COST EFFICIENT ELECTRIC HIGH-SPEED DRIVES WITH MAGNETIC BEARINGS FOR THE COG MARKET

摘要

Electric high-speed drives with magnetic bearings offersignificant technical and economic advantages for gascompression and pipeline operation. Compressors withmagnetic bearings and dry gas seals have beensuccessfully used for more than a decade. Theseinstallations have demonstrated that the elimination ofthe compressor lube oil system results in increasedavailability and is economically viable. Nevertheless, aslong as a lube oil system is still necessary for the driveror for a gearbox the benefits of an oil-free operationsuch as increased safety and increased availabilitycannot be fully exploited. Electric high-speed drives donot require a gearbox. In combination with the use ofmagnetic bearings such drives allow the elimination ofthe entire lube oil system resulting in a dry rotor string.The elimination of the gearbox and of the drive lube oilsystem results in increased efficiency and increasedavailability. This leads to reduced operation andmaintenance cost. Furthermore, such electric high-speeddrives can easily be adjusted to specific requirements,allow a wide operating range and thus the pipelineoperation can be optimized. High efficiency, oil-freeoperation and no emissions make electric high-speeddrives the most environmental friendly compressordrive.