American Petroleum Institute

Pulsation and Vibration Control in Positive Displacement Machinery Systems for Petroleum, Petrochemical, and Natural Gas Industry Services - First Edition
 N RP 688

Annotation

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the application of pulsation and vibration control requirements found in the API purchasing specifications for positive displacement machinery. The fundamentals of pulsation and piping system analysis are presented in this Part.

The text begins with an overview of the fundamentals of pulsation and mechanical theory in Section 3. The intent of Section 3 is to introduce terminology and define the elements of the analysis process. Section 4 begins with a discussion of the acoustic and mechanical modeling techniques associated with the different design philosophies, which emphasize either pulsation or mechanical control, and concludes with a discussion on the appropriate selection of a Design Approach and Philosophy. Section 5 discusses the effects of pulsation on the accuracy of various types of flow measurement devices. Section 6 summarizes the requirements for documenting study results. Section 7 offers guidance on the performance of field testing to validate the results of the design process and to troubleshoot pulsation or vibration problems. Finally, methodologies for conducting a dynamic analysis of the compressor or pump valve performance are described in Section 8. The material in this Part is generally applicable to all types of positive displacement machinery.

Part 2 deals specifically with reciprocating compressors and provides commentary regarding each paragraph of Clause 7.9 of API 618, 5th Edition. It is the intent of the API Subcommittee on Mechanical Equipment that similar material be provided on reciprocating pumps and screw compressors in future editions.