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Compressed (Inert) Gas Receivers

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Super Engineer

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Feb 6, 2024
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Gas receivers to my knowledge serve (2) purposes, accumulation and storage of gas. Regarding gas inlets and outlets of inert gas receivers (compressed air, argon, n2), why is typical to see a gas inlet nozzle and a gas outlet nozzle to the receivers? It seems to me that one nozzle can serve both functions. Either the receiver is accumulating (during periods of low demand) or discharging (during periods of high demand), so why (2) nozzles? Please assume the gas is clean and dry for the purposes of this conversation.
 
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Some examples maybe?

Many only have one IME.

Not much cost impact so why not though.

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Here is a hypothetical example: A compressed air system has an air compressor, desiccant air dryer, and a dry receiver on the generation side of the system. At the far end of the distribution system, an additional receiver is added to satisfy a large short duration instantaneous demand. I am looking for someone to justify the additional cost, although a small cost, to install both inlet and outlet nozzles to both receivers. A small cost multiplied by multiple units can save the owner a significant amount of money. I believe engineers have a duty to spend our client's money wisely.
 
Probably something to do with maintaining a flow of air through the receiver to avoid air getting stale or dropping out water. Nozzles are pretty cheap.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
 
Separate inlet and outlet allows compressor to fill the tank inlrt at a nearly constant flow rate, because the receiver supplies downstream flow rate through the Outlet. Those two flow rates can be different, as the receiver makes up for the difference. The receiver inlet tends to hold its pressure near to that of the compressor discharge pressure, whereas the receiver's outlet may vary towards the downstream pressure side, according to the instantaneous demand. If there is only one In/outlet, that forces the compressor discharge pressure and downstream pipe pressure to be equal there whenever the compressor is running, which may cause flow sent downstream to temporarily exceed demand, pressure the downstream side piping to max, which if not immediately bled off through a higher flowing demand rate there, to backflow when the compressor shuts off. Separate inlet and outlet work better towards maintaining a buffered constant flow downstream according to demand, no matter how much gas is in the receiver or what the compressor happens to be doing at the moment. If the demand pressure side is rather low when the compressor kicks in, one in/outlet may transfer a pressure kick downstream and change your flows significantly until the receiver gas pressure/volume
catches up to the new in/outlet pressure.


--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."
 
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