Viscoelastic compressor pulsation dampener

Abstract

A system, in certain embodiments, includes a pulsation dampener for minimizing the adverse effects of pulsation waves in a process fluid generated by a reciprocating compressor. The pulsation dampener may be installed proximate to the source of the pulsation waves and external to a main flow path of the process fluid being compressed within the reciprocating compressor. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the pulsation dampener may be a pulsation dampening valve enclosure configured to at least partially encase a valve assembly of the reciprocating compressor. The pulsation dampening valve enclosure may be filled with a pulsation dampening material, such as a wire mesh material, a viscoelastic material, an elastomeric material, or a combination thereof.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a compressor having a first chamber, an inlet, an outlet, a first inlet valve assembly configured to control a flow of a process fluid into the first chamber of the compressor through the inlet, and a first outlet valve assembly configured to control the flow of the process fluid out of the first chamber of the compressor through the outlet, wherein the flow of the process fluid defines a flow path; and   at least one pulsation dampener external to the flow path, wherein the pulsation dampener is configured to dampen pulsation waves within the process fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pulsation dampener comprises a pulsation dampening valve enclosure, wherein the pulsation dampening valve enclosure encases at least part of the first inlet valve assembly or the first outlet valve assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein an interior volume of each pulsation dampening valve enclosure is filled with a pulsation dampening material. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the pulsation dampening material comprises a wire mesh material. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the pulsation dampening material comprises a viscoelastic material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the pulsation dampening material comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the compressor comprises a reciprocating compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the reciprocating compressor comprises a two-stroke reciprocating compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the two-stroke reciprocating compressor comprises a second chamber, a second inlet valve assembly configured to control the flow of the process fluid into the second chamber of the two-stroke reciprocating compressor through the inlet, and a second outlet valve assembly configured to control the flow of the process fluid out of the second chamber of the two-stroke reciprocating compressor through the outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first inlet valve assembly, the first outlet valve assembly, the second inlet valve assembly, and the second outlet valve assembly are each at least partially encased within a respective pulsation dampening valve enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a pulsation dampener configured to couple to a reciprocating compressor external to a flow path of a process fluid to be compressed within the reciprocating compressor.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the pulsation dampener comprises a pulsation dampening valve enclosure configured to at least partially encase a valve assembly of the reciprocating compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein an interior volume of the pulsation dampening valve enclosure is at least partially filled with a pulsation dampening material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the pulsation dampening material comprises a wire mesh material. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the pulsation dampening material comprises a viscoelastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the pulsation dampening material comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising the reciprocating compressor, wherein the pulsation dampener is coupled to the reciprocating compressor. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 dampening pulsation waves in a process fluid generated by a reciprocating machine using a pulsation dampener installed in the reciprocating machine external to a flow path of the process fluid flowing through the reciprocating machine.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein dampening the pulsation waves in the process fluid comprises dampening the pulsation waves using a pulsation dampening valve enclosure which at least partially encases a valve assembly of the reciprocating machine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein dampening the pulsation waves in the process fluid comprises dampening the pulsation waves using a pulsation dampening material within an interior volume of the pulsation dampening valve enclosure.