pressure regulators in series

[mcmidkiff]

I have often been told that, in a wet gas system, taking a two step pressure drop (two regulators in series) will reduce hydrate formation tendencies over a single regulator. An example would be a 100 compressor fuel gas system with supply gas at 1000 psig. Installing two regulators; 1000 to 375 and 375 to 100 psig, would result in less hydrate formation tendency than a single 1000 to 100 psig drop. There is no intermediate heating, and only about 12" of pipe. Why is this advantageous. I was told that it reduced the Joules-Thompson effect. I thought the Joules-Thompson effect is simply the cooling resulting from the Gay-Lussac's Gas Law (P/T = P/T). Help. I'm feeling stupid.

 

[NeedAHoliday]

Have a look at thread798-125227 for a good discussion on the J-T coeeficient.

Cheers,
K.