When choosing the form of compressor drive for large air separation equipment, it is necessary to comprehensively consider several factors, including equipment performance, production demand, cost-effectiveness, environmental impact, etc.
Turbine drive: Turbine is widely used in electric power, chemical industry, metallurgy and other industries due to its axisymmetric high-speed rotation characteristics, smooth operation, low wear and tear, and long continuous operation time. However, the one-time investment is large, the requirements for heating pipeline and production system are high, the production cycle of the equipment is long, the installation and commissioning as well as the process of opening and stopping the system are complicated, and the boiler emission may cause certain pollution to the environment.
Motor drive: motor is an indispensable rotary drive equipment in industrial production, with the advantages of smooth operation, simple start-stop control, short production cycle. Motor installation is relatively independent, which helps to ensure the construction cycle. However, high power motors require high grid conditions when starting, which may have an impact on surrounding equipment. Especially in the case of restricted grid capacity, it may not be possible to use direct starting.
For large air separation plants (e.g., those exceeding 35,000 m³/h rating), turbine drives are more often used due to their advantages in terms of continuous running time and stability. For smaller air separation plants, motor drives may be more attractive due to their cost-effectiveness and ease of installation.
