UNTRADITIONAL VIEW TO THE TYPE OF EXPANDERS OF CRYOGENIC HELIUM PLANTS OF SMALL AND AVERAGE PRODUCTIVITY

Authors

  • И. К. Буткевич Институт физических проблем им. П.Л. Капицы РАН, ул. Косыгина, 2, г. Москва, РФ, 117334, Russian Federation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18198/j.ind.gases.2010.0509

Keywords:

Helium, Liquefaction, Cryogenics, Cryogenic helium plant, Productivity, Efficiency, Turboexpander, Piston expander, Safety, Operational losses, Repair

Abstract

Modern cryogenic helium plants (CHP) including the small and average productivity liquefiers of leading cryogenic companies are completed with turboexpanders. CHP of this type are characterized by relatively little time of continuous work (8-10 h) and rather frequent commissioning (1-2 times a week). The analysis of the main rates of such cryogenic helium plants (efficiency, safety, a level of automatization, operational loss and maintainability) has shown inevident advantages of turboexpanders over piston expanders. As a result of the experimental comparison piston expanders have been more preferable because of their low operational losses while liquefaction of relatively small amounts of helium.

Author Biography

И. К. Буткевич, Институт физических проблем им. П.Л. Капицы РАН, ул. Косыгина, 2, г. Москва, РФ, 117334

I.K. Butkevich

Issue

Section

PROCESSES, CYCLES, SCHEMES AND THE EQUIPMENT OF REFRIGERATION AND CRYOGENIC SYSTEMS