissioning, SIDE SIDE
and throughout the equipment warranty
period.
Mr. Stahley received a B.S. degree (Engineering, 1989) from the
Rochester Institute of Technology and an MBA degree (1994) from
St. Bonaventure University.

ABSTRACT
Dry gas seals have been applied in process gas centrifugal Figure 1. Tandem Gas Seal/Barrier Seal Configuration.
compressors for more than 20 years. Over 80 percent of centrifugal
gas compressors manufactured today are equipped with dry gas seals. Dry gas seals are basically mechanical face seals, consisting of
Despite the 20-year trend of increasing dry gas seal applications, a mating (rotating) ring and a primary (stationary) ring (Figure 2).
an industry accepted standard for gas seal support system design During operation, grooves in the mating ring (Figure 3) generate a
does not exist. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has only fluid-dynamic force causing the primary ring to separate from the
recently addressed gas seal system design in its Standard 614 mating ring, creating a “running gap” between the two rings.
(1999). This paper proposes a set of gas seal system design Inboard of the dry gas seal is the inner labyrinth seal, which
standards for process gas centrifugal compressors on the basis of separates the process gas from the gas seal. A sealing gas is
safety, reliability, and economics. injected between the inner labyrinth seal and the gas seal,
This paper presents the philosophy of one centrifugal providing the working fluid for the running gap and the seal
compressor and dry gas seal original equipment manufacturer between the atmosphere or flare system and the compressor
(OEM) in regard to gas seal system design standards. These internal process gas.
standards are based on over 20 years of experience in the area of
gas seal system design, drawing from actual field experience of Barrier Seals
thousands of compressors. The reader shall recognize, however,
that numerous gas seal system design philosophies can be applied Outboard of the dry gas seal is a barrier seal, which separates
to achieve the same system objectives. the gas seal from the compressor shaft bearings (Figure 1). A
separation gas (typically nitrogen or air) is injected into the barrier
INTRODUCTION seals. The primary function of the barrier seal is the prevention of
lube oil migration into the gas seal. The barrier seal also serves as
Dry Gas Seals the last defense in the event of a catastrophic failure of the primary
Dry gas seals are available in a variety of configurations, but the and secondary gas seal. Traditional labyrinth seals or segmented
“tandem” style seal (Figure 1) is typically applied in process gas carbon ring seals are used in most barrier seal applications today.
service and is the basis for this paper. Other types of gas seals (such Segmented carbon ring barrier seals offer the advantage of
as double opposed) are not considered. Tandem seals consist of a substantially lower separation gas flow requirements due to the
primary seal and a secondary seal, contained within a single larger shaft clearance associated with labyrinth seals. The author
cartridge. During normal operation, the primary seal absorbs the has previously presented a more detailed comparison of
total pressure drop to the user’s vent system, and the secondary seal segmented carbon ring versus labyrinth barrier seals (Stahley,
serves as a backup should the primary seal fail. 2001).
145
146 PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-FIRST TURBOMACHINERY SYMPOSIUM • 2002

at least 50 psi above the required sealing pressure at the customer

connection point on the gas seal system in order to allow adequate
regulation of the seal gas. If the primary source of seal gas does not
meet this requirement, an alternate gas source or gas pressure
boosting equipment will be required. It is very common in the
industry to source the seal gas directly from the compressor
discharge. The author has previously discussed various implica-
tions of this approach (Stahley, 2001).
Another concern is the quality and composition of the seal gas.
The seal gas should be free of solid particles 10 microns and larger
and 99.97 percent liquid free at the customer connection point on
the gas seal system. It is also critically important to assess the
potential for liquid condensation within the gas seal system or the
gas seals themselves. To avoid such condensation, API Standard
614 (1999) requires that the seal gas temperature into the gas seal
be at least 20°F above its dew point. This is a good rule of thumb,
but may not be sufficient in some cases.
Consider an example of a hydrocarbon gas compressor with a
required sealing pressure of 1000 psia. Sealing gas is process
(hydrocarbon) gas, supplied to the customer connection point on
the gas seal system at 1050 psia. As the sealing gas flows through
the gas seal system, through the primary gas seal, and finally to the
primary vent, the pressure will drop to nearly atmospheric. A
corresponding decrease in gas temperature will result from the
Figure 2. Dry Gas Seal Components. Joule-Thomson effect. A phase diagram for the hydrocarbon gas
(Figure 4) indicates the dew point for the seal gas at 1050 psia is
about 100°F. Following the API Standard 614 (1999) recommen-
dation of 20°F superheat would require the sealing gas to be heated
to 120°F at the customer connection point. However, a computer
simulation of the seal gas pressure and temperature drops expected
throughout the gas seal system reveals that the seal gas will pass
through the mixed (gas and liquid) phase even with 20°F superheat
(Figure 4). Further computer simulation indicates that, in order to
maintain a 20°F margin above the seal gas dew point throughout
the entire gas seal system, the seal gas would need to be heated to
200°F (i.e., 100°F superheat) at the customer connection point
(Figure 4).
1800

1600

1400

1200
Pressure (psia)

1000

800

600

Figure 3. Grooves in Gas Seal Mating Ring.

400

Gas Seal Support Systems 200

The use of dry gas seals requires a support system, which is 0

normally supplied by the centrifugal compressor OEM mounted 0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Temperature (deg. F)
140 160 180 200 220

adjacent to the compressor. The purpose of the gas seal system is Seal Gas Dew Line Seal Gas with 20 deg. F Superheat Seal Gas with 100 deg. F Superheat
as follows:
Figure 4. Typical Seal Gas Phase Diagram.
• To provide clean, dry sealing gas to the faces of the dry gas seals.
• To provide clean, dry separation gas to the barrier seals. To properly evaluate potential liquid condensation, a computer
• To monitor the “health” of the dry gas seals and barrier seals. simulation of the gas seal system, from the customer connection
point to the primary seal vent, must be conducted during the system
SEAL GAS SUPPLY design phase. A 20°F margin above the seal gas dew point should
be maintained throughout the entire gas seal system. The computer
Source simulation will determine the level of seal gas superheating
The end user must provide a source of seal gas supply to the required to meet this criterion. Depending on the quality of the seal
compressor OEMs gas seal system. The seal gas source must be gas and the result of the system simulation, special liquid separation
available at sufficient pressure to cover the entire operating range and filtration equipment, and possibly heating of the sealing gas,
of the compressor including transient conditions such as startup, may be required. Seal gas lines should be heat traced if ambient
shutdown, or idle, and all static conditions. The seal gas should be temperatures can fall below the dew point of the seal gas.
 DRY GAS SEAL SYSTEM DESIGN STANDARDS FOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR APPLICATIONS 147

Filtration
Seal gas filters immediately follow the customer connection
point on the gas seal system. These filters should be used as “final”
or “last chance” filtration and require compliance with the gas
quality requirements explained in the previous section for
maximum reliability. Duplex filter assemblies should be employed
and provided with a transfer valve allowing filter element
replacement while in service. The filter housing should be stainless
steel, as required by API Standard 614 (1999).
Since the running gap between the primary and mating rings of
most gas seals is about 3 to 5 microns, it is recommended that filter
elements be capable of at least 3 micron (absolute) filtration. API
Standard 614 (1999) requires the use of coalescing filter elements
under certain conditions. It is recommended here that, in anticipa-
tion of a possible liquid presence, coalescing filter elements be
provided for all applications. API Standard 614 (1999) requires
some type of automatic liquid drainage of the filter housing when Figure 6. Differential Pressure Control.
coalescing filters are employed. An alternative, more economical
approach is to equip each filter housing with a manual liquid drain
valve. The user’s operational procedures should include, as part of
the compressor operator’s daily routine, the inspection of the filter
elements and removal of any accumulated liquids as required. If
the seal gas quality conforms to the requirements explained
previously, liquid accumulation at the filters should be minimal
during normal operation.
The duplex seal gas filter assembly should be provided with a
differential pressure gauge and a high differential pressure alarm to
indicate when the filter element has become fouled and needs to be
replaced. The filter manufacturer normally advises a differential
pressure at which the filter element should be considered no longer
useful and therefore replaced with a new element. The high differ-
ential pressure alarm should be set accordingly. A pressure gauge
should also be provided upstream of the filter assembly to indicate
the seal gas supply pressure (Figure 5).

Figure 7. Flow Control.

seal at a rate sufficient to prevent reverse flow of unfiltered process
gas across the inner labyrinth seal and into the gas seal. A flow rate
of 16 ft/s is an industry accepted standard for sealing with labyrinth
seals. This is considered the minimum acceptable seal gas velocity
for gas seal applications. Therefore, in order to assure a positive
flow of seal gas across the inner labyrinth seal, gas seal systems
should be designed to provide a minimum gas velocity of 16 ft/s
across the inner labyrinth seal at all times. The seal gas velocity
across the inner labyrinth seal will vary with labyrinth clearance. In
order to maintain the minimum 16 ft/s velocity across the inner
• labyrinth seal at increased labyrinth clearance, the system should be
• designed to provide twice the seal gas velocity (i.e., 32 ft/s) at
•
design inner labyrinth clearance. This is a conservative approach to
system design that allows for increasing labyrinth clearance that
Figure 5. Duplex Gas Seal Filter Arrangement. may result from normal operating wear of the labyrinth seal.
It is also desirable to minimize seal gas consumption. The
Control majority of the injected seal gas flows across the inner labyrinth
seal and back into the compressor, and very little flow is actually
There are two basic methods of controlling the supply of sealing required for the gas seal. This “recycled” flow into the compressor
gas to the gas seals—differential pressure (∆P) control and flow is inefficient and uses more energy at a cost to the user.
control. ∆P systems control the supply of seal gas to the seal by Unnecessarily high seal gas flow can also result in increased initial
regulating the seal gas pressure to a predetermined value (typically gas seal system costs, since the high flow can result in larger sized,
10 psi) above a referenced sealing pressure. This is accomplished and thus more expensive, gas seal system components such as
through the use of a differential pressure control valve (Figure 6). filters, valves, piping, etc. This added expense becomes even more
Flow control systems control the supply of seal gas to the seal significant if special liquid separation and/or filtration equipment
by regulating the seal gas flow through an orifice upstream of each is required due to unacceptable seal gas quality.
seal. This can be accomplished with simple needle valves or, when In order to achieve the minimum seal gas velocity of 32 ft/s
automatic control is desired, through the use of a differential across the inner labyrinth seal, and to minimize the amount of seal
pressure control valve monitoring pressures on either side of the gas consumed, flow control is recommended over ∆P control
orifices (Figure 7). Automatic control is recommended. systems. Since flow control systems are set to maintain the flow of
The primary objective of the seal gas control system is to assure that seal gas supply through an orifice, the supply mass flow rate is
sealing gas is injected between the inner labyrinth seal and the gas constant and will not vary with labyrinth clearance.
148 PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-FIRST TURBOMACHINERY SYMPOSIUM • 2002

To demonstrate the advantages of flow control over ∆P control

systems, consider the following example. Using a 25 mole weight
hydrocarbon mixture, a chart was constructed depicting the sealing
gas mass flow, velocity, and differential pressure across the inner
labyrinth seal for a range of sealing pressures using both flow
control and ∆P control systems (Figure 8). The data for the ∆P
control system is based on a seal gas supply pressure of 10 psi over
the reference pressure. The data for the flow control system are
based on a constant seal gas velocity of 32 ft/s across the inner
labyrinth seal.

Figure 9. Inner Labyrinth Seal Gas Flow (40 Mole Weight Gas).

Figure 8. Inner Labyrinth Seal Gas Flow (25 Mole Weight Gas).

As can be seen from the chart (Figure 8), the sealing gas mass
flow and velocity across the inner labyrinth seal are equivalent for
flow control and ∆P control systems at a sealing pressure of about
2900 psi. At sealing pressures less than 2900 psi, the sealing gas
mass flow for ∆P control is much higher than that of flow control
at the same sealing pressure. For example, at a sealing pressure of
1000 psi, ∆P control uses about 70 percent more seal gas (mass
flow) than flow control. As explained previously, the excess flow Figure 10. Inner Labyrinth Seal Gas Flow (5 Mole Weight Gas).
consumed by the ∆P control system is inefficient and uneconom-
ical, and the use of flow control is recommended. labyrinth seal can become quite low when using a flow control
At sealing pressures greater than 2900 psi, the amount of sealing system at lower sealing pressures (relative to the equivalent
gas consumed by the flow control system is actually greater than pressure). Low differential pressures across this labyrinth could be
that of ∆P control at the same sealing pressure. However, the susceptible to process upsets, increasing the possibility of gas seal
velocity of the sealing gas across the inner labyrinth seal drops contamination from unfiltered process gas and threatening gas seal
below the minimum recommended value of 32 ft/s when using ∆P reliability. To compensate for this condition, it is recommended
control at these higher pressures. This increases the possibility of that the flow control system be designed to maintain a minimum 3
gas seal contamination from unfiltered process gas and therefore is psi differential pressure across the inner labyrinth seal. This will
a threat to gas seal reliability. For this reason, the use of flow increase the seal gas consumption and velocity across the inner
control is again recommended. labyrinth seal accordingly.
The relationships between sealing gas mass flow and velocity As demonstrated above, flow control systems have definite
across the inner labyrinth seal for flow control and ∆P control advantages over ∆P control systems, and flow control is therefore
systems demonstrated above hold true for all types of process recommended. The gas seal system should be designed to provide
gases, shaft sizes, and labyrinth clearances. For gases of different a minimum gas velocity of 32 ft/s and a minimum differential
mole weights, the sealing pressure at which the two types of pressure of 3 psi across the inner labyrinth seal at design labyrinth
control systems have equivalent sealing gas mass flows and clearance. The application of these criteria will assure a positive
velocities simply changes inversely proportional to the change in flow of sealing gas across the inner labyrinth seal, reduce the risk
mole weight. For example, for a 40 mole weight gas, constructing of gas seal contamination from the process gas, thereby adding to
a similar chart (Figure 9) of sealing pressures using the same increased gas seal reliability. The use of flow control also has the
assumptions as the previous 25 mole weight example, it can be added advantage of eliminating the need for measurement of the
seen that the equivalent pressure is about 1800 psi, as compared reference (sealing) pressure from a cavity internal to the
with 2900 psi for the 25 mole weight gas. For lower mole weight compressor, which is required when using ∆P control systems.
gases, the equivalent pressure increases. Constructing yet another Accurate reference pressure measurement can be difficult in some
chart (Figure 10) for a 5 mole weight gas indicates that the instances as has been discussed in detail by the author (Stahley,
equivalent pressure is “off-the-chart” and beyond the sealing 2001).
pressure capability of today’s gas seal technology. The flow control system should include a “high-select” feature
As can be seen from the three charts of various mole weights and for the reference pressure (low pressure, downstream) side of the
sealing pressures, the differential pressure across the inner orifices (Figure 7). The high-select feature includes reference lines
 DRY GAS SEAL SYSTEM DESIGN STANDARDS FOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR APPLICATIONS 149

on the downstream side of the orifices in the seal gas supply piping vent. This is accomplished by measuring the flow or pressure
to both gas seals. These lines include check valves to prevent cross across a restriction orifice in the primary vent piping. An
flow of seal gas from each end of the compressor and are tied increasing flow or pressure trend is indicative of increasing gas
together into a single line before connecting to the differential seal leakage and suggests deterioration of the primary seal. The
pressure control valve. This allows the system to seal against the flow restriction orifice (“FE” in Figure 11) should be provided with
“worst case” (highest reference pressure) condition in the event a differential pressure transmitter to monitor and record seal
that the seal gas flows required by each gas seal are slightly leakage trends. An alarm should be included to initiate upon
different. The check valves are drilled through to allow bleeding increasing pressure or flow above a predetermined limit. The
off the built up pressure. The system should also include a pressure recommended alarm level varies depending on the gas seal manu-
gauge downstream of the control valve to indicate the seal gas facturer, but twice the calculated gas seal leakage rate is a
supply pressure and instrumentation to initiate an alarm when the conservative approach.
differential pressure across the orifices falls below a predetermined
value. Safety Issues
The primary vent system must be designed to cope with a total
PRIMARY GAS SEAL VENT
failure of the primary seal. It is highly recommended that a
Sealing gas is injected between the inner labyrinth seal and the shutdown and depressurization of the compressor be initiated upon
gas seal (Figure 1). The vast majority of this injected gas flows the failure of the primary seal. The secondary seal is intended to act
across the inner labyrinth seal and into the compressor, or as a backup in case of primary seal failure, providing the necessary
“process” side of the gas seal. A very small amount of the sealing shaft sealing until the compressor can be safely shut down and
gas passes through the primary seal and out the primary vent, depressurized. Due to increased safety risks, operation on the
which is normally connected to the user’s flare system. The gas secondary seal for extended periods of time is strongly
seal manufacturer determines the gas seal leakage rate to the discouraged.
primary vent based on the specified service conditions and seal A pressure sensing device, installed upstream of the flow orifice,
design. Leakage rates are typically between 5 and 15 scfm should be used to initiate a shutdown and depressurization of the
depending on seal size and service conditions. compressor upon increasing pressure above a predetermined limit.
The primary vent can be fabricated from carbon steel piping. Again, the recommended shutdown level varies depending on the
The vent should be equipped with a valved, low point drain to gas seal manufacturer, but three times the calculated gas seal
allow removal of any built up liquids in the primary vent area that leakage rate is a conservative approach.
could cause damage to the primary seal (Figure 11). If the In the event of a catastrophic failure of the primary seal, the
primary vent is connected to a flare system, a check valve must primary vent is subject to a much higher gas flow, causing a back-
be included to prevent any potential reverse flow from the flare pressure in the piping upstream of the flow restriction orifice. A
system into the primary vent area, which could cause damage to rupture disc should be installed in the primary vent to relieve the
the gas seal. backpressure and evacuate the gas. The rupture disc (“PSE” in
Figure 11), installed in parallel to the primary vent flow orifice,
should be designed to burst at about 20 psi differential (depending
on normal flare system design pressure). It should be noted that the
high differential pressure or flow alarm and shutdown limits would
be exceeded before the rupture disc will burst.
Before the compressor can be restarted after the gas seal has
been repaired or replaced, a new rupture disc must be installed. It
must be recognized that it is physically possible to restart the
compressor with the damaged rupture disc in place. If this is
allowed to occur, the instrumentation installed in the primary vent
to initiate an alarm or shutdown will be rendered ineffective. The
primary seal gas leakage will flow unobstructed through the void
created by the burst rupture disc and a high flow or pressure will
not be detected by the instrumentation. The user must be aware of
these circumstances and maintenance procedures must be
established accordingly.
To avoid this potential safety issue, the rupture disc should be
fitted with an electronic continuity detector to indicate the disc has
failed, thereby alerting the operator to avoid further startup
attempts. Or, the electronic device can be connected into the start
control system to prevent startup if the rupture disc has not been
replaced. Another, less economical alternative is to use a relief
valve in place of the rupture disc. However, the reader is cautioned
to note the difficulties in sizing a relief valve for high flow, low
differential pressure applications.

SEPARATION GAS SUPPLY TO THE BARRIER SEAL

Source
The end user must provide a source of separation gas supply to
Figure 11. Primary Gas Seal Vent Arrangement. the compressor OEMs gas seal system (Figure 12). The separation
gas is required for the barrier seals, which are intended to prohibit
Primary Gas Seal Health lube oil migration into the gas seal. The separation gas is fed to the
The suggested method of assessment of the condition of the dry barrier seals through stainless steel tubing. The separation gas must
gas seal is by monitoring the gas seal leakage through the primary be available at sufficient pressure as defined by the barrier seal
150 PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-FIRST TURBOMACHINERY SYMPOSIUM • 2002

manufacturer with enough margin to account for buildup of 3 to 5 psi differential for labyrinth barrier seals and 5 to 10 psi
pressure drop through the gas seal system components. It is very differential above the secondary vent area pressure for carbon ring
common to use instrument air as the separation gas medium. This barrier seals. The separation gas supply tubing should include a
requires careful attention to safety considerations, which will be gauge to indicate the differential pressure between the gas supply
discussed later. It is highly preferable to use nitrogen as the and the secondary vent. It is important to note that the reliability
separation gas medium. and length of service of the barrier seal can be greatly influenced
by the absolute value of the separation gas pressure. The design of
the system must take into consideration the maximum pressure that
can be accepted by the barrier seal without creating abnormal wear
of the seal itself. The barrier seal manufacturer must provide the
maximum pressure versus seal life characteristic.
It is vitally important to the reliability of the barrier seals and gas
seals that lube oil is only supplied to the compressor bearings when
proper separation gas pressure exists. This can be assured with the
following controls (Figure 13):

Figure 12. Barrier Seal Filter Arrangement.

Compared with the main seal gas supply, the quality and
composition of the separation gas is of lesser concern. Barrier seal
tolerances are not as small as gas seal tolerances, and therefore the
gas quality requirements are less stringent. However, the typical
sources of separation gas (nitrogen or instrument air) are generally
very clean in comparison to seal gas sources. Therefore, the
separation gas “requirement” at the customer connection point on
the gas seal system is that it be free of solid particles 5 microns and
larger and 99.97 percent liquid free.

Filtration Figure 13. Separation Gas Supply.

A separation gas filter immediately follows the customer
connection point on the gas seal system. This is again intended as • An alarm is required if the differential pressure between the
“final” or “last chance” filtration assuming compliance with the separation gas supply and the secondary vent falls below a prede-
gas quality requirements explained in the previous section. API termined level.
Standard 614 (1999) requires a duplex filter arrangement, but a
single filter element with stainless steel housing has been proven to
• If proper separation gas pressure is lost during operation
(rotation) of the compressor, a delayed shutdown is recommended.
be adequate for this service. The filter should include a bypass line If low separation gas differential pressure is detected, a shutdown
allowing filter element replacement while in service. should be initiated after about 30 minutes. This will give operators
Since, as mentioned previously, the typical sources of separation time to attempt to reestablish proper separation gas supply and
gas are generally very clean, it is recommended that filter element minimize the effects of oil migration to the gas seals. When
be capable of 5 micron (absolute) filtration. Coalescing filter compressor shaft rotation has come to a complete stop, lube oil
elements and manual drain valves should be provided for all appli- flow to the bearings must be halted. If this is not possible due to
cations. turning gear requirements or for concern of heat soak into the
The separation gas filter assembly should be provided with a bearings, an emergency nitrogen supply must be supplied to
differential pressure gauge and a high differential pressure alarm to provide the required sealing during these conditions.
indicate when the filter element has become fouled and should be
replaced. A pressure gauge should also be provided upstream of the • If proper separation gas pressure is lost while the compressor is
static (not rotating), lube oil flow to the bearings must be
filter assembly to indicate the separation gas supply pressure
immediately halted.
(Figure 12).

Control
• Proper separation gas pressure must be confirmed before
proceeding to provide lube oil flow to the bearings. A “permissive-
The supply of separation gas to the barrier seals should be start” of the lube oil pumps is required.
controlled using a differential pressure (∆P) control system.
Approximately equal parts of the separation gas will flow through
SECONDARY GAS SEAL VENT
the barrier seal into the compressor bearing chamber (outboard Reviewing overall seal operation, sealing gas is injected between
side), and into the secondary seal vent area (inboard side). The ∆P the inner labyrinth seal and the gas seal. A very small amount of
system controls the supply of separation gas to the barrier seals by the sealing gas passes through the primary seal and out the primary
regulating the separation gas pressure to a predetermined value vent. An even smaller amount (typically less than 0.1 scfm) of
above the secondary vent pressure. This is accomplished with a sealing gas passes through the secondary seal and out the
differential pressure regulator. secondary vent. The majority of the flow through the secondary
The barrier seal manufacturer determines the required separation vent is separation gas that has passed through the barrier seal
gas pressure to the barrier seal. Typical pressure requirements are (Figure 1).
 DRY GAS SEAL SYSTEM DESIGN STANDARDS FOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR APPLICATIONS 151

The secondary vent can be fabricated from carbon steel piping. directly from the barrier seal into the secondary vent cavity in the
The vent system should be equipped with a valved drain at its compressor. In a lean system, the secondary vent can be routed to
lowest point to allow removal of any potential lube oil carryover atmosphere. A conservative design approach is to bypass enough
from the bearings. The secondary vent should be vented to separation air to create an environment of no more than 50 percent
atmosphere. If the secondary vent is connected to a flare system, a of the LEL under worst case (primary seal failure) conditions.
check valve must be installed to prevent any potential backflow
into the vent, which could cause damage to the secondary gas seal
and/or barrier seal. The system design must also consider the
possible increased flow to the compressor bearing housing and/or
coupling guard area to avoid interfering with the normal venting of
these areas from too high a pressure supplied to the barrier seal.

Secondary Gas Seal Health

It is difficult to monitor the health of the secondary seal. Unlike
the primary seal vent, a flow or pressure measurement of the
secondary vent is of little value for assessing the health of the
secondary seal. Since the vast majority of the gas flow through the
secondary vent is injected separation gas, measurement of this flow
is not representative of secondary seal performance.
As explained by the author (Stahley, 2001), the biggest threat to Figure 14. Secondary Gas Seal Vent Arrangement.
the reliability of the secondary seal is contamination from bearing
lube oil. Therefore, an evaluation of lube oil migration into the In a rich system, a quantity of process gas is injected into the
secondary seal cavity may provide the best means for monitoring secondary vent such that the gas to air mixture is above the upper
the condition of the secondary seal as well as the effectiveness of explosive level (UEL) of the gas (i.e., the ratio of gas to air is too
the barrier seal. This can be accomplished by routine inspection of high to allow combustion). This is accomplished by bypassing
the low point drain installed in the secondary vent piping. The process gas from the seal gas supply piping directly into the
presence of increasing amounts of lube oil in the secondary vent secondary vent piping (Figure 14). A conservative design approach
drain over a period of time is indicative of deteriorating barrier seal is to inject enough process gas to create an environment at least 5
performance. Progressive lube oil contamination will lead to percent more gas by volume above the UEL under worst case
degradation of the secondary seal. Conversely, if primary vent conditions.
pressure or flow is normal, and the secondary vent drains are dry, A rich system increases the amount of process gas to be vented,
it is usually safe to conclude that the secondary seal and barrier and environmental issues will probably require that the secondary
seal are in an acceptable operating condition. vent be connected to the user’s flare system. Connecting the
secondary seal vent to a flare system when using an air separation
Safety Issues system presents further safety issues and is not recommended. A
It is highly recommended that a nitrogen source be employed for flare system upset could possibly create a reverse flow in the
separation gas. If a nitrogen source is not readily available, the user secondary vent, forcing process gas into the compressor bearing
should consider the use of special nitrogen generation equipment cavity, and hence into the lube oil system. This could create an
to avoid the complications arising from the use of air as the explosive environment. It must also be recognized that an increase
separation gas medium. A safety issue arises when air is used as the in separation air flow, such as could be expected if the barrier seal
separation gas for the barrier seal. Under this condition, it is were to malfunction, could alter the gas composition in the
possible to create an explosive mixture in the seal system secondary vent, resulting in an explosive mixture (below the UEL).
secondary vent when air mixes with combustible process gas. It is ultimately the user’s decision if the system is designed to
Combustion can occur within the secondary vent if a certain gas to run rich (above the UEL of the gas) or lean (below the LEL of the
air mixture exists (i.e., within the explosive levels) and a source of gas). A rich system will greatly reduce the overall separation air
ignition is introduced. The worst case scenario is a catastrophic consumption, but will increase process gas consumption and
failure of the primary seal, while the secondary seal remains intact. increase the amount of hydrocarbon gas routed to the secondary
Under this condition, the secondary vent would be exposed to vent, creating a potentially dangerous environment. A lean system
higher levels of sealing gas leakage, up to the maximum primary increases the overall separation air consumption, but will decrease
seal leakage rate advised by the gas seal manufacturer. process gas consumption and the amount of hydrocarbon gas
The explosive levels for a given gas will vary depending upon its routed to the secondary vent. These factors must be evaluated by
components and the expected amount of gas seal leakage to the the end user based on the specific project conditions before the
secondary vent (advised by the gas seal manufacturer), so the system design can be finalized. The use of nitrogen for separation
potential for explosive mixtures must be evaluated on a job-by-job gas is again highly recommended.
basis. According to the Gas Processors Suppliers Association SUMMARY
(1987), in general, a hydrocarbon gas and air mixture is potentially
explosive if between the range of about 1 percent to 15 percent The author has addressed the four main components of gas seal
hydrocarbon gas by volume. If analysis determines the existence of systems in detail and proposed design standards for each:
an explosive mixture, the issue must be addressed through the
design of the separation air system. The system can be designed to
• Supply of sealing gas to the dry gas seals
create a “lean” or “rich” environment in the secondary vent. • Primary seal vent system
In a lean system, a quantity of air is injected into the secondary • Separation gas supply to the barrier seals
vent to ensure that the gas to air mixture is below the lower
explosive level (LEL) of the gas (i.e., the ratio of gas to air is too • Secondary seal vent system
low to allow combustion). This is accomplished by bypassing The gas seal system design standards proposed herein are
separation air from the supply piping directly into the secondary summarized in a single diagram for easy reference (Figure 15).
vent piping (Figure 14). It is also possible to include bypass ports Also provided is a tabulation of recommended gas seal system
within the secondary seal housing itself to bypass separation air alarm, shutdown, and permissive-start conditions (Table 1).
152 PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-FIRST TURBOMACHINERY SYMPOSIUM • 2002

dations presented are based on the experience of one manufacturer

of both centrifugal compressors and dry gas seals. These
recommended design practices will provide the user with an
∆
effective, reliable, safe, and economical dry gas seal support
system.
The gas seal system design recommendations proposed in this
paper are applicable to the industry’s most common arrangement
of a beam-style compressor with tandem dry gas seals. These
system standards are “typical” and may need to be modified for
different types of compressor and/or gas seal arrangements, but the
basic design philosophies are applicable to most applications. Each
project should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to assure an
appropriate gas seal system is applied.

REFERENCES
API Standard 614, 1999, “Lubrication Shaft-Sealing and Control-
Oil Systems for Special-Purpose Applications,” Fourth
Edition, American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.
Gas Processors Suppliers Association, 1987, Engineering Data
Figure 15. Gas Seal Support System.
Book, Tenth Edition, Gas Processors Association, Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
Table 1. Alarm and Shutdown Conditions.
Stahley, J. S., 2001, “Design, Operation, and Maintenance
Considerations for Improved Dry Gas Seal Reliability in
Centrifugal Compressors,” Proceedings of the Thirtieth
Turbomachinery Symposium, Turbomachinery Laboratory,
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, pp. 203-207.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for
CONCLUSION their assistance in reviewing this paper: David Shemeld, Norman
The purpose of this paper was to put forth to the community of Samurin, Dan Lowry, Michel Rabuteau, George Talabisco, Ron
process gas centrifugal compressor users a design standard for dry Fox, Jr., and Jill Roulo. The author also thanks Dresser-Rand for
gas seal support systems. The design suggestions and recommen- allowing him to publish this document.